Atrial Fibrilation, one more headache...

[Ron M.]

Last Friday, doctor said my heartbeat was irregular and said I should seek cardiologist. Went last Monday, told advice nurse chest felt funny and I was breathing weird. Rolled into Emergency, verified I was having an A-Fib episode. ECG to follow, IV drugs to stabilize heartbeat, put on two drugs. Been feeling fatigue after exertion, and shortness of breath but ignored it, since I developed allergies in our new location. To make matters worse, three hours later had to evacuate due to fires in the area. 30 minutes and we were out of there. When we returned home yesterday, Wifey got blood pressure monitor and drugs, woke up this morning still in A-fib mode. Oh well, guess it happens when you hit S/S age. Anyone else on this bandwagon? Thanks in advance.

 

[Iggy]

It's not the end of the world.. I have an 83 year old friend that had it for years.. Finally broke down and got a pace maker last year.. He's still chugging along.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I've been in permanent A Fib with CHF for over 5 years. I had a hiss bundle ablation, stage IV head & neck cancer and a pacemaker 4 years ago.

My approach has been to not let it occupy space in my head.

As Elton said: "I'm still standing".

 

[SweetMK]

My 82 year old brother got a pacemaker last week!!

I keep inviting him over to help me while I am welding,,,
he does not laugh!!

At least now,, he can jump start his car if the battery goes bad,,,

He told me about the procedure, they did not put him to sleep,,
the reason he got the pacemaker was they checked his heart to see if he could get surgery to replace his knee.

The doc said NO to the knee surgery, until the heart issue was under control.
Now, the knee surgery is scheduled for the end of the month.

 

[BigDog48]

I have permanent AFib. Cardiologist watches me every 6 months and said "let's be conservative", but I have no symptoms and can't tell when it's going on. He said people can live regular lives and never be affected. He does have me on Xarelto, but I have no problems with that.

 

[Skeet 028]

A Fib sucks I have it BUT with medication have not had any incidents in more than a year and a half Pacemakers don't do anything for A fib...but many with A fib have a normal pulse rate that could be really slow. Mine is running 35 without the PM. 60 with it Only bad thing is the drugs make you kinda not necessarily feel like normal. Run out of energy quickly.. Beats the alternative though. I know a gal who is in A fib probably half the time

 

[pawngal]

A friend of mine had an acute attack of AFib, trip to ER, ambulance transfer to heart hospital. Meds weren't working, did what they call Cardioversion to shock the heart back into rhythm. He is fine now.

 

[crazyphil]

I've had A-Fib for many, many years now. Without medication I could
feel what felt like my heart jumping around in my chest. Since I've
been on Metroprolol I don't even notice the fibrilation. After a heart
attack in April I got a de-fibrilator/pacemaker embedded in my chest.
It is supposed to protect me from "cardiac events".

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I have very mild symptoms of a fib on occasion. At much bugging by my niece I made a appointment with the wife's heart Doc. Went through the stress test, including the tread mill, wore the monitor for a day, and had the echo cardiogram. Went in last Monday to hear the results. Doc said all the tests came back good, I aced the stress test, no blockages, on symptoms, no nothing.

Thank the Lord, an answer to prayer.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[redlevel]

I've had A-Fib for many, many years now. Without medication I could
feel what felt like my heart jumping around in my chest. Since I've
been on Metroprolol I don't even notice the fibrilation. After a heart
attack in April I got a de-fibrilator/pacemaker embedded in my chest.
It is supposed to protect me from "cardiac events".

My wife has had the defibrillator/pacemaker for going on four years now. She had episodes with A-fib for several years. Her doc told her not to worry, it wasn't dangerous. Her episodes became more frequent, more severe. Doc finally said it was going into Ventricular fibrillation, which can be deadly. Doc installed defibrillator/pacemaker. She hasn't had bad a-fib since. Doc says the pacemaker "paces out" the irregular heartbeat. She has never been shocked by the defibrillator. She has pretty much learned to live with it.

 

[Skeet 028]

I've had A-Fib for many, many years now. Without medication I could
feel what felt like my heart jumping around in my chest. Since I've
been on Metroprolol I don't even notice the fibrilation. After a heart
attack in April I got a de-fibrilator/pacemaker embedded in my chest.
It is supposed to protect me from "cardiac events".

I also take Metoprolol and Flecanide The gal I know had temp defibrillator and the darn thing didn't work on her. So she does have a pacemaker but it is set at 70 for when her heart stops Fibbing. Mine is set at 60 to keep my rate at a fairly normal rate. Doc wanted to do an ablation but I wanted something less invasive. Working out so far. Take Xerelto to stop clots(leading to stokes)

 

[Ron M.]

Thanks for responses...

Feel better now after reading other's posts on the subject. Waiting for drugs to kick in, last blood pressure was acceptable and in range!

 

[shouldazagged]

A-fib ("medically controlled" to a degree), CHF, coronary insufficiency, stage 3 COPD, pulmonary fibrosis. All the heart problems were just diagnosed in July. I've known about the pulmonary problems for years and have been on oxygen 24/7 for over two years. (No, I quit smoking twenty-five years and change ago.)

I had the cardioversion and another coronary stent following cardio diagnoses.

