Guest guest Posted July 19, 2001 Report Share Posted July 19, 2001 Mike in N.C., have you tried dofetilide? It is my understanding that this drug has had very successful results with a majority of afibbers. You may belong to that majority. On the other hand, I have been on this drug for approximately 1 month and it has not returned me to NSR. I am considering an ablation. Do you know much about the successes of ablation? Rob in N.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2001 Report Share Posted July 19, 2001 > Does >this pattern seem to match what others have experienced? Thanks for your >comments. > > Best regards, > Mike in NC > Hi Mike, I have a very similar pattern . for the last three years I've been going into AF every 14-18 days (with a few odd variations) I'll stay in AF for around 24 hours. the first 5-10 hours will be 'fast and floppy' the rest will be 'regularly irregular' - I can get up and around at this time but can't exert my self too much or the flopping will return. There's an on going poll about cyclical AF - out of the 41 entries 17 think that their AF is cyclical and 24 think there AF is 'random or activated by specific triggers ' see (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/surveys?id=438965) So over 40% of the entries have some sort of cyclical AF. For me this is fascinating and frustrating! There must be something worth investigating here if only we knew what to look for. P.S. I think I've managed to add a few days between my attacks by increasing Ca,Mg,and K in my diet - my last two attacks have been 23 and 25 days apart. It's still early days and these maybe be just strange fluctuations but I'm hoping I can keep it that way! I'll report to the group when I know more. cheers -- D (32, Leeds, UK) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2001 Report Share Posted July 19, 2001 ROB, WHAT DOSE ARE YOU ON?? The fist time I was put on 500mg x 2 per day. I had a cardio version and it only lasted 30 mins. Then I was put on 750 x 2 per day Cardio verted again and went into paroxysmal . Have you been cardiovered as yet. good luck C England > Mike in N.C., have you tried dofetilide? It is my understanding that this > > drug has had very successful results with a majority of afibbers. You may > > belong to that majority. On the other hand, I have been on this drug for > approximately 1 month and it has not returned me to NSR. I am considering > an > ablation. Do you know much about the successes of ablation? Rob in N.C. > > ********************************************************************** This message may contain information which is confidential or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please advise the sender immediately by reply e-mail and delete this message and any attachments without retaining a copy. ********************************************************************** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2001 Report Share Posted July 19, 2001 Hi Rob in NC, Good to have some others in the Tarheel state! Personally, I have not looked at ablation as I am told that if I can live with the symptoms that I should. I think I am about to change doctors as I have lost some confidence in the current crew. I do have a friend here in the Greensboro area who recently underwent ablation and is doing extremely well. The procedure was done at Duke and he is a new man for it. I know others have not been as pleased with ablation, but I gather that sometimes it really does the trick. Keep in touch. Mike mreid@... RE: Repetitive pattern > > ROB, WHAT DOSE ARE YOU ON?? > The fist time I was put on 500mg x 2 per day. I had a cardio version and it > only lasted 30 mins. Then I was put on 750 x 2 per day Cardio verted again > and went into paroxysmal . Have you been cardiovered as yet. > > good luck > > C > > England > > > Mike in N.C., have you tried dofetilide? It is my understanding that this > > > > drug has had very successful results with a majority of afibbers. You may > > > > belong to that majority. On the other hand, I have been on this drug for > > approximately 1 month and it has not returned me to NSR. I am considering > > an > > ablation. Do you know much about the successes of ablation? Rob in N.C. > > > > > > > ********************************************************************** > This message may contain information which is confidential or privileged. > If you are not the intended recipient, please advise the sender immediately > by reply e-mail and delete this message and any attachments > without retaining a copy. > > ********************************************************************** > > > Web Page http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport > For more information: http://www.dialsolutions.com/af > Post message: AFIBsupport > Subscribe: AFIBsupport-subscribe > Unsubscribe: AFIBsupport-unsubscribe > List owner: AFIBsupport-owner > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2001 Report Share Posted July 19, 2001 Re: Repetitive pattern >There's an on going poll about cyclical AF - out of the 41 entries 17 think that their AF is cyclical and 24 think there AF is 'random or activated by specific triggers ' see (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/surveys?id=438965) So over 40% of the entries have some sort of cyclical AF. The % just went up. For the fourth month in a row, I have gone into afib at precisely 5am after getting up out of bed for a few minutes, then reclining again. Exactly every 29 days for 4 months in a row seems cyclical to me. Hence, I have changed my vote from 'random' to *cyclical* (almost lunar!). Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2001 Report Share Posted July 19, 2001 Mike: You asked for comments from AFers with repetitive patterns, so here goes. My paroxysmal atrial fib has been pretty repetitive since it began in the late l980's. In the beginning AF happened once or twice a year and has very gradually increased in frequency and duration to its present onset every one and a half or two and a half days in the evening, then lasting for one and a half days until it ends during/after an early morning bike ride or walk. I have never required cardioversion to convert to NSR, and I have never been able to identify specific triggers - (although I think I could definitely link drinking alcohol to the origin of my AF, giving up alcohol has not slowed its progression). I am prepared to live with permanent AF if I have to, but I am grateful that my AF still faithfully converts to NSR, and treasure every minute in regular rhythm. None of the major anti-arrhythmic drugs worked on my AF and all had miserable side effects for me. I am relatively comfortable on Tenormin (atenolol)and Digoxin for rate control, and Coumadin for stroke prevention. Although I always know when I am in AF I don't experience much flopping around even during regular, moderate exercise. My AF seems primarily vagal, expecially now, but I think the Tenormin has calmed some adrenergic features which I had in the beginning. I have listened to all the warnings on the discussion lists against using tenormin and digoxin with vagal AF, and I went ahead and tried to change them last Spring, with very uncomfortable results. But I have come to the conclusion