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[Marchlove]

Supplements have quite a profound effect on us.
Good and bad.
I always look at them with an open mind and research if an usual symptom arises. X

[joziel]

Ok, well here's an update... I got a call from the specialist arrhythmia nurse, who was lovely. At first I was a bit down, because she said that 15th Sept really was the first appointment they had and they couldn't offer anything earlier.

But then she basically gave me a consult on the phone(!!). She asked about all my symptoms and listened well, and said they either set people up with a holter for an ECG which I could pick up or they give them a Kardia device. So I said I'd just ordered a 6 lead Kardia and was waiting for it to arrive, so she said that was great and she gave me her email address so I could email her my ECGs...!

Then she said I'd also need an echo-cardiogram just to check there was nothing wrong with the structure of the heart and she would refer me for that now - but that there was a long waiting list for those and I might not get it until the new year. (So I might have to pay for that privately. But I'm going to see what she says about the ECGs to start with... )

I told her about my slow resting pulse and the berberine as an idea(!) and she said she'd never heard of that but she was happy to learn about new things  So I might send her the paper when I send her some ECGs 

Anyway, I feel like I've basically had a consult and got things started now 

[Marchlove]

All in all that sounds like a good result.
Action is being taken which is reassuring.
X

[Pippa52]

Joziel .. so pleased to read your post that you have some progress re your consult with the Nurse. Xx

[Marchlove]

Pippa- do keep telling us how you’re doing on this thread.
 We know some of your story here already, so moan away to us when you feel like it! X

[Pippa52]

Pippa- do keep telling us how you’re doing on this thread.
 We know some of your story here already, so moan away to us when you feel like it! X

Marchlove ...Bless you that is so kind and thoughtful.  Have the consult with the Meno Consultant tomorrow plus blood test result so promise to report back .  Hope all you ladies have a good or at least a better night xxx

[joziel]

Very interested to hear your blood results Pippa. Do let us know.

I am clinging to hope that this is all caused by berberine, although I feel a little silly about the smidgeon of a chance that is the cause. But I just need some hope...

It is day 2 off berberine today. I've had 2 days off it every week, because Lara Briden says only to take it for 5 days out of 7, so I'm not yet in unchartered berberine territory... looking forwards to seeing what happens in the next couple of days.

I will feel like a total plonker if this is berberine on one level though 

[Marchlove]

I do hope it is too Joziel!

Don’t feel like a plonker, I’ve done it many times with supplements in the past and it’s taken me ages to figure out what’s causing a certain thing.
For instance some people can’t get on with certain types of B12, I’m one of them, and  that took forever for me to realise. X

[Pippa52]

This minefield really is all trial and error joziel and good for you in being proactive in trying different things.  Such knowledgeable lovely ladies on here too it is such a wonderful support network. Here is hoping so much cutting out the supplement works for you x

[joziel]

Thanks Pippa and ML x

Pippa What was your estrogen blood test result?

I slept well and deeply last night, which might mean I had less palps than usual - although I still woke up with them and am sitting here with them now. I did an ECG with my Apple Watch whilst lying in bed, which said it did not detect atrial fibrillation. I guess that is reassuring although there are 650000 other things it could be    I think the Apple Watch is not as good as the 6 lead Kardia thingy I am eagerly awaiting in the post. Then I can start to do ECGs to email to this nurse.

My hairdresser yesterday told me I should be wearing the Apple Watch all the time to try to get more data (I usually only wear it when I go out the house). (Hairdressers, always stepping up to the mark for any of life's difficulties, right?  )  So I've been wearing it and so far it has confirmed my very low average resting pulse of 44bpm. So I am definitely brachycardic, if I've got the right word there.

Pippa, what was the diagnosis in terms of the heart checks you had? Was it just "ectopic beats"? The cardiac nurse yesterday said that my ECG just showed ectopic beats, but I don't think I was actually having an episode when that was taken. But anyway, she said that if it IS just ectopic beats causing this, then they don't need to treat at all - they are considered normal. Even if they are constant.    She said they will treat if they are causing problems like anxiety, lack of sleep, feeling weird etc - usually with beta blockers - but those treatments are just to help you feel okay, not because the condition needs to be treated, health-wise. And that I might not be able to take beta blockers anyway, with my very slow resting pulse - they will cause it to go even lower, which could be dangerous. But there are other meds, she said.

But I don't think I'm going to want to treat just for symptoms if there is no underlying health reason to treat. Like you Pippa, I'm pretty against taking meds unless I really have to and I try all natural approaches first. Anyways, I won't get ahead of things... must do ECGs with the Kardia first, when it arrives!

[Pippa52]

Joziel… just a very quick reply and I will post links later but just to let you know I have a Kardia six lead machine and it was invaluable because I could simply just send the ECG straight to the consultant which made his diagnosis so much quicker at the consultation xxx

[Pippa52]

Hi lovely ladies -UPDATE!!  oh my goodness.  I have just had my telephone consultation with the Meno consult.  My blood results were off the scale LOW at 69!!! They have never ever been that low.  She said no wonder I had been feeling so awful.  She also said this will be because of the many changes of HRT I have had over the past 4 months.  I have only changed back onto Oestrogel for just over 3 weeks and she said that is why my levels are so low still  as they take time to build up plus I will need to up the dosage.  So I have to build up the dose really really slowly over the next 3  months and she wants me up to 3 pumps daily.  She also told me on no account to split the gel dosage twice daily (funnily enough I had already 3 days ago gone back to doing the whole dose in the mornings and not dividing it... maybe that is one of the reasons I am feeling a bit better too).  She said it is designed to be used in one go so you get the whole dose straight away and it will last 24 hours but important to apply it at the same time every day.  So a very productive consultation.  She also has prescribed me Vagifem and to continue using the YES OB applicators.  Feeling a lot more positive now there is a proper plan in place and hopefully will start to feel human again.  It does explain too why I am feeling so whacked out all the time. She knows the Cardiac consultant I saw and said he is great and she is going to write to him with an update of today's consult.  She said the symptoms I have been getting will be down to the very low oestrogen levels.  So weird as I have been feeling a lot better today and slept all night last night on the lower dose but maybe it is because it is being applied in one go.  Very interesting that as I would have imagined that splitting the dose would even it out.  Ho hum you live and learn....onwards and upwards!  xxx

[joziel]

I think this is all so individual, it's crazy. Like some people might do well with the dose split.

Interesting your levels are so low though Pippa. This is all such a nightmare. I am still palping away, day 3 off berberine....

[Pippa52]

I think this is all so individual, it's crazy. Like some people might do well with the dose split.

Interesting your levels are so low though Pippa. This is all such a nightmare. I am still palping away, day 3 off berberine....

So sorry to hear this joziel . Hopefully when your Kardia mobile  machine arrives and you can get some tracings and who ever you are being referred to can view them  then you can get an answer. So frustrating trying to work out what is going on

[joziel]

Yes, I know. I don't know what I'm more worried about - that this is all normal ectopic beats and so they are not really going to be interested or help me much (or I'm not going to want to try the meds to help and I'll be stuck like this!) or that it's something serious that I'll need meds for.