Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?
This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.
Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker, and a good option. I don't recall off the top of my head whether it's superior to something like metoprolol, but it is very reasonable to prescribe.
I'm sorry, I had to laugh. This is a good reminder that patients are not made alike, some of us need gentle reassurance, others desire bright lines in the sand. In all honesty, I think telling someone not to let their HR cross 160 either won't work or will be counterproductive. The anxiety of watching it maybe go to 140 might easily cause it to spike.
Something like an Apple Watch with ECG tracking might be good just for the peace of mind. I told my dad to get one, and even offered to pay. Unfortunately, despite getting a heart disease so rare it was until recently thought to only happen to the Japanese (coincidence?), he's proof that doctors make bad patients.
If you want to DM me the exact diagnosis, I can probably give you better advice, but I am still a psychiatry resident and I am blissfully forgetting everything about cardiology other than measuring QTc elongation on a trace.
If they lived to be elderly, don't you think that's a good sign?
Much appreciated! I'll take you up on that and DM you if I ever need a serious talk, but I'm quite all right for the time being. I'm not worried about dying per se, but the original surgery was very much Not Fun for various reasons (I woke up during the operation) and I'd like to avoid being in that position again if I can.
Very useful in some ways, surprisingly un-useful in others. It lets you have a look and get an idea of what is 'normal' and what is 'not normal' on a moment to moment basis. It's less useful in that many conditions produce the same biomarkers. For example, low heart rate variability can either be a sign of relaxation and recovery (good, go and get some exercise) or your body desperately trying to relax and activating the parasympathetic nervous system after serious exertion (maybe not good, you need to relax and not do anything strenuous). Low stress just before you wake can be a sign that you're well-rested (good) or that you're very tired and your alarm woke you in the middle of a sleep cycle (less good). And so on.
Ideally sensors are a good way to sort through the psychological chaff such as excess stoicism or excess hypochondria/anxiety and get a good idea about what's actually going on with people, but it doesn't seem to work that way. There also seems to be a dearth of individual high-detail studies, just very specific medical studies on unusual cohorts or vast field surveys.
I imagine this comes up a lot :) But for certain types of people saying 'I would love to do X with you but the doctor says I can't because of Y, what a joyless bastard he/she is amirite?' can be much easier than saying 'I'd like to do X but it makes me nervous'. I don't know how you'd go about finding which patient responds to which approach except through experience and stereotyping, but I bet it has a big payoff especially if you ever go private.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link