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ER vist today


AJVDK

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OK, today on the way into work I started having really bad chest pain, so I thought as I have been feeling down the last few weeks maybe I should go to the ER! So I went to the ER to find a really nice doctor, he listen to me, and said he was worried that I could be at risk for a heart attck so he said it would be a good idea to a dye test to check out everything. My heart hate was all over the place, and I was skipping every5th- 10thbeat. (Just one between that time)So they sent this cartio..... doctor in, and he said well lets just send you home, and I am not to worried about it, and when I said I have POTS he looked at me like I was crasy. So after he left the ER doctor came back in and said if I have any other problems please come back right away..... (plus the cartio doctor asked why I need to go to ohio to see a doctor there when I could just be seen here? OK was he for real...... He didn't even understand!) So now I am worried, and still don't fell good, and now think I was dumb for going to the ER. Sometimes I really don't like doctors!!!!

Well hope you are all doing well, I am off to lay down and try to get some much need sleep and rest!!!

Talk to you later!

Amy

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Sorry early I couldn't spell :ph34r: Anyways I am still feeling down, I got an appointment with Family Doctor on tuesday at 11:45am. I don't think much will come out of this as he called an hour ago to see how I was doing as he heard I was in the ER, I told him what happen and he said, it's hard for many doctor, as they don't now much about POTS. He said he wishes he knew more, and since he doesn't he wishes he could get me out to Ohio sooner, but there is no way that going to happen, as I already bought the plane tickets, hotle stay, and rental car, which was about all I had left in saving account, as I have been off work alot more latley. I just feel so alone, This is the only place I can come where other understand! For that I am greatful.

Well I am off to try to sleep again I got about an hour of sleep early, it's hard to fall asleep, I keep feeling my heart race then feel like it starts to skip beats, I shouldn't worry as if I skip more than a few my pacemaker should kick in, but still its hard to deal with, I wish there where more answers!

Talk to you later!

Amy

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So sorry you went through this and still feel so badly. I think if you have a dramatic change in symptoms it is reasonable to seek immediate attention. I don't think it was a dumb thing to do. It is scary to have so many skipped beats and a fast heart rate. I have had that before--sometimes for days on end. It certainly helps to be reassured that it is not life-threatening. Does it help to try to re-hydrate? Did they give you an IV to re-hydrate you at the ER? If this happens again (that you have these symptoms and decide to go back to the ER), you could ask for that at the ER (not that they will agree to it).

It is scary too that the ER doctor stated that he felt you could be at risk for a heart attack. I also had a doctor make a statement like that to me in the ER once. He was not a cardiologist, but of course it scared me. I was subsequently evaluated by a cardiologist who was not concerned about my heart function (but was concerned about my slightly low potassium).

Were your electrolytes checked? Even slightly low potassium can cause a lot of skipped beats. Did you recently start fludrocortisone? I think that can cause potassium deficit.

take care and hope you feel a lot better.

Katherine

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Katherine,

They tried to start an IV when they drew the blood, they tried 4 times even to get the blood and then blew one of the veins (the others they couldn't even get blood out of). So they said they wanted to see how the blood work came back hoping it was just my theophylline level was high, but it was at 8.75 (so it was fine), and my potassium they said was fine along with the electrolytes. Since I got home I have been drinking tons of fuilds. So I am hoping that will help.

Thanks for the help

Amy

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Sorry you've had a rough time. I have become so jaded by ER docs that I now refuse to go to the ER unless I'm SURE I'm dying (or if I'm unconscious and someone makes the decision for me).

I have a great EP who will take my calls if he's in his office, so if I become really symptomatic, I can just call him and either he, or his nurse will answer my questions, or squeeze me in for a visit.

Still, chest pain is scary. I've been suffering from it myself recently, and I know how annoying it can be to not get answers.

Hope you start feeling better,

Lauren

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I am not a Dr, but from my own many experiences you sounds dehydrated and probably need IV fluids.... I hope you can get to your GP soon. Feel Better.

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I just wanted to add that even though your electolites came back OK in blood Work that still does not mean you need fluid.... People who are hypovolemic do not have ENOUGH volume to go around..even if the volume that is there is OK as far as numbers go.

Dr Grubb explained to me that it is a disconnect somewhere in the brain that the signals to properly hydrate the cells get lost...

