Cardiac events and testing tomorrow

I haven’t posted about this yet but before I went on holiday I had an issue with my heart. I was fine all day but during the evening my heart rate (hr) shot up. It was 170 and I was feeling sick plus the added pain from it thumping so hard. My dad has heart problems so I called him. He suggested a few things to try and lastly he said go to bed and relax. I started to get ready for bed but it was so uncomfy and sore that I called. NHS24. I was put through to a nurse advisor who told me she was sending an ambulance round. I told her if I could get an OOH appointment I could walk to the hospital just by me- but no that was out the question. So paramedics arrived at my door- paramedics who I have seen before and started apologising to as I really didn’t feel I needed an ambulance. But they whisked me off to hospital as my heart was some what irregular and very fast. They handed me over but either they didn’t tell the nurse how fast my heart was going or she didn’t listen properly because I was put into a queue of people waiting to be seen. This didn’t bother me but on the hour when the CSW came round to do obs on the people waiting to be seen he ran off to grab a nurse when he did my pulse and blood pressure which was also high. Next thing I am whisked off to a cubicle and an ECG done. Then before I can change into a gown I am being wheeled round by a Dr and nurse to resus because my heart rate was up at 180 something and very irratic.

Weirdly during all this I felt not too bad. I think I compared it to all the other A and A experiences and times in resus where I have been fighting for my life and this time I was sitting chatting to the staff- often being told to be quiet!! They tried various techniques to slow my heart down and defib pads were stuck on to shock heart back into normal rhythm. I had about 10 litres of fluid and it eventually came down.

I saw a cardiologist the next morning who thinks it was mainly due to a low potassium which was 1.9 but could not say it was only that because it is still sitting at over 120 bpm almost double what it should be.

So tomorrow I am having a 24hr tape fitted and having an ECHO done. I have had ECHO’s done in the past but not the tape. I also have to work as well and very nervous of people seeing it but what it causing me more bother is the results. I know salbutamol can cause tachycardia but a bit concerned that it might be the cause of the problems if so I am scunnered. It is my lifeline literally. I have an appointment with the cardiologist in due course as well and he will tell me my results I assume.

All the times I have had all this asthma stuff my heart has remained pretty healthy other than the stuff already going on with it but that’s been congenital and really doesn’t interfere at all with life. And if it did it would be simple to sort out.

This has given me quite a scare and I found it worse that I went through it on my own because if my mum or dad new I was taken to hospital for it I would never have been allowed to go away on my trip of a life time. (My dad new I had a fast heart rate and knew my potassium was low but didn’t know about the whole resus bit).

On a side I am having massive issues sleeping since coming back from Canada. I just cannot settle at night. I am so tired will maybe sleep for an hour and then will be wide awake and clock watch for the rest of the night. I have never been the best of sleepers but this is a drag now. And I am starting to look ill again. This was the slippery slope that I went down when I had to move jobs. I started having problems at night then they started in the day and more hospital admissions etc and thus moving jobs…only if this happens this time I have no where to move to!! Fingers crossed for some good sleep soon!!