Panic attacks.... AN UPDATE.

[john-e89]

A few months ago I posted about how badly I suffer from them and the severity, and have done for many years, in the hope of someone maybe being able to offer any advice, tips on dealing with them as it's getting very wearing and really affecting day to day life now.

Well the last month or so have been intolerable and through sheer desperation I begruingly went back to the doctors again this morning to try to get some relief from the now constant chest pains fully expecting to be told it'll pass etc as usual. Turns out for the last 7 years I have had an atrial fibrillation, picked up on an ECG this morning, an irregular heart rthymn, which has now gone permanent, hence the constant chest pains, so on beta blockers until we can get an echo and 24hr ECG which then will determine the medication.

It's a bloody big relief tbh as hopefully we can now get this really tiring and painful condition sorted out, there's not too much risk of a stroke or heart attack as I'm 48 and pretty healthy generally.
I had some very nice wishes and comments posted as well as some PM's at the time so the point of this thread is just to let them know the progress as I said I would if there was any.

Thank you for reading and again for the very kind words from my original post.

 

[DPG]

Good luck John, glad they have found something that (fingers crossed) they can sort.

I was like that for 4 years until they diagnosed my thyroid issues.

So glad they found out what it was, but 5 years on I'm still all over the place.

 

[ben g]

Glad to hear you at least know the cause of it now.

My nan supposedly suffers from them but I just think it's attention seeking. I've never personally had one or seen her have one though so can't say for certain.

 

[stuartC]

Good luck John, nice to know they've found something & hopefully can provide some relief. Some sympathy here as I had an irregular heartbeat for ~36hours in Mar '14. Bloody awful, not sure how anyone copes with that 24/7.

 

[gov]

Well pleased for you mate - what a relief !

 

[Theivz]

sorry to hear about your troubles.

i hope you dont mind but here are a few links (nhs endorsed) that may be helpful:
http://patient.info/search.asp?searchterm=atrial+fibrillation&searchcoll=All
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Atrial-fibrillation/Pages/Introduction.aspx

GWS. Best wishes

 

[gannet]

missed the original thread, but glad to hear you at least have a way forward.

Hope things get better going forward.

 

[paulgs1000]

I wish you all the best with this John. You're right to be relieved - modern medication and intervention is impressive and works wonderfully for me (touch wood, God willing etc) but the big thing is getting that initial diagnosis.

 

[Z4M-2006]

Brilliant news John (in a way)...

At least you now have a path to follow to get you on the road to be 100% again..

All the best...

 

[Grumpyowl]

Pleased you've found your problem.
Good luck getting it sorted / under control, all the best for the future

 

[Taz]

at least you now have an answere

 

[dans6490]

Really great news John. Although a medical condition is never normally good news, you now know where you stand and how to move forward. The not knowing what's wrong and trying to make sense of it all is the worst part before diagnosis IMO.
Really pleased for you as the stress over the last few weeks sounds terrible.

My mum had a brain tumour and it took ages for the doctors to diagnose. She knew something was wrong but the symptoms didn't automatically point to what was wrong. All sorted and almost forgotten about.

Hope it's a quick and easy fix for you and that the symptoms are a thing of the past. All the best.

 

[paddy wright]

Glad you have made progress- at least now people will be more understanding as sadly people still think conditions like panic attacks are 'sympathy seekers' despite their very real symptoms. Good luck.

 

[SeanConnor]

This is actually good news (you have been diagnosed). IT IS FIXABLE. The first attempt will probably be anti-coagulants and a hospital appointment for a 're-start' . The problem is that your heart is not 'firing' on the demand of it's built in pacemaker, but running in 'self trigger' mode. This can lead to coagulation problems. If that doesn't work then they will probably ablate some of the pathways that are causing the false paths. Tony Blair had this done several years ago.

Just to make it clear :

I am not a medic but an electronics engineer who works primarily in AF detection.

Hope this helps

Sean

 

[Darren Slone]

Oh John I missed your original post so I'm glad you've got a way forward now, fingers crossed mate

 

[john-e89]

Hey thanks for the posts and well wishes chaps, I really do appreciate them all..

DPG I hope you get sorted, 5yrs is a long time not to be right.

StuartC no more episodes hopefully?

Thievz and Sean I'll read the links and yes the info is very useful, cheers chaps.

As said yes it's a relief to finally get a diagnosis and thus be able to sort the problem which, although is not major, the last 7yrs and especially the last month or so have been, believe me, awful, I feel bloody crap, no energy, hot and clammy and as though my chest is being constantly squeezed.

Anyway onwards and upwards and I look forward to getting back to normal at last.

 

[Angie4m]

Well glad to hear they now are looking into it John. Goes to show that sometimes going to the doctor, even if you think you know what it is and they'll turn you away can actually provide a different answer and solution.

I know when I had my heart issue diagnosed people said to me I was possibly having panic attacks and palpitations but I knew it was my heart skipping beats and after going there they diagnosed another issues with my heart I had just disregarded as 'normal' for many years.

I wish you all the best and hopefully they'll have you living a more 'normal' life

 

[ronk]

So I'm not alone?
I've been thro the medication route and the medication to treat the medication.
Warfarin as an anti coagulant , beta blockers etc - now I'm going in for an ablation and although it's a run of the mill procedure for the experts - I'm at the bricking it stage
22nd of October for my op! When hopefully I come out with a ticker that doesn't sound like an old hit and miss engine !

 

[TitanTim]

All the best John and glad to hear youre making progress.

Fingers crossed for your op too Ronk.

Tim.

 

[john-e89]

So I'm not alone?
I've been thro the medication route and the medication to treat the medication.
Warfarin as an anti coagulant , beta blockers etc - now I'm going in for an ablation and although it's a run of the mill procedure for the experts - I'm at the bricking it stage
22nd of October for my op! When hopefully I come out with a ticker that doesn't sound like an old hit and miss engine !

Yes all the best with your op Ronk, you'll be dancing out of there like a new 'un..! Let us know how you get on.

Tbh I hope they put me a pacemaker in, I'm not keen on taking drugs, would much rather have a mechanical trigger.