Best of luck Johnny. Heart stuff is quite scary.
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Back home wired up, power pack and recorder strapped around the waist, now for that marathon, greasy spoon lunch and pilate, or a gentle walk until my legs go wobbly and an afternoon kip. The second option seems more sensible and apart from the marathon and pilate the first more appealing.
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After Câs surgery she had a whole bunch of complications. When she had a funny turn (usually at some really inconvenient time, like 22:00 on a Friday) it could be hard to work out which of her systems had gone off the rails this time. One of her problems was cardiac arrhythmia (basically AFib) and Oxford A&E could spot that very quickly, once youâd got to the front of the queue of injured drunks. I asked my GP if there was anything that could diagnose it at home. She suggested one of these
Apparently they could, once upon a time, prescribe them but NICE were unconvinced about the value for money so they stopped that. We bought one anyway and it was pretty good at spotting the AFib. We didnât sign up for the (paid) support package which connects you to a cardiologist. We simply called NHS111, told them about the AFib and asked whether we needed to rush now to A&E or whether it could wait until the morning.
Since it only works using left and right fingers, not electrodes on the chest, it doesnât give such comprehensive results. But they were good enough.
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I am fortunate that I have no symptoms at rest, only on excercise. A gentle amble produces minimal problems but normal walking speed and I have scary experiences. I hope this ecg will show something, obviously any cardiac compensation is not kicking in or the electrical impulse is firing anywhere but where it should. Time will tell, if the ecg shows nothing I will be classed as the neurotic walking well.
After my shit last year, I can wholeheartedly (geddit ?) recommend having Doctors fawning all over you and getting to the bottom of it.
All the best mate.
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How do you fit in with the Oz health system?
Are you already covered as citizens or do you have to pay a contribution as you have not been paying Oz taxes?
We rejoin Medicare which allows us emergency treatment for gratis, but we will face a Means Test for other services.
Due to no longer paying tax in the UK, we will be Tax Payers in Australia so are eligible.
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Never has my flabber been so gasted. I dropped my ecg machine off at 09.00 this morning and at 14.00hrs had a call to go immediately to the gpâs. The recording showed fibrillation that was occuring without any obvious cause eg excercise and was even happening in my sleep. Two new tablets added to my diet, a lengthy explanation of exactly what was happening and a plan for treatment provided. Apparently given my history this could have been going on for about 15 years in less severe form, only to force me into seeking help as it got to the stage its at now. I owe the gp a drink I think, for his quick action. So seems like good news then at present.
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My mother had atrial fibrillation, and again could have had it for decades without knowing. In her sleep, any time, heart rate as high as 220bpm.
I learned loads about the drugs they have for the heart - they have ones for each cycle of a heartbeat, quite amazing. Thereâs one that is you give it to my mother thereâs a good chance it would have killed her very quickly as it suppresses an impulse that is already weak in her heart.
Anyway in her case it was caused by the signalling, basically. She had surgery called ablation, where they zap the wiring and hope that this resets it.
After three ablation surgeries, sheâs now cured. No heart pills, pacemaker removed, no longer classified as having âsudden death syndromeâ, at 84 she is fit and, well, hearty.
This is a long way of saying a few things: this is serious, but well understood and many cases are treatable with very good results. In the NHS you have to be rather pushy, so make sure you get referred to a specialist, find out how good they really are, and make sure youâre getting great care. There are huge differences in the care quality at different hospitals, make sure youâre in the right place.
Get well soon!
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Yes ablation has been mentioned if the meds fail to control the arrhythmia, I seem to have a good GP practice who are on the ball. Good to hear that your mumâs treatment was successful, I canât wait to be able to walk without dizziness and wobbly legs, one day perhaps.
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Went to the Docs, not exactly an A* on the memory test, bloods tomorrow. Couldnât get the year right ( the number 23 was screaming at me), couldnât remember an address after 2 minutes and something else i canât remember right now.
Almost praying for a Vit B deficiency in the Bloods result.
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