High Heart Rate - 226 BPM ???

[Alexandra]

Got up at 5am to an episode of palpitations. Felt dreadful at first, but eventually walked gingerly down to A&E for an ECG (ECG during an attack needed by consultant to diagnose what is going on with my heart). A&E was full of clubbers from the night before, hefty lasses wearing small amounts of flimsy clothing and 6" heels obviously feeling very ill. What with them and accidents on the ice, everyone was extremely busy. So I waited ... and waited. I was worried that by the time I got my ECG my HR would have subsided, but rather worryingly it stayed right up for a long while. Curiously, the ECG seemed to be therapeutic - after that my HR did soon come right down and I was let go after a repeat ECG. They concluded that I do have A-fib, not good news, and say they will be writing to my consultant and my GP. In my experience hospitals SAY they will contact GPs but often don't.

[IanDarkpeak]

Got up at 5am to an episode of palpitations. Felt dreadful at first, but eventually walked gingerly down to A&E for an ECG (ECG during an attack needed by consultant to diagnose what is going on with my heart). A&E was full of clubbers from the night before, hefty lasses wearing small amounts of flimsy clothing and 6" heels obviously feeling very ill. What with them and accidents on the ice, everyone was extremely busy. So I waited ... and waited. I was worried that by the time I got my ECG my HR would have subsided, but rather worryingly it stayed right up for a long while. Curiously, the ECG seemed to be therapeutic - after that my HR did soon come right down and I was let go after a repeat ECG. They concluded that I do have A-fib, not good news, and say they will be writing to my consultant and my GP. In my experience hospitals SAY they will contact GPs but often don't.

sorry to hear that Alex

my hospital sent all my info to the my doctors, well actually they sent it to my old doctors from 15 years ago despite having been to hospital a few times for minor things

[Alexandra]

sorry to hear that Alex

my hospital sent all my info to the my doctors, well actually they sent it to my old doctors from 15 years ago despite having been to hospital a few times for minor things

Thanks, Ian. My stay in A&E has not improved my confidence in the efficiency of the NHS. Of course they were terribly over-worked, but despite their having on their computer screens a complete list of all patients from the moment they were admitted, with constantly updated waiting times for them all, they managed to overlook a family with a crying toddler and keep them waiting about 3 hours, in the face of increasingly furious protests from the father. My visit would have been much easier if they had just told me each time they left me to wait, roughly how long the wait would be and what I was waiting for. I got told off for looking at the computer screen in my cubicle which showed the waiting times and other info - but if they had better guidelines for communicating with patients I would not have needed to.

[IanDarkpeak]

Latest installment of my heart condition.

The specialist changed his mind and decided against the Adenosine stress test to check the electrical pathways. He also decided not to go for any Angioplast etc as he doesn't think the risks out way the benefits, his figures give a 45% success rate with 53% showing no discernable improvement, the 2% wasn't worth thinking about, 1:50 are not odds I would want to play with unless neccessary.

Instead I went for another ECG resting heart rate was 41! despite walking a flight of stairs to get to the right room. I've also got to wear a 7 day heart rate monitor but there wasn't available for 6 weeks. Another appointment booked for the Friday before the BG dinner.

His words were go out and enjoy life but I may have to ease back abit in 10-15 years, I don't think I'll last that long

He also talked again about the medical study with the Finnish Xcountry endurance skiers and how endurance athletes have 6x more chance of having AF but have a much higher life expectancy than the control goup.

so no real new news but it is sort of good news

[Alexandra]

Latest installment of my heart condition. ..... so no real new news but it is sort of good news

Well, I'm glad it was at least sort of good news, though I did feel a bit worried when you said you didn't expect to last til 60. I trust that was tongue in cheek. I expect all of us on this Forum to last to at least 100.

Because my A-fib kicks in always first thing in the morning on waking and never during exercise or later in the day (thank goodness) I suspected it might be triggered by sleep apnoeia. I put this to my GP,who rubbished it on the grounds that over-weight people have a tendency to sleep apnoeia, I am not over-weight, therefore I can't have it. Spot the famous fallacy! Actually, according to the internet, sa is increasingly common with ageing and can be implicated in a-fib.

When I next saw my specialist, he actually ASKED ME!!! what I thought might be a cause (is this a first?) and he jumped at the idea of sa. I was referred to a sleep clinic. There I had to fill in a questionnaire with lots of questions I couldn't answer eg Do I fall asleep while watching TV? (don't have one) or while driving (don't have a car).

I was issued with a sort of electronic octopus of tangled wires which I had to put on at night and sleep in. Well, with three elastic bands round my body sprouting wires to a plastic box and also to spikes that went up my nose and to a clip on my finger, you will not be surprised that I only managed to sleep about 4.5 hours. I thought the whole test was a write-off, but weeks later I heard from my specialist to say that signs had been detected COMPATIBLE WITH sleep apnoeia. (Is it that they really aren't sure, or is it "don't alarm the patient"-speak?) So it's back to the sleep clinic to see a chest specialist next. Meanwhile, I haven't had a proper attack since before Xmas, though I suspect minor things happen while I am asleep.

So I think for me too the news is sort of good.

[geronimo]

i am seeing the doctor in the morning as i have had some high readings out running but OK when cycling.
would like to think it is a faulty monitor but not run for a week waiting for tomorrows appointment just to be sure.
only had my garmin 310 since xmas so would not think it was a battery (assuming there is a battery in the chest strap?)

[martin]

i am seeing the doctor in the morning as i have had some high readings out running but OK when cycling.
would like to think it is a faulty monitor but not run for a week waiting for tomorrows appointment just to be sure.
only had my garmin 310 since xmas so would not think it was a battery (assuming there is a battery in the chest strap?)

Try running with a cotton tee shirt. I had problems with static from clothing which caused false high reading. Test it by wearing the HRM and normal running top and rub the shirt near the receiver to see if the heart rate increases on the HRM.

[IanDarkpeak]

Latest installment of my heart condition.

The specialist changed his mind and decided against the Adenosine stress test to check the electrical pathways. He also decided not to go for any Angioplast etc as he doesn't think the risks out way the benefits, his figures give a 45% success rate with 53% showing no discernable improvement, the 2% wasn't worth thinking about, 1:50 are not odds I would want to play with unless neccessary.

Instead I went for another ECG resting heart rate was 41! despite walking a flight of stairs to get to the right room. I've also got to wear a 7 day heart rate monitor but there wasn't available for 6 weeks. Another appointment booked for the Friday before the BG dinner.

His words were go out and enjoy life but I may have to ease back abit in 10-15 years, I don't think I'll last that long

He also talked again about the medical study with the Finnish Xcountry endurance skiers and how endurance athletes have 6x more chance of having AF but have a much higher life expectancy than the control goup.

so no real new news but it is sort of good news

More updates...

this time maybe not so good, Had another little episode of AF whilst coming off the Ben Saturday morning. took a few hours to return to rythm but it was no where near as bad as last time. I was dropped off in Threkeld on the way down whilst the rest of the group continued on. Thanks to SteverS who put me up in his cottage at short notice and then drove me back to Sheffield Yesterday.

[fellrunnerreuben]

sounds bad ian i hope you get to the bottom of the problem soon.

[IanDarkpeak]

sounds bad ian i hope you get to the bottom of the problem soon.

we know whats causing it, it was hoped it was a freak aberation. it's just a case of what we do about it. drugs are out, (I'm too fit)! operation on the heart is a possible last resort? or I can go on managing it my self and hope I don't have a bad one.
Whats difficult is the confidence issue to dissapear in to the hills for a day(or 2) by myself and not be worried by the fact it may strike again.