Cardioversion for Atrial Fibrillation

[spydad]

Dave, I'm praying for you. My Dad suffered from AFib for 5 years after his triple by-pass. Lots of time he just had no energy, got winded alot. He had a third cardioversion to put him in normal rhythm about 6 weeks ago. His cardiologist went ahead and installed a pace maker also. He's been doing great. He's 72 and just finished building a 12x16 storage building for my Mom 'cause it was cheaper than buying a pre-fab. Hang in there.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[retsupt99]

You are added to my D.C. list...

[Hopyard]

--- but still not too bad.

The electrical cardioversion failed to restore a normal heart rhythm So, I am the proud new owner of a pacemaker and on a new cocktail of better living through chemistry -- based primarily on Tikosyn .

I'm still having some paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

I'm home now and we are in a trial period of the better living through chemistry cocktail -- 1) to see if I can tolerate the Tikosyn and 2) if it will resolve the paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Here's hoping!

Will keep you informed.

Thanks for the prayers, thoughts, and well wishes.

dave

Not walking in your shoes it is all too easy for me to take your situation a bit lightly. So, now you join the ranks of the bionic; those held together by high tech plastic and electronics.

Better luck to you for the future. I am sure you will find the pacemaker one of the modern world's wonder gadgets.

FWIW, my wife has one now for about 4 years or so, maybe 5. It is the difference between living a normal life, going places and doing stuff, and (for her) being dead. Not a bad trade off I'd say.

Too bad my stock in one of the companies that makes these things doesn't do as well as the gadget itself.

[crzy4guns]

The pacemakers today are a lot smaller and have a longer battery life than the models made just 10 years ago. Keep your chin up and enjoy life and I will pray for you to have good health in the future.

[RebelRabbi]

Fellow shooter living with A-Fib.....not alone brother.

[miklcolt45]

Dave,

God bless. I'm praying all goes well and you feel great.

[DaveH]

Not walking in your shoes it is all too easy for me to take your situation a bit lightly....

Hope no one thinks I'm whining. That was not my intent. I've friends my age and younger who in much worst shape -- medically and other aspects of life. I had many friend go the their reward or otherwise deserved eternity. At just over a month short of 70, I've had a blessed life.

In my view, prayers and thanks aren't reserved for just BIG needs and gifts -- as always YMMV. I was just sharing with my friends. As I mentioned in a PM recently, my friends on this list seem closer than many folk I know face-to-face -- especially after losing my closest buddy this year -- a retired ABC agent and retired LEO. Now, talk about a man who had it rough -- his son (who I also count as a friend, albeit a younger generation) lost his father and his teen age son a couple days apart. In fact, he was at his father's funeral when his son died.

No I'm not whining. True -- the uncertainness of the situation is stressful, but I'll deal with that and the 16 different Rx I'm taking (including for both my heart & lung problems).

If this Tikosyn works, I be asking you all to join me in thanksgiving. If not, I'll be asking for your prayers for the next procedure.

BTY -- So far I've not passes out from AFib, as before the electrical cardioversion, pacemaker, and Tikosyn; and so far, the side effects are tolerable. However, it will take a number of weeks of follow-up with weekly EKGs and blood work to see if I am tolerating the stuff. They have already reduced the dosage because of early toxicology results of the test.

Here's hoping.

[Hopyard]

Hope no one thinks I'm whining. That was not my intent.
Here's hoping.

I sure hope you didn't think I thought you were whining. When you have the probs you are talking about you are fully entitled to all the anxiety that goes with it.

Whatever I wrote was to encourage you, and I certainly hope I didn't accidentally offend.

[rottkeeper]

Dave, you have every right to feel the way you do and to ask your friends here for whatever comfort you need. I did not take your post as whining and did not read Hop's post as you whining either.

This is a great forum with a great bunch of people, to get along and be concerned for others whom have never even met speaks volumes to the character of it's members.

With that said you are still in my prayers and I wish you and yours a great Christmas Holiday season.

[DaveH]

Dave, you have every right to feel the way you do and to ask your friends here for whatever comfort you need. I did not take your post as whining and did not read Hop's post as you whining either.

....

