Going to GP tomorrow for heart stuff

[Estellenoire]

I'm going to the GP tomorrow because I've been getting chest pains and my heart feels weird (like it's beating too slow and sometimes it stops then it goes BUDOOM and starts again, my heart rate is actually 51bpm at the minute which, considering I'm so unfit I couldn't run to the end of my road, is pretty low) and I've had this feeling of impending doom. Basically it's probably just health anxiety but at the minute I'm terrified that my heart is going to stop and I'm going to suddenly die.

I want to get my heart checked out and I have private health insurance. Do I just go to the GP and say that my heart feels weird and can they refer me? Or do I have to really justify it? Are they going to just say "It's anxiety" and send me on my merry way? I just found out today that my dad has a heart arrhythmia (which is one of my big fears, and is also making me think that this isn't all in my head).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[lindajane1971]

Hi there,
Im feeling a bit like you at the moment, for the last while my heart rate has been low, mostly in the evening when im sitting its in the 50-60 range and its really really getting to me. Im female, 40 and also very unfit, obese in fact.
Ive had heart issues for 4 years now, my mum died suddenly from a heart attack at the age of 54 and ive been suffering anxiety since about 6 months after she died.
I do get ectopic beats, they were very frequent for the first 2 years after she died, but they have gradually tailed off and i now only feel them occasionally, maybe this is what you are thinking that your heart has stopped, as i used to think that too. To me it feels like the same - like it has stopped for a second and then it "jump starts" itself back into rhythm.
Medically if your heart had actually stopped then you would be in cardiac arrest or dead already!!!
You are clearly alive :) so you will know that logically that does not actually happen, but your "anxiety head" will override the logical thoughts every time and before you know it, you are having the thoughts of impending doom! And if your dad has a heart arrhythmia then im not surprised that you are anxious about it , im sure though that arrhythmia is not hereditary so don't dwell on that too much. (easier said than done i know)
Just explain to your GP exactly how the weird beats feel, and how low your heart rate has been and say how worried you are and that you would like a health check. It dont matter if you have private insurance or not your GP will give you an examination, and should still arrange for some blood tests (cholesterol etc) and a ECG if necessary, well thats the first thing my doctor did for me. (im in scotland)

Im going to try and get an appointment too, i keep saying to myself that im fine as ive felt this for a while now and surely if something was going to happen it would have done by now.
good luck!

[lindajane1971]

hope you got on ok today x

[scrog80]

do some exercise if u want your heart to beat simple !!