Calling NHS111 ? Or A&E ? Or wait it out ?

[WinterBerryStrudel]

Nhs111 question!

I felt a slightly unwell earlier on- nothing significant, I just thought I was maybe coming down with the cold as everyone at my work has it! I went for a run at 5 ish (15k) and still just feel not right afterwards, it’s a bit worse but still not that bad really

I’m a runner and 15k isn’t particularly much for me, I’m training for a half marathon and run 5 times a week so that’s my norm

im very used to having palpitations (had RF ablations and multiple DCCV in the past although all stable now and I’m cleared to exercise). This doesn’t feel like palpitations, it just feels like my body feels a bit fluttery?! Sort of travel sicky. I know that doesn’t explain it very well, but it just feels a bit strange. It’s not sore. It doesn’t feel like my heart is beating wrongly, but it just feels like it’s beating a bit funnily but I don’t even know how, it just feels funny. But it’s a mild feeling

if I call 111 will they be able to book me to see a doctor overnight for an ECG to check it or will they take a while to call back and then just send me to a&e for it? I’d rather not go to a&e if I can avoid it but if 111 are just going to call back after a few hours and tell me to go there then I may aswell just go straight there, but then equally I don’t exactly have many symptoms either and I feel generally fine, I’ve just got this vague fluttery feeling. I’ve no recent experience with 111 so just not sure what to expect if I do call them

and of course typically I’ve got a huge day at work tomorrow and really can’t afford to miss it, I could cry it’s the worst timing to feel unwell!

I use my Apple Watch for fitness and tried to use the ecg thing on it. I just thought I’d try and get something to show the doctor if I do have to go and get checked although I’m not sure it’s even accurate or worth anything. My heart rate is normally quite low anyway because of exercise and my previous ablations.

Would I be best to try 111 or go straight to a&e or just wait it out for a bit longer? Given that I don’t have any pain or palpitations and I feel otherwise fine and it’s probably just a cold? It’s been a long while since I’ve last been unwell so I’m unsure

Just realised how daft I sound saying I ran 15k when I wasn’t feeling well😅 just to clarify- I was feeling very mildly under the weather and it wasn’t that bad at all

and I don’t know why I added the Apple Watch pictures, I don’t expect anyone to interpret them as I know this site isn’t for medical advice and you can never completely trust anyone online etc etc, I just sort of went into autopilot and added them for context without even thinking about it because I was talking about it in my OP.

all this drama and it might just be that I have the cold😅 it’s strange though I don’t feel significantly unwell at all, but I just don’t feel normal or right either, but i cant really explain in what way

Hi, Apple Watches aren’t particularly accurate but ffom what I can see you are in a variable heart block which is very dangerous please go to an and e. I am a cardiac specialist nurse

They'll tell you to go to A&E. So you had previous heart issues? They always say get checked out. However there are some nasty viruses going around, as well as Covid, still.

I have a similar cardiac history to yourself and I’d call 111. Full transparency I have done this before, they sent an ambulance and the paramedics did an ECG. Showed normal but I was taken to hospital as a precaution for a cardiac echo and monitoring. Discharged next day with referral to my cardiologist for ongoing monitoring.

With your heart I wouldn’t risk it but it depends what your priorities are; your health or your job.

Not for a while but yes I did in the past. I actually think it could be Covid, everyone at my work has been unwell with a bug and I’ve somehow avoided it (until now it seems!)

Don’t drive yourself either!

⬆️ A&E

Thanks for checking it. I actually didn’t mean to even include the ECGs, I just did it without even thinking (but thanks for looking at it anyway!)

Ohhh, that is actually ringing a bell- i vaguely remember being told about heart blocks after my initial ablation, they said some people need pacemakers but I didn’t have any symptoms and it wasn’t all the time so I didn’t need that thankfully. Also something about a junction rhythm but I can’t remember the specific details but again it wasn’t all the time.

these things always somehow happen with the worst timing- 10pm at night when I’ve got a really important day at work tomorrow, typical isn’t it

thank you, I definitely won’t drive, I’m going to get a lift up there. I would never want to risk driving with feeling unwell x

Yes you are in a junctional rhythm sometimes, an extremely long first degree heart block but the last 2 look like a higher degree heart block which shouldn’t be left. Heart block can deteriorate over time to a higher degree and require a pacemaker

that was the other concern in the back of my mind- that calling 111 would somehow trigger an ambulance even though I don’t need one

my health is definitely more important- just really frustrating because it’s the worst possible timing. Just typical isn’t it

Please just go to A&E instead of faffing around on here.

Who’s faffing? I’ve already said I’m going to get a lift up there. I’m just waiting to get picked up

Good luck, I hope you don’t have to wait too long x

Don't worry about work, your health comes first. Nothing is more important than work and any employer who doesn't completely understand is not with your worry ! Hope you are ok X

I just googled first degree heart block and I’m sure that’s what it was. I remember they didn’t believe me at first that I wasn’t having any symptoms because the thing that was meant to be less than 200 was 600 at one point and they said it was 3 times more than it should be or something along those lines. It didn’t need any treatment back then because I wasn’t having any symptoms, I think it was just an after effect of the ablation

With your history & that tracing I would say you need to be seen sooner rather than later if only to be on the safe side.
Do you have an urgent care or OOH centre you could go to?
At the very least call 111 for advice & management.

edit to add apologies I answered after seeing your ECGs, have now read through & see you are heading to A&E wishing you a short wait good luck

Hope you get seen soon. I have heart issues and they can be very hard to describe.

Good luck OP, it’s the right thing to go in.

Please let us know how you get on. Good luck

Thanks for the well wishes.

just waiting, it’s absolutely rammed with people so expecting a long night. Glad I decided to come though, it will be a reassurance to get it double checked

Glad you went to get checked. Your heart rate is very low. You can never be too careful when it comes to your heart.

How are you doing? It’s good to get checked out.

Hope you were seen quickly and have a plan? X