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Heart Questions

banging in my chest i get a banging in the middle of my chest while walking or going upstairs then a got a job to breath its like anxiety then i shake as long as i keep still for two minuets it eases down

ECG results I am 37, and went for an ECG in December. I have had palpitations on and off for years, ever since thyroid bother in 2004(had graves disease, RAI and now on thyroxine 100mcg). They dont bother me very much, and can go for months without them. GP sent me for an ECG as hadnt had and ECG for years, and was still getting the palpitations. It came back saying normal sinus rhythm, short pr interval. My GP sent this to a cardiologist to look at, and he got back saying it wasnt an av nodal rhythm(or something like that!) as P waves normal and to get a 24 hr tape done and if nothing showed on that an event monitor. I get the 24 hr tape done this week and see my GP again next week. Unfortunately I have googled this short pr interval thing, and am now terrified of what might be wrong! Im wondering: -What does short pr interval mean? Is it serious? Can it be normal? -I read about some things it can indicate, like WPW, and has really scared me. Is this something that my GP, or the cardiologist would have noticed on ECG? -Is the 24 hr tape likely to be to look for reason for short pr interval or reason for palpitations? -Am I still able to exercise and do everything else as normal? Im sure GP said was fine, but now cant remember. As far as I know, there was nothing else abnormal on ECG. I have no other symptoms, no heart racing etc... no other symptoms when have palpitations and they only last for a second or two. My heart did race years ago when my thyroid was overactive, so I know what feels like, but I dont get that at all. I have had bother with low iron/anaemia at times and been on and off iron tablets since birth of 3rd child in 2009. Palpitations have been worse then certainly. Also have had problems with anxiety/panic since thyroid bother, but thats rare for me to be bothered with that now, just when stressed, which I feel just now with all this! I am going to ask my GP all this when see them next week, but really just looking for explanation/reassurance now! Thanks,

