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[Peri2022]

Just on for a quick rant. About 2 months ago I started having very pronounced palpitations. These have continued and happen intermittently day and night, sometimes just briefly and sometimes lasting for hours. I have upped my Estradot and tried to de stress a bit, which has made the palpitations slightly less ‘pounding’ but they’re still there.

I had bloods and ECG at GP, both of which were fine, but of course a one-minute random ECG has little chance of catching intermittent palpitations! My doc kindly referred me to the palpitation specialist clinic but I’ve just had a call saying the referral was declined. You can bet my heart is pounding *now*!

I feel like I’ve just been dismissed as an anxious woman even though I emphasised to the doc that the palps can happen when I’m very relaxed. I’m hoping they are just hormonal (‘just’) but my dad suffered many years with heart issues which does make me worry.

Forgive the rant but I’m so annoyed. I work in the NHS and v seldom use services unless I really am not well. Have any of you been in this position? Did you get investigated? How do you think I should proceed? Thanks in advance.  Xx

[CLKD]

Bugga - on what grounds has your referral been dismissed?  Contact your GP at once.  There maybe another clinic that you could be referred to even if you need to travel .  I always said that as a medical secretary, we would be the last to be treated unless we fell under a bed somewhere!

Has your GP given you a specific monitor to use at home?  I feel your anger ........ I feel that your GP should contact them to find out why? 

[Peri2022]

Thank you ladies for your kindness. I really am perplexed as well. I have made an appointment for the 31st (soonest available) to talk to the GP about this. We are always told not to ignore cardiac symptoms but I feel like this is exactly what has happened!

It’s especially galling as my husband recently had an episode of chest pain and was seen by a cardiology consultant within 2 weeks. He was raving about the efficiency of the NHS and I pointed out that I’ve been on the gynae wait list since March 22 (!) and now this!!

I am already feeling tweaked because I’m on day 21 of my cycle which is when the doom/gloom kicks in but this has really made me take some slow deep breaths…

[Peri2022]

Sorry CKLD I meant to reply to your question as well about a monitor - no, I haven’t been given anything to use at home, although as a healthcare practitioner I’m very capable of taking my own pulse and knowing when it’s irregular. I explained all this to the GP, but…oh well.

[CLKD]

Sometimes we know too much ;-). 

I wouldn't wait until 31st, I would be on that phone kicking and stamping  - I do a good line in stamping 

I've sent you a PM as I'm nosy 

[Lookingforamiracle]

They have no right to decline you and should send you home with a heart monitor. I had a condition called SVT whereby I suffered from episodes of very fast heartbeat (150-250 bpm) which lasted anything between a few minutes to six hours. These became more frequent during perimenopause due to hormonal fluctuations. I had various ECGs and a 24 hour holter monitor and nothing was picked up. It wasn’t until I was given a 7 day holter monitor that I had an episode and it was picked up. Immediately after I was put on the waiting list for a cardiac ablation. I had one last year and have been SVT free for a year now after so much suffering.
Keep pushing for them to check you, they have no right to leave you suffering.

[SarahT]

Not going to give any helpful advice here, but consider me furious on your behalf.

Keep fighting with your g.p. Even though at this point in your own cycle you may find it hard to fight, 😍,   surely they can  push for an alternative or at least  back you up. Sending a hug.

[Peri2022]

Thanks again all for your outrage on my behalf. I honestly don’t know what I’d do at points in this journey if I didn’t have this forum for moaning/sharing! I am going to have strong words with the GP to see if I can try again. Hubby says I should go to A&E if I want to be taken seriously but, having worked in acute services myself, I hate to use resources inappropriately…I’m not having an imminent heart attack (I hope) but I am
a middle aged woman who just wants to be believed and looked after properly!

[Wrensong]

How stressful for you to have your referral declined like that.  Did they give any reason?  I had long episodes of palpitations lasting up to an hour at a time 24/7, at worst in 10-day lead up to periods however long the cycle & especially bad overnight.  Lasted for around a decade from start of peri through to several years post when I finally started HRT & had a change of thyroid medication.  They are horrible & I feel for you. 

The short ECGs as you say, can easily miss irregularity & at very least I'd have thought they should arrange for you to have a Holter monitor for 24 hrs & I would politely push for one for your own peace of mind.  It took a while for them to organise one for me & that was after a wide range of cardiac tests from echo through treadmill.  The Holter was issued just before a bleed when my palps were at their worst so I knew for sure they'd captured what was going on.  Diagnosed with benign ectopics, but it was 15+ years ago when there was so little awareness of the wide ranging effects of menopause & none of the medics could say with any certainty what the cause was, so there was still no real reassurance.  I'd done some research & knew palps could occur in menopause but really wanted some certainty my thyroid condition wasn't to blame as this was an extra worry I could have done without.  Eventually, several years post, I met a good Meno Specialist who'd previously worked in Cardiology & she confirmed ectopics are quite common in menopause.   Would have been so reassuring to meet her a decade earlier!

