Heartbeat.

[Dustydog]

Yesterday midday one of my Sunday lunch friends collapsed in agonising chest pains. I phoned 999 . Immediate response and put through to the ambulance emergency services. Asked a number of questions and told an ambulance and paramedics were on there way.
We have an emergency automatic Defibrillator on site .I and others six years ago were taught how to use it and also when and how to do CPR. Everyone should try it. CPR is not easy. If you can manage 60 seconds you are doing well!
The three young paramedics were brilliant. Space age technology ,structured and direct link to a Consultant Cardiologist at the hospital. Drugs given to,relax arteries and help,blood flow.

The down side🙀.
Our Small Cotswold Town is 10 miles away on a dual carriageway from the main Great Western Hospital. They have no Cardiac emergency unit open at weekends🤬Unbelievable. Our hospitals are reducing services!!

So the Parademics took him and his wife on a 65 mile trip to the Bristol Royal Infirmary!!

Good news. He’s had a few stents inserted , Will,have tests today and home tomorrow.

I recommend everyone learns how to use a defibrillator and do CPR. You never know.

 

[otherclive]

For CPR its essential to have the Bee Gees “staying alive” right at the top of your playlist, as it gives the right beats per minute.

 

[woodsieboy]

That was me 5 years ago ,3 stents later and much gratitude to the RUH Bath,amazing NHS

 

[Sam Vimes]

I was a First Responder in our community for a number of years until the Scottish Ambulance Service stopped supporting us after continually changing what we could and couldn't do. We still have CPR training every so often - in fact we have one coming up in a couple of weeks time sponsered by Lucky2Bhere.

Never used it for real but did answer a number of callouts for other issues. Here, there can be a wait of a some hours for an ambulance to come along. Nearest A&E is about 75 minutes away.

Never forgot how to do it and would step in if needed, The SAS became paranoid about liability but that still wouldn't bother me.

 

[otherclive]

Seems that the best way to access cardiology is via an emergency admission. Following a severe loss of blood in April my GP gave me three in center ECGs and one 24 hour ECG from a cardiology center in Leeds. The findings were okay other than my average pulse rate has reduced from 56bpm to 51bpm over five years. So she gave me the option of whether or not to be referred to cardiology. The waiting time at Bath RUH is at least another 19 weeks from now, and I was referred early September. Thinking I may go private in the NHS owned hospital near Radstock, which I did five years ago, as with an outstanding referral trying to get travel insurance is either very expensive or denied. It has a knock on effect too on my wife’s annual policy even when she’s away with our daughter or family.

 

[Dustydog]

Seems that the best way to access cardiology is via an emergency admission. Following a severe loss of blood in April my GP gave me three in center ECGs and one 24 hour ECG from a cardiology center in Leeds. The findings were okay other than my average pulse rate has reduced from 56bpm to 51bpm over five years. So she gave me the option of whether or not to be referred to cardiology. The waiting time at Bath RUH is at least another 19 weeks from now, and I was referred early September. Thinking I may go private in the NHS owned hospital near Radstock, which I did five years ago, as with an outstanding referral trying to get travel insurance is either very expensive or denied. It has a knock on effect too on my wife’s annual policy even when she’s away with our daughter or family.

Steady Clive. Don’t wish an upset to get earlier treatment. What I saw yesterday could have been Good night Vienna.
If you can afford it go private. You can’t take the money to the grave!

 

[otherclive]

Steady Clive. Don’t wish an upset to get earlier treatment. What I saw yesterday could have been Good night Vienna.
If you can afford it go private. You can’t take the money to the grave!

Dusty it wasn't a wish, it was more of an observation. Going private shortens the timescale to a decision on whether anything might be required. Although the GP was quite relaxed wrt the results of the ECGs and the 24hr one from Leeds did have a summary and recommendations by a cardiologist.

 

[RogerL]

I have a defibrillator kept in the car, not for me as I also have one implanted with my pacemaker - all our neighbours know it's here if the car is.

 

[Mr Plodd]

CPR should be taught in schools, its not difficult! We were taught to do it in time to the "Match of the Day" theme!
I have done it a few times over the years, what is amazing is JUST how easy it is to break a patientes rib when doing it!! Better a broken rib than dead though eh?
As for Defib machines they are simply awesome, they actually TALK to you and tell you EXACTLY what you need to do, plus, if the machine detects its not actually necessary to shock the patient it won't do do it. Fabulous technology!!!

 

[otherclive]

One useful piece of knowledge is to know where the nearest defibrillator is located when you are in unfamiliar areas. There are several locator apps, but no joined up national app. Although in an emegency 999 handling staff should be able to locate the nearest one to you, and dialling 999 can access networks other than your own, providing they can provide a signal.

 

[Sam Vimes]

One useful piece of knowledge is to know where the nearest defibrillator is located when you are in unfamiliar areas. There are several locator apps, but no joined up national app. Although in an emegency 999 handling staff should be able to locate the nearest one to you, and dialling 999 can access networks other than your own, providing they can provide a signal.

