ECG today - scared!

[GirlAfraid23]

I've got my ECG today at 2pm.
I'm so worried about it, I barely slept last night. I was so upset yesterday and ended up crying all evening.
I've had to ask my partner to stay off work with me as I don't want to go on my own and I've got hours before I am due to leave.

The waiting is killing me. I know my beats per minute will be fast and strong because I'll be so anxious. They will probably be over 100bpm. Does this interfere with the test results? I want them to be as accurate as possible.
I keep feeling more skipped beats than usual.

Will I get the results straight away? I've only ever had an ECG at A&E before and they told me the results there and then.
I'm terrified they'll find something and will have to urgently send me to the hospital there and then.

I also had a blood test on Monday morning, would I have had the results by now if it was something bad?

[Mrschurchill]

I rememeber having this done and being awake ALL night feeling totally panicky - literally got about 2 hours of sleep. Thought my results would be haywire!

They weren't... They were totally normal!

I don't think I got the results right away as I'm sure I just took the machine off and left! xx

[GirlAfraid23]

I rememeber having this done and being awake ALL night feeling totally panicky - literally got about 2 hours of sleep. Thought my results would be haywire!

They weren't... They were totally normal!

I don't think I got the results right away as I'm sure I just took the machine off and left! xx

Ah ok, so did you hear back at a later date?
The closer it gets, the more anxious I'm becoming. I hate medical tests of any kind.

[Mrschurchill]

It was about 5 years ago but yeah I think they just sent the results to my GP xx

[GirlAfraid23]

An hour and a half to go, scared! :(

[Mercime]

An hour and a half to go, scared! :(

It will be fine. Better to distract yourself with something apart from the health forum? Read, or crossword, Suduko, something like that to occupy your mind x

[KatiePink]

It will be fine. Better to distract yourself with something apart from the health forum? Read, or crossword, Suduko, something like that to occupy your mind x

Agreed, being on here and counting down the time is a no no. You have to try and distract yourself, occupy yourself with something more positive if you can. As your making your anxiety stronger by doing this, i'm sure all will be okay :)

[GirlAfraid23]

Thanks all, yes I know I shouldn't be on here but I can't help it.
Part of what I'm talking through with my therapist is 'needing constant reassurance'. I've actually got a counselling appointment an hour after the ECG.

I'll come back on after and let you know how it went...as soon as I step into doctors or medical environments, my heart rate and anxiety rockets.

[Fishmanpa]

Thanks all, yes I know I shouldn't be on here but I can't help it.

I'm sorry but you actually can help it. You may not be able to help how you're feeling but logging off is an actual physical act and you can do it. You are fully and completely physically capable of putting your cursor on the little "x", closing the window and walking away.

Why not give it a try and come back to tell everyone the good news?

Positive thoughts

[smiles]

How did you get on lovely?

[GirlAfraid23]

I had it earlier today.

I was so so anxious, she told me to strip off (bra as well!) and lay down, she said "you have to relax" easier said than done!
I asked her if I'd be getting the results straight after and she said (the nurse) that she doesn't know how to read them.
I knew my heart was racing when she was doing the ECG, probably about 120bpm!
While it was happening she started typing, I don't know what and at the same time watching the ECG results.

Afterwards she came and took them off and said she needed to show the results to a doctor, of course my heart rate went through the roof (again!) and I asked if it was anything bad. She said again that she doesn't know how to interpret them.

I was left outside to wait for 20 minutes in absolute turmoil. Thinking the worst.
Finally she came out and said the doctor had looked at the result and it was fine.

I don't understand why she had to get the doctor to look at it. Do you think that means something bad? She wasn't giving anything away. I've got another appointment tomorrow to review the ECG and blood tests (again with a nurse). Incidentally, all my blood tests came back clear as I asked today...I don't know what the point in me going tomorrow is really, unless there is something serious on the ECG although they've already said 'fine'.
I hate anxiety :weep:
I was actually hoping something came up in the blood test to explain how I've been feeling lately!

[ServerError]

It makes me so sad to see you feeling this way. Based on what you say, today went well!

The reason the nurse wasn't saying much is because she couldn't. She doesn't know how to interpret the readings. It's that simple. She showed it to a doctor who said it was 'fine'. That means it's fine!

If anything bad showed up, you'd have been told there and then. Their job isn't to hide things from you.

The next appointment is a review - to review the good results.

You've had a clean bill of health based as far as I can tell.

[Darwin73]

It's great that your blood tests have come back clear, and it sounds like your ecg was good too. The doc wouldn't have said "fine" if it wasn't. It could well be the case that the person who did the ecg was not qualified to interpret them. She could have been an HCA rather than a nurse, and even if she was a nurse, protocol could mean that a doctor is needed to sign off an ecg. I'm sorry you still feel anxious, but I would be encouraged by the outcome of today's appointment.

[GirlAfraid23]

It makes me so sad to see you feeling this way. Based on what you say, today went well!

The reason the nurse wasn't saying much is because she couldn't. She doesn't know how to interpret the readings. It's that simple. She showed it to a doctor who said it was 'fine'. That means it's fine!

If anything bad showed up, you'd have been told there and then. Their job isn't to hide things from you.

The next appointment is a review - to review the good results.

You've had a clean bill of health based as far as I can tell.

Thank you for putting it in perspective for me Server.
I had my counselling appointment straight after the ECG today incidentally, which did help a lot. I'm paying for it privately as the NHS are currently taking forever to get back to me.
Thank you again. I just want to get tomorrow over with. I suppose it'll just be to review the results as you say. They did mention about offering me anxiety meds too, which I'm reluctant to take but I suppose I may do eventually if things don't improve.

---------- Post added at 22:31 ---------- Previous post was at 22:29 ----------


It's great that your blood tests have come back clear, and it sounds like your ecg was good too. The doc wouldn't have said "fine" if it wasn't. It could well be the case that the person who did the ecg was not qualified to interpret them. She could have been an HCA rather than a nurse, and even if she was a nurse, protocol could mean that a doctor is needed to sign of an ecg. I'm sorry you still feel anxious, but I would be encouraged by the outcome of today's appointment.

Thank you for your reply and putting it in perspective.

[Fishmanpa]

They did mention about offering me anxiety meds too, which I'm reluctant to take but I suppose I may do eventually if things don't improve.

As others have said, it's not up to the nurse/technician to interpret results. That's up to the doctor trained to do so and despite your anxious heart rate, you're fine! (a well deserved "Told ya so!" ;))

I'm pleased to see you getting help. Concerning the meds? Based on your history, I would seriously consider them, if even as a crutch until you get your sea legs back. I did a stint of Zoloft for 6 months during therapy for depression. While I wasn't keen on taking them, they were the "crutch" I needed until I could walk on my own.

Great to hear the positive news :)

Positive thoughts