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Posted 1/31/2014 7:17 PM (GMT 0)
I broke down and went to my GP about occasional chest pains. The weird part is sometimes the pain shoots up my throat – and follows my jaw and ends at the base of my ears.

The GP sends me to a Cardiologist who did an Echocardiogram, Carotid Doppler Test and a Stress test. Apparently I did OK on those except for a small amount of plaque build-up.

Yesterday I went in for the follow-up. The nurse did an EKG… Doc comes in and freaks out because something is messed up… Nurse does another EKG.. Doc looks and looks and compares it to previous EKG from a few weeks ago.

Then he mumbles something about the EKG and says I need to go see a Cardiac Electrophysiologist who is better skilled at whatever issue him thinks I have and that I MAY require a pacemaker. He said something about the "electronics" of the heart should start at the top and go down. He said mine was backwards?!?!?! I wonder if they hooked the EKG up backwards.

I’m half mad at myself for just sitting and letting the Doc rush through things and also can’t help but feel he's trying to help suck my insurance company dry.

On Monday I go in to get a 24 hour monitor thingie and then will see the specialist next Friday.

Some good news that my GP had also suggested I get some Prilosec OTC which has done wonders for me...

Any thoughts on this less than detailed first visit to the Heart Forum?
Posted 1/31/2014 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Steve,

Wow, glad to see you here but not under these circumstances.  I know your smart so I am going to post a great site that will explain to you how the electrical conduction system of the heart works normally.

From what your Dr.  seems to think, you my  have a problem with the  atria of your heart.  The 24 hour heart monitor is used to help diagnose arrhythmias that come and go. One of these arrhythmias is atrial  fibrillation which many people learned about in 1991 when President George Bush was dx with this disorder. 

Here is the link that will help you understand a bit better:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hhw/electrical.html

I love the comment re hooking up the ECG wires backwards and truthfully, I have seen this happen but not twice in a row.

Keep on talking with us as we are here to help in any way we can.

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 1/31/2014 9:39 PM (GMT 0)
Thank Kitt - I was hoping you'd stop by... Nice video... I'm a good bit bummed out right now - but luckily this new Doc will see me next Friday and not that the end of the month like we originally thought.

"Every day is a bonus."
Posted 2/7/2014 6:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hip Hip Hooray... Just got finished with the visit to the Cardiac Electrophysiologist. He said for a guy that's about to turn 59 - my heart is in really good shape.

He spent a ton of time with me and actually explained the results of the three other tests. He said I passed the stress test with flying colors. As far as plaque build up - he said they don't start getting concerned until you reach 75% clogged... I'm at 30%.

The Holter monitor - he asked me if I remembered what I was doing at 6:30am Tuesday Morning cause my numbers shot up. Told him I was walking up two flights of stairs after parking in the underground parking at the office... He said GREAT and was glad I didn't say I was sitting watching tv at the time....

He did say I have a different set of "electronics." I believe he said I have an extra "source" that generates signals. He pushed me about "racing heart beats." Told him that I knew what he was talking about and that I had probably experienced it but that I couldn't remember the last time... Got another GREAT out of him... He mentioned that it could happen in the future and that he has 15 different meds we could try etc....

I wish everyone here could be as lucky as I've been today... If'll it just warm up a little Jogging here I come.
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