Well this sucks

[Andy]

Had a little episode this morning on the way to work. Was the passenger in the van (my dad was driving) and  was only about 2 miles from work just discussing the bad side of the Green party on radio. Then I suddenly had a real bad pain at the side of my chest, was pretty sharp and I've never had anything like it before. That about all I remember as I passed out. Was out for the best part of 5 minutes.

So after ringing NHS direct I was told an ambulance was on the way... I'm not one to be fusssed about so was pretty embarrased by the whole thing, the paramedic couldn't see any signs of anything major, apparently my heart beat was really slow 44 bpm at one of the two checks. He said I should see my GP asap and to get a ECG.

Now feeling pretty bad about it all I rock up at my GP to get a full going over and be told a) I'm overweight (knew this and is now my key worry) b) that I can't drive.

Been told to go home and rest and get booked into a clinic at the local hospital for chest pains, until I've had that and the results I'm not allowed to drive.

Sorry for the general rant, but I'm now pretty bored and its fecked up me being able to do some part time work (sound engineering and photography).

/rant.

[EDGE]

dude. That doesn't sound like fun. Least you're ok! Good job you weren't driving really!

Being housebound has got to be right boring. But at least you can walk everywhere and that should drop the weight:)

[Motorama]

Hope it's nothing too serious mate, and you're back behind the wheel again soon.

[ianjpage]

bummer mate, sorry to hear that, hope it all turns out well for you

[art b]

sounds like you were lucky not to be driving,
rest up for a while and take it easy until you know what the problem is....

theres plenty of time for rushin about when ya have recovered,

[Rob]

Better to be safe than sorry. Take it easy for a while......

[Roadkill]

Put yer feet up and chill, mate - hope it turns out to be nothing . . .

[F Body]

Quoting: Andy

apparently my heart beat was really slow 44 bpm

Are you on any other medication ?

Any other symptoms that you may have been ignoring up to now ??

[Fieldy]

That sucks....

Want to get together on the sound engineering stuff?

seriously, just relax, your body is telling you it needs attention. Be thankful you live in a country where you can get all the fuss needed.

[Gator]

bummer mate as they said take it easy ffs

[Big Mouse]

Get it sorted dude, tell them everything about your health; the silliest thing could be important to diagnosing the problem.

[mike]

Sorry to hear that matey

Although confused I can't believe if an ambalance was called to someone passed out with chest pains and low heart beat they only told you to go and see your doctor!!!!

I am overweight too I only went to doctors with short breath no pains and they sent me to local hospital and kept me there for 8 days

I am also trained 4 day first aider and that's not how we where trained to deal with your problem.

They should have taken you in straight away

Anyway just take it easy and rest get into see doctor asap

[Rob]

Quoting: F Body

Are you on any other medication ?

Any other symptoms that you may have been ignoring up to now ??

Sounds like questions from a back to work interview straight out of the HSE manual.....

[Andy]

Cheers guys. I guess thats all I can do. Been told I have a ride for tomorrow so I can take some photos but not all the locations I wanted to, but meh, its a day out.

I'm not on anything, hardly drink and don't smoke. Just overweight but thats the next thing to combat. Its defo a wake up call to get out there more and sort out my sleeping/living pattern, which to say the least ain't great!

Am off down to the Hell Fire caves for an afternoon of excertion!

[Andy]

Little update:

Had to go give some blood samples to day, just as the doctor ordered. Included one for colesterol which involved a 12 hour fast before. Luckily slept most of the way through that one!

Having done that about 5 minutes after leaving the hospital I gets a phone call from the outpatients receptionist saying that the earliest I can get an appointment for the chest pains clinic is 1st June.. However my mum gets on the phone and finds me an appointment at the Great Missenden hospital with doctor for 5pm today.

After another ECG and explaining the whole situation he came to two conclusions. a) I blacked out from the severe pain and that to find what caused it would be nigh on impossible or b) I had some cardic problem that was just a blip. This was suggested due to the short of breathe that i had when i came around from the black out.

They're going to run all the tests they can as they don't have any real idea of what it was, but overal that can't rule out that it'll happen again. So atm I'm still not driving, which is a little bit rubbish.

Oh and the doctor said a pulse of 44 is perfectly reasonable.. took me by suprise, but young adults can have pulses that slow.