that these are really helpful medicines for me and that I want to encourage others who feel relatively well on them not to panic about the warnings. As C said today about ablation, while it is good to share our experience and knowledge, we have to be careful not to scare people away from treatments that may work well for them. In addition to all the encouragement I receive from reading other people's AF stories, I much appreciate the articles about treatments that our research-oriented members post for us. I am one of those AFers who have, thankfully, been able to learn to live with this thing. But I have not given up hope for a cure (besides the maze which has been a godsend for so many), and it is good to know that I will for sure know about new treatments right away because people share so much information here. Warmly, Lee > I am wondering if my particular AF/NSR pattern is at all a somewhat common one and would appreciate any comments. I have been treated for AF since approximately 1990. > > Best regards, > Mike in NC > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2001 Report Share Posted July 19, 2001 My Afib episodes definitely seem to have a repetitive pattern. I was hoping that it was due to the Sotalol I was taking. But having been off that now for two months, I have to say it was not that medication. I have been having episodes every ten days to three weeks since the second half of 1999. Sometimes other things will trigger it in-between, like drinking something too cold. The cycle begins with extreme exhaustion the day before or hours before the episode. Along with that is a major increase in ectopic beats. Then at some point there will be the very fast racing heart beat, (up to 200 bpm) lasting anywhere from 1 minute to 30 minutes, ususally less than 15 minutes. Then the Afib starts. The episodes are getting much longer. Once upon a time they only lasted 2 - 4 hours. Now they last 1 -2 days. Even with medication, I never seem to be able to function very normally when in Afib. I get breathless and can't do much. Most recently I have been trying to keep the Afib from starting by taking verapamil SR 180mg when the increase in ectopic beats starts. This is day 28, the end of a second cycle, I hope. I got through the first one easy. Took the verapamil for two days when I felt the increase of ectopics. I may be reporting on this second cycle a bit early. I have taken 180mg of SR verapamil each day for the last three days. The medication didn't take the extra beats away as much as it did last time. Yesterday was a complete write off. Had to spend most of the day in bed because of the extra beats and absolute exhaustion. But I seem to be ok this morning, the ectopics have settled and the exhaustion is gone and most importantly NO AFIB! So hopefully that means another two weeks of normal life. Regards, Diann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2001 Report Share Posted July 19, 2001 My Afib episodes definitely seem to have a repetitive pattern. I was hoping that it was due to the Sotalol I was taking. But having been off that now for two months, I have to say it was not that medication. I have been having episodes every ten days to three weeks since the second half of 1999. Sometimes other things will trigger it in-between, like drinking something too cold. The cycle begins with extreme exhaustion the day before or hours before the episode. Along with that is a major increase in ectopic beats. Then at some point there will be the very fast racing heart beat, (up to 200 bpm) lasting anywhere from 1 minute to 30 minutes, ususally less than 15 minutes. Then the Afib starts. The episodes are getting much longer. Once upon a time they only lasted 2 - 4 hours. Now they last 1 -2 days. Even with medication, I never seem to be able to function very normally when in Afib. I get breathless and can't do much. Most recently I have been trying to keep the Afib from starting by taking verapamil SR 180mg when the increase in ectopic beats starts. This is day 28, the end of a second cycle, I hope. I got through the first one easy. Took the verapamil for two days when I felt the increase of ectopics. I may be reporting on this second cycle a bit early. I have taken 180mg of SR verapamil each day for the last three days. The medication didn't take the extra beats away as much as it did last time. Yesterday was a complete write off. Had to spend most of the day in bed because of the extra beats and absolute exhaustion. But I seem to be ok this morning, the ectopics have settled and the exhaustion is gone and most importantly NO AFIB! So hopefully that means another two weeks of normal life. Regards, Diann from Sydney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2001 Report Share Posted July 21, 2001 Hi Mike Reid - I have many of the same characteristics in my AFib pattern as you describe. I am usually not aware that I am in AFib but I do have times when my pulse will speed up and then drop back, maintaining the irregular beat. I believe I am in and out of AFib all day long (and all night long). I also take coumadin and some blood pressure control medicine. Otherwise, my conservative cardiologist and my conservative PCP have advised to me to " wait and see. " I discontinued the toprol in May (with my Dr.'s permission) and I feel stronger, less depressed. the AFib seems to be just the same as before I discontinued the meds. By the way, my cardiologist said that he doubted that an electrical conversion would be of any use to me for any length of time and so he would not recommend the procedure FOR ME. Sharon In El Paso Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2001 Report Share Posted July 21, 2001 Hi Rob - I had an ablation last year for AFlutter and it was successful. I still have the AFib, however. My cardiologists said that ablation has limited success with AFib. I can live with the AFib but I sure was glad to end the AFlutter. Sharon in El Paso Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2001 Report Share Posted July 22, 2001 Mike, I am privileged to be a patient of Dr. ph Souza here in Asheville. I understand that he is an authority and expert in electrophysiology studies, and he has had great successes with his work with ablation. He feels that I am a good candidate for ablation. I have tried basically all antirhythmic drugs (flecinide, sotalol, dofetilide) but all of them have failed. Amiodorone is one drug that I have not tried, however. Dr. Souza feels that the side effect profile for this drug is too risky especially for an individual my age. (My father has afid and maintains NSR with amiodorone). Thank you for sharing the success story of the individual who underwent the ablation. I would really like to hear more of these stories. Rob in N.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2001 Report Share Posted July 22, 2001 Hello C, I am currently taking 500 mcg of dofetilide twice a day. I am not in NSR but the medication along with the lanoxin are helping me to tolerate the symptoms of afib. I have had two cardioversions in the past year, and neithe one of them kept me in NSR for more than 4 days. Keep in touch. Rob in N.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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