Glad you are going back to your GP.  It's almost certainly nothing serious, but like you I wanted more certainty over something they should really not dismiss.  Please let us know how you get on.
Wx

[Taz2]

How upsetting. At our doctors you have to wear a monitor for three days and it's only after this has been analysed that the clinic will accept you for referral. Maybe that's why?

Taz x

[Pippa52]

Hi - so sorry to hear your story.  It is very wrong for you to be declined at the clinic.  I was getting lots of very fast heartbeats which were sometimes irregular and at first I put them down to the fact that due to the HRT shortages and having to change treatments and doses multiple times.  I was referred to a cardiologist and he diagnosed atrial fibrillation off one small trace from a Kardia mobile machine.  No further tests were done was put on anti coagulants which made me feel awful and told I needed an ablation in 4 weeks time.  I Was concerned at the lack of tests and investigations done and asked for a second opinion and got referred to a really fabulous cardiologist who immediately sent me for an electrocardiogram,(totally normal) 2 week ECG ambulatory monitor and blood tests etc etc.  It turns out I do NOT have atrial fibrillation at all but something called Inappropriate Sinus tachycardia which although unpleasant is not dangerous, not life threatening and will not cause a stroke etc.  I have been fitted with a cardiac loop recorder inserted under the skin which records any episodes of fast or different heart beats.  It was fitted 5 weeks ago and I am pleased to say nothing untoward has been recorded other than the bouts of tachycardia. We went through several weeks of hell and high stress levels thinking I had something wrong with my heart and it turns out I didn't (thankfully)   I say all this just to say how important it is to get checked out which is why it is so wrong you were refused access to the clinic. MOre than likely it is nothing to worry about and that is why for your peace of mind you should definitely get checked out.  Hope so much you get the help you need xx

[alibeau]

Hi,

I’m sorry you are going through this, palpitations are just awful.

We have family history with heart conditions so when my palpitations started I was given a few ecgs, ultrasound, ct scan and then the heart monitor for seven days.

All tests came back fine. I started taking magnesium glycinate and this has really helped. I tried to reduce my dose a few weeks ago (just out of interest!) and my symptoms worsened again so I am sure this supplement helps me. However I must add that as horrid as they are, my palpitations only lasted under a minute or so, so not severe or prolonged but still frightening.

HTH and hope you manage to get the appropriate tests to put your mind at rest.

Ali x

[Betsy123]

I too had this for the past 2 years, anxiety levels crippling leading to severe panic episodes which would leave me scared and turned into a nervous wreck. It was only when I went to a and e for the 3rd time a lovely nurse sent a letter to my doctor demanding an ecg. I had actually had one in the ambulance and one in the ward but nothing showed up.  A few weeks later I had one at the doctors and it picked up an abnormal heartbeat. I was referred for a monitor over 6 days which picked up ventricular ectopics. I was issued a low dose beta blocker which I really didn’t want to take however this has stopped the episodes of panic. Anxiety still raises its head but at the moment not as bad. I was referred for an echo which I had last weekend and awaiting results.  The hospital have said 98% of the time these are benign so fingers crossed. I had these 7 years ago at the start of peri and they settled with hrt but came back with vengeance 2 years ago. I have been on numerous regimes but couldn’t balance them.
Referred to the menopause clinic I have stopped the hrt to see what symptoms I still have.  Hopefully I don’t suffer too much however I have noticed Palpitations have got slightly worse.
My advice is go back to your doctors and push for a monitor. In the meantime do your blood pressure with a heart monitor and record when it states abnormal. You know when they are happening.
Can I ask you if you actually get hot flushes as I don’t but do feel slightly sweaty when I have them. My diastolic pressure is always a little high as well.  These are definitely hormone related but are awful and debilitating so I really sympathise with you. Hope you find a solution soon. 

[Tinkerbell]

Sadly I believe it is because Cardiology is one of the areas of the NHS with the longest waiting lists. I have been struggling with worsening palpitations over the last two years. I had a 24 hour holter monitor that picked up long pauses at night on top of an already low heart rate. I have been seen since I was 10 by cardiologists as i have a CHD. My last ECHO was five years ago but they will not give me another one saying there were no concerns then. Yes, but my CHD can get worse as you get older! My teen daughter has a different CHD monitored at a different hospital and they are foreveer cancelling her appointments and she is meant to have stress echo yearly.

I am sorry you are struggling to get help and reassurance. Until you are plagued by palpitations you don't realise how awful they are to live with. Mine are horrendous at night at the moment and I am sleeping bad.

Do you drink enough? I do notice mine can be worse on days I don't drink enough water.