Heart problems - really scared

[Inanna]

Hi all

I have been managing to keep my HA in check until today.

I was a work and I started to feel dizzy. As the afternoon wore on my chest was really hurting like bad indigestion. My jaw also hurt on both sides and I felt hot and faint.

I left work early but was worried about driving home. As there is a hospital next to my office I went in and told them I was feeling unwell, and worried.

Well, they gave me an ecg and blood tests. They said the bloods were normal and in the right time window, but there was something on the ecg. They didn't know if it was something "old" or something normal for me (?) but unusual, or a problem.

Anyway the pain had all gone, so they said they would let me go home, and arrange an appointment in the ambulatory outpatients to do some more tests etc

I am now very afraid. I have always tried to take care of myself, I don't smoke or drink, I go to the gym 5 times or more, and I have just started a running programme.

However, I am 54, so maybe I should be afraid?

Has anyone had a similar experience?:weep:

Thank you

[Fishmanpa]

I have heart disease and have suffered two heart attacks, bypass surgery and stents. It's my experience that they don't mess around when it comes to your heart and they wouldn't have let you leave if they thought you were at any risk at all.

Until you can speak with your doctor to discuss what they saw, I would chalk it up to an anomaly that's normal "for you" like a harmless heart murmur or the like. Certainly, even at 54, if you've been taking care of yourself, you've got nothing to worry about.

Positive thoughts

[bin tenn]

Agreed with fishmanpa, whatever it is certainly isn't immediately worrisome. I can't imagine them letting you leave if it were a real issue. Hence the followup testing, so they can double check that there isn't a minor issue that needs to be addressed, or at least monitored over time.

[Inanna]

Hi

Thank you both for replying. It is so nice to hear something positive. I spent 6 hours in the hospital and I have never felt so alone in my whole life. I can't tell my (adult) kids as I don't want to worry them unnecessarily, and my eldest daughter also suffers with anxiety. They see me as the strong one.

Fishmanpa, I feel humbled by you. Here am I worrying about something that basically hasn't really happened yet (no confirmed negative diagnosis), and you are coping with real problems. I am a coward, and you are so brave. I hope that you are feeling well and coping okay.

Since Weds evening I have been feeling better - only twinges in chest, although I have a dull ache in my left arm sometimes radiating down to my wrist and fingers. If it were connected with a heart problem, it would it be constant? Jaw is no longer aching, although I did have a pain in my temple and cheekbone yesterday.

Also, can you get these things from anxiety even though you don't think you are feeling anxious?

I am going to carry on as best I can, I will go to Body pump today, and for my run (I am only doing 90 seconds running and 2 mins walking for a total of 30mins)

Again thank you for your replies. I do so appreciate it :flowers:

Inanna

---------- Post added at 08:01 ---------- Previous post was at 07:49 ----------

I have just remembered:

Many years ago though, (over 30!), I took an overdose of disalgesics and alcohol (I was in a bad pace). The next day I was ill, and almost fainted, but never went to the doctors. Now I am freaking out that I damaged my heart, and now I am older (54) it is coming back to haunt me.

[Inanna]

Hello

sorry to come back to this, but I am still worrying.

I have not heard anything from the hospital about the outpatient appointment. They said someone would ring me in 3 days , but it has now been 10 days. I keep thinking, what if I gave them the wrong phone number, or they wrote it down wrong?

I can't talk to anyone about it. My Dad has just been diagnosed with lung cancer, and I feel so worried and sad about him, and my heart seems to be lurching about all over the place. Last night I was on the sofa and I suddenly felt really dizzy. I don't know if its anxiety,although I did feel quite relaxed.

Anyway, I went out last week and made a will, and I keep thinking of all th things I need to sort out. I am convinced that I am about to die. I try t tell myself I am fit and healthy, but the "abnormality" on my ecg is haunting me. I run, but then I remember about Rik Mayall, who fell down dead after a run, and his wife said he had a strong heart. :weep:

Does anyone know how I can find out about my appointment? Am I even allowed to ring the A&E?

Thank you

[Humly]

Hi. If you know who you are being referred to, is it one of the cardiac consultants?, you can ring their secretary to try and find out what's happening, otherwise, ring your gp surgery and explain to them. I'm sure they will be able to help or point you in the right direction. You can also probably ring a & e. I understand where you are coming from. The waiting around is awful.

[Inanna]

Hi

Thank you for replying. By coincidence, I have just had a call from the hospital and they want me to go in this afternoon . Really scared now.

Still, better to get on with it than just waiting and waiting

I hope it's just normal for me. I keep going through all the stupid things I did when I was young and think they have come back to roost. I was bulimic for a while , and I did try smoking for a course of weekend in my twenties .. aarrggh ��

---------- Post added at 11:27 ---------- Previous post was at 11:17 ----------

A couple of weeks, that should say

[Humly]

How did you get on at the hospital?

[Inanna]

Hi Humly

So sorry to take so long to reply, its been a very tough week, I have been spending as much time with my Dad as I can, but as I work full time, it means I am not getting any time to myself.