Heart Concern Since Quitting Smoking Hello, My name is **** and i'm 25 next week. I will apologize now as this will probably be quite a long email, if it could be forwarded to a doctor I would be extremely grateful. I have visited my GP several times but I always forget to ask all my questions and usually leave feeling they were indifferent about my concerns (my own doing no doubt). I have recently quit smoking cannabis. I had smoked it for over 5 years. Around 3 joints a night, more on the weekends, sometimes up to 10. This was smoked with tobacco. I did smoke roll up cigarettes on and off during this time. It was often smoked in my room, along with incense being lit, so it usually got very smokey (I can't imagine this helped my lungs at all). I smoked indoors for around 2 years after work daily with friends. But after a couple of hours I would leave my window open over night most nights. I used to exercise for a few hours a day up until around 2 years ago but now I do not. I work in an office with no fresh air (no windows open). I have since quit smoking for over a week now. Over a year ago I believe I had a panic attack in my room whilst smoking with a friend, my heart rate started racing and I felt the colors in my vision getting quite intense, I felt a huge sense of impending doom and I had to open the window and take deep breathes. It eased within a minute, more like 45 seconds. I was worried, my dad had a heart attack when he was younger. But within an hour I was back to smoking and getting lost in a fog of being stoned and not worrying about it so much and I avoided visiting a doctor about it. I had visited a doctor for a health check, I think it was when I tried quitting smoking last time (it lasted just over a month smoke free). Because I've smoked so long i can't say a definite date. I believe it was 1 and a half years ago. My blood pressure and cholestoral was fine. However I admit my diet has been hideous, very very high sugar and saturated fat diet since a child. I'm not overweight, my BMI is 2 increments off being underweight but I rarely ate fresh fruit or vegetables. I did consider diabetes but I don't display any of the symptoms except feeling tired, but since quitting smoking this has lessened considerably. Last last Thursday I had another attack, it seemed to last longer, around 3 minutes. It felt like it flared up again several times over the following hour the more I thought about it. This is when I quit smoking, I also drastically changed my diet from sugary processed sweets and cakes to fruit, vegetables and lots of whole grain foods and no more coffee only green tea and lots of water. I visited the GP about my supposed panic attack and he prescribed me propranolol. Another worry, I didn't take it I was scared of side affects and the general idea of my heart rate being forcibly slowed down. Since quitting smoking I have felt slight aches around my chest and also around my heart (I can't tell if it's my heart of chest muscles above it). None of the chest aches are severe, occasionally more acute comparable to a stitch you sometimes get from over exertion. I'm not sure if this is normal after quitting smoking? I am not coughing at all and not spitting up phlegm. I do however have 2 other possible causes to my chest pains. One is my sternum, it clicked over a year ago from stretching rather severely. Since then it clicks multiple times a day. Sometimes it seemingly agitated chest aching, but having previously smoking joints daily might be another reason. One other cause might be this, it's rather embaressing and it might be due to another underlying issue. I find it almost impossible to sit still. I spend a lot of time in my room alone (usually playing PC video games). I will sit down cross legged but sway from side to side, quite severely and "enthusiastically". I've done it to the point my knees and hip hurt and feel almost bruised or worn out. I've done this since I was a kid, maybe 8 or younger. I wonder if doing this (usually over 4 hours a day and almost all day on weekends, except with friends over) could have caused muscle strains after years? Today at work I felt the aches again (as usual since quitting). I admit since quitting smoking health worries have been at the forefront of my mind. I have always been a worrier, usually spending a lot of time on my own, I wonder if this is a psychosomatic response, but I fixated on the pain and then the heart pulpitations seemingly began again. It didn't break out into a panic attack (or what I believed to be a panic attack) but the heart beats were very intense and I had to go outside to regain my composure. I visited the doctor who listened to my heart from various points around my chest. It was 120 bpm, he believed the previous GP's recommendation of propranolol wasn't necessary as I'd only experienced a panic attack a couple of times. However I worry that my heart rate has increased in general since quitting smoking. I tried measuring my heart rate an hour ago and I think it's still 120 bpm, but considering i'm still swaying as I normally do, perhaps this would increase my heart rate somewhat? But I can't tell if i'm checking correctly. As my heart goes "bump bump" -pause- "bump bump" is one bump a beat or is 2 a beat? Sorry, that is probably the most rudimentary and rather foolish question I could possibly ask a heart clinic (probably due to quitting biology in year 9 at school :) ). I think i'm flaring up this heart rate either from my worries or quitting smoking. When i'm talking with friends or keeping busy it doesn't seem so prevalent, except when i returned to work on Monday this week, the lack of fresh air, made me worry, almost to the point of another attack, but it subsided. I am busy at work, I work in customer services, usually talking to angry customers. Even though i'm busy I seem to fixate on the aches more at work than at home where i'm fully relaxed. I still have slight aches at present, but it's to the side of my heart almost underneath my arm pit, sometimes on my sternum, or the right side of my chest. But since today i've been quite worried about it, I feel more relaxed now I've written down all my concerns. But i'm finding it hard to get peace of mind for what i'm experiencing in general. I hope its just teething troubles from quitting smoking. I was wondering if you think it necessary to visit a heart clinic for a check up/observation. Or if you can recommend anything for what i'm experiencing. I would be very grateful for a response to my concerns, and again apologize for the length of the query Yours Sincerely, ***** *******

teeth extraction and drugs I take half of a Emconcor 2.5mg tablet each day as I occasionally have arrythmia dure to my M.E. Next week I am having a tooth extracted. Should I continue to take this beta blocker?

heart i have recently been discharged from hospital having been admitted following chest symptoms which were from 5 days previous but still lingering. my troponin t was 72 then at approx 5 days after worse of sypmtoms. a further one was taken 6 hours later and this was 54. i was advised to undergo invasive angiogram but due to anxiety(mother died during this proceedure) i requested mri angiogram or ct angiogram, these not offerred so was discharged with follow up to have stress echo but could be a month before test is done. was already on ramipril but they added bisoprolol 1.25mg clopidogrel, aspirin, omeprazole, and atorvastatin 80mg, also had 5day course of clexane whilst was inpatient. my discharge letter does not say if definite heart attack but just acs. and ? acs ?nstemi. i would like to know more specifically as have mortgage help with payments whilst off sick if daignosed heart attack, and as my work does not pay any sick pay i am anxious that am going to get into debt, and have to return work mearly, thankyou. *********

Palpitations Hi, im a 23 year old male who has been getting heart palpitations for a long time now but over the past 6 months to a year they seem to have got worse eg more frequent, stronger and generally feeling different to just skipping a beat. Ive been to the doctors and had a ekg but was told that there common but why do they seem like there getting worse? Sometimes i can go days without feeling anything but then other days can be really bad where i can lose count of them. Could there actually be something wrong with my heart?

