advertisement
Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
shakespeare47
Grand Magnate
 
shakespeare47's Avatar
shakespeare47 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2014
Location: US
Posts: 3,134
8 yr Member
437 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Nov 09, 2022 at 06:55 PM
  #1
I spent about 3 hours in the ER today because I had an episode of atrial fibrillation. It was my 3rd

In 2007 I had an episode and went to the ER - my heart rate was relatively low (in the 80's)- so they just kicked me out and told me to come back if it didn't resolve on its own in 18 hours or so (it did) they also insisted I follow up with a cardiologist - he put me on something (a beta blocker?) for about 6 months as a precaution... I still got the green light to be deployed to Kuwait for 6 months as a Seabee.

In 2010 I had a second episode - that time my heart was racing so fast they decided to electrocardiovert me in the ER..

This current episode was like the first time - my heart rate was only in the 80's. I'm also already on a blood thinner. They did hook me up to an EKG and test my blood. But I was told to just follow up with the VA. .

It must be hereditary - my 1st cousin is younger than me and is in continuous afib (his heart rate is relatively low) and they're trying to find a med that works for him - this is after 2 attempts to electrocardiovert him."

__________________
My business is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonise with my aspirations. T.H. Huxley

Last edited by bluekoi; Nov 13, 2022 at 11:52 AM.. Reason: OP's request
shakespeare47 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
Discombobulated, Travelinglady
 
Thanks for this!
Skeezyks

advertisement
Skeezyks
Disreputable Old Troll
 
Skeezyks's Avatar
Skeezyks has no updates.
 
Member Since: Oct 2015
Location: The Star of the North
Posts: 32,762 (SuperPoster!)
8 yr Member
17.4k hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Smile Nov 11, 2022 at 05:16 PM
  #2
Thanks for sharing this. I get fairly regular short periods of irregular heartbeat. They seem to come-&-go. (I haven't done anything about it.) Anytime I've seen a doctor for other things (which hasn't been often), and they've listened to my heart, they apparently haven't noticed anything unusual since they've never said anything. Many years ago, I was told I had a heart murmur. But it's been a very long time since anyone mentioned that. So I presume it took care of itself... which, I guess, they sometimes do.

__________________
"I may be older but I am not wise / I'm still a child's grown-up disguise / and I never can tell you what you want to know / You will find out as you go." (from: "A Nightengale's Lullaby" - Julie Last)
Skeezyks is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
Discombobulated, Travelinglady
 
Thanks for this!
shakespeare47
Stronglady1
Member
Stronglady1 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Sep 2022
Location: MI
Posts: 126
1 yr Member
Default Nov 12, 2022 at 12:27 PM
  #3
My dad has it and they put in a pacemaker in him in June.So far good.He cannot run anything such as a gas powered chain saw now
Stronglady1 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
Travelinglady
 
Thanks for this!
shakespeare47
shakespeare47
Grand Magnate
 
shakespeare47's Avatar
shakespeare47 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2014
Location: US
Posts: 3,134
8 yr Member
437 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Nov 12, 2022 at 03:37 PM
  #4
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skeezyks View Post
Thanks for sharing this. I get fairly regular short periods of irregular heartbeat. They seem to come-&-go. (I haven't done anything about it.) Anytime I've seen a doctor for other things (which hasn't been often), and they've listened to my heart, they apparently haven't noticed anything unusual since they've never said anything. Many years ago, I was told I had a heart murmur. But it's been a very long time since anyone mentioned that. So I presume it took care of itself... which, I guess, they sometimes do.
I hope anyone out there who is experiencing heart issues will get professional help (as you did). You may already know this, but there are differences between a heart murmur, an irregular heartbeat, and atrial fibrillation.

This is from Healthline -
Quote:
Atrial fibrillation (also referred to as AFib) is a type of arrhythmia. An arrhythmia refers to a heartbeat that is irregular, too fast, or too slow. AFib is one of the most common types of arrhythmia.

Though AFib may seem harmless, the American Heart Association warns that it is a serious health condition. It increases your risk of other potentially deadly conditions, including:

Heart failure. People with AFib are twice as likely to develop heart failure.
Stroke. People with AFib are five times as likely to develop a stroke.
Heart murmurs are not necessarily a sign of AFib. Murmurs are related to how blood is flowing through your heart, particularly the valves that connect the chambers of your heart.

AFib, on the other hand, is related to electrical impulses that have become chaotic or disordered and result in an irregular, slow, or fast heart rate.