Well, the consultant said that the tradmill result was "good", and the other doctor said the results were negative. I wished I had spent more time asking questions, but I was there for so long, and I had to get over to my Dads. I wanted to ask about the first ecg, but didn't. Anyway, they said they will arrange for a 48 hours monitor, which they will write to me about, just to be sure that there is nothing else, when I get the palpitations.

I am not sure when that will happen, but for now, I am feeling better about the results. I still get palpitations, and sometimes my heart feels like it "Lurches" if that makes any sense at all.

[Inanna]

Well, my relief did not last long.

I got a letter from the hospital today,, with a discharge summary. It has really freaked me out, and I am trying hard not to google.

This is what it said:

Diagnosis:
1 - ?coronary vasospasm
2 - ?arryrhymia

Investigations:
ECG - Right bundle branch block. Nil acute signs.
Exercise tolerance test - Negative
Bloods -- Troponin normal


so, I am now freaking out about the "right bundle branch block" .. that sounds like I have some horrible blockage in my heart. :weep:

Can anyone offer me any reassurance?

[ServerError]

Doesn't that mean they're saying that there are "nil acute signs" of a branch block?

[Gary A]

Doesn't that mean they're saying that they're are "nil acute signs" of a branch block?

That's exactly what it means.

Also, troponin is an enzyme released by damaged heart muscle. That you have no detectable troponin in your blood tells you that your heart muscle is in no way damaged.

The results are basically saying you're absolutely fine OP.

[Inanna]

Thank you both. I feel better today, I think I was probably already quite anxious when I got home after visiting my Dad (who has cancer), and then I just freaked out when I saw that.

Yes, unless they tell me otherwise, I should assume that there is no problem. I suppose they would have told me if it was a problem?

I must get my anxiety under control.

[Inanna]

Today I got my appontment for my 48 hour ecg. Its 7th Feb. I am trying to ne cool about it and tell myself its just so that they can be sure they haven't missed anything, and not because they are suspicious of a problem.

Yesterday, I suddenly remembered a medical I had over 30 years ago, where the doctor said -you have a heart murmer. He was not concerned, and I am still here 30 years later, so maybe whatever it is is "normal" for me?

The other thing I was interested to learn is that the menopause can cause an irregular heartbeat, due to the fluctuating Oestrogen levels. As I am 54, this could be a reason. Apparently, it s not harmful, but I am still keen to rule out any other underlying cause.


I did start taking black cohosh, but I freaked out when all of this started, and stopped taking it, in case that was the reason.

I have downloaded buddhify, to try to get to grips with my anxiety (which ironically is the only risk factor for heart problems that I have!!)

[KeeKee]

Anxiety is a risk factor for heart problems? Wow, I never knew that.

[Inanna]

Oh, no sorry KeeKee, I phrased that really badly, I just meant that anxiety and stress can cause palpitations (I believe) and I have been having them

Sorry :unsure:

[Inanna]

Hi

Well, I have now done my 48 hours monitoring and am waiting for the results. It wasn;t too bad wearing it. I did get some palpitations whilst wearing it, so hopefully they will be able to explain them and they are not sinister.

To be honest, I haven; been too obsessed with it all, because in true HA style, I have now moved on to another worry.

I have discovered a small bump under one breast, sort of where the breast attaches to the rest of my rib cage. I say bump, it feels like a painless pimple, but it has been there over a week. Looking in the mirror, it has no colour, but is definitely raised, probably about 2 millimetres across, round and soft. So of course I am now focusing on that, and how likely it is to be a cancerous lump.

I suppose it hasn't helped that my Dad has just been diagnosed with Lung cancer, with possibly spread to his bones. I have been with him to the hospital loads. On Wednesday we have to go back to find out the results of his bone scan. My sister thinks that they are going to tell us his prognosis, which is going too be so,so hard. I am really scared, but I have to be strong for him, and be there for him. I don't want him to die, I feel so helpless.

Sorry I am rambling now.

[Rhiannon.]

I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. It must be so hard for you and no wonder your health anxiety is going mad :(

I'm going to be having a 24 heart monitor done in just over a week. I had an ecg which showed my heart rate was fast with slight abnormalities. Had blood tests but everything was fine. Doc didn't think there was anything sinister but just wanted to be sure, because why not :)
He said it was likely due to anxiety and that I've been having a crap time of late and been under the weather (a rheumatoid arthritis test came back positive a week before. Fun times for me!)

[Inanna]

Hi Rhiannon

Thanks so much your kind reply. Sorry to hear about your RA, and I hope the monitor goes well. It has made me feel a lot better that you said the doctor thinks your heart is fine, despite the abnormalities. I haven't heard anything about mine yet.

I am trying to stay completely calm today, because in a couple of hours, I am taking my Dad for his hospital appointment, and I am so scared. I don't think it is going to be good news, and I really wish I knew what to say to my Dad.

I am scared he is going to cry, and I have never seen him cry. There are no words are there? He has said a couple of times "I am dying, and I am not looking forward to it!", and I just feel like I let him down by not knowing how to make him feel safe.

:weep: