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youngatheart1
youngatheart1

Hi, I am currently using a cardio memo to try to determine whether I have paroxysmal AF.  On Monday, whilst sitting down everything went black, I stood up quickly and managed not to faint, I was boiling hot and then went cold and shivering, my heart was racing and I was struggling to breath, being on my own I called 999 as I was terrified.  The paramedics arrived and said I was in tachi sinus , with long spikes showing on the bottom of the ECG reading, my heart was racing and my BP was 190/? which they said was to be expected.  Anyway, I get to the hospital and wait for my turn only to find that my notes and ECG's showing all this have gone missing?  they did a further couple of ECG's which the doctor said showed an abnormality, I then waited to see a senior registrar, who said my blood test showed no heart attack, even though it was done within 2 hours after the episode and I was told a further one would be done after 6, it wasn't.  He also said that the abnormality the other doctor had seen wasn't and even though I was dizzy, freezing cold one minute and boiling the next, he said it muscular skeletal pain.  Bone pain would not cause heart to race, nor would it cause breathlessness or fainting.  I am at a loss of how to go forward as the ECG's with the AF on them have gone missing.  I did send through a recording on cardio memo but as I was so stressed I was not still enough to record it.  Since Monday, I have felt absolutely shattered, I am dizzy, cannot focus and feel as it I am mildly electrocuted, it's as if my heart and upper body is pulsing.  Does this sound like AF to you or could it be thyroid as one of the GP's suggested, although this has been checked before and nothing came of it.  Any thoughts please as I am terrified of it happening again.

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Anonymous111
    Anonymous111 youngatheart1

    Posted

    Sinus Tachy isn't AF.

    You definitely need to have you thyroid checked again.

    How old are you? Do you smoke? Have High BP or High Cholesterol?

    Any long term medical conditions?

    What medications are you taking?

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 Anonymous111

      Posted

      Hi, I am being checked the paroxysmal AF due to my heart racing etc.  At rest is goes from 72 to 121 in a second, this has been caught in A&E, but they don't know why as all other tests are good.  Sinus Tachy, I thought was a racing heart, which is AF ?  I am female and 58, I don't and never have smoked, hardly drink, do not have HP unless in doctors or hospital when it always goes up and down.  I have GERD and take esomeprazole and ranitidine and also IBS.  Last December I had a DVT for which I am taking thinners, I cannot come of these until they determine whether I have AF, I give in my cardiomemo tomorrow and then they will look at all the recordings over the last month and make a decision. I have been to A&E about 3 times now with the banging heart and dizziness symptoms and each time they say have my thyroid checked.  It is annoying that the guidelines for thyroid have changed and my GP said that under the new rules I do not have a problem, but using the old measures would be borderline.  It is the whoozy, pulsating feeling that it getting to me, I also have a pressure feeling in my ears and can hear my heart beating so I am going to get them checked this week.  Take care

    • Anonymous111
      Anonymous111 youngatheart1

      Posted

      No Sinus Tachy does not mean AF. AF would give non-sinus tachy.

      You're having episodic sinus tachy, rather than episodic AF.

      You've had your thyroid checked - so we can't blame that. Borderline Hyperthyroidism is unlikely to be responsible for this - also antithyroid drugs are horrible - so we don't want to put you on them if they're not doing to do any good.

      These could be Panic Attacks.

      There are then much rarer things which can cause episodic sinus tachy.

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 Anonymous111

      Posted

      Hi Ben, you seem quite knowledgeable on this, so would you know if this makes a difference.  It nearly always happens when I am sitting down and usually after I have eaten something, I am just sitting reading or watching TV generally resting so not in an anxious state. I do suffer with GERD and take esomeprazole for this. I rarely have the raised heart beat while moving around, it doesn't cause me problems when walking etc apart from the dizziness, which I am beginning to think may be being caused by my ears as I have noticed lots of pressure. 

    • Anonymous111
      Anonymous111 youngatheart1

      Posted

      Eating as a trigger sounds more like Paroxysmal AF.

      Is the GERD well controlled?

      It could still be PAF, but we havn't caught ECG evidence yet.

      See what your Holter results are.

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 Anonymous111

      Posted

      Thanks, I think that is why cardio believes it to be AF, he is quite convinced food plays a part, but my own GP looks at me as if I am mad.  GERD is controlled and ok.  Take care
  • sarah88339
    sarah88339 youngatheart1

    Posted

    I have paroxysmal AF. If I get an episode I suddenly feel as if my stomach is turning over and my heart races and is very irregular. This causes me to feel very faint and sick and I find it difficult to breathe. I lie down and take deep breaths until the fainting and sickness passes. The irregular heart beat continues for ages and has lasted as long as 4 hours. You need to be refered to an   Electrochardiologist.

    where in the country do you live?

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 sarah88339

      Posted

      HI Sarah,  I live in Bedfordshire and am under a cardiologist at the moment, I have had lots of tests, the last being the cardio memo which I give back tomorrow.  Your description is exactly the same as mine, my stomach lurches and then I just feel banging in my ears and chest.  There is no set pattern it won't happen for days, sometimes weeks and then it will happen daily for a few days.  The cardio said it what he believes I have and if so it will only get worse, which is quite alarming as I am worried that at some point the heart will surely have had enough and give up.  What treatment are you on?  Thanks 

  • jenny51936
    jenny51936 youngatheart1

    Posted

    Hi, it is frightening when things happen and if it happens again don't worry about calling 999 you know your own body and when your feeling unwell. I have AF and about 3 years ago I was rushed into hospital with my AF was told I had over active thyroid which sets my AF off, this thyroid was medically induced from previous medication I was on for my AF, Amiodorone not on that anymore. Most of the time you feel as if no-one is listening but keeping shouting out loud until they do listen 

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 jenny51936

      Posted

      HI Jenny, I certainly do feel no one is listening, on Monday when they lost my ambulance notes which showed clearly that my heart was going mad, no matter how many times I told the doctors what it looked like they just ignored me.  I actually said to one of them "let's hope I don't drop dead then" and he just glared at me.  If it was a leg that was playing up you could accept it, but your heart is the most important part of you.  I am going to ask for a thyroid test again.  Our GP has changed to a system where you e:mail in your problem and they either answer by phone or give you an appointment, I just want to sit in front of someone and get them to listen.  Take care

  • popeye62
    popeye62 youngatheart1

    Posted

    Hello youngatheart i have both af and thyroid the devil invented af I get dizzy with both I would say it's not thyroid I was in constant af up to my icd being fitted like you I let them fob me off it can not be ignored they just have to catch you in it.try to relax and take notes have they mentioned ablation or cardiiversion.also make sure you are on the right meds for it I have bisopradol and amiodrone good luck

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 popeye62

      Posted

      Hi, Amiodrone was mentioned and I suppose I will go on it if AF is eventually show on my recordings. THey have seen it but cardio does not want to start medications as I am 58 and he say's I shouldn't have it until I am 65 !!  I hate feeling like this and just want to get on with my life.  Thankss

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