To go to A & E?

[AlwaysAnxiousAnnie]

For some.time.now I've had major anxiety about my heart due to an episode last year of very bad heart palpitations, lasted hours and was so scary. It was like my heart was so out of rhythm. I went to A and E and they said it's anxiety, I've had numerous ECG, I've had a 24 hr heart monitor. They said they found nothing of concern just ectopic beats and and atrial thud. Apparently this is no cause for concern. So I was discharged from cardiology. I regularly have heart palpitations, chest pain, dizziness, breathlessness. Again it's anxiety apparently. Alas, I have developed this cardiac anxiety.
Anyway, tonight after studying up after dinner, my heart out of no where just started beating so hard and so fast in my chest. It felt like it was going to explode. Straight away I panicked, and then tried to calm myself down. I've so ce managed to calm myself but I heart beat feels all over the place. No pain or anything else. Its new Year's Eve and A&E will be busy. My DH is not very happy with me telling me not to go because it's all in my head. I've convinced myself.i won't see morning or at the very least my heart is about to give up very soon. Now I'm in this spiral of death anxiety of I could drop dead and be dead by this next time year and no one is believing me about my heart problem...am I being unreasonable to want to go to A & E and get checked out or ring 111 at th very least.. or am I just being dramatic, an anxious mess. The more I'm panicking the worst it's getting but I wasn't panicking when it first started this evening.

I get exactly the same happen. A few nights ago I really thought I was having a heart attack or something, my heart was racing and I had a pain in my chest, I didn’t think I would be around the next day but obviously I was fine.
I suffer with anxiety and at the moment it’s more extreme due to being peri on top of the stress of Christmas. I have used beta blockers in the past and probably need them again. It is really scary, I do have one of those heart rate monitors to go on my finger, sometimes my heart rate is fast but most of the time it’s fine despite it feeling like my hearts about to beat out of my chest.

Just for info. My daughter had a similar thing and it turned out to be SVT. Which is harmless in itself but very scary. She was misdiagnosed a few times until she presented herself at A&E whilst having episode. She is now on beta blockers.

Ok so what I’d say OP is 2mg isn’t a lot. If it makes you feel any calmer than take half, so you’ve only got 1mg. When I was prescribed diazepam 2mg didn’t touch me. Neither did 5mg. Of course everyone reacts differently, but 1mg isn’t a lot at all. You need to get the physical symptoms to stop to help you calm. Is the bisoprolol PRN too? I’d advise taking one of those, as it won’t knock you out, just stop the physical symptoms. The diazepam is likely to have a more calming effect, and you could always take that later when DC is in bed?

I’d at least call 111 for advice.

All your tests are always normal.
You should take your prescribed medication.
Don't waste A and E's time again.

What's the point of going to a&e, and having tests? If they actually diagnose something, it sounds like you won't take the medication anyway?

You need to take the medication that's been prescribed, based on the tests you've already had. I complained to my GP and various consultants I saw for a whole year about some of the symptoms you have plus others, and was ignored/ fobbed off / told just long Covid. I was offered no tests and would have taken anything they prescribed. All I got was an inhaler, and put on a waiting list for ECG. 2 months later, before I'd even had the bloody ECG, I had a heart attack. At 35.

I now take bisoprolol, and about 4 other medications, and have no continuing symptoms or side effects, and thankfully, no lasting damage from the heart attack.

When I mentioned to my GP I thought I could have SVT he practically laughed at me. He said you wouldn't be able to talk, you would be dizzy, breathless, etc you don't have SVT.

I remember your thread about the bisoprolol that you refused to take, months ago.

Cannot believe the amount of people saying ring 111
What do you all think 111 will say when she says she's having chest pain????

This isn't helpful.

Well you dont because Ive only been a member of MN for around six weeks...

You know full well if you call 111 or NHS 24 they will tell you to go to A&E with those symptoms!!! However, you have experienced this before!!

Big deep breath through your nose, count to four, hold it for two and slowly breathe out......and repeat♥️

Really A and E on new years eve for a panic attack??
Do you think sitting in a cold, waiting room, on a hard chair is going to do your anxiety any good?

There is no point encouraging her to do this.
They'll send an ambulance.

YABU to go to A&E with anxiety on one of the busiest days of the year when your physical health problems have already been ruled out. Try and get a GP appointment on the 2nd to discuss your anxiety.

Side effects of beta blockers are slim to none especially with prpnl*l (sp?). Seriously, the benefits FAR outweigh the risks. Take them and if it makes you feel worse or anything, then come off them!

Ive taken them multiple times since I was 16, for test anxiety, driving test anxiety, and more recently in the last six months to help with life anxiety. I also had post natal anxiety and took them then! I feel much better and manage my life on them much better. This has been alongside talking therapies and tapping therapy!

I've skimmed OP posts and not read the rest, so apologies if I've missed something. I have had something that may or may not be the same, in my case it was a short circuit in my heart that required very minor surgery.

First, tell DH to give you your batteries back. It is hard to take your own pulse accurately. If it is genuinely going very fast then you will jump the queue at A&E. I've had a nurse manually check my pulse on reception and take me straight through. But, there is a trick you can try first to stop it:

You need something to blow into, a syringe is ideal, a balloon would do, but I just blow into my closed fist I've got nothing else to hand. So, in a sitting position, take a deep breath and blow into whatever you've got as hard as you possibly can for as long as you possibly can, keep it going until you absolutely cannot do any more. Then immediately lie back and elevate your legs. I sit facing a wall so I can lean my legs up against it, but you could get your DH to hold your legs. Try to breathe normally, stay calm, and wait. It doesn't happen immediately, but it does often stop it. If it hasn't worked after a minute try again.

If your heart is genuinely going fast, keeps going for an extended period (over an hour), and trick doesn't work, then yes you should go to A&E. As I said, you should jump the queue the second they take your pulse. I've been in with a heart rate of over 200 before. I was setting alarms off. I my case they were able to give me a drug to stop it. I had this several times before the surgery.

I'm really not attention seeking. I will admit reassurance seeking. Yes. Even though I know I shouldn't do that.

Sounds like your GP has an insensitive manner! My daughter was breathless during episodes of SVT but could walk.
Maybe google some of the techniques that are used to treat SVT to see if they work? Blowing up a balloon was a good one, lying with your legs elevated and ice cold water on the face so it gives you a fright? Check these on NHS website before trying x

What is the difference?

@MeMyself00 the GP has an insensitive manner for saying they can't help further unless the OP takes the medication they've been prescribed? Right...

Really. I wanted to he advice and see if anyone had similar experiences. Not attention seeking at all.

I was prescribed beta blockers but scared myself with the side effects and have not taken them.

Just seen your previous posts. Take a small amount of diazepam. You have a husband who can be in charge of your toddler.

There is a massive difference! The majority of posts on MN are seeking reassurance and aren’t attention seeking! Anxiety itself is not attention seeking, and it being inferred that it is, can be belittling and anxiety provoking in itself.

sympathy with the OPs plight but must recommend as I did in my reply, that they take the beta blocker medication they have been prescribed