Atrial Fibrillation

[kpierce]

Anyone here have it? I got diagnosed with it today.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrial_fibrillation

[Mark A. Timpani, CMI]

Sounds like what I have. But when I wear the 24 hour monitor it doesn't happen or when I get an EKG it doesn't happen. How did they catch yours?

[Michael Larson]

I have a friend that has been hospitalized a few times with it.

His seems to be aggravated by pseudafed. Check with you doctor.

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by mtimpani

Sounds like what I have. But when I wear the 24 hour monitor it doesn't happen or when I get an EKG it doesn't happen. How did they catch yours?

I've had panic attack like episodes a couple times a year for many years. I always just thought it was anxiety related. They usually went away after 20 minutes or so on their own. But yesterday it was really bad and wasn't going away so I went to the E.R. My heart rate, at it's peak, hit 221 and was very irregular. They gave me a few different doses of meds to bring it down but they didn't work so they put me under and used a defibrillator to reset my heart, scary stuff. I'm on a beta-blocker now to control it but I'll probably end up doing the surgery that they have to cure it called PVA. Apparently it's low risk and high success rates.

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by mlarson

I have a friend that has been hospitalized a few times with it.

His seems to be aggravated by pseudafed. Check with you doctor.

Mine seems to be triggered after a night of drinking. I'll be seeing the cardiologist next week for more info.

[klott]

When I was a little kid, I would suffer attacks, where my pulse would shoot up over 250 BPMand I would tell my parents, "something is wrong, I can feel my heart beating!" and they would just laugh and say I was supposed too. I did not know how to describe it. I had my first heart attack at 13 years old and they diagnosed my problems as, P.A.T. and WPW syndrome. They offered my parents surgery, which was relatively new and not real successful,50% or physical therapy to learn how to slow my heart rate myself. After hearing the ways to slow it, I told them I had figured that out by age 6. I don't know if this is what you have, however PM me and I can tell you how to do it.

[kpierce]

PAT is a little different as the rhythm is regular, fast but regular. A-Fib is fast and very irregular, very similar conditions though. I'd be interested to hear your method but when I get these episodes, there is no way I can control it. The docs couldn't even control it with meds, they had to shock me. You never had the ablation surgery?

[kpierce]

BTW, Kenneth, did they ever say that might have been a contributor to your stroke? They say A-Fib, if not corrected within 24-hours, can result in blood clotting in the atrium and when a normal rhythm is back the clot gets flushed out and can cause a stroke.

[klott]

Originally Posted by kpierce

BTW, Kenneth, did they ever say that might have been a contributor to your stroke? They say A-Fib, if not corrected within 24-hours, can result in blood clotting in the atrium and when a normal rhythm is back the clot gets flushed out and can cause a stroke.

No, I did not have a stroke, it turned out to be some kind of Palsy, I can't remember the first part of the name.

[klott]

Originally Posted by kpierce

PAT is a little different as the rhythm is regular, fast but regular. A-Fib is fast and very irregular, very similar conditions though. I'd be interested to hear your method but when I get these episodes, there is no way I can control it. The docs couldn't even control it with meds, they had to shock me. You never had the ablation surgery?

My problem is due to having two pacemakers, natural ones not man-made. The other problem causes me to have a very irregular beat. Some on nhere have accused me of faking illness because I claim to have so many heart attacks, but I have them a whole lot, not all are massive cardiac arrest. What I most often have are Mild Mycardial Infarctions. I have had double bypass, and hgad one blocked 100% that they could not fix, then recently I had a stint put in, but had another with 95% blockage that they could not get through to install another stint, so I still have that. Get a second opinion and good luck with it. No, I never had the Ablation surgery. No more surgery for me, my heart has grown onto my sternum and the Doctor, says there is a very great risk of my bleeding to death on the table.They told me after this last Cat Scan, there is a bad Calcium buildup on my heart valves, but I already knew that, I carry a wallet card about it. Hang in there. I'll be praying for you, Kenn

[kpierce]

Thanks Kenn.

[Mark H. Roe]

Kevin,
You have taken the first step to get through this. The fact that it has to do with your heart it would shake anyone to the bone. I myself have a 30 day monitor on to see how many time my heart is stopping. The good new is if you want to look at it that way, I found out that the chest pain that I am having is because the lining around my heart has attached itself to the lining of my lung. They say when my heart stops and then restarts, it pulls on it. I also found out that I have a valve that is leaking, but not enough for our beloved insurance company to allow for surgery to repair it at this time. Keep your head up and listen to what you are being told to get this corrected.

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by mroe

Kevin,
You have taken the first step to get through this. The fact that it has to do with your heart it would shake anyone to the bone. I myself have a 30 day monitor on to see how many time my heart is stopping. The good new is if you want to look at it that way, I found out that the chest pain that I am having is because the lining around my heart has attached itself to the lining of my lung. They say when my heart stops and then restarts, it pulls on it. I also found out that I have a valve that is leaking, but not enough for our beloved insurance company to allow for surgery to repair it at this time. Keep your head up and listen to what you are being told to get this corrected.

Thanks Mark. It's definitely some scary sh!t. Especially since I'm only f-ing 27. Who the hell has heart problems at 27? It is somewhat relieving though because I've always had the thought in the back of my mind about a heart problem. At least I know what it is now and it doesn't appear to be a serious, life threatening condition.

I picked up a heart monitor just to keep an eye on my rate. I'll see what the cardiologist says this week and follow every word.

[rmaday]

Wow, Kevin.

I really don't know what to say. From what you're posted, seems like they can control or fix it, I hope it goes well.

I'll be praying for you and your family, weather you like it or not.

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by rmaday

Wow, Kevin.

I really don't know what to say. From what you're posted, seems like they can control or fix it, I hope it goes well.

I'll be praying for you and your family, weather you like it or not.

Thanks Rick.