I use 1/4 tsp of Celtic Seas salt to every liter of water, and add Electromix to the water...... It definelty helps.....

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You did the right thing! It's just unfortunate that more Dr's don't know how to help.

I've gotten to the point I always ask what my potassium level is. I don't let them tell me it's "normal" because for me, I've learned that if it drops below 3.7 or so I start having many more symptoms.

When I've been in situations like yours I increase my fluid, I eat extra potassium (Baked sweet potato, baked potatoe, broccoli, banana etc). Also Juicy Juice (found on the juice isle at the grocery store) is high in potassium and has no preservatives.

When you go to your Dr. Tuesday you may want to ask if he can write an order to be placed in your medical record at the hospital that you get IV fluids and electrolytes checked.

Hope you start feeling better soon.

Oh, I also get the skipped beats too. For me, this gets worse with hormone fluctuations but I have learned over time if I stay in bed for a day or two I tend to get better.

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I hope you feel better soon. It's also been my experience that ER docs are limited in their knowledge about anything other than emergency medicine. Thus, the blank looks when you mention something like POTS. And with the peds ER, the docs were also very limited in knowledge about emergency medicine!! I had a resident and a peds cardiologist tell me that an oversized BP cuff will cause a falsely high BP reading, when, in fact, the opposite is true. An oversized BP cuff will cause an erroneously LOW BP reading. I had taken my 12-yr-old to the ER because his BP was 170/110 and his heart rate was 130. They sent him home because they couldn't believe a tall, skinny kid could have BP that high and thought his heart rate was normal for his age group. Yeah, right.

I honestly believe sometimes that unless you're having a stroke or a massive MI, some ER's are useless. But, before I'm accused of doc bashing, I will say that when I worked as a lab tech, I knew some wonderful and compassionate ER docs. They do exist.

I'm sorry you are having a rough time. I agree that you should push fluids, and, please, get this checked out by a competent doc, just to make sure it's POTS-related and not the beginnings of cardiovascular disease. Keep us posted.

Melly

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Do any of you know how long it could take for my heart to get back in my normal rythem? I still am having the same problem, just no chest pain. (thank goddness) Just wanting to know, I am trying to rest, but it hard for me to sleep, and hard to stay asleep! Anyways thought I would check and see if anyone knows.

Thanks for all the input, I am going to talk to the doc. about the IV fiulds, and see what else I can do untill I go to Ohio on the 17th. I hope it comes soon!

Have a great night! :)

Amy

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It just seems to be a toss up whether you are going to get someone good or not. I had a horrible Er experience and when I saw my doctor he asked what I needed. I said IV's and he gave them to me in his office, for a heck of a lot less than the er would have.

It's so hard to get hydrated once you are not. I hope you feel better soon, and can get some answers. Also with the blood, whenever someone says your blood counts are great, I know I'm dry because my H and H are always borderline. The more dehydrated you are, the higher your hematacrit and hemaglobin will be, because they become much more concentrated. So ask them what those are, and if they are higher than you normally are, let them know. morgan

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Well no big change from yesterday. I still feel the same as I did yesterday, I went to the doctor today, I asked if he thought I could use fluids, he said he is hoping it lack of sleep as I have not been getting the sleep I need. So he gave me a sleep aid in hopes that will help, he says when I go to Ohio he wants the doctor to call him and talk to him so he can knows more what to do for me. I am happy to know that he wan't to learn, Plus he was going the ER today and talking to the person in charge regarding my care yesterday, and that he was disappointed and how I was cared for. So I think its great that he cares, but I just want to start feeling better, and don't want to keep feeling this way, hopfully my heart rythem will go back in soon. I thought I would give you all an update, hope all is going well!

Talk to you all later!

Amy

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hope u r feeling better soon. i know the frustration of er visits such as that my daughter and i have gone through many similar visits to that. i now haven given them tons of information on our condition and asked that since we are both frequent patients, could they please share the information with the staff incase either of us comes in. they were very decent about doing so as they have now become so familiar with us. twice this year unfortunately i had to be there for stitches with my 12 year old and then a bicycle crash with my 9 year old. i was shocked, that the staff now knows me by name, asks how my oldest is doing. and in the case of the stitches...my blood pressure dropped a bit due to the stress of seeing my daughters wound, just as the nurse walked in, she looked at me said sit your gonna faint, then asked when i was due for next dose of midodrine and adviced me to take it early. so there is hope.

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