Short version: Irregular heartbeat, went to ER, admitted to hospital for 2 days, I'm OK.
Long version: January 1 our insurance changed and we changed our Primary Care Physician. As new patients, they drew blood for lab work and did an EKG. The tech that did the EKG said something didn't look quite right.
After I got home, the PCP's office called and said they wanted me to wear a 24 hour heart monitor. I went back a couple of days later to get the monitor. The tech said they would have the results when I had my follow up visit to review my lab work. I wore the monitor for 24 hours and returned it the next day,
I go back for my follow up visit. My lab work is great, everything is where it's supposed to be. I'm just as surprised as you are. Then it was on to the results of the monitor. They asked if I had ever had any chest pains, shortness of breath, passing out or, just a tightness in my chest. I said, "No, never."
My heartrate is constantly going up and down. The monitor results showed that my heartrate ranged from a low of 39 to a high of 120. I was diagnosed with V Tach. If you Google V Tach it will scare you to death. The Dr was very concerned and was surprised that I wasn't passing out. He was going to refer me to a cardiologist. If I had any problems, go straight to the ER.
Somehow, it was taking a while to get me in to see a cardiologist. Since I knew something was wrong, I was feeling (imagining) all kinds of things. I walked into the Dr's office fine, walked out a mess.
One week later and no appointment with a cardiologist, I thought I felt some tightness. So, Thursday morning I go to the ER. I told them that I had been diagnosed with V Tach and just didn't feel right.
Next thing I know, they have me in a cardiac room in the ER and people are all over me. It was like a NASCAR pit crew, people all around me, taking my shirt off, taking my boots off, sticking my hand to draw blood, hooking up monitors, listening to my heart and lungs, asking questions.
Once they got settled down, an ER Dr told me that I was going to be admitted and would be moved as soon as a room was ready. I got to the ER around 8:45AM and got to my room at 4:30PM. All of that time I was in the ER waiting and watching the monitors. I felt fine.
I get to my room and they hook me up to a portable monitor. They said the cardiologist might come by to see me, if not, he would be by Friday. They also said they were going to do an echocardiogram on me.
Friday morning, I'm fine, just waiting, bored to death. After lunch 2 very attractive young ladies came in to do the echo. Around 3:30PM, the cardiologist came in to talk to me. He asked all of the questions and told me that my labs, echo, everything looked great. My heart was in perfect shape and doing it's job. He explained that it was just picking up another heartbeat now and then and that it wasn't all that unusual. He said it was an electrical problem.
He said in my case since I had no pain, shortness of breath, tightness, and since I felt fine, he didn't think he needed to do anything. He did want me to come by his office next week and get on the treadmill for one last test. He told me to resume my daily routine and to continue my daily walks. I've been walking 1 mile every morning and another mile most evenings.
He discharged me and I got home around 6PM. I may know a little more next week if I survive the treadmill.
Long version: January 1 our insurance changed and we changed our Primary Care Physician. As new patients, they drew blood for lab work and did an EKG. The tech that did the EKG said something didn't look quite right.
After I got home, the PCP's office called and said they wanted me to wear a 24 hour heart monitor. I went back a couple of days later to get the monitor. The tech said they would have the results when I had my follow up visit to review my lab work. I wore the monitor for 24 hours and returned it the next day,
I go back for my follow up visit. My lab work is great, everything is where it's supposed to be. I'm just as surprised as you are. Then it was on to the results of the monitor. They asked if I had ever had any chest pains, shortness of breath, passing out or, just a tightness in my chest. I said, "No, never."
My heartrate is constantly going up and down. The monitor results showed that my heartrate ranged from a low of 39 to a high of 120. I was diagnosed with V Tach. If you Google V Tach it will scare you to death. The Dr was very concerned and was surprised that I wasn't passing out. He was going to refer me to a cardiologist. If I had any problems, go straight to the ER.
Somehow, it was taking a while to get me in to see a cardiologist. Since I knew something was wrong, I was feeling (imagining) all kinds of things. I walked into the Dr's office fine, walked out a mess.
One week later and no appointment with a cardiologist, I thought I felt some tightness. So, Thursday morning I go to the ER. I told them that I had been diagnosed with V Tach and just didn't feel right.
Next thing I know, they have me in a cardiac room in the ER and people are all over me. It was like a NASCAR pit crew, people all around me, taking my shirt off, taking my boots off, sticking my hand to draw blood, hooking up monitors, listening to my heart and lungs, asking questions.
Once they got settled down, an ER Dr told me that I was going to be admitted and would be moved as soon as a room was ready. I got to the ER around 8:45AM and got to my room at 4:30PM. All of that time I was in the ER waiting and watching the monitors. I felt fine.
I get to my room and they hook me up to a portable monitor. They said the cardiologist might come by to see me, if not, he would be by Friday. They also said they were going to do an echocardiogram on me.
Friday morning, I'm fine, just waiting, bored to death. After lunch 2 very attractive young ladies came in to do the echo. Around 3:30PM, the cardiologist came in to talk to me. He asked all of the questions and told me that my labs, echo, everything looked great. My heart was in perfect shape and doing it's job. He explained that it was just picking up another heartbeat now and then and that it wasn't all that unusual. He said it was an electrical problem.
He said in my case since I had no pain, shortness of breath, tightness, and since I felt fine, he didn't think he needed to do anything. He did want me to come by his office next week and get on the treadmill for one last test. He told me to resume my daily routine and to continue my daily walks. I've been walking 1 mile every morning and another mile most evenings.
He discharged me and I got home around 6PM. I may know a little more next week if I survive the treadmill.
