Re: HELP!!!! Rich O

[Guest guest]

My heart is normal and they are calling it Lone A-Fib --- I feel short runs

all the time, now I know what they are -- I'm am so worried about the

possibility of it happening again and developing a chronic case -- I

definitely liked the beta blockers better than this Verapamil -- (I FEEL

WEIRD AND MY PULSE IS 10 POINTS HIGHER THAN NORM.) -- Do you have any input

on verapamil???

THANKS FOR REPLYING,

Ross

Re: HELP!!!!

Ross,

Take a deep breath and relax. You'll be fine. Welcome to the world of AFib.

I

didn't get a clear explanation. Have you been diagnosed with AFib but

otherwise have a healthy heart?

One very positive thing is you can get treated at s Hopkins. A world

class Hospital and Med. Center.

As Sandy said, find your triggers. What sets off your AFib. Do a little

research on your eating and exercise routines and stress triggers. The more

you know about AFib, the better off you'll be.

If you have a cardiologist, you may want to consider having a

electrophysiologist as well (heart electrician). Your cardiologist should be

able to recommend one. You want to be sure that these Doctors are up on the

latest AFib developments.

Many are not.

Your not alone. As you probably have noticed, this site has members from all

over the world. Many have been treated at the premier Heart centers in the

world and are happy to share their experiences.

Rich O

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/11/2003 3:31:11 PM Pacific Standard Time,

rossk@... writes:

<< I feel short runs

all the time, now I know what they are -- I'm am so worried about the

possibility of it happening again and developing a chronic case -- I

definitely liked the beta blockers better than this Verapamil -- (I FEEL

WEIRD AND MY PULSE IS 10 POINTS HIGHER THAN NORM.) -- Do you have any input

on verapamil??? >>

Ross,

I take Verapamil and find that it really helps me. Four years ago I was

having very fast pulse (240) and episodes of afib that made me feel faint and

dizzy to the point that I couldn't work or function. I was taking Atenolol

at that time, a beta blocker, but when my doctor added the Verapamil, my

symptoms disappeared. Now I take 150 mg Atenolol and 240 m.g. Verapamil

daily. Everybody reacts differently to meds, but perhaps you need both the

beta blocker and calcium channel blocker Verapamil as I do. Verapamil made

me feel tired, lethargic, and short of breath while exercising at first, but

I became accustomed to it and it doesn't bother me now. I live an extremely

busy, hectic, and active life. Perhaps you should try it for a while before

you give up on it or ask about taking a small amount of beta blocker also to

try the combination which has been great for me.

Whatever you do, try to calm down and stop worrying. It's normal to feel as

you do, but it makes afib worse. I have had afib for twenty years, and in

the beginning, like you, I was crying and very upset, certain that I would

die. However, afib hasn't killed me yet, and in twenty years I have not

become permanent or chronic. In fact, on Friday I will mark nine months in

straight sinus rhythm except for 15 minutes of afib on last December 1.

Some doctors may say that every afib case becomes permanent eventually, but

according to my experience so far, that is not necessarily true. Here I am

after twenty years of afib, getting better instead of worse. My improvement

is due to giving up dairy products completely, I believe, because the drugs

did not prevent afib before I cut dairy 100 percent.

I really feel compassion for you because I know exactly how you are feeling,

but you mustn't give up hope. You can find the right medication to control

your afib symptoms and live a long, normal life. I don't remember if you

mentioned Coumadin, but if you're not taking that for stroke prevention, you

might want to ask your doctor about that. Stroke is the greatest danger of

afib, but I have only taken Coumadin for four out of twenty years of afib and

my older brother who has had permanent afib for more than tweny years has

never taken Coumadin. Neither of us has had a stroke.

I hope that knowing about people like me and my brother who have lived long

term with afib will help you to realize that you will survive, too.

Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

in sinus in Seattle (three days away from nine months of sinus)

[Guest guest]

Ross,

I have no experience with verapamil. I went the PVA route and so far it has

worked (July 02).

Rich O

[Guest guest]

Ross,

PVA stands for Pulmonary Vein Ablation. It's a surgical procedure using

catheters and radio frequency power to create scar tissue around or in the

hearts pulmonary veins. Rogue electrical charges are generated in these veins

and are released into the heart and disrupt the normal sinus rythmn.

