What Are The Dangers Of Having

[emmie]

an erratic heartbeat. Mine is and has been so for a long time,
i have had a heart monitor before, which i wore for 24 hours, which didn't show up anything.

[Mamyalynne]

Does your Doctor agree your heart rate is erratic?

[Sqad]

You have atrial fibrillation of unknown cause........the commonest type.
You have an increased chance of a stroke.
This can be markedly reduced by taking drugs...Beta blockers and anti-coagulants.
You can live a normal life with this problem.

[emmie]

no i don't think they do, but they don't sit with me day and night, when it goes haywire, it drops beats, sometimes like palpitates, and other whizzes by. I have been seen by a heart doctor, but as i said the fact is the 24 hour monitor didn't show up anything significant.
I was sent for a test and explained politely to the nurse what i can feel and she said sounds like Arrthymia
sorry if that's not the correct spelling.

[jackthehat]

My Mum was (eventually) diagnosed with Atrial Fibrilation.
She now takes Warfarin to keep her blood thin as AF can lead to blood clots forming.

She, too, wore the 24 hour monitor but it showed nothing. It was eventually diagnosed when she had an 'episode' during an EEG trace.....

Keep on at your medics, Emmie. And try to keep a note of when these attacks (if that's what they are) occur.

[emmie]

sqad
should i ask them to take this more seriously,
i have been getting dizzy spells again, and didn't know
if this was anything to do with it. The dizzy spells has been put down to Vertigo, which i have had for over 2 years.

[emmie]

that should read i have Vertigo for over 20 years, not 2.

[Sqad]

emmie.....see the post of JTH above.

vertigo is not a disease, it is a symptom.....often a symptom of Atrial fibrillation.

Yes mention it to the doctors and i am surprised that you are not on Beta blockers and blood thinners.

24 hour ECG is just that 24 hours. A.F doesn't necessarily and conveniently turn up at the right time.

[jennyjoan]

You have my sympathies Emmie regarding the Vertigo. Rotten thing to have.

[Hopkirk]

Could it be a side effect of a drug you regularly take?

For example it is a noted rare side effect of ibuprofen.

[emmie]

thanks for the advice, will try the GP again..

[Cloverjo]

My dad has a similar problem. He has been told to phone for an ambulance when it happens and ask them to do a reading there and then. He has never done this though, as he doesn't want to trouble them, and the immediate problem would be over by the time they get to him.

[yogi-bear]

One of my Uncle's has a erratic heartbeat, as you describe, emmie, and is on Atenolol to control it....I'm not sure if he has been prescribed something else other than that to assist him.....pretty sure just the Atenolol.....1 a day, every day

[emmie]

waiting for a call back from GP, will keep you posted.

[yogi-bear]

Please do, emmie and don't forget to take Sqad's and JTHs advice...mention all your symptoms to your GP when he/she calls and keep a note of when you get the fast heartbeats..good luck, sweetie x

[Khandro]

Would taking half an aspirin a per day be of help in thinning the blood and be of any help?