Guest guest Posted August 29, 2003 Report Share Posted August 29, 2003 Hello. I am a 38 year old female, who was diagnosed with lone A-fib in March after having my first major a-fib episode. Looking back, I can see that I had been experiencing it, occassionally & mildly, for over 5 years but didn't know what it was. I would get arrhythmia, palpitations, shortness of breath & chest pain. Five years ago I had a little episode that was alarming and uncomfortable enough that I had an EKG. However, they said at the time it was " normal " and made me feel like an idiot for thinking something was wrong with me. So because I also have asthma, and they said nothing was wrong, I've assumed my symptoms must be related to my asthma. In March of this year I woke up in the early morning hours so dizzy that I was sick. Never had I had vertigo like that. In the 4 hours before I could get to the urgent care facility, I couldn't even sit up and had vomited several times. I thought I must just have a very serious ear infection, though shortly before we left for the urgent care facility, my vertigo eased a little and that's when I noticed that my heart was extremely fast and irregular. Of course, it wasn't an ear infection, it was A-fib. The doctor said the vertigo would have been caused by the A-fib -- not enough blood/oxygen getting to my brain. I was sent to the ER, underwent chemical conversion, put on cartizem and sent home. From the moment I got home, I wasn't myself. I was mentally not with it. I would stare off into space. I would stop speaking in mid sentence. My husband said he could see my mind screeching to a stop. I was confused and disoriented. It was three weeks before I could get into see a cardiologist. When I finally did see the cardiologist and explained my situation, he said I shouldn't be having that type of a reaction to the medication; I wasn't on that high of a dose and I should go off of it and see if things improved. I called two different doctors and a pharmacists to ask when I could expect the meds to be out of my system. 48 hours, they said. So I immediately stopped the cartizem (and have remained off). Yet I saw no improvement for about 2 weeks, and even then it was very gradual. Eventually my family felt comfortable with my driving my car again, and I could function out in society. I wasn't disoriented or confused anymore. Just slow, spacy and having difficulty remembering words. This has been very alarming because I have always been very quick, mentally. My husband used to always complain that no one could keep up with how quickly I process information. It has now been nearly six months and although I'm only having mild problems with a-fib, I find I am still having considerable memory problems. I can't think of words. I'll sit there for a good 5 minutes trying to recall a word. I still catch myself staring off into space. My mind often just seems blank. Mentally I feel very slow and not alert. Some days are better, some days are worse. Sometimes it varies within the day, from hour to hour. I was never like this before. My question is--- Is this typical? Are there many of you out there who also have memory/concentration problems? Is this a result of the a-fib? Of the medication? Of not getting enough oxygen to my brain back in March? Will it improve? Should I just accept that this is how I am now? Any information, insights or personal experiences would be most helpful. Feel free to email me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 29, 2003 Report Share Posted August 29, 2003 Hi Kauaikris (sorry, you didn't sign your name, so this is all I know to address you by), Wekcome to the group! I was first on cardizem for about 8 months. I realized after going off of it that it had caused severe joint pain in my hips which I just attributed to laying around a lot and not moving joints enough. But, the joint pain went away as soon as the cardizem was out of my system. I, too, have some memory lapses, which I had attributed to stress and not working now, so not keeping my mind as sharp. But, it could very well be from having taken cardizem last year or the other heart meds (I'm on tikosyn and toprol). Like you, I can not think of words or names that I want to say, but eventually it will come to me... might be the next day, even. Worth asking the Dr about, but I'm been off of cardizem for 9mo, so doubt EP would even begin to consider cardizem as the culprit. I do not have the staring into space reaction, but then again, I fall asleep mostly all the time when I sit down. Let us know if you find a Dr that will agree that the meds caused the problems. What meds are you on now for afib? How often do you have fib episodes? Cheryl (snip) put on cartizem and sent home. > > From the moment I got home, I wasn't myself. (snip) > So I immediately stopped the cartizem (and have remained off). Yet I > saw no improvement for about 2 weeks, and even then it was very > gradual. (snip) Just slow, spacy and having difficulty remembering > words. This has been very alarming because I have always been very > quick, mentally. My husband used to always complain that no one could > keep up with how quickly I process information. > It has now been nearly six months and although I'm only having mild > problems with a-fib, I find I am still having considerable memory > problems. I can't think of words. I'll sit there for a good 5 minutes > trying to recall a word. I still catch myself staring off into space. (snip)> > My question is--- Is this typical? Are there many of you out there > who also have memory/concentration problems? Is this a result of the > a-fib? Of the medication? Of not getting enough oxygen to my brain > back in March? (snip) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 29, 2003 Report Share Posted August 29, 2003 Thanks for the welcome. I am glad to have this as a resource. Because of how terrible I was feeling after my episode in March, and my fear that it was due to the meds, I went off all the meds at that time. The doctor told me many people have negative side effects and would rather cope with the occassional trips to the ER than deal with the daily side effects. So I have stayed off them. Since March I haven't had any other episodes that require chemical conversion; it's always converted on it's own, and the episodes are short lived (usually only a few hours). I'm hoping it stays that way, though my doctor told me to expect the episodes to eventually get more frequent and to last longer. I do have experiences where my heart is pounding so hard that my body will move or sway with the beat, and where you can just watch my shirt and see the heart beat. What would you call that, officially? Is that also just palpitations? I get that from time to time, but don't know what to call it. It has been suggested that my memory problems could be due to: A) getting old and senile( but I'm only 38...), hormones/menopause (again, I'm only 38) or C) stroke. I guess I'm going to have to demand the doctor give me some answers on it. But it's always such a long wait for an appointment and the cardiologists are just SO BUSY around here. Any other ideas/suggestions of things I should consider would be welcome. Thanks > > Wekcome to the group! > > I was first on cardizem for about 8 months. I realized after going > off of it that it had caused severe joint pain in my hips which I > just attributed to laying around a lot and not moving joints enough. > But, the joint pain went away as soon as the cardizem was out of my > system. > > I, too, have some memory lapses, which I had attributed to stress and > not working now, so not keeping my mind as sharp. But, it could very > well be from having taken cardizem last year or the other heart meds > (I'm on tikosyn and toprol). Like you, I can not think of words or > names that I want to say, but eventually it will come to me... might > be the next day, even. Worth asking the Dr about, but I'm been off of > cardizem for 9mo, so doubt EP would even begin to consider cardizem > as the culprit. > > I do not have the staring into space reaction, but then again, I fall > asleep mostly all the time when I sit down. > > Let us know if you find a Dr that will agree that the meds caused the > problems. What meds are you on now for afib? How often do you have > fib episodes? > > Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 29, 2003 Report Share Posted August 29, 2003 what does the chemical conversion feel like. I also get those hard heart beats every now and then and it feels like my head sways. As for the loss of short term memory I think its kinda funny (me not you). Lee Re: New member with questions Thanks for the welcome. I am glad to have this as a resource. Because of how terrible I was feeling after my episode in March, and my fear that it was due to the meds, I went off all the meds at that time. The doctor told me many people have negative side effects and would rather cope with the occassional trips to the ER than deal with the daily side effects. So I have stayed off them. Since March I haven't had any other episodes that require chemical conversion; it's always converted on it's own, and the episodes are short lived (usually only a few hours). I'm hoping it stays that way, though my doctor told me to expect the episodes to eventually get more frequent and to last longer. I do have experiences where my heart is pounding so hard that my body will move or sway with the beat, and where you can just watch my shirt and see the heart beat. What would you call that, officially? Is that also just palpitations? I get that from time to time, but don't know what to call it. It has been suggested that my memory problems could be due to: A) getting old and senile( but I'm only 38...), hormones/menopause (again, I'm only 38) or C) stroke. I guess I'm going to have to demand the doctor give me some answers on it. But it's always such a long wait for an appointment and the cardiologists are just SO BUSY around here. Any