__________________
My business is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonise with my aspirations. T.H. Huxley

Last edited by shakespeare47; Nov 12, 2022 at 04:58 PM..
shakespeare47 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
Travelinglady
shakespeare47
Grand Magnate
 
shakespeare47's Avatar
shakespeare47 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2014
Location: US
Posts: 3,134
8 yr Member
437 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Nov 12, 2022 at 03:40 PM
  #5
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stronglady1 View Post
My dad has it and they put in a pacemaker in him in June.So far good.He cannot run anything such as a gas powered chain saw now
I found out recently that my aunt had to have a pacemaker put in because she kept fainting because of her afib.

__________________
My business is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonise with my aspirations. T.H. Huxley
shakespeare47 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
shakespeare47
Grand Magnate
 
shakespeare47's Avatar
shakespeare47 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2014
Location: US
Posts: 3,134
8 yr Member
437 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Nov 12, 2022 at 03:53 PM
  #6
Based on what I know right now - the best case scenario is that my afib won't change - and I'll just continue to have a slightly elevated pulse and an irregular heartbeat because of afib, but no other noticeable symptoms. (I'm already taking Xarelto - a blood thinner- because of the TIA I had last year - and I suspect my previous history of afib was taken into consideration).

Or my afib could change and I could develop a faster heart-rate (which causes other symptoms) - to such an extent that they (medical professionals) will have to try to find a solution - that's what's happening with my cousin. They've tried electrocardioverting him - but it hasn't worked (or at least it wasn't a permanent solution - he reverted to afib....) now they're trying a different drug that is supposed to help. They've already tried flecainide and now they're moving on to tikosyn. The goal is "restoration and maintenance of normal sinus rhythm".

Or my afib could change to such an extent that I have to have an ablation (the quote below is from a Johns Hopkins website)
Quote:
Ablation is a procedure to treat atrial fibrillation. It uses small burns or freezes to cause some scarring on the inside of the heart to help break up the electrical signals that cause irregular heartbeats. This can help the heart maintain a normal heart rhythm.

The heart has 4 chambers. There are 2 upper chambers called atria and 2 lower chambers called ventricles. Normally, a special group of cells begin the signal to start your heartbeat. These cells are in the sinoatrial (SA) node in the upper right atrium of the heart. During atrial fibrillation, the signal to start the heartbeat doesn’t begin in the sinoatrial node the way it should. Instead, the signal is sidetracked and begins somewhere else in the atria, triggering a small region at a time. The atria can’t contract normally to move blood to the ventricles. This causes the atria to quiver or “fibrillate.” The disorganized signal spreads to the ventricles, causing them to contract irregularly and sometimes more quickly than they normally would. The contraction of the atria and the ventricles is no longer coordinated, and ventricles may not be able to pump enough blood to the body.

For ablation, a doctor puts catheters (thin hollow tubes) into a blood vessel in the groin and threads it up to the heart giving access to the inside of the heart. The doctor then uses the catheters to scar a small area of the heart by making small burns or small freezes. In the burning process, a type of energy called radiofrequency energy uses heat to scar the tissue. The freezing process involves a technique called cryoablation. Scarring helps prevent the heart from conducting the abnormal electrical signals that cause atrial fibrillation.
That's the situation my aunt went through. They tried several ablations - but they didn't help for very long. Now she's on a pacemaker.

__________________
My business is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonise with my aspirations. T.H. Huxley

Last edited by shakespeare47; Nov 12, 2022 at 07:28 PM..
shakespeare47 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
shakespeare47
Grand Magnate
 
shakespeare47's Avatar
shakespeare47 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2014
Location: US
Posts: 3,134
8 yr Member
437 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Nov 12, 2022 at 04:07 PM
  #7
Here are some more details about my 2nd episode - which happened about 3 years after the first one. I felt a little off when I got up in the morning - I hadn't slept well - during the night I kept waking myself up by taking deep breaths (shortness of breath is one of the symptoms of atrial fibrillation). I felt my pulse and it seemed off. - I remembered my previous episode and wondered if I was experiencing afib again. So I drove myself to the ER to be sure (I stopped at McDonald's on the way - I was pretty hungry). At the ER they hooked me up to a heart monitor and told me that my heart was beating so fast that it was dangerous for me - so they decided to use electric cardioversion. The patient is put under general anesthesia during the procedure (I was only out for a few minutes).

Quote:
Cardioversion is a medical procedure that uses quick, low-energy shocks to restore a regular heart rhythm. It's a treatment for certain types of irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), including atrial fibrillation (A-fib). Sometimes cardioversion is done using medications.

Cardioversion is usually scheduled in advance but is sometimes done in emergencies. Usually, cardioversion quickly restores a typical heart rhythm.

