Friday, March 27, 2015

hospital

Wow, what a week.

On Monday afternoon, I went to the GP to get my prescriptions renewed. She took my blood pressure, listened to my heart, and asked me whether I had private health insurance.  I said 'yes' and she called an ambulance to get me to hospital. Apparently I was experiencing atrial fibrillation and my heart rate was 170 beats per minute. I was feeling fine so it took me completely by surprise.

Nathan met me at Emergency. I received a shot of blood thinners, and some meds to stabilise the heart rate and was then wheeled into a room where I spent the following two days getting a bunch of tests done.

I'm now on some new meds and have to go back to see the cardiologist in a few weeks. On the plus side, things I had associated with getting older (e.g. feeling dizzy when I stood up) was probably due to my condition so at least I can now receive treatment for it.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

And then the bills arrive. It is not advice, but I would have said I didn't have private health insurance.

So were you advised to lay off the duck fat?

Adaptive Radiation said...

Hmmm...now I think about it, you're right. I should have said 'no'.

The cardiologist didn't say anything about duck fat and so it's funny you should mention it because I went and bought a chinese roast duck for dinner tonight ;-)

Victor said...

Interesting post. Your GP took your blood pressure then checked your heart. I wonder how often 'white coat fever' affects the pressure reading and the heart rate.

My GP gets his nurse to check blood pressure for him and doesn't at the same time check my heart. I think perhaps I should ask him to do so.

Anyway, it is good that the condition was discovered and treatment provided. Good health from hereon AdRad.

Adaptive Radiation said...

Thanks Victor.

A few years ago, my previous GP questioned my home blood pressure machine thinking it was someone else's readings because my bp was always higher when he measured it.