ECG

[CameronG]

Hi guys just a quicky, if you've had an ECG which has came back absolutely fine would it b worth requesting the 24 hour holter belt type or the stress test type? Or would a fine ECG indicate there's b no problems whatsoever .

Thanks in advance

[nomorepanic]

You have to go on recommendations from your doc to be honest. You can't just request these things as they cost money, obviously. So I would discuss this with your doc.

[CameronG]

I think my point mainly was if an ECG said your fine is that pretty much solid? I.e at different times there could b problems I.e exercise etc as ECG are done lying on a bed!

[sherylee xx]

hellooooooo hun well the doctor at the hospital said an ecg only traces your heart there and then so at that moment your heart is fine if it come back normal etc, so she wront to my gp to request i have a 24 hour tape as she thinks i have an arythmia problem that the ecgs arnt picin up as thyr only for afew seconds ask your gp hun xx

---------- Post added at 01:35 ---------- Previous post was at 01:34 ----------

and no its not solid in the slightest hun xx

[nomorepanic]

AN ECG only takes a snapshot at that moment in time. It depends what your worries are and why you think you need a 24-hour monitor. Do you get palpitations etc?

[CameronG]

Just random racing heart at different times of the day for no reason, like tonight just round my friends chilling n boom pounding for nothing which I find strange, and yeah im partial to the old palp now n again

[Pipkin]

Hi Cameron,

If your doctor thinks you need further tests, he'd refer you. I think we're all guilty of reading about tests and medication and then going to our doctors and asking for them. Doctors have years of training and experience to be able to make informed decisions and we have to learn to trust them (not blindly, just with confidence and a bit of logic).

Take care

Pip x

[benjamin222]

This is actually the exact same question I came here to ask, though I believe I've asked it a few times before. I've had numerous ECG's, all of which came back ok, so I've never been put on a 24 hour heart monitor or gotten chest X-Rays. Right now I'm a mess. I'm getting palpitations that are awful. When they happen my body goes numb, I can feel heaviness, pain, and pressure in my chest, pins and needles in my extremities, and this weird tickling sensation everywhere that makes me feel like im going to vomit. I am so scared right now, if anyone could re-assure me that would be wonderful

[kinnygirl1]

Hi Cameron

I had an ECG which was normal but I kept getting flutters and palps which I just kept mentioning to doc when I was there for my doctors certificate appointments.( Was off work for 5 months last year with anxiety!) He suggested a 24 hour ECG which I then had. It did pick up my flutters and palps(gave them fancy names, sinus tacycardia and the like) but they were deemed to be not at all serious. So unserious that I was immediately discharged from the cardio clinic without even seeing a cardiolgist. So I guess my conclusion is that yes a 24 hour ecg may pick up your palps etc but if they were due to anything serious it would most prob have been picked up on first ECG. Not sure if that helps but hope it does. Heart anxiety is just terrible!

[angel wings]

hi cameron

I Had an ecg done about a month ago and was all clear but i am still having problems so i went back he suggested a chest xray and some cardio tests to be done so might be worth having a chat to your gp again and ask if you could have the 24 hour one to be done.

[CameronG]

Hi guys thanks for the advice, am not so worried about palps as such more my actual heart rate, got some good advice from my therapist today which may help you guys if it's a worry, am going to do a lil survey with my friends n family n my therapist is too, what I'm asking is,

Resting rate when first wake up, am, pm, evening n before bed

A rate when going to make a brew for example

A rate after the long hike up the stairs

I'll compare these with myself n go from there, done a few with the wife this morning n all seems in order lol, anx is a funny game I tell thee!!

[pablo22]

your heart rate is in all probability absolutely fine, i get racing heart rate too for no good reason, I had an ECG and came back fine and the doc seems to be happy with that... i might request a 24hr one.. but... you know.. when does it end?? i dont wanna be having tests for the rest of my life haah

[angel wings]

lol yer know what you mean had so many tests done in the past :blush:

[CameronG]

I agree, I'll do me lil surveys n go from there lol

[kestral]

ive had 3 ecgs and a 24hour heart monitor, blood tests done in the last month and have been given anti-anxiety meds to calm me down. i get what the doc calls palps and have done for some years but i still worry about my health all the time. i have blood pressure meds but am controlling diabetes with my diet at the moment. whenever i read or hear about peoples illnesses i get really anxious so try to avoid news etc.

