Should I just take dh to A+E every time he gets atrial fib & tachy?

[Fluffycloudland77]

Cardio put him on 2.5mg bisoprolol, it’s made it much worse, his asthma now requires two ventolin a month not one & he gets out of breath walking up stairs now.

He’s had a gel scan late July, no results sent to gp.

He’s been arrhythmic from 12:30 last night till 13:30 today. Heart rate 160. Dr is ringing us back about upping his meds which is what’s made him worse to begin with.

What do we have to do to get treatment because we keep getting fobbed off.

I would be more worried about the risk of a stroke tbh.

He is anticoagulated isn't he?

@AnnaMagnani

He is anticoagulated isn't he?

I don't think OP answered that question. Apologies if she has and he is.

Sorry no I didn’t.

He is not anti coagulated. The consultant cardiologist said his risk is low 🤨.

That doesn't sound right at all OP. Even people with intermittent AF should be anticoagulated.

Possibly not depending on risk - you can do a score to assess it. CHA2DS2-VASC score to assess it. As a young fit man his is prob v low.

It's all changed since I was doing PAF in the dark ages when dinosaurs roamed the earth and everyone needed anticoag.

He doesn't sound fit though.
I agree he should be properly risk assessed. It sounds as if his PAF is getting worse.
It is this fobbing people off because of Covid that really worries me.

Sorry, OP to be discussing your dh like this. I think if he gets another episode take him straight to A & E. Then they will see him face to face and they will have to do an ECG.

Could he have an ablation?

When his heart is going fast what does he try to do to stop it?

I found holding my breathe and pushing down really helped
Dipping face into freezing cold water (no pleasant by helps)
Avoid bending down and leaning forward then jumping up too quickly
Avoid alcohol and caffeine!!!!

No it’s fine. The truth is the truth.

Apparently they didn’t say low risk, they said let’s see what the gel scan says. I honestly think they’ve lost the results.

He’s 55 so he’s had this since hodgkins Tt 81-83. So 37-39 years.

I’ve been looking at changing drs but only our nearest surgery accepts this area.

tachycardia is a common side effect of salbutamol (ventolin).
it's scary being breathless, but he needs an asthma assessment to discuss his meds and heart issue and needs to keep showing up at a&e when he's unwell.

I don’t know if he could have ablation. He doesn’t drink and is on caffeine free tea etc, no Coca Cola or anything with MSG in it.

Ablation could be worth looking into.

I had one at 27 and it changed my life for the better.

The thing is, if his asthma is properly monitored and controlled he shouldn't need to use ventolin very much. There are other relievers that have fewer side effects.
Does he have a respiratory consultant?
Also, heart failure can mimic asthma. Does the ventolin work quickly? Does he feel worse at night?
I am sorry that he doesn't seem to be being followed up very well.

I don’t think his asthma is well controlled, I know he should be using it occasionally not every day. He’d say the ventolin works but I think if his symbicourt worked properly he wouldn’t need ventolin so much.

Sometimes the paf starts when he lies down to sleep, but it can be morning too when he’s absorbed doing something like diy.

He isn’t under a respiratory consultant.

If he is using his Salbutamol inhaler too often, he should be on inhaled steroids too reduce the inflammation. Once that’s under control his Salbutamol inhaler use should be needed far less. Leaving aside that beta blockers are contra indicated for asthmatics, he needs an assessment by a specialist asthma nurse soon wanted to say STAT really, but sounds wanky

*to reduce the inflammation, not too

He’s on symbicourt, that's steroids isn’t it?.

He shouldn't be needing to use so much salbutamol that he uses 2 whole inhalers a month.

He may well have a Symbicort - so a preventer - inhaler but then he needs to step up to the next stage of management of his asthma.

Honestly he should be barely using his salbutamol at all. The amount he is using should be ringing alarm bells with his GP and cardiologist.

Nope, not ringing any bells.

We are slipping through the cracks here but it’s pals next. I looked at changing Dr surgery but ours is the only one in the area that will take us.

Not that any Gp has ever actually been any good for him.

Which is odd because I see the same ones and get excellent care.

You poor, poor thing. Your DH is really slipping through the net indeed.
Push hard for a cardiac MRI or angiogram.
And yes, contact PALS as was mentioned. Your DH's treatment is so conservative and passive, it's frightening.
Where are you, by the way?

Also, he might just need to change beta blockers to one that won't affect his asthma. He needs what they call a second generation cardioselective beta-blocker which is safer for him.

We’re leics/derby borders, we get sent to hospitals in both counties.

I won’t lie, I’m scared. I wake up at 4am worrying about him. I couldn’t think of the words for toe prop earlier 🤦🏻‍♀️. I looked & felt an idiot.

I am going to fight it more aggressively because while he’s still furloughed now eventually he’ll be back doing 50 hr weeks and you can’t do that and have paf. It’s incompatible with having a job.