other ideas/suggestions of things I should consider would be welcome. Thanks > > Wekcome to the group! > > I was first on cardizem for about 8 months. I realized after going > off of it that it had caused severe joint pain in my hips which I > just attributed to laying around a lot and not moving joints enough. > But, the joint pain went away as soon as the cardizem was out of my > system. > > I, too, have some memory lapses, which I had attributed to stress and > not working now, so not keeping my mind as sharp. But, it could very > well be from having taken cardizem last year or the other heart meds > (I'm on tikosyn and toprol). Like you, I can not think of words or > names that I want to say, but eventually it will come to me... might > be the next day, even. Worth asking the Dr about, but I'm been off of > cardizem for 9mo, so doubt EP would even begin to consider cardizem > as the culprit. > > I do not have the staring into space reaction, but then again, I fall > asleep mostly all the time when I sit down. > > Let us know if you find a Dr that will agree that the meds caused the > problems. What meds are you on now for afib? How often do you have > fib episodes? > > Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2003 Report Share Posted August 30, 2003 In a message dated 8/29/2003 4:13:34 PM Central Daylight Time, kauaikris@... writes: > My question is--- Is this typical? Are there many of you out there > who also have memory/concentration problems? Is this a result of the > a-fib? Of the medication? Of not getting enough oxygen to my brain > back in March? Will it improve? Should I just accept that this is > how I am now? Any information, insights or personal experiences would > be most helpful. Feel free to email me. > This is new to me. I get distracted when I am in afib because I am thinking about it but nothing like you describe. I would keep after my Dr's and if they won't help find a new one. Maybe visit the Mayo Clinic or the Cleveland Clinic. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2003 Report Share Posted August 30, 2003 - Stroke is probably the biggest risk for us afibbers. That was what occurred to me when I read your first post to this group. Medications would be a good bet too, but not, it seems to me, if you've been off them for a long time. I know when I came home from the hospital after my initial diagnosis that I experienced some of the same mental problems you describe. For me, I'm persuaded it was the prednizone for what the docs assumed was some serious lung disease. Turned out I didn't have it and the medication was never needed. Please keep us posted as you work thru this. This group has given me and a lot of others support and information when needed. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2003 Report Share Posted August 30, 2003 > Hello. I am a 38 year old female, who was diagnosed with lone A- fib > > > > > From the moment I got home, I wasn't myself. I was mentally not with > it. I would stare off into space. I would stop speaking in mid > sentence. My husband said he could see my mind screeching to a stop. > I was confused and disoriented. It was three weeks before I could get > into see a cardiologist. When I finally did see the cardiologist and > explained my situation, he said I shouldn't be having that type of a > reaction to the medication; I wasn't on that high of a dose and I > should go off of it and see if things improved. I called two > different doctors and a pharmacists to ask when I could expect the > meds to be out of my system. 48 hours, they said. > > So I immediately stopped the cartizem (and have remained off). Yet I > saw no improvement for about 2 weeks, and even then it was very > gradual. Eventually my family felt comfortable with my driving my car > again, and I could function out in society. I wasn't disoriented or > confused anymore. Just slow, spacy and having difficulty remembering > words. This has been very alarming because I have always been very > quick, mentally. My husband used to always complain that no one could > keep up with how quickly I process information. > > It has now been nearly six months and although I'm only having mild > problems with a-fib, I find I am still having considerable memory > problems. I can't think of words. I'll sit there for a good 5 minutes > trying to recall a word. I still catch myself staring off into space. > My mind often just seems blank. Mentally I feel very slow and not > alert. Some days are better, some days are worse. Sometimes it varies > within the day, from hour to hour. I was never like this before. > > My question is--- Is this typical? Are there many of you out there > who also have memory/concentration problems? Is this a result of the > a-fib? Of the medication? Of not getting enough oxygen to my brain > back in March? Will it improve? Should I just accept that this is > how I am now? Any information, insights or personal experiences would > be most helpful. Feel free to email me. : I