Cardioversion is different from defibrillation, an emergency procedure that's done when the heart stops or quivers uselessly. Defibrillation delivers more powerful shocks to the heart to correct its rhythm.
Luckily for me, the cardioversion worked and my heart beat returned to normal sinus rhythm and stayed that way until my most recent episode (I suppose it's possible that I had short episodes that I just didn't notice).

__________________
My business is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonise with my aspirations. T.H. Huxley

Last edited by shakespeare47; Nov 12, 2022 at 05:07 PM..
shakespeare47 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Stronglady1
Member
Stronglady1 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Sep 2022
Location: MI
Posts: 126
1 yr Member
Default Nov 12, 2022 at 09:54 PM
  #8
Quote:
Originally Posted by shakespeare47 View Post
I found out recently that my aunt had to have a pacemaker put in because she kept fainting because of her afib.
He kept on fainting and I was the one that took him to the ER..Came up with AFIB and had a pacemaker put in after seeing a specialist.I witnessed him faint at times.
Stronglady1 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
shakespeare47
 
Thanks for this!
shakespeare47
shakespeare47
Grand Magnate
 
shakespeare47's Avatar
shakespeare47 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2014
Location: US
Posts: 3,134
8 yr Member
437 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Nov 14, 2022 at 07:23 AM
  #9
I should also point this out.

1st episode - lasted about 24 hours
2nd episode - lasted about 12 hours
3rd episode (current episode)- I've been in afib for 5 days.

I talked to my cousin over the weekend, and apparently, his afib is very similar to mine in that his heart rate is relatively low, he has no other symptoms, and he has no prohibitions.... I asked him "then why do they want to return you to normal sinus rhythym?" he said, "because I've been in continuous afib for over a year and my docs tell me that the atrial chamber will dilate if you're in afib too long."

__________________
My business is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonise with my aspirations. T.H. Huxley
shakespeare47 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
Travelinglady
shakespeare47
Grand Magnate
 
shakespeare47's Avatar
shakespeare47 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2014
Location: US
Posts: 3,134
8 yr Member
437 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Nov 18, 2022 at 08:08 PM
  #10
The VA finally called me to arrange an appointment with a cardiologist - and they gave me good news- they can refer me to my current cardiologist.

__________________
My business is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonise with my aspirations. T.H. Huxley
shakespeare47 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
Discombobulated, Travelinglady, unaluna
shakespeare47
Grand Magnate
 
shakespeare47's Avatar
shakespeare47 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2014
Location: US
Posts: 3,134
8 yr Member
437 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 16, 2022 at 07:07 AM
  #11
I saw my cardiologist - it looks like we don't need to do anything special because I'm not experiencing any serious symptoms. My cardiologist did want to send me for a heart ultrasound, just as a precaution. Unfortunately, he has decided he doesn't want to accept my VA insurance - so the VA will be sending me to a different cardiologist. I've been on a Bipap for a couple of years - and there is a connection between sleep apnea and afib., and my AHI numbers have been pretty high recently, so I'd like to have another sleep study done to see if they can determine if the sleep apnea is causing/affecting my afib, and/or if the afib is causing/affecting the rise in the number of times I stop breathing (AHI number) during the night.

__________________
My business is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonise with my aspirations. T.H. Huxley
shakespeare47 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
TishaBuv, Travelinglady
shakespeare47
Grand Magnate
 
shakespeare47's Avatar
shakespeare47 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2014
Location: US
Posts: 3,134
8 yr Member
437 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Dec 19, 2022 at 02:10 PM
  #12
My heart rate was elevated for the first few weeks - ranging from 70-90 bpm... but lately it's been averaging in the low 70's... still a little on the high side for me (I'm usually 50-60 bpm) but better.

__________________
My business is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonise with my aspirations. T.H. Huxley
shakespeare47 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
shakespeare47
Grand Magnate
 
shakespeare47's Avatar
shakespeare47 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2014
Location: US
Posts: 3,134
8 yr Member
437 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Feb 03, 2023 at 10:56 AM
  #13
I still have the irregular heartbeat, but I barely notice it. I play pickleball with no ill effects. I was hoping to get off the Xarelto at some point, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen.

__________________
My business is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonise with my aspirations. T.H. Huxley
shakespeare47 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
SlumberKitty
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:16 AM.
Powered by vBulletin® — Copyright © 2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.



 

My Support Forums

My Support Forums is the online community that was originally begun as the Psych Central Forums in 2001. It now runs as an independent self-help support group community for mental health, personality, and psychological issues and is overseen by a group of dedicated, caring volunteers from around the world.

 

Helplines and Lifelines

The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.

Always consult your doctor or mental health professional before trying anything you read here.