Heart problems!

[mothermac]

Feeling very scared about this and am typing this at 4.00 in the morning waiting for morning so I can race to the doctors.
A few yrs ago my blood pressure was continually a problem,so much so that I was sent to hospital for a 24 hr monitor so they could see the peaks and lows during the day.I am happy to say they said it looked ok but they put me through a few other tests as well,eg a echocardiogram which showed up something called Right Bundle Branch Block.The cardiologist said it wasn't serious and needed no treatment but he did give me some beta blockers,he also said that a lot of folk have it and don't know,it's justa wiring problem with the heart on one particular side right or left(left being the most serious) out of the two.I went away and didn't really worry until now.My palpatations are geting worse so much so that they kept me awake nearly all night a few days ago.I get awful thumping and jumping feelings in my chest and terrible breathlessness,like an idiot I googled and that's where the problems have begun.On one site it says that in BOTH heart blocks left or right the heart can stop and death will occur without immediate medical help,Jesus Christ what is going on here? I feel absolutely terrified andthis has made my anxiety 100 times worse.it also states that if the palps get bad or breatlessness occurs like me then it's causing symptoms and should be investigated.I can't believe this,I was told it wasn't bloody serious.I don't want to alarm anybody who has palps etc as they go hand in hand with anxiety and are normal to have when you suffer with this type of panic disorder but to have an illness diagnosed and be told different things is worrying,I am really scared and will be hammering on the door of my doctors at 8.30 which won't do any good I bet cos they always say it's nothing and it's rare etc,I feel I am on a losing battle.

[LeeBee]

Hey mothermac
Hello from the other side of the world where it's not 4am

OK, first of all, nothing bad is going to happen to you tonight.

Secondly, we all know what happens when we go to Dr. Google. It's Worst Case Scenario x 10 all the way.

If the cardiologist wasn't worried about it, that's a really good sign. It's their job to worry so if they're not - that's good. It sounds like you are so wound up about this that trip to the GP is a good idea to talk through your worries and have a general health check. Just a few more hours and you can go and see him/her.

You know you are very anxious about this, and it is your anxiety that is making you feel bad. Maybe try a some distraction, just for an hour or so. Do whatever it is that you use for distraction - read a book in the bath, watch a favourite DVD - whatever. And then at the end of the hour, see how your palps and breathing are getting on. Focussing on them for the next few hours isn't going to make any difference to your condition one way or the other, except that the anxiety will make you have anxiety symptoms, which include palps, breathlessness etc. So not obsessing about if for an hour or so can only help.

Hope that helps, hope that you get to see your doc today and hope that he/she puts your mind at ease. Hugs.

[crystalshimmer]

Mothermac You could have been posting for me!! In Dec 2005,I told my GP that I was badly out of breath climbing a hill or going up flights of stairs. I put it down to the fact that i had just stopped smoking after 50 years. She sent me for a treadmill,which I failed Lasted 2 mins . I then got an Echocardiograph and 10 days later was told to come to the surgery as it had shown that I had a mild heart attack. I was put on beta Blockers Ace inhibitors aspirin and statins, had an angiogram and the consultant said No heart damage,must have been Angina,but it turned out I had what they said was a "funny " heartbeat.I was told to stay on the medication even though I didnt have damage to the heart and 2 years down the line no one has said you have this wrong . All I was told at the time it was Left bundle branch block.
yesterday I went to a locum at the practise and asked her if she could check back all the results from the treadmill as no one had told me exactly what was wrong.She read them all and said I didnt have heart disease,the problem was electrical,half the people in the world have this and not to worry.
So,full of confidence today,I googled it,and got a shock when I read the same as you. Not the "nothing to worry" scenario I was told.She gave me Amitryptilene for nerve pain from my back ,and I decided to try and cope without them as I was so pleased at being told the heart was fine. Now I think I will take them.
I will have to go back now and ask for a second opinion.
Jean

[RosieXXX]

Hi mothermac,

By the time you read this post you would have seen your doctor, and I do hope your mind has been put at rest.

I agree with LeeBee if the cardio wasn't worried, then that really is a good sign. Anxiety does such awful things to us. Don't be tempted to google anymore - I have done the same and it always results in disaster.

Do hope you are feeling better about things.

[HeatherMc]

Just wondered how you got on at the doctors mothermac
worried about you hun

heather

[mothermac]

Hi to all who have taken the trouble to read my panicky post.
I did go to the doctors at 10.30 and spoke to him for about 20 minutes on my heart concerns,he has referred me to the Cardiology unit over at the hospital for an appointment in October,he said that he didn't think anything was serious with bundle branch block but if I was concerned he would send me for some more tests to put my mind at rest.
He took my BP which was a little raised but I think that was because I was anxious,he just smirked when I said I had googled as I bet he see's loads of people who tend to diagnose themselves through this mind blowing search engine(lol).
Thanks again for all your concern,it is lovely to know there are folk out there who care about what happens to me as my family are great but tend to get a little exasparated with my health anxiety.

[Myfanwy]

Hi Mothermac,

I am having very similar problems at the moment so I can relate to your problems. In the past week I have had a blood test and ecg. Both were fine but the GP still wants a holter monitor test and an echogardiogram just in case. What is an echogardiogram ?

I am worried as my Great Grandmother had heart problems from the time she was 29 until she died from them at 66. I am 36.

It is a vicious circle. The more I worry about my health and stress over other things the worse I feel so then I stress more.

You are not alone in these worries,
Myf

[mothermac]

Hi Myfanwy-thanks for replying,an echocardiogram is where they rub jelly over your chest and run a scanner over your heart area,this then shows up your heart on the screen and they can see how it is performing at that particular time,I have had 2 of them and they are completely painless and the only sensation you feel is the cold from the jelly.
The sonographer who did mine was really nice and said he couldn't see anything untoward which is what the doc said as well,hope everything goes ok for you when you go for yours.I just wish I could stop worrying about my heart but I think it stems from my father dying of a heart attack so when I go for counselling in a few weeks I can perhaps examine my feelings over this there and get back on track.