Atrial Fibrillation

[Mario A. Kyriacou, CHI]

I wish you well and a speedy recovery after the procedure Kevin.

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by dbelmont

Kevin,

Make them justify their opinion. Remember that everything is medicine that isn't experimental has numbers behind it. Make them justify their recommendation that you take Coumadin based on the real numbers and your risk, not the vague things that are written in the summary of the research papers. I might add that if you read the whole study on Coumadin they say exactly that. That patients should be risk assessed before they are given Coumadin. But thge docs don't read that far.

Plus the numbers in a study are only applicable to the conditions of the study. I've found the medics are quick to make extrapolations that are overly broad and when they are finally studied found to be wrong. (Like the effects of heart meds on women which they got totally wrong)

I'd rather do the PVA surgery than be on Coumadin. We'll see what I find out after my ultrasound/whatever other test they'll do.

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by mkyriacou

I wish you well and a speedy recovery after the procedure Kevin.

Thanks Mario.

[Michael Bazzo, CMI]

Originally Posted by kpierce

I'd rather do the PVA surgery than be on Coumadin. We'll see what I find out after my ultrasound/whatever other test they'll do.

I think my son had to take Coumadin prior to his procedure, although I can't remember why.....

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by mbazzo

I think my son had to take Coumadin prior to his procedure, although I can't remember why.....

Probably to reduce the risk of a blood clot.

[kpierce]

Interesting.

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by kpierce

Interesting.

"I was out of rhythm last night," West said. "Some people feel it -- and I feel it -- and some people don't. "I get asked all the time are you going to go back to work, and I say, 'Nope,'" West said. "I'm not going to put myself at risk...

Take care of yourself Kevin...

[Fred Duemig]

Originally Posted by kpierce

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.

I have been hospitalized twice with episodes of A-FIB. When I go into A-FIB, I don't come out. They use electrical cardioversion to convert me back to normal rhythm. I am on Toprol to help with control. I have stopped taking Coumadin (Thank God). My first bout came after I passed out in the bathroom after urinating due to very low blood pressure. The second came a couple years later. One of my problems is I can't feel the palpitations, however, while wearing a monitor it is scary.

My cardiologist will not recommend PVA at this time because the procedure is too new and not enough testing and/or results are available. Right now they would have to go in a few times to "readjust" the electrical settings. According to my cardiologist; the procedure will be perfected within a few years.
Good Luck,
Fred

[Joseph Burkeson, CMI]

Originally Posted by kpierce

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.

I have had similar experiences with mild panic disorder all my life which is now mostly under control. About 2-1/2 years ago in January after some fairly good holiday partying I had a supraventricular tachycardia event (SVT) which was fairly scary my BPM was 220 and nothing that worked previously would reduce the HR. In the hospital they used Adenosine and thankfully it immediately worked.

Anyway I found a very good cardiologist who tested me and put me on metoprolol but also started me on CoQ10 and fish oils. Since then I have had no episode and am now off the metoprolol, this year he has challenged me to lose 25lbs since I am still taking lisinopril for mild hypertension.

In any case find a doctor that isn't just into treating symptoms but understands wellness, if you like I would ask my Cardiologist if he knows of any doctor who thinks like him in your area.

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by jburkeson1

I have had similar experiences with mild panic disorder all my life which is now mostly under control. About 2-1/2 years ago in January after some fairly good holiday partying I had a supraventricular tachycardia event (SVT) which was fairly scary my BPM was 220 and nothing that worked previously would reduce the HR. In the hospital they used Adenosine and thankfully it immediately worked.

Anyway I found a very good cardiologist who tested me and put me on metoprolol but also started me on CoQ10 and fish oils. Since then I have had no episode and am now off the metoprolol, this year he has challenged me to lose 25lbs since I am still taking lisinopril for mild hypertension.

In any case find a doctor that isn't just into treating symptoms but understands wellness, if you like I would ask my Cardiologist if he knows of any doctor who thinks like him in your area.

I've been on Metroprolol for almost a month now and everything is fine. I'd greatly appreciate a good referral.

[Joseph Burkeson, CMI]

Originally Posted by kpierce

I've been on Metroprolol for almost a month now and everything is fine. I'd greatly appreciate a good referral.

Will do.

BTW it takes about a month for your system to get used to the Metroprolol, it screwed up my stomach for quite a while and I found the best thing was to take it with a snack before going to bed, hence the need now to lose some weight.

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by jburkeson1

Will do.

BTW it takes about a month for your system to get used to the Metroprolol, it screwed up my stomach for quite a while and I found the best thing was to take it with a snack before going to bed, hence the need now to lose some weight.

It seems to be normalized in my body now. The only side effect I really got was fatigue and mild headaches.

[Fred Duemig]

Originally Posted by jburkeson1

Will do.

BTW it takes about a month for your system to get used to the Metroprolol, it screwed up my stomach for quite a while and I found the best thing was to take it with a snack before going to bed, hence the need now to lose some weight.

I have been on Toprol now for almost 4 years. I never had a problem with my stomach, but I did experience the fatigue; always tired. My doctor cut the dose in half and that did the trick.

Fred