What now?

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Sky'sGoneOut
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What now?

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

So I've been having these heart palpitations for a week, proper thumps and missed beats going on for minutes scaring the living shit out of me.

The doctor sent me to hospital for an electrocardiogram and apparently I'm fine. Which I'm not entirely in agreement with. Can you imagine feeling a small animal trying to escape from your chest? Like some shit alien? That's what it feels like. Anxiety they say. I'd like to know how something caused by anxiety can wake you from happy dreams and scare the crap out of you in the middle of the night.

Actually no I can see how that would work.

Honestly lying in bed and having your heart randomly fuck about spasming is pretty fucking terrifying regardless of the cause.
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51A
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Re: What now?

Post by 51A »

If you're fine, then you are. Sounds like a panic attack and not arrhythmia. Arrhythmia runs in my family, they stopped and restarted my mother's heart in a failed attempt to cure it but she's still fine about a decade later and at 78 swimming 3 times a week. dancing twice a week, twice a week pub quiz, works in a charity shop 2 days, she puts me to shame.

Daughter suffered panic attacks, beta blockers worked for her but I didn't know she was on them, I would not have been happy.

Alternatively, if it is arrhythmia embrace it, I quite like it, makes me think about the family I come from: We never die from cancer, the heart always gets us first.
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LadyCentauria
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Re: What now?

Post by LadyCentauria »

Sorry to hear that, Sky. I've been woken by the same thing, in the past. Horrible business. It's a long time since it all faded away but it did, eventually. Your doc was on the button sending you for the ECG so will probably offer some sort of help with the panic attacks/anxiety if you ask. All the best.
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ohsocynical
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Re: What now?

Post by ohsocynical »

I've had heart problems in the past, then three years ago it started feeling as if my heart was jumping out of my chest. I thought I was having my third heart attack. It scared the shit out of me, I went into full panic mode, but the docs said it's just my heart trying to put in an extra beat. It wasn't going to kill me. Live with it.

Stress always triggers it off.

Breathing air in deeply through the nose and letting it out slowly through the mouth helps.

Also when you eat extra blood is diverted from the heart to the stomach to aid digestion, so try not to eat too large meals because it does raise the heart rate and if you're edgy and aware of what your hearts doing, it can trigger you off.

The secret's in trying not to think about it...
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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Sky'sGoneOut
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Re: What now?

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

Believe it or not I reckon it was my own fault.

I ate too many salted peanuts.

They dehydrated me.
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Sky'sGoneOut
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Re: What now?

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

Just to expand on that I was snacking on Ginger Snaps and Tortillas and thought there must be something more healthy and less fattening.

So I went for peanuts and ended filling a big jar with them and leaving it sitting on my desk.

I was scoffing handfulls of the damn things all day long.

And then my heart went mad.

My CBT counsellor and GP were sure it was anxiety but I knew that was bollocks. There's a difference between run of the mill anxiety and being scared shitless because you think your heart might be about to explode. They'll try to ascribe everything to your condition the lazy fuckers. Eating loads of salt causes dehydration which causes heart palpitations. It was my own stupid fault.
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51A
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Re: What now?

Post by 51A »

Sky'sGoneOut wrote:Just to expand on that I was snacking on Ginger Snaps and Tortillas and thought there must be something more healthy and less fattening.

So I went for peanuts and ended filling a big jar with them and leaving it sitting on my desk.

I was scoffing handfulls of the damn things all day long.

And then my heart went mad.

My CBT counsellor and GP were sure it was anxiety but I knew that was bollocks. There's a difference between run of the mill anxiety and being scared shitless because you think your heart might be about to explode. They'll try to ascribe everything to your condition the lazy fuckers. Eating loads of salt causes dehydration which causes heart palpitations. It was my own stupid fault.
But you're ok, which is the main thing. Hearts, odd things, clearly we need them and every male in my family has suffered and most from my generation and the next one up (and all from the next one down) are still with us. 2 cousins have had valve replacements in their 40s, 3 including my father had arterial bypasses in their 50s. But with the exception of 1 they are all still here. So take advice, don't eat badly if you can help it, accept intervention if you need it. And keep your salt intake low if you can, most natural food (as in, buy it raw and cook it yourself) has plenty of salt already in it, so adding more in production of ready meals or at the table shouldn't be done. Having said that, I blooming love peanuts, not safe to be left in a room with a bowl of them. Would far rather a bag of peanuts than any chocolate. Look after yourself.
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Sky'sGoneOut
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Re: What now?

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

What is looking after yourself though?

Is extending your life as long as possible the thing to do?

At what point does no wanting to die become selfish?
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51A
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Re: What now?

Post by 51A »

That is subjective, Sky. I have no wish to extend my life when those I love are no longer around me, for instance. I always said "when I can't wipe my own arse" I would not wish anyone else to. But those are my circumstances and I don't know yours. At the moment I still have kids and a Mum I love and a dad I don't and 2 brothers I have mixed feelings about but when push came to shove, I'd not want to upset them. But if I was, for instance, terminally ill and in great pain, I hope that all of those people would understand that I would want their permission to exit. So it's not just subjective per person, it's also subjective per personal circumstance.
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citizenJA
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Re: What now?

Post by citizenJA »

I need to write about my sorrow regarding the earthquake in Nepal & think it's inappropriate for me to post in today's politics thread. I'm posting this here. Please move my post if I'm posting in the wrong area, or tell me how to do so.

According to the news reports I've read from the G (I've not read many - I've been focusing on domestic politics), 4,000 people are confirmed dead, thousands more injured & the death toll is expected to be 10,000+. The damage from this earthquake has resulting in making much of the country's infrastructure useless & thus making it difficult to get food, medical aid & relief to the people. More lives are in jeopardy because of this. Over 70% of the homes of the people are totally destroyed. The aftershocks are terrifyingly dangerous. It's cold & raining.

Please know you're in my thoughts, People, mercy, grace & love to you all.

xx
cJA

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/a ... ort-supply" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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LadyCentauria
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Re: What now?

Post by LadyCentauria »

I second that, @cJA. This earthquake has struck a devastating blow to Nepal and, especially, to her people. Let's hold them in our hearts and wish that as many as possible will hear good news of their loved ones.

:heart: :hug: xxx

Edit to add: And Tibet has also been very badly affected - another country which can ill afford to lose her people or her history.
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Sky'sGoneOut
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Re: What now?

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

I do aplogise 51A, I thought maybe you were taking the piss. I was wrong. Sorry.

You seem to be one of us, we who become tingly at the slightest injustice.
ohsocynical
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Re: What now?

Post by ohsocynical »

Sky'sGoneOut wrote:What is looking after yourself though?

Is extending your life as long as possible the thing to do?

At what point does no wanting to die become selfish?
I've pissed my doctor off because I still smoke even thought I've had a double by-pass. I told him I didn't want to stagger into my eighties and then end up in a home. And I certainly don't want my son and d - i - l having to see to me.

It's seventeen years since I had the heart op, which is pretty good going evidently, so I've been lucky. I wouldn't last two minutes in a home. The smell of the meals they serve makes me heave. And you often end up in nappies for their convenience...No thanks!

I am careful with what I eat and my food is pretty much from scratch so the salt and sugar thing is more controllable. Fear keeps you off the bad stuff for a while and then eventually you lose the taste for it.

As long as he can get me to my mid seventies, which is coincidently around the age the females in my family pop off, then I shall be satisfied but I get the distinct feeling he doesn't bother much if have something wrong. So I don't go.
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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Sky'sGoneOut
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Re: What now?

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

You and I need to share some weed, all of us do.
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