Can I have a handhold please...

[VetTraineee]

I had covid a couple of months ago with only mild symptoms. Since then I have been breathless and fast heart rate. I had a ecg, chest X-ray and bloods. Bloods all
fine, chest clear and heart normal on X-ray but ecg showed an abnormality (similar to that of a heart attack the nurse said). I've now been referred for an Echo and I'm so scared. I can't stop crying. I have your children and I'm terrified. I have to wait 3 weeks for heart scan.

Has anyone had similar and all turned out okay? I can't concentrate. I think I'd rather be dead than go through this

Bump

I haven’t had similar but I can offer a virtual hand hold. I hope it’s all ok for you.

@BeingATwatItsABingThing

I haven’t had similar but I can offer a virtual hand hold. I hope it’s all ok for you.

Thank you

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along to offer some words of wisdom.

"I think I'd rather be dead than go through this"

Seems a strange thing to say. I mean, I get that you're stressed and anxious, and I sympathise, but you wouldn't really rather be dead would you? Do you have underlying mental health issues or is it "just" this health concern that is worrying you atm?

Perhaps you could call and ask about the chance of getting an earlier scan (in case of cancellations for example) but in the meantime hang on in there and try not to panic. If you really are crying all the time and unable to stop worrying and thinking you'd be better off dead, please talk to your GP.

Ok so I was in a similar situation pre covid. I get exactly how you are feeling. You are bumbling along and then suddenly a huge shock to the system. One minute you are healthy and fit, the next there's a huge shadow hanging over you.
I had some mild chest discomfort in 2018. Thought it was muscular skeletal so self medicated. After a week it was still there so ended up being sent to A/E (worked at the hospital) and had blood tests, xray and ecg. All normal save ecg which showed changes. Lots of deliberation from the docs. Eventually they came to the conclusion it was normal for me as I wasn't presenting like a typical cardiac patient but I would need an echo just to rule things out. I was terrified too. The next few weeks were awful, I have a crit care background so knew a bit about ecgs. Each and every investigation worried me. Heart rate was up before every one which didn't help.
In retrospect I wish I'd asked more questions so work out what you want to know, write it down. I even saw a cardiologist eventually and forgot to ask her very much as I was so overwhelmed. I was given the all clear but tbh still have questions. It's really hard managing health anxiety and difficult to keep it in perspective.
Fwiw I've had covid (10 weeks today). Touch wood heart rate is only settling down now on exertion. Initially could only walk round the block, now doing an hour slowly. Still get chest discomfort. Things have improved but it's taken 2 and a bit months rather than 2 weeks. Speak to your gp about your ecg. A reading on a machine doesn't replace an experienced practitioner.

If they were worried you would have the scan immediately. Waiting three weeks is routine. My DH had a heart attack a few years ago. He had some stents fitted and is in perfect health. He has to take medication for life but his lifestyle hasn't changed.

@Meinelieblingskatze

Ok so I was in a similar situation pre covid. I get exactly how you are feeling. You are bumbling along and then suddenly a huge shock to the system. One minute you are healthy and fit, the next there's a huge shadow hanging over you. I had some mild chest discomfort in 2018. Thought it was muscular skeletal so self medicated. After a week it was still there so ended up being sent to A/E (worked at the hospital) and had blood tests, xray and ecg. All normal save ecg which showed changes. Lots of deliberation from the docs. Eventually they came to the conclusion it was normal for me as I wasn't presenting like a typical cardiac patient but I would need an echo just to rule things out. I was terrified too. The next few weeks were awful, I have a crit care background so knew a bit about ecgs. Each and every investigation worried me. Heart rate was up before every one which didn't help. In retrospect I wish I'd asked more questions so work out what you want to know, write it down. I even saw a cardiologist eventually and forgot to ask her very much as I was so overwhelmed. I was given the all clear but tbh still have questions. It's really hard managing health anxiety and difficult to keep it in perspective. Fwiw I've had covid (10 weeks today). Touch wood heart rate is only settling down now on exertion. Initially could only walk round the block, now doing an hour slowly. Still get chest discomfort. Things have improved but it's taken 2 and a bit months rather than 2 weeks. Speak to your gp about your ecg. A reading on a machine doesn't replace an experienced practitioner.

Thank you so much for this, just what I needed to hear. This sounds exactly like me, even similar symptoms to what I'm experiencing.

When the GP called with ecg results I had lots of questions but just froze and asked nothing! So that's a really good idea about writing down what I want to ask. Nurse seemed to think I'd need a cardiology appointment whereas GP said wait for echo first, I'm just so scared. I keep wishing I had never even gone for the ecg as symptoms were not and are not excessive and without covid, I wonder if I would have even noticed them as much as I do.

Thank you so much for your post, honestly it has helped me so much x

@Rillington

If they were worried you would have the scan immediately. Waiting three weeks is routine. My DH had a heart attack a few years ago. He had some stents fitted and is in perfect health. He has to take medication for life but his lifestyle hasn't changed.

Thanks @Rillington that's what part of me keeps thinking. Hope you husband is okay

@VetTraineee Thank you. It was a massive shock at the time. He is the fittest person I know. The doctors said it was unusual for someone in his condition.

Virtual hand hold and hugs from here.

For what it's worth, my mum has been seeing a consultant heart specialist regularly for virtually all my life (I'm late 40s), including an annual ECG and the occasional ultrasound, to keep an eye on her. She's 87 now and I strongly suspect her heart will be the last thing to give up! Some good advice above, but try not to worry about something until you have more information. Easier said than done, I know, but you could well be putting yourself in a twizz over a non-problem.

@VetTraineee thanks for that.
When did you have covid ? I only really improved around week 6. For the first 2 weeks my heart rate was massively elevated if I just walked to the loo and my lungs felt like they were in a tiny box (only way I can describe it ! ) Had
good/ bad days but now touch wood alot more good days. I've been taking vit d, thiamine and iron ( my ferritin was extremely low) for the last 2 weeks which has really helped. Hope you get your scan soon and start feeling better.

Well you wouldn't rather be dead would you..:S

I have a similar issue - pre-covid. It was picked up at an appointment that my pulse was dodgy, had an ECG which was abnormal, referred to Cardiology who said it was abnormal.

Had an ultrasound of my heart and saw the cardiologist who said it was a case of being normal for me, but if I was admitted to hospital it would be hard to tell if I was having a heart attack as that's what my ECG looks like all the time.

He gave me a copy of my normal ECG trace and said to carry it with me.

I still do HIIT exercise etc and try to remember to mention it when I have other tests, operations etc.

Best to get checked out, but try not to worry too much.

Hi,

My brother (26 years old) had something similar. He had covid, and it was pretty bad, but he wasn’t hospitalised. He has to have regular medicals as part of his job, and at one of these it showed that he had had a heart attack following Covid.

He had lots of follow up tests that showed that he hadn’t in fact had a heart attack. I think it’s very common for errors to be made when translating ECGs.

@Needallthesleep @HighlyStrungPuppet

Did you have any symptoms like shortness of breath? I'm in a&e now as felt breathless, ecg is abnormal so will be having echo scan today

Hi @VetTraineee I’m not sure, I’m not close enough to him that he would tell me.

You’re in the right place and it sounds like you are being taken care of well. Let us know how you get on. Thinking of you x

A few years ago I had the exact same scenario as you and it was a normal for me anomaly on the ECG which is not unusual in women of a certain age.

Thank you so much everyone. I'm home from hospital now, echo scan was normal. I can't tell you how relieved I am. Just got to have an MRI scan as outpatient. No one knows why ECG is abnormal.

Your replies really did help when I was waiting x