I have no energy at this point, and the least exertion leaves me winded; but with meds and a physical therapist and a visiting nurse I'm making some progress. I still live alone and fend for myself, slowly.

I'll be eighty in less than a month, so I can't complain a hell of a lot. People expect me to be slow and grumpy.

 

[wingriderz]

Yes I had A Fib real bad right after heart surgery valve replacment.It kept in hospital for extra three weeks. Keep an eye on it. I found the drugs they put you on to control it can and will make you feel run down

 

[Retired LTC USAR]

I was diagnosed with A-Flutter (a cousin to A-Fib) earlier this year (May). Had an ablation in June. Was told I may or may not develop A-Flutter again or may or may not develop A-Fib in the future. I'm just glad to still be around.

 

[Fishinfool]

Ron - Consider talking to your Dr. about having an Ablation procedure.

A-Fib is basically one half of the heart working faster than the other, often causing blood to pool in the heart, which can coagulate, and eventually move, causing a blockage and subsequent stroke or heart attack. A-Fib is usually caused by a bad valve or problems with the electrical current flow around the heart that causes the fast, unbalanced pulse rate. If it is not valve related, then Ablation is effective.

Ablation is a procedure that involves a catheter thru the femoral artery to the heart. The electrical flow to the heart is "tweeked" to allow the heart to resume a normal rythem. Don't ask me the exact science, but it does work, reduces the risk of stroke, and removes the need for further medications.

I had similar issues three years ago. Blood thinners for several months to dissolve any clotted blood that may have been pooled in my heart, then the Ablation procedure. Not painful, as these things go, and home the same day. No issues since, and my Dr. advises it is usually uncommon for it to return after the procedure (though not impossible).

Larry

 

[292]

I'm 55 and about 3 years ago I was bitten/stung by a fire ant. Soon after I had a strange feeling in my chest. I checked my pulse and found a funky heartbeat. My nurse wife called her ER nurse friend and she called the hospital. I tried to convince all these healthcare professionals that I was fine but they hooked me up to all kinds of machines and IVs. Some time during the night the nurse (who had gone to nursing school with my wife) woke me up to tell me I had just converted. It scared me because I thought maybe I had changed religions. She meant that my heart had gone back a normal rythim. The doctor said it couldn't have been because of the fire ant. But I've never had A-fib before or since and that's the only time I've ever been bit/stung. I don't play a doctor on TV but one thing for sure, I steer clear of fire ants.

 

[Florida Guy]

Ron - Consider talking to your Dr. about having an Ablation procedure.
Ablation is a procedure that involves a catheter thru the femoral artery to the heart. The electrical flow to the heart is "tweeked" to allow the heart to resume a normal rythem. Don't ask me the exact science, but it does work, reduces the risk of stroke, and removes the need for further medications.

I had similar issues three years ago. Blood thinners for several months to dissolve any clotted blood that may have been pooled in my heart, then the Ablation procedure. Not painful, as these things go, and home the same day. No issues since, and my Dr. advises it is usually uncommon for it to return after the procedure (though not impossible). Larry

I guess I'm an old hand at heart problems.
My problems began in 1994 with v-fib. I had a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted at that time.
About 4 years later, the battery on my defib. needs replacing, which means removing the old one and implanting a new fresh one. I heard about a procedure called atrial ablation, and after looking into it, had the procedure. They leave the defibrillator inside you, then, after 6 months you come back in for a study.
They pace your heart at about 200 bpm to see if they can induce a-fib (or v-fib). If they can't, they then remove the device, which is the way it went for me.
However, that was not the last ablation I would have. I've had radiofrequency ablations (heat is used to kill off misfiring areas of the heart. I had about 3 of those over the years, and my last (in 2012) was a cryo-ablation, where they freeze the misfiring areas.
I've also had a cardioversion, where they take those paddles and shock your heart back into sinus rhythm.
Pacemakers do nothing for a-fib. A-fib is when you heart rate goes out of rhythm, usually at a high rate, not a low one where a pacemaker would kick in.
My defibrillator never fired during the 4 years I had it. If you have one, they tell you you can't drive a car, because if it fires while driving, you may lose control of the vehicle and crash into someone. Many people ignore that warning, including me. How was I supposed to get to work?
I take a drug called Sotalol for my a-fib, along with a full-strength (325mg) aspirin daily.
Sorry to ramble, but wanted to explain my experience on the topic.

 

[dave holl]

I'm an a-fibber too.........five times since 2004. Cardioversion snapped me out of it each time. Finally the ablation procedure fixed it for good, at least so far. Doc said that after an ablation there is still a risk, for awhile, of returning to a-fib because it takes time for the inflammation in the heart to heal due to the burning effect of the radio waves.

In my case the mitral valve leaked worse while in a-fib, very little in normal rhythm. Also, the walls of the heart are negatively affected by a-fib, due to the irregular rhythm. I'm taking sotalol, Pradaxa (blood thinner), and atorvastatin.

Remember the old Buck Owens song, "My heart skips a beat when you walk down the street......."?
Dave

 

[Beemerguy53]

My doctor found A-Fib during my annual physical two years ago. He ordered a stress test, and as I was on the treadmill, my heartbeat kicked back to normal...it seems the exertion did the trick.

Good luck to you, Ron...hope you feel better...