wrote all this before and for some reason the message didn't post. Here we go again. There is no half life of any drug that lasts months. Unfortunately the symptoms you describe sound central neurogenic. Understanding that the #1 problem encountered with afib patients would be stroke, then it is, unfortunately, something to be considered. The fact that you had episodes before (over a 5 year period) that went untreated would lead me to fear that at some time you may have formed a clot. I hate even to make such suggestions to you. I have had afib since 1996 and have had a frontal lobe stroke. Ihave all the symptoms you describe. Stopping in the middle of conversations and then saying " what were we talking about? " or " I forgot what the point was " or being in the middle of doing something and get distracted and not go back to it because you forgot what you were doing. Granted, people reading this post will say " Oh that happens to me once in a while " . The difference is that you know what kind of a change you have seen in yourself and age 38 is way to young for dementia. If you notice a drastic change, then you need to impress that on your doctor and ask for a CT brain scan, and if that is negative, get a brain MRI. My stroke didn't show up on CT, but did show up on MRI. Frontal lobe strokes don't necessarily present with weakness or paralysis or asymetry of facial muscles. I have none of those. Even my close friends and family at first said " Oh, don't jump to conclusions, I've had that happen " , but after a time they all recognized that it happens to me all the time. I know how it feels and only you can tell. It's like pink suddenly turning to red. Please let me know what your doctor said. God Bless, Pam P.S. It could be that I didn't actually answer your post before, and that I only thought the answer. It also could be that after writing about 300 words that I pushed cancel instead of post!!!Thats the kind of things I do. I don't often pray that I'm wrong, but I do now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2003 Report Share Posted August 30, 2003 You know you're getting old when you bend down to tie your shoe, and you not only have a difficult time getting back up, but you forget what you're doing down there! Actually, other than the usual 70 year ole lady stuff - I think I'm OK! Ellen (NSR on Dofetilide) ******************* (snip) Are there many of you out there who also have memory/concentration problems? (snip) ******************* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2003 Report Share Posted August 30, 2003 Thank you very much for your help and suggestions. I am going to ask to have a CT scan and an MRI. I am just so much different from what I " used to be " . Maybe it's some brain chemistry imbalance. Or maybe it's some other minor thing. But it started with a vengence immediately after the ER visit and has continued six months, so I'm going to go with your advice and have them check for stroke. I will write a follow up after I've learned anything. I appreciate the help --- In AFIBsupport , " pammie416 " <pammie416@h...> > : I wrote all this before and for some reason the > message didn't post. Here we go again. There is no half life of any > drug that lasts months. Unfortunately the symptoms you describe > sound central neurogenic. Understanding that the #1 problem > encountered with afib patients would be stroke, then it is, > unfortunately, something to be considered. The fact that you had > episodes before (over a 5 year period) that went untreated would lead > me to fear that at some time you may have formed a clot. I hate even > to make such suggestions to you. > > I have had afib since 1996 and have had a frontal lobe stroke. Ihave > all the symptoms you describe. Stopping in the middle of > conversations and then saying " what were we talking about? " or " I > forgot what the point was " or being in the middle of doing something > and get distracted and not go back to it because you forgot what you > were doing. Granted, people reading this post will say " Oh that > happens to me once in a while " . The difference is that you know > what kind of a change you have seen in yourself and age 38 is way to > young for dementia. If you notice a drastic change, then you need to > impress that on your doctor and ask for a CT brain scan, and if that > is negative, get a brain MRI. My stroke didn't show up on CT, but > did show up on MRI. > > Frontal lobe strokes don't necessarily present with weakness or > paralysis or asymetry of facial muscles. I have none of those. Even > my close friends and family at first said " Oh, don't jump to > conclusions, I've had that happen " , but after a time they all > recognized that it happens to me all the time. I know how it feels > and only you can tell. It's like pink suddenly turning to red. > > Please let me know what your doctor said. > God Bless, > Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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