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.

So I started sitting in A&E every time I was very tachy (around 200bpm), still got no where. Said to a Dr who I was seeing for something else that I just can't keep doing it. He said if you turn up to A&E and ask to see a cardiologist they have to get one - might be something to bear in mind if you end in A&E and get fobbed off by an ED Dr.

Oh lord. How can they not be worried about turning patients away with heart rates like that?.

I’d be too worried about getting struck off.

My tachycardias were more in the 220-240bpm range. I was told if they went for.longer than 20 minutes, I had to call an ambulance. After 3 trips in the big white taxi within four months, I was straight to GP, referred to cardiology and ablation, within four Months.
It really does depend on where you live, doesn't it?

4:45 he came into my room with af this morning. Still doing it now.

I have work today and I need to go at 8:45.

Someone in cardio phoned, he’s booked in with the consultant now next month and they said they’d chase up the ecg.

They said if he gets another episode to ring 111.

Not sure if that’s an improvement or not 🤨

At least something is happening. I do hope he can get some rest today

In the meantime, OP, can you ring up your local chemist and ask them about your DH's beta blocker? Speak to the head pharmacist and ask about which one he should be on (taking his asthma and other meds into consideration). Pharmacists know all! Because the wrong beta-blocker can really worsen his asthma.

Turns out dh didn’t speak to PALS earlier, he chased up his ecg results and they may be another 2-3 weeks yet. But, he still has an appt with cardio in October.

So, still waiting for pals.

I get dhs prescriptions from Lloyds in Sainsburys, can I ring or does dh have to ring?.

ECG results are instant. On the day. The rhythm strip is there.
This is ridiculous and your DH needs to insist on speaking to his cardiology consultant or registrar. Not a secretary.
He needs proper advice and management of his asthma for a chest physician.
He needs advice from his pharmacist about his medication.
This is really serious.

From a chest physican.

Sounds like they've lost his ECG or something, as pp said they are instant. My last ECG was last month and my cardiologist was present and checked it straight away.
Such a disgrace. I suspect the 2-3 week wait lines up with when he has his October appt where they will conduct a new ECG and give you the result of that one.

I think you'll be able to ring, DH has collected meds etc. on my behalf before.

It was a 24hr ecg, if it makes any difference. I said in my email to pals I think they’ve lost the ecg.

Hopefully pals will be able to help soon. I’m at work today but dh can ring the pharmacy if I give him the number.

Would it be harmful to put him on 75mg of aspirin a day?.

He is not taking the increased dose of bisoprolol.

No one seems to notice he’s on ventolin more.

Have you told them?

Get back to the cardiologist, ask to speak to the secretary and ask for an urgent appointment.

Then everything Elsiebear90 said - I was a cardiac physiologist in the days we were called technicians.

Keep a diary of all symptoms, asthma / heart even if he cuts a finger cooking and what meds are taken and when.

Pharmacist as pp suggested is a really good call. I would ask them about the aspirin.
It would probably be better if DH can call, but that might equally be better if you can write him a prioritised list.
If he Phones earlier & explains it’s a bit complicated they might give him a time to phone back later so the pharmacist isn’t trying to do scripts at the same time, or needing to rush off.

The other option is getting another telephone appointment with the GP with a similar list, really set it out for them and also what outcome you want (presumably for the GP to phone the cardiologist & see if they can advise before his appointment next month).

Or if you have any contacts, see if there’s a cardiology nurse specialist, get their number & phone. (Actually just go through switchboard)

In fact www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/aboutus/departments-services/heart-services/cardiac-rhythm-management-specialist-nurses/
This has a number at the bottom.

Ok, so plan for today;

Ring pharmacist and leave dhs number with request to discuss meds.
Phone hospital again. Log call because they aren’t very helpful if I’m honest.

We come under Burton Queens for cardio, there’s no page like that for burton.

I can ask him to ring the drs again but they won’t like it he’s not taken the higher dose of bisoprolol.

www.uhdb.nhs.uk/service-cardiology-heart
I would choose one of these numbers and ask to be put through to the nurse specialist or possibly cardiac physiologist.
It’s worth a try as another route in. If the first number gets you obstructive reception staff, try phoning the inpatient unit.

Sorry, I don’t know much about cardiac stuff, but I do know about getting round systems ;)

My DH who is 59, previous Hoskins and had AF but not ashma had amazing care From
the Trent cardiac centre near you. He had an ablation last year and it went well.
He is a doctor who manages stroke so he was personally concerned about his stroke risk, and he hated being on beta blockers
NUH emergency department is near you too?

Nottingham’s quite far from us. So phone burton and ask for cardiac specialist nurse?.

It has to be worth a try. They may not have one, but if they do, even if they can’t help, they might be able to signpost you in .

Please bear in mind that what you see as worsening asthma could also be breathlessness caused by his heart issues and could be an indicator of damage. He really needs to be seen by a cardiologist. Honestly I would just turn up at A&E with those symptoms. DH ended up on life support because his symptoms were misdiagnosed as asthma. He's recovering well now thank God but it would all have been easier if it had been picked up earlier.

Sorry, I should add that A&E also seems like a reasonable choice.

If he has another episode, call an ambulance. Paramedics are great. They will listen to his chest and do an ecg. I think A and E is likely to be the only way in.
As I said earlier, heart failure can be confused with asthma.

Sorry, nc fail.