Guest guest Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Hi: Since I last posted I have had cardiolite stress test, echo, thyroid levels and worn a 24 hour Holter. According to cardiologist the first 3 were WNL as was the Holter ok for rate. We have chosen to do nothing for now - I have been in persistent a-fib since Sept. 30,2003. I feel as well as I always did which, aside from long standing fibromyalgia, is good. Question: any feedback from anyone in similar situation and their success in doing nothing. Am on Coumidin and will see cardiologiat mid. January. Sally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Sally - Suspect I said this earlier, but I was in persistent afib from early March to early August this year. Once the rate was controlled I felt okay and strongly considered doing nothing. But being aware that going too long before doing a cardioversion increasingly insured that I would be in afib forever, I decided to give electrical cardioversion a try. Glad I did. The procedure was absolutely painless and the first try worked. Within a few hours -- sitting in the sun at home -- I became very aware that I felt much better. So yes, doing nothing is certainly an option and not a bad one at that. Suggest you weigh the benefits against the costs and go from there. For me, cardioversion has little if any risk and the possibility of substantial reward. Rhythm control drugs on the other hand, seem to have a lot of side effects and I'd have to think long and hard before going that route. Good luck to you. ED Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Hi Sally: As I've posted previously, I've been 24/7 AF since April of this year. I take Verapamil for rate control & coumadin. I'm considered A-Symptomatic (no symptoms) by my cardiologist, although I have some days that are better than others. I am not limited in any way, either by my Dr. or myself. I think you'll find many AF 'ers like myself. My Card. tells me to treat it like a " nuisance " , since it's not life threatening. However, I prefer to be more pro-active & have a PVA scheduled in March.( had an EC that lasted 6 days, but would highly recommend one - it works for many people, and is very safe) Everyone approaches this differently, I suppose, based on your general health, age, ect. I'm 57 & in otherwise good health, very active, & I would prefer to be free of A/F, coumadin, ect. for the next 20 years or so that the Good Lord has in store for me. I have also read that 24/7 AF can cause permanent structural & electrical changes with your heart, which is another motivation for the PVA for me. (I've had an Angiogram 5 years ago, so the PVA procedure doesn't frighten me.) If you're not aware, people live to ripe old ages with AF, & many people go through their whole lives without treatment or ever knowing they had AF. All that said, I think it's a decision that only you can make, and the good news is it's not like there is some deadline to make a decision. Take your time & see how your doing with it. Sounds like it's not much of a problem for you. )I went back & forth & finally decided a PVA was right for me.) GOOD LUCK TO YOU ! Thor Update & answer seeking Hi: Since I last posted I have had cardiolite stress test, echo, thyroid levels and worn a 24 hour Holter. According to cardiologist the first 3 were WNL as was the Holter ok for rate. We have chosen