Waiting for results from cardiology

[TheCrochetingMummy]

So I had a ecg at the drs yesterday which have now been sent to the cardiologist as they think it’s possible I have a left branch block.

honestly I am FREAKING out, how am I supposed to function as a normal adult while I wait to find out what’s going on?

i have really bad health anxiety as it is and I’ve worked myself up so much already this morning that I feel like I can do the school run and that’s about it. How am I supposed to just carry on as normal at work?!

any tips welcome or if anyone has been through similar and has some advice that would be great.

from a very anxious mummy who is on the verge of tears.

Oh OP - do whatever you can to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I know what the waiting is like. The waiting is the worst bit. Focus on your breathing when you feel yourself starting to get overwhelmed, in and out. If you can do that, and keep doing that, it helps. And every breath is really a gift.

The thing is that now you're in the system, they will be all over it. This is a far, far better situation to be than the alternative of having something missed and undetected.

Sending you a virtual cup of tea and a muffin. I hope you get some answers soon, then you can deal with everything else one step at a time.

I appreciate it feels terrible to you right now but I suspect you are in for a very long wait.

It can take weeks for an answer to come back for a question and months for an appointment.

Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Thank you. This is really useful advice and as you said I am in the system now and cardiology now want to see me for a routine appointment so at least I know nothing will be missed.

thanks ☺️

Thankfully I have heard back and cardiology do want to see me. But I think the wait now begins for the appointment letter!

Maybe focus on the fact you’re healthy enough to go to work?

My cardiology appointment took nine months to come through, (I rang the department after a few weeks of waiting and was told the wait time) I had a similar diagnosis after a GP ECG, all further cardiology investigations were fine in the end.

I have just been diagnosed with angina and am now on beta blockers and something to open up arteries, plus dissolvable aspirin. To get to the diagnosis took a few months I injured my back so had an issue where a test was delayed but there was an admin error as well. It is a frightening time I ended up ringing The British Heart Foundation information line and spoke to a cardiac nurse who was very helpful.

Helpful 🙄

I had a similar query diagnosis after a GP ECG. I was referred to the cardiology dept of our local hospital for an echocardiogram and then an ambulatory ECG for 72 hours.

The echo appt came through after about a month but results took 3 months, then I had the ECG after 4 months and got the results 2 months later.

It’s a long waiting game. I have an appt next week to discuss the results with my GP.

So… all this is to say, getting a routine appt, not an urgent one, is a good thing. You’re in the system now. Are you having any symptoms?

I had a medical event last month - fell unconscious and face planted the pavement - hence my user name (broke my nose). I had 3 ECGs in the hospital which were normal but just had a 24-hour lead and have a echocardiogram next week with a follow-up appointment on 10 Feb. I have had palpitations for years, I can’t even remember when they started, definitely in my 20s and I’m in my 50s now, nothing ever found. In a way it’s better if something is found and it can be dealt with.
good luck!!

Thank you everyone it’s reassuring to see so many people have been through similar and are out the other side of it. Although it’s not something I would wish on anyone.

health anxiety is horrible though and does play on my insecurities, I’m only 42 and have a 6 year old. so just going to take each day as it comes try until I know more, I’ll just have to accept some days will be harder than others.

Oh those wait times must have been awful. I hope you get good news at your gp appointment next week.

Yeah I’ve been having chest pain, like a burning sensation on the left into my shoulder and back for the last 6 weeks originally thought heartburn and a pulled muscle, but went back this week as it’s not getting better. Doesn’t seem to happen for a specific reason either, pain is either there or it isn’t.

Ah, ok. I’d advise you to keep a diary of your symptoms and tell the doc if anything changes. I hope you’re seen soon.

Thanks I had been thinking that I should start keeping a record as it can be hard to remember all my symptoms and now trying to work out what is related to this, if it is heartburn or if it’s anxiety might make it easier.

The good thing with cardiology is that when they’re worried they move fast. So if they aren’t rushing, there’s nothing to panic about.

i had a heart attack in 2029. Took me a week to possibly identify what the pain was, took 90 mins from the 999 call to be in PPCI.

Fast forward to last Sunday, chest pains and lightheadedness, 30 mins for ambo, and admitted within 3 hours. Angiogram and stenting before 11am on Tuesday.

Hope they’re in touch sooner rather than later op, heart stuff is always worrying

I had / have a rare heart condition. It’s something I noticed in my 20s and when I was pregnant in my 30s, it really ramped up. Drs could never catch anything on ECG, so kept reassuring me that everything was fine.

I eventually managed to record on my Apple Watch what my heart was doing. When I showed it to the Drs, they then arranged more tests and actually implanted a heart monitor under my skin. I’ve since had surgery to correct the issues.

Do you have a smart watch? It might help settle your mind if you can record your rhythm when you are feeling it.

I had a private echo and ECG at a London ultrasound clinic - think it was £250. Done by a cardiologist and got immediate results and advice. Expensive but was worth it to avoid months of worrying for me.

Oh gosh! That sounds painful! Hope your nose is better!
I hope your appointment in Feb goes well.

I have got an Apple Watch but it’s never picked anything up. The ecg at the drs picked it up on the patches that were on my chest so don’t know if that makes a difference or not.

I hope you are doing better now.

I was thinking of potentially doing this but it’s then what happens if you need further treatment and if the NHS will then accept the results.

Hi OP I have survived total heart block. It was very scary but it ended up with me having a pacemaker - my experience is that these things are very fixable.

Well I have popped back, I ended up having an ambulance to A&E the day after I posted on this thread because I had an extreme reaction to the nitrate meds I was given. They just happened to have a registrar whose specialism was cardiology who was doing a locum shift in A&E who changed my meds. I’m now on a med that targets my heart directly instead of the one that just opened up all blood vessels.

I vomited for 16 hours, after about 8 hours we called 111 who were supposed to call back. After a few more hours DS arrived home and took charge and the next thing I know I’m in an ambulance within 20 mins. I was getting chest pain and vomited and retched uncontrollably with the GTN spray. They gave me IV anti nausea drugs and fluids, ECG and blood test.

They cardiologist said how good prognosis was these days with hearts. He was shocked my Mother survived 2 heart attacks in the 1980’s. He was saying how much it’s moved on. Was a lovely reassuring chap. He works in the next county over. If he ever saw private patients I would willingly plunder my savings.

Gosh that must have been scary. Im glad you saw someone who was able to help in A&E too and was able to give you new medicine.

Hope you are feeling better now!

@TheCrochetingMummy I feel a lot better thanks but I felt really rough for about 2.5 weeks, all best to you

I was diagnosed with a left branch block 2 years ago. I had a echocardiogram and a angiogram and the outcome was that it was 'benign'. Consultant said it can happen for no reason and I was discharged as no treatment required. I have no symptoms and it was actually picked up in a pre med for an op.