Heart problems, prognosis My mother is 92 and has been in a care home for 6 months. I have to decide whether to take out an Immediate Needs Annuity which will pay for her care for as long as she lives. This will cost £120,000. If my mother lives longer than 4 years this will have paid off. My mother always wanted to leave a legacy to myself and her grandchildren but £120,000 will punch an enormous hole in this wish of hers. Here is a summary of her state of health: 1. She doesn't look 92 - more like 82. 2. She's 157cm and 61.2kg (BMI= 24.8) 3. Has rheumatoid arthritis. 4. Has hiatus hernia. 5. One hip replacement 12 years ago. 6. She has had an irregular heartbeat for at least 12 years. 7. Her blood pressure regularly oscillates between hypertension and hypotension. 8. Her pulse is typically 58. 9. She was having weekly, sometimes daily, angina attacks. 10. She was hospitalised 2 years ago to address this and her medication was changed. She has not had an angina attack since. 11. Due to a "mild to moderately impaired" left ventricular dysfunction the hospital recommended that she have a stent inserted but there were risks with this and mum chose medication instead. 12. Whilst in hospital she suffered a cardiac arrest. She seems to have made a full recovery from this. 13. She also contracted pneumonia whilst in hospital and numerous infections and fought them all off. 14. She has balance problems and uses a walking frame. She has suffered several falls. 15. She has severe short-term memory problems. 16. Her long-term memory is good and she converses normally. 17. We think she had a mild stroke a few weeks ago - it has made her memory problems worse and her speech slightly impaired. 18. She has stage 3 kidney disease. 19. This is her current medication: • Aspirin 75mg daily • Bisoprolol 5mg daily • Citalopram 20mg daily • Digoxin 62.5icrograms daily • Furosemide 40mg daily • Isosobide Mononitrate 10mg twice daily • Omeprazole 20mg daily • Paracetamol 500mg two by four times daily • Ramipril 1.25mg daily • Tramadol 50mg twice daily • Fybogel daily I don't wish my mother dead, far from it, but I must be objective about this situation which is why I would really appreciate the input of a medical professional. What are the chances that my mother might live another 4 years? Are her chances very poor, poor, good, or excellent? I understand that this will be a guess, but an educated guess, and I promise you that if you are willing to express an opinion there will be no come back against you should your guess not prove to be the case.

Really low blood pressure, racing heart I am a 32 year old female. My blood pressure is 87 over 52, my heart is always racing, the resting rate is high. My heart partially collapsed through a drug overdose 13 years ago and I didnt really know the outcome of this as i checked myself out of hospital. I've since had 3 children - would any problems have been noticed then? Currently I am short of breath, dizzy have fainted a couple of times, also have really bad tremors. I am nursing my mother through terminal cancer so am aware I am stressed but really would like an opinion on the low blood pressure/heart racing issue and need to know whether it is something I should be concerned about? Thank you

Atrial fibrilation Diagnosed with AF Feb 2009. Admitted to hospital as emergency. GP prescribed Atenol but made breathing worse. Can Iask for further appointment with Consultant?

Fit to drive an HGV vehicle I have an employee who wishes to return to work following two heart attacks. They will be driving an HGV vehicle overnight. They have been prescribed Clopidogrel, Sinvastatin, Isosorvide Mononitrate, Disoprolol Fumarate, Ramipril and Asprin. The DVLA say they are fit to drive - should I let them do this due to the nature of the work or am I being over cautious?

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators I have been told that I need a ICD implantation I understand what that entails, but could you tell me what strengh of current is used,ie how painful would it be if it was needed?