My heart has been fluttering, and making me expel air with a single outward cough, for a few days. I have circulation issues, so I'm often acutely aware of when things aren't right.
Both Google and the NHS website say this usually isn't anything serious, and there was mention of it going on for a couple of weeks. I didn't have any of the "call for an ambulance if..." symptoms.
I am also acutely aware than "not being quite right" doesn't mean something is actuallywrong, and I don't want to go to A&E and find it's all in my imagination. Our GP surgery used to let people book appointments online, but we have to phone now so they can triage and signpost. I don't really want to get a GP appointment and find it's resolved itself, or it was nothing to worry about.
I did some checks (as I have been doing for some time) with my 6 lead ECG device, which is actually about as much use as a chocolate teapot. It detected no arrythmia/fibrulation, even when I used it mid flutter.
The blood pressure monitor did detect that my heartbeat was erratic, and suggested I mention it to my GP if that result kept occurring. . I had two days where the blood pressure monitor detected an irregular heartbeat, so in the end I did phone the GP. Sadly for me, I picked the one afternoon when all GP surgeries in my county are closed for training.
While thinking about what to do, I decided to buy a second hand stethoscope. There are a lot of cheap stethoscopes, widely available. I was looking for something a bit better, second hand, ideally nearby so I could go and collect it.
It was all a bit confusing to start with, as these things often are. I did a bit of research into different types of stethoscopes (including different types of heads for them) and different brands, so I at least understood what I was looking at. Then I progressed to looking at some review pages, and that helped me decide to limit my searches to Littmann ones. I've no doubt the others are fine too, but I needed some criteria to help me whittle down the lists, and this seemed an easy way to do it. .
Having decided on Littmann, I looked into the different models, establishing the new-buy prices, and comparing the second hand availability and prices. This helped me decide on my bottom benchmark, ruling out a couple of entry level models. I'm fully aware of how daft it sounds, as I'm not a doctor and i'm only looking for this for personal use. However, if I'm going ot be spending money then I want to make sure that I get good value for my money and I don't want to end up in a "buy cheap, buy twice" situation. As part of this I also decided on my top cut off point, where the the top few models were overkill, even by my "while I'm at it" standards. Having got my model range, I did some serious searching.
Distraction always helps when I think I'm being one of the "worried well".
When I'd got my shortlist of both new and second hand versions, it turned out that the ones that were cheaper were some distance away, or the "end date" was several days away and they already had a lot of bidders.
I could wait. If I didn't want to wait, I would have to buy new.
In the (near) end, I decided I'd go for one near the top of my list. It had the best reviews, a 7 year warranty, and I didn't need the extras that the models above it had. Best of all, it was available in a lot of places (including Amazon's same day delivery, if I was quick).
I hesitated before buying. I like to get my Buyers Remorse done, where possible, before I actually buy. I had it in my basket, and I hesitated. I hesitated because I went back to one of the review sites, which had mentioned electronic stethoscopes and I'd not bothered to read it.
The electronic one was actually the model I was looking at (which I hadn't realised, I thought it would be one of the higher models), adapted for electronic use. It could be used standalone, or with an app. The cost was, of course, more than the non electronic version - but not much more in the scheme of things- and the app was quite interesting.
I did some research on that too, looked at the reviews for it, and thought about how much less...stupid... I'd feel if I could show my GP. I also realised that this would make the stethoscope useable for both of us,and could providean ongoing history (along with the blood pressure readings etc). so it would be more than just a purchase for this particular flutter.
By this time, I'd missed the "same day" Amazon cut off. Whatever I bought, it would not now arrive until tomorrow.
It was a partly a case of "in for a penny, in for a pound", and what sealed the deal was that a place down the road had the electronic version in stock and I could collect the same day. I checked this with their online chat before I made my decision. "Just buy online and then phone after you've checked out to let them know you want to collect." I put it in my basket.
I went off and made a cup of tea, and considered Buyers Remorse.
As I went to checkout, there was no "collection" option. I have quite a good gut instinct, and I've learned to listen to it. I decided I'd phone them before I checked out, just in case. Good job I did. No collections at the moment due to Covid.
I thought I'd give in and buy from Amazon because they offered next day delivery. I didn't really want to get it from Amazon if I could support another company. It was being sold from a number of specialist sites (who also sell to the general public). so I did one final search. Thanks to Google, I found it somewhere where they promised next day delivery on orders placed before 1.30pm. It was just a few pounds more than Amazon, but it came with a free case (worth £18) and some other freebies, and so ended up being even better value.
I bought it. I
I watched some videos on how to use a stethoscope, I saw what online training was available to help me understand my readings, and I was ready to give it a go.
To my surprise, it arrived the next morning. I tried it out immediately. I wasn't feeling particularly fluttery (typical!) and I wasn't suffering from the involuntary single expulsion of air that had punctuated the last three days, so I wasn't expecting to hear anything out of the ordinary. However, I did hear a definite additional beat. Every fourth LubDup had an extra ping. I recorded it. I tried it later. Same thing.
This morning, as soon as I got up, I listened. No additional beat. A short while later, I could feel something, so I listened again: there it was, but irregularly this time, every 15-18 beats. Later still, there it was, and it was now regularly every four beats again.
It's the weekend now, and I'm still not feeling any of the additional 'call an ambulance' symptoms.
I'll keep listening, and if it carries on, I will call the GP on Monday and see if I can get an appointment.
