I’ve been in hospital for nearly four days. Went in last early Tuesday morning and finally sent home last Friday evening.
Just before the previous weekend to that, I’d had overnight chills and aches. Then an ache in my left shoulder/clavicle area that felt like I’d pulled a muscle. The pain seemed to increase when I tried to fully inhale. It was extremely difficult to lie comfortably in bed.
Over the weekend the pain spread into my chest and palpitations increased. My temperature was creeping up. Peaked at 38° Sunday.
Temperature stabilised next day but pain across my chest increased substantially and around the left clavicle area, especially when inhaling.
Things didn’t improve overnight, so I went to A&E at St Thomas’ first thing Tuesday morning after telephone advice from GP. By the time I arrived at the hospital it was becoming hard to walk far without difficulty breathing and pain.
Was triaged quickly at St Thomas’ as they were suspecting endocarditis (my CRP blood marker was high, my temperature was 38.3º and there was microscopic blood in my urine sample). They took full bloods and an extra two bottles to culture for endo. I had an X-ray and EKG.
I was put in a diagnostic ward to stay overnight, but at 10pm was transferred to a cardiac ward.
Next day a second blood culture was done.
Plus:
echocardiogram
CT scan
utrasound (of kidneys)
Lots of swabs and more bloods.
Over Wednesday and Thursday, pain worsened on exertion and inhaling. Pain eventually seemed to isolate around the heart away from shoulder. D-dimer test was elevated.
I was given paracetamol to lower temperature and ease pain. They were reluctant to give antibiotics so as not to mask blood culture results.
No vegetative growth could be seen on my valve anywhere via echocardiogram.
Eventually endocarditis was ruled-out (saw the infectious diseases team to confirm) and a diagnosis of pericarditis was given. My pericardium had been infected, probably by a virus. The bloods and swabs are being investigated to confirm.
Pericardial effusion was present on echo but no cardiac tamponade, which was good news.
My temperature stabilised and the disabling pain began to subside.
Discharged late Friday evening fatigued but relatively pain free, with a two week supply of twice daily colchicine and told to go back to GP or A&E if things deteriorate. Been told to take paracetamol as needed.
A final (third) endocarditis blood culture was taken before I was discharged as a precaution. They said this can take up to five days to grow any organisms if present. They’ll be in touch if anything materialises in the culture(s), but they weren’t expecting anything. The first culture came back negative.
All in all, a pretty thorough work-up from St Thomas’ and with their usual excellent care.
They’re booking me a follow-up Cardiology outpatient appointment with a repeat echo in 6 weeks.
First night home my bed was soaked with fever sweat by morning. But normal temperature next day. I’ve been quite heavily fatigued all weekend and breathless climbing stairs. Today some slight pain increase noticeable again on inhalation. But I’ll keep taking the meds and see how it goes!
Just before the previous weekend to that, I’d had overnight chills and aches. Then an ache in my left shoulder/clavicle area that felt like I’d pulled a muscle. The pain seemed to increase when I tried to fully inhale. It was extremely difficult to lie comfortably in bed.
Over the weekend the pain spread into my chest and palpitations increased. My temperature was creeping up. Peaked at 38° Sunday.
Temperature stabilised next day but pain across my chest increased substantially and around the left clavicle area, especially when inhaling.
Things didn’t improve overnight, so I went to A&E at St Thomas’ first thing Tuesday morning after telephone advice from GP. By the time I arrived at the hospital it was becoming hard to walk far without difficulty breathing and pain.
Was triaged quickly at St Thomas’ as they were suspecting endocarditis (my CRP blood marker was high, my temperature was 38.3º and there was microscopic blood in my urine sample). They took full bloods and an extra two bottles to culture for endo. I had an X-ray and EKG.
I was put in a diagnostic ward to stay overnight, but at 10pm was transferred to a cardiac ward.
Next day a second blood culture was done.
Plus:
echocardiogram
CT scan
utrasound (of kidneys)
Lots of swabs and more bloods.
Over Wednesday and Thursday, pain worsened on exertion and inhaling. Pain eventually seemed to isolate around the heart away from shoulder. D-dimer test was elevated.
I was given paracetamol to lower temperature and ease pain. They were reluctant to give antibiotics so as not to mask blood culture results.
No vegetative growth could be seen on my valve anywhere via echocardiogram.
Eventually endocarditis was ruled-out (saw the infectious diseases team to confirm) and a diagnosis of pericarditis was given. My pericardium had been infected, probably by a virus. The bloods and swabs are being investigated to confirm.
Pericardial effusion was present on echo but no cardiac tamponade, which was good news.
My temperature stabilised and the disabling pain began to subside.
Discharged late Friday evening fatigued but relatively pain free, with a two week supply of twice daily colchicine and told to go back to GP or A&E if things deteriorate. Been told to take paracetamol as needed.
A final (third) endocarditis blood culture was taken before I was discharged as a precaution. They said this can take up to five days to grow any organisms if present. They’ll be in touch if anything materialises in the culture(s), but they weren’t expecting anything. The first culture came back negative.
All in all, a pretty thorough work-up from St Thomas’ and with their usual excellent care.
They’re booking me a follow-up Cardiology outpatient appointment with a repeat echo in 6 weeks.
First night home my bed was soaked with fever sweat by morning. But normal temperature next day. I’ve been quite heavily fatigued all weekend and breathless climbing stairs. Today some slight pain increase noticeable again on inhalation. But I’ll keep taking the meds and see how it goes!
Last edited:
