I really like the stethoscope. I'm so glad that I got the one I did, as I've been able to record my heart (both the sound of it, and actually capturing the output graphically). It enabled me to see the stutter, every 4 beats.
It did carry on, and I did phone the doctor on the Monday. The earliest appointment I could get was for the Saturday, by phone. I was a little surprised, I thought that I'd be seen more quickly. Still, the NHS website reassured me that these things happen, are usually nothing to worry about, and I didn't have any of the other symptoms which indicated I needed to go to A&E.
By this stage, my blood pressure monitor was telling me that I had an erratic heartbeat and I should discuss it with my GP. I took my bp every so often, and carried on checking my heart frequently.
I found the sound of the heartbeat really quite soothing, reassuring, even with the extra beat/beats.
I was having trouble lying on my side at night, so I'd been sleeping on my back. My neck (and upper back) ached as a result. I dismissed any idea that these aches were the aches that come with a heart attack. My chest was uncomfortable to left of my sternum, and my upper arm ached a bit, but I dismissed those as being psychosomatic.
When Saturday came, I was relieved. I'd taken screenshots of my bp readings, and done some printouts of the heartbeat, and taken them in to the surgery on the Friday. so the doctor could have them when we spoke. I'd explained to the receptionist that I had a telephone appointment the following morning, and that these were my bp readings and printouts of the additional heartbeat.
The call was from the out of hours doctor, who wasn't at my surgery, and the stuff I'd taken to the surgey had not been scanned into the system. Oh well!
I took him through the history (the current bout of erratic hertbeat, and the problem I'd had a onth before) and told him my readings. I also mentioned our family history of heart issues. He explained that it was entirely possible that erratic beat was a side effect of my thyroid medication. He said I needed an ECG and a blood test, and to decide how urgent it was (being a Saturday) he asked my to take my bp while I was on the phone.
My bp was on the high side, but not high, so he said I should call my GP on Monday and get an ECG done then. He sent me a link so I could arrange a blood test. He said that the first sign of it getting worse would be a raised heartbeat, so he suggested I monitored that and recommended wearing a fitbit or smartwatch if I had one. If it got too fast, and/or my blood pressure got too high, to go to A&E. I was more than happy with the call. He had been very thorough, he'd listened, I didn't feel rushed or stupid.
At 1.30 the following morning, I woke up and my heart was pounding. I had worn my watch to bed, so I checked the pulse rate, it was 90. 90 doesn't sound like a lot, but my normal rate is somewhere between 56-63, so 90 was not good news.
I got up and went to the loo. I'd worked out a while ago that needing to go for a number two sometimes impacts on my heart rate. This time, it didn't make any difference. I went back to bed and and told myself to stop overreacting. I tried deep breathing. My heart rate went down a little, but then crept up again. I had decided that if it got up to 90 again, I'd get up and take my blood pressure.
When it got 89bpm, 2.50am, I got up and took my blood pressure. It was on the high side, but still only an orange flag. I tried going to the toilet again. I went back to bed.
At 3.30, it was at 90bpm, so I got up and took my blood pressure again. This time it was high, a red flag rather than an orange flag, and I didn't know what to do. I sat on the bed for a bit, wondering whether to go to A&E. What if I had a heart attack while DH was driving me there? WHat if I got there and it was nothing? I tried to work out what the measurements would have to get to for me to actually make the decision.
And then I decided I'd just do it. I phoned for an ambulance. I woke my husband so he could shut the cats in and let the ambulance crew in. They checked everything out, and the ECG showed no sign of a heart attack (but it did show my ectopic beat, of course). They took me to hospital so I could have a more thorough check up.
I arrived in hospital at about 5am, and I was discharged at about 1.30pm. They did ECGs, did blood tests (incuding the ones I was sheduled to have the next day), and did a chest x-ray. As the on call doctor said, it's possible/likely that it is my thyroid medication so they've made some changes to my prescription to see if that helps resolve it; and I'm going back for an Echo shortly, just to check the overall function.
My ectopic heartbeat continues, I still struggle to sleep on my side, and my upper arm still aches a bit. My heart still feels a litle uncomfortable for quite a lot of the time and I still think that's psychosomatic.
I've lost the "could it be...?" feeling though, and that's helpful.
I guess I'd be waiting until my BP reached 175/ or 180/ next time.
