my anaesthetist appt next week and a question on Tachycardia

Hi

Before I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I lost my Mum to sepsis (but mostly hospital errors) and I became my Dad's health and welfare power of attorney.  He was level 3 disabled following a stroke 5 years prior to my Mum dying - ie he couldn't even sit up on his own, had diabetes and vascular dementia. I started getting calls in the middle of the night from the hospital when Mum was ill and then a fair number with Dad being rushed to hospital from his nursing home.  During the 23 month period from my Mum dying to my Dad, I lost my nephew, my Mum's only brother, my sister in law, my Dad's twin brother and was 'on edge' every night.  I would be lying in bed and my heart would suddenly be going like the clappers and eventually after a while it would calm down.  I never did anything about it.

After Dad's death, I then got a cut in my leg which got infected with MRSA.  The hospital had "Acute Hospital at Home" which meant I could have IV antibiotics at home in the morning and the nurses came to my house in the morning before work and the evening to do my observations.  It meant that rather than stay in hospital for a fortnight, I could have hospital treatment and live my normal life.  Fab service!  During some of the observations, they started raising issues of tachycardia when they checked my pulse morning and night.  Other than saying "you seem to be tachycardic" from a few of  them, nothing happened about it with the hospital doctors or my doctor, just said 'we'll keep an eye on it'..  I have only had the odd one or two 'heart racing episodes at night in bed since my Dad's death. (I am sure mine were linked to stress of being constantly woken in the middle of the night because something awful had usually happened to a member of my family).

A year later, I was diagnosed with BC and had an ECG before my operation - so I am sure you will too.  Mine came back perfectly normal, so I reckon it just seems to 'sort itself out' when the 'problem' has resolved (ie for you, your anaemia)..  But the fact that they will do an ECG for you should put your mind at rest.

Kindest wishes

Hi, I have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, where my heart rate would just increase erratically out of control and now on beta blockers to control it. I have had several anaesthetics in the last 3 years and, as has been said, you would have an anaesthetic review and ecg before a procedure anyway. The trick is that if it only happens occasionally it's hard to pick up....but I wouldn't worry, you'll be well monitored during any procedure.