[CameronG]

I'm the same kestrel, I was brought up on the motto "if u don't follow the news you wouldn't know a bomb was going to drop" news stories like muamba freak me out too that's why I have cut the news out too

[ANG3LIC]

hi.. wow;;; i never thought of that... that the ecg is only like a snapshot of those seconds/mins its on, as my doc called me in for an ECG he said im more at risk being on citalapram and another medication im on, apparently the two medications together made me more 'at risk'.

my ecg was fine btw, n dont take citralapram now, on day 7 ish of fluoxotine.. but its given me something to think about..
love n hugs 2all xxx :hugs: xxx

[Welsheh]

Hi Cameron and everyone else reading,

This is my first time on these forums, so I hope my experiences and understanding of my issues so far can help you and maybe yours can help me! Bare with my long reply!

Tonight I've found myself trawling the Internet for support groups etc because as usual, I can't sleep due anxiety issues involving several things from health to general anxiety.

My story starts 3 years ago when I moved to London from my home in Wales due to work. At the time I was generally healthy, no worries and happy. I believe to this day it was due to stress and a poor lifestyle but I began to experience noticeable fluctuations in my heart rhythm, as if my heart was skipping a beat. Being a non worrier at the time I plodded on and forgot about it. It wasnt regular in the daily sense but more I would notice it twice a month, mostly when I was lying still in bed.

One night I got particularly worried about it as it happened around 20 times in one night. I couldn't sleep worrying so much about it so I went and sat in A&E for 5 hours. When I got seen to, I had blood tests, the usual cursory checks, blood pressure and ECG but everything was fine.

Unconvinced I left the hospital and continued on with my life and did not experience anymore (what i considered) significant events for months. Then those few months down the line it happend again, and AGAIN, worried I went to A&E and repeated my previous visit..... Nothing wrong. But my heart beat irregularities weren't happening during that 10 second ECG so how were they going to know it was fine?

I visited my GP who I had recently changed to and fortunately, he seemed interested and was very reassuring. He referred me back to the hospital to have 3 tests - a 24 hour ECG, an echocardiogram and an excersise stress test. The echocardiogram was said to show I had a normal looking heart. The stress ECG on a treadmill showed nothing but the 24 hour ECG had picked up the 'skipped beats'.

I had a consultation with the cardiologist who said I had Premature ventricular ectopic beat. It is benign and considered to be normal. In fact I learned that almost everyone will get it at some point and there are some stimulation factors that can be involved ie Drugs, Caffeine, Alcohol, Stress etc. for me it came in spurts, sometimes 4months free of it followed by a week of it and then free from it again. The most important thing regarding this is most people do not notice it. If you're a worrier and have, like me, sensitised your body to the smallest of happenings, then you're gonna notice maybe more than most.

This was a relief for me and whenever it happend afterwards I could practically go by without even reacting to it even though I could feel it. I accepted what it was and had no concerns regarding it. Another important thing that may be relevant to you Cameron is that it can happen in ones twos threes even eights! I have had long consecutive spurts of it whereby it feels my heart is racing but not in the sense of a high bpm, but rather a short succession of quick irregular beats.

I hear ya on that fabrice muamba comment! I too saw that and my imagination run wild and started to imagine myself also having it throwing me into a panic and causing me more problems!

FINALLY, my advice to you!

- ECG's show up that short period of time you're hooked up. This can show if you're currently having them or can also show if you've had any serious events previously (serious issues can leave an 'echo' on your ECG). If they've not been worried about anything on your ECG, that's a GOOD thing.

- a 24 hour ECG is better for obvious reasons. If you're worried and are convinced there's something going on, convince your doctor. They will accommodate it, it's simple and requires a referral to the local cardiology unit at hospital. Don't be surprised if its something like I have. There's so many benign things that go on with the heart within everyone, it's just some of us notice.

Like Pablo22 said, the probability is you are fine, but your overexamination of it yourself is causing you to blow it out of proportion. Its what I was like :)

Benjamin222, likewise for you man. Tell your doctor how you're feeling and how much it's affecting you and ask for further checks ie 24 ECG and cardiograms etc but in all likelihood, your mind will be making it worse!!!
__________________________

I know how horrible this can be, physically and mentally, so if you wanna share experiences etc, message me! That's what his is all about ain't it? :)