I've recently spent 3 days in hospital (second time in a fortnight) on the cardiac ward. I have all kinds of tests and been poked and prodded. I've had a CAT scan (on my head?) a chest X-ray, blood tests, and Echo test, an ECG (a lot of these) and blood tests. I have to go back in for a MRI on my heart and a lung function test. The first time i went in they gave me inhalers as they thought that i had astma.
I don't want to worry myself unessesarily between now and when i go back in, but does anyone know what could cause a slow heart rate? They said that it wasn't much to worry about, yet the doctors and nurses kept on bringing it up and looked concerned. Also it was annoying as the alarms kept going off as i was on a mobile ECG machine for 3 days.
I'm not what i would consider very fit for me, I don't ride that much anymore but do a bit of running. My resting heart rate is 37 (or 40 is sitting up chatting to the nurses) and other syptoms are tight chest and breathlessness when i start doing exercise, or occasionally just walking around. Oh and sudden tiredness for no reason. The only info i go of the doc was that the left side of my heart was a bit bigger than normal and that i had a condition that apparently 20% of people are born with in that the two halfs of my heart are not joined? properly? It was hard to get definate answers as i don't think i was pushy enough with them and i figuered they would send the results to my gp and she could explain it to me but she's just gone on holiday for 2 weeks.
Cheers (again) in advance.
Well, if hospitals and doctors don't know then not sure you'll get any joy here, but if it help, my resting hr is 30bpm and has been for 10 years that I know of.... I don't however get any of the symptoms you're showing... I'd be a bit more pushy if I were you.
In all seriousness you've been through the mill, are awaiting a cardiac mri, and other such tests, so I really doubt even a senior cardiologist could make a comment here based on what you've said...
I'll have a stab though... robot heart?
I'd just wait until the doctor who's been dealing with you can comment.
DrP
Yeah robot heart needs a service.
Cheers, I know, it's a bit silly asking on here, but I did ask the senior cardiologist when i was hospital, he rushed in and out, and i was still asking him questions as he was walking out the door, I was being as pushy as i could be whilst still wired to the bed. I've got 'Atrial septal defect' which is the condition they said i had - but they said that this would not cause the dizzyness etc. All they diagnosed was sinus Bradycardia, which is just a description of the slowness as far as i can tell.
The one thing that did make sense was that a nurse seemed to think that it could be the electrical signals to the heart were screwy. Although i aced the stress test and they thought i was fine?
I agree it's a wierd one but have come across other people on other forums that have posted very similar syptoms to mine and wondered if there was anyone here that has also had this? I don't know how common it is?
I kind of understand what you're saying, when I was undergoing asthma tests the spirometric tests would get the nurses gasping, yet they wouldn't tell me why. It turned out that I was going way over the expected results.
It's pi55 poor bedside manner from the docs, IMO. You have to read between the lines in that if there was something serious going on, you really would know about it. The fact that you don't know and are worried doesn't register with the docs, and you have to trust them, which can be a worry in itself.
I would look at those symptoms and say it's just old age... 😯
I'm another with a low resting heart rate, 37bpm. I can't add anything regarding the symptoms, just sympathise. You'll be fine. 🙂
Thanks Don Simon! is 36 considered old now-a-days? 😆
It was a reference to me and I'm ONLY 44! 😉
Christ on a bike, that is old! 😯
Sinus bradycardia means slow but normal rhythm very fit people have slow resting heart rates. Slow heart rate can also be if there is something wrong with the electrical conductivity of the heart.
Atrial septal defect is the "hole in the heart" everyone has one of these in the womb but it normally seals up on its own - in some folk it doesn't but does not always causes symptoms.
As others have said - if there was something badly wrong with your heart you wouldn't have been allowed out of the hospital.
Atrial septal defect is the "hole in the heart" everyone has one of these in the womb
You're saying I've got a "hole in the heart" and it's in my womb! 😯 Wanders off in general direction of hospital...
before you are born everyone has one - it seals up afterwards. Its to allow the fetus to have its blood circulated by the mothers heart.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrial_septal_defect
Hey, I'll settle for just knowing what it could/might be, I know they wouldn't of let me go if it was going to be immediatly fatel but i'd still like to find out what's causing these 'episodes'. As yet i haven't got any real idea, which is kinda bothering me, you know as it's my heart and all, and that's what keeps me alive in the short term. 😕
TJ, what sort of test would determine the electrical conductivity of the heart?
On a slightly separate note, if you do die, can I have your bikes* 😉
*Hope you say yes but I don't need to collect them
can't see that i'll be needing them if i'm dead, just offer the wife a new vacuum cleaner in exchange i'm sure she'll agree to the deal! 😛
Thanks but I still hope I don't need to take you up on the offer*. Hope the quacks can sort you out.
*What has you got? Just want to check there are no duplicates in my expanded garage.
I think about 11 or so in varying states of disassembly/transmogrification, they are all awesome thou and rare as hens teeth i'm sure there will be no case of SNAP!
alexathome - MemberTJ, what sort of test would determine the electrical conductivity of the heart?
Scratching old knowledge for me - however IIRC you can read a lot from the ECG. The various patterns and timings of various phases of the heart beat show different things.
Are you "racer" fit? That could give you the low heart rate
THe 'hole in the heart' in the foetal stage is called a Foramen Ovale. If this remains open, it's referred to a 'patent foramen ovale'.
An ASD (atrial septal defect)is actually a different entity, but still an abnormal hole between the top chambers of the heart (abnormal, although a fair few people ahve them - some say 1/3...)
DrP
Oops - ta for that DR P
Naw, not that fit really TJ. I used to race a bit a few years ago, but got quite lazy in recent times. I'm not 'unfit' i can do a 1.45 half marathon and cycle 100k without too many issues, but i wouldn't say i'm particularly athletic.
Ha - just read TJs link to wikipedia, and now you all think I got my medical degree from the school of wiki no doubt...!
DrP
That's the one 😉
DrP