And providing you and they know where you are.

I had a couple of call outs from the SAS telling me that the location was actually one mile south of a landmark - which would have put it in the middle of the loch.

The other problem here is the strange numbering system of houses - if numbered at all - and the fact that the doors are not always in the most obvious position.

When we started the First Responder scheme we actually walked around the whole community, noting names of people against houses and entrances - then made our own map. Good for us but didn't help Control who were often somewhere north of Aberdeen and no idea where Skye was.

 

[otherclive]

And providing you and they know where you are.

I had a couple of call outs from the SAS telling me that the location was actually one mile south of a landmark - which would have put it in the middle of the loch.

The other problem here is the strange numbering system of houses - if numbered at all - and the fact that the doors are not always in the most obvious position.

When we started the First Responder scheme we actually walked around the whole community, noting names of people against houses and entrances - then made our own map. Good for us but didn't help Control who were often somewhere north of Aberdeen and no idea where Skye was.

If they used WHAT3WORDS it could help the uncertainty.

PS although even W3W would not stop them advising you the defibrillator was in a loch. 😂

 

[Steve1962]

Yesterday midday one of my Sunday lunch friends collapsed in agonising chest pains. I phoned 999 . Immediate response and put through to the ambulance emergency services. Asked a number of questions and told an ambulance and paramedics were on there way.
We have an emergency automatic Defibrillator on site .I and others six years ago were taught how to use it and also when and how to do CPR. Everyone should try it. CPR is not easy. If you can manage 60 seconds you are doing well!
The three young paramedics were brilliant. Space age technology ,structured and direct link to a Consultant Cardiologist at the hospital. Drugs given to,relax arteries and help,blood flow.

The down side🙀.
Our Small Cotswold Town is 10 miles away on a dual carriageway from the main Great Western Hospital. They have no Cardiac emergency unit open at weekends🤬Unbelievable. Our hospitals are reducing services!!

So the Parademics took him and his wife on a 65 mile trip to the Bristol Royal Infirmary!!

Good news. He’s had a few stents inserted , Will,have tests today and home tomorrow.

I recommend everyone learns how to use a defibrillator and do CPR. You never know.

I live in the Cotswolds too, near Witney.
The JR hospital in Oxford is closest to us and luckily they have an excellent cardiac emergency unit.

Good news that your friend is on the road to recovery.

Steve

 

[Jcloughie]

A pertinent topic for me. Over the past 10 days or so I have had chest pains with breathlessness on exertion. Not thought too much about it. Today I tried to make a GP appointment. I was told to dial 999. I thought that that was over the top, so I called 111. They questioned me and called the ambulance. I have now been sitting in the hospital for a couple of hours with many hours still to go.

Great fun

John

 

[Dustydog]

Oh dear John. Hopefully you will be dealt with quickly . A worrying time 😢, Hopefully nothing too bad.
Surely you could surf something better than PCv😉

 

[Mel]

What a scary episode. Good thing you were CPR/defib trained. Well done for saving a life. I guess adrenaline carried you all through at the time. Are you OK now?
Mel

 

[Dustydog]

What a scary episode. Good thing you were CPR/defib trained. Well done for saving a life. I guess adrenaline carried you all through at the time. Are you OK now?
Mel

Thanks Mel. When the proverbial hits the fan you have to be the level headed one. Not easy for any of us but when it’s a close friend and the wife is falling apart hopefully we are old enough to remain calm.
This is the third heart attack I have seen in the flesh and it’s not pleasant for anyone. The modern day defibrillators are very user friendly. But I suggest everyone should know how to take a pulse from the wrist or neck.
Modern day treatments of stents are 95% successful long term , with prescribed medication.
Good outcomes and no longer the old doom and gloom of years gone by👍

 

[Beachball]

A pertinent topic for me. Over the past 10 days or so I have had chest pains with breathlessness on exertion. Not thought too much about it. Today I tried to make a GP appointment. I was told to dial 999. I thought that that was over the top, so I called 111. They questioned me and called the ambulance. I have now been sitting in the hospital for a couple of hours with many hours still to go.

Great fun

John

I hope you have a positive outcome and results are promising .Keep safe and well

 

[Jcloughie]

Oh dear John. Hopefully you will be dealt with quickly . A worrying time 😢, Hopefully nothing too bad.
Surely you could surf something better than PCv😉

I hope you have a positive outcome and results are promising .Keep safe and well

Strangely I feel fine now. But a blood count is high so they are keeping me in for the night. Monitoring and and angiogram to come, possibly stents to follow.

John

 

[otherclive]

Strangely I feel fine now. But a blood count is high so they are keeping me in for the night. Monitoring and and angiogram to come, possibly stents to follow.

John

You are in the best place until all tests and any interventions are completed. Good luck.