Sorry all! Especially apologize to you, Hop!!

Maybe I'm just over sensitive. In truth, all the "I've had a pacemaker for "x" years and they are a piece of cake" have not been on this forum.

The fact is that the pacemaker is a piece of cake and is doing it's job. And the blood thinners are just a PIA -- but far better than another clot. It's the Tiksyn that is the source of stress -- and bad headaches, hacking cough, etc. If it actually works and if the side-effects tapper off (as hoped), I'll be good with that too. And as I said I have not passed out from the arrhythmia, since I got home. So things are better than they were.

'nuf said.

I'll followup, when something is more definitive.

Again, thanks for the prayers and well wishes.

dave

[SlowSSls1]

Fellow shooter living with A-Fib.....not alone brother.

Another fellow shotter living with A-Fib and I am not even thirty yet. I still remember my first episode like it was yesterday.

[alyehoud]

Just found this thread, and I too am an a-fibber. I'm the 2nd youngest my doctor has ever seen. Started having symptoms last December, and went to hospital last Jan after doctor admitted me for tests. I was 22 at the time. As soon as the FDA approves the new balloon-type procedure I'll be getting that...until then on a few meds myself. I'm also very healthy otherwise and have no family history or heart problems.... no fun :(

[Bunny]

Thoughts and prayers comin' atchya!

[DaveH]

as things were going along rather well.

As we discussed before it's neither the pacemaker, itself, that is the focus of concern nor the SA node by itself. It's the AV node's electrical impulse being out of sync with the SA node causing the muscle of the lower chamber to contract out of sync with the upper chambers.

Over the last couple of years there were a couple of rough spots getting the Rx's tuned, but nothing of great significant.

Then, after an ambulance trip and spending most of yesterday in the ER following a bout of very low BP (64/46) and an uneven heart rate, they couldn’t ID a cause.

Today, I have no irregular heart beat. I’m feeling fine, now. BP is good. HR is good. The blood oxygen is good.

A bit ago, I got off phone with my primary cardiologist.



He has:

• stopped my cardiac-rehab-ongoing-maintenance
• upped one of my Rx’s;
• arranged for my electrician cardiologist to have my pacemaker’s memory/operation checked out;
• scheduled one of those wonderful drug induced stress-test w/ dye in the blood & multiple x-rays (sort of mini ct scan machine to us laymen) before and after;
• scheduled a 48 hour event monitor;
• has set up a tentative following appointment (for a cardiac catheterization ) with my plumber cardiologist, following all that (to be canceled later, if the above does not suggest the need).

Just decided to let my friends know.

Unless something goes seriously bad it will be a couple of weeks before I really know anything new.

Thoughts & prayers appreciated.

[Hopyard]

as things were going along rather well.

As we discussed before it's neither the pacemaker, itself, that is the focus of concern nor the SA node by itself. It's the AV node's electrical impulse being out of sync with the SA node causing the muscle of the lower chamber to contract out of sync with the upper chambers.

Over the last couple of years there were a couple of rough spots getting the Rx's tuned, but nothing of great significant.

Then, after an ambulance trip and spending most of yesterday in the ER following a bout of very low BP (64/46) and an uneven heart rate, they couldn’t ID a cause.

Today, I have no irregular heart beat. I’m feeling fine, now. BP is good. HR is good. The blood oxygen is good.

A bit ago, I got off phone with my primary cardiologist.



He has:

• stopped my cardiac-rehab-ongoing-maintenance
• upped one of my Rx’s;
• arranged for my electrician cardiologist to have my pacemaker’s memory/operation checked out;
• scheduled one of those wonderful drug induced stress-test w/ dye in the blood & multiple x-rays (sort of mini ct scan machine to us laymen) before and after;
• scheduled a 48 hour event monitor;
• has set up a tentative following appointment (for a cardiac catheterization ) with my plumber cardiologist, following all that (to be canceled later, if the above does not suggest the need).

Just decided to let my friends know.

Unless something goes seriously bad it will be a couple of weeks before I really know anything new.

Thoughts & prayers appreciated.

Hope your electro-cardiologist finds nothing shocking

Sounds like they have a plan--- keep smiling.