The heart of the matter...

So, back on Thursday 1st June, I was at work, at my desk, when I felt my heart shift gears and start beating fast.

I have had this happen twice before, back 3 years ago in 2014 and also in 2012.  

I felt no pain or dizziness and just sat for a few minutes thinking it would subside. After about 10 minutes, I went and told one of the staff what was going on. After 20 minutes, I called my sister who lives close by and got her to take me up to the hospital, which is less than a kilometre from work.  I rang and let them know I was coming in.

Of all days, husband had gone to Adelaide to deliver a vehicle so he wasn't around.

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As soon as I got to hospital, I was put in the emergency room where there are monitors and machines. I was hooked up with all that spaghetti of wiring you can see and they ran an ecg (electrocardiograph) and were quite alarmed that it was sitting around 180bpm, a tad too fast!

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I had a canular put in both arms, one for bloods to be taken and the other for IV fluids to be run through.  After about 40 minutes, the Dr decided to try getting my heart back to normal by injecting a drug called Adenosine which decreases heart rate. They prepared me by attaching pads to either side of my chest in case I needed defibrillation as the adenosine effectively slows the heart right down before the rhythm goes back to normal - or so they hope!  The doctor said 'this is a very serious procedure and you will have the feeling of impending doom as we push the drug in and your heart will basically stop before resuming normal rhythm.  The feeling should only last for seconds.' I asked what happens if it doesn't work and he said 'that is what the shock pads are for!'...

Had it not worked, they would have given a second dose then another drug if that also failed.

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So they injected the 6mg adenosine followed by a rapid push of fluid to hasten the response. I did feel a bit woozy for a few seconds then immediately I could feel my heart slowing down.  This took several minutes and even then it wasn't right back down to normal. 

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So I spent the night in hospital with no further events and was discharged the next morning.  One thing I did organise later, was a hospital bag (I used to laugh at my Mum, who always had one packed). My sister had to fumble around a dark, strange house, trying to find knickers, pyjamas and toiletries, medication and my cpap machine for me! I now have a bag packed with general toiletries, night wear, slippers and thongs (for showering).

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I visited my GP the following week who referred me to a cardiologist.  I saw him on August 8 and after viewing my ecg records from the hospital stay, diagnosed me with having Supraventricular Tachycardia. He then told me that I could have a procedure to fix it. It is called a

Electrophysiology Study and Radio Frequency Abalation

And the details are 

here

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Also, little bit about Supraventricular tachycardia

here

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So, I got a phone call yesterday saying I can have the procedure done on Monday 4th September in Adelaide at Flinders Private Hospital.

Eek!

Cheers - Joolz xx