Why do this six weeks later?

[Leafitout]

Aibu to be freaked out at recieving a letter from my GP this afternoon ( postman didn't come until 5pm) saying that I have been referred to have a 24 hour heart monitor fitted. I went to the GP with heart palpitations and had a nurse wire me up to an EGC at the surgery. She then told me to wait whilst she showed the results to the GP. After 20 minutes she came back and said that's all ok you can go now!! I now have this letter and I'm worried as they never called me back to say anything was a miss.

[Autumnfan]

Hosp doc here. This would be a standard investigation for palpitations and 6 weeks is probably how long it took for the tape to be arranged (waiting list). I suspect your GP arranged it when he saw you 6 weeks ago and forgot to say.

[BuckyLastard]

I have had the same investigations for palpitations. All was ok

[Floralnomad]

Absolutely standard , my DH is being investigated for palpitations and has had the ECG at the GP and is now waiting for the 24 hr monitor - nothing on the ECG to worry about .

[spillyobeans]

My husband had similar thing and it was to reccord how his heart acted when he got the palpitations, i think it was just the next stage in investigation as nothing worrying was showing on ecg. If they were concerned im sure they would keep you in. But ring gp and ask for reasurance

[scatterthenuns]

All very normal. Hope it goes well OP!

[Leafitout]

Thank you for putting my mind at rest. My anxiety issues send my mind into overdrive thinking the worst.

[Sidge]

An ECG is only a snapshot in time of how your heart was beating at the moment it was taken. It can show any acute changes (that are happening there and then) and can show older damage eg if you've ever had a heart attack, or if there's a problem with the electrical conductivity in the heart or a problem with the pumping function.

Palpitations tend to come and go, and are usually not a problem, but the only way to try and capture them is to record an ECG over a period of time. This usually means that the GP will refer for a 24 hour tape.

The initial ECG done in the surgery is usually to check there is nothing that needs immediate attention. Try not to worry - easier said than done I know!

[DoJo]

I'm in the late stages of being seen by a consultant in the next couple of weeks after originally going to see my GP in January, so the process can take a while! Sure it's nothing to worry about, and if it was, then they would have referred you for more than just additional monitoring.