Go to www.affacts.org they have a complete discription of the procedure,

before, during and after. It's very good and will answer many of your

questions. The success rate for this procedure varies. Depending on where you

have it done and by whom. The success rates are between 50% and 90%. The

Cleveland Clinic in, you guessed it Cleveland. Is the top facility in the US

for PVA and Dr. Natale and several of his assocciates are the most

experienced. You having access to s Hopkins is a big plus. I would think

they are up to speed on the latest in PVA.

It's very common for someone to have two ablations to eliminate AFib. or make

their lives pretty close to normal.

Rich O

[Guest guest]

What is PVA??? THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT -- I HOEP EVERYTHING WORKS OUT FOR

BOTH OF US ...

Re: HELP!!!! Rich O

Ross,

I have no experience with verapamil. I went the PVA route and so far it has

worked (July 02).

Rich O

[Guest guest]

I have taken this drug for about 18 Months. No side effect that I found. I was

in chronic AF at the time . This drug is designed for rate control i.e. getting

you heart to beat slower. In the UK its used with Digoxin and the protocol would

also include Wafarin to stop or mimimise you having a stroke.

Is this the guy who has just been diagnosed with AF.? If so it sounds like you

are in a bit of a muddle. Take a deep breath then read on ....

The first thing to do is sit down and read all you can about AF, learn as much

as you can. Then you need to find a good Dr I mean a good DR somebody who

specialise in AF an EP.. Not a Cardiologist but an EP.

Then go through all what is wrong with you take notes and then make up your mind

what you want to do to take the treatment forward..

Lets be , THIS IS NOT GOING TO KILL YOU, it may make you feel poorly but it

anit going to KILL YOU>.That is in some people, There are patients out there

that Have AF and are fine and do there normal jobs and the gym and are happy as

can be.

There are some of us . I was one that AF can be life inhibiting.

Once the EP decides what to do , then reflect, do you trust him do you want him

to treat you. then you have the relation ship with the DR and you know what his

is going to do will be good for both of you..

Let me know how you get on and remember read as much as you can and learn so the

next time you see the EP he will no fob you off with some drug and you go way

feeling cheated.

Best regards

C

Ross,

I have no experience with verapamil. I went the PVA route and so far it has

worked (July 02).

Rich O

[Guest guest]

>

>

>My heart is normal and they are calling it Lone A-Fib --- I feel short runs

>all the time, now I know what they are -- I'm am so worried about the

>possibility of it happening again and developing a chronic case -- I

>definitely liked the beta blockers better than this Verapamil -- (I FEEL

>WEIRD AND MY PULSE IS 10 POINTS HIGHER THAN NORM.) -- Do you have any input

>on verapamil?

>

Dear Ross,

Verapamil is a calcium-channel blocker that prevents or slows the

flow of calcium ions into smooth muscle cells such as the heart and

blood vessels. It is a rate control drug to control your heart rate

(ventricular beats), while leaving your heart in A-Fib. Calcium-blockers

are preferred if you have heart or lung disease.

Have you discussed with your doctor " antiarrhythmic " drugs such as

flecainide (Tambocor) or dofetilide (Tikosyn) which attempt to stop your

A-Fib and make your heart beat normally in sinus rhythm? They do tend to

have more bad side effects. Antiarrhythmic drugs may help you from

becoming chronic.

A-FibFriendSteve

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/20/2003 9:38:15 PM Pacific Standard Time,

a-fibfriend@... writes:

<< Verapamil is a calcium-channel blocker that prevents or slows the

flow of calcium ions into smooth muscle cells such as the heart and

blood vessels. It is a rate control drug to control your heart rate

(ventricular beats), while leaving your heart in A-Fib. >>

Verapamil does not necessarily leave your heart in afib, according to my

experience. On the first day I took Verapamil four years ago, I converted to

sinus within two hours of taking it and stayed in sinus for weeks. Of

course, I realize that could have been coincidental, considering that I had

been vacillating between afib and sinus for weeks. Atenolol alone had not

had the desired effect on me. Also, I have been in sinus for more that nine

months now, taking Verapamil, although I don't think the Verapamil is the

chief cause of my sinus rhythm. It probably helps, though.

Although the proarrhythmic drugs are probably more likely to influence rhythm

than is Verapamil, even many of those drugs do not restore NSR for some.

The effect of drugs is a very individual thing, and for some, like me, I

think Verapamil may have an effect on rhythm although it is considered

primarily a rate control drug. This is just my opinion.

in sinus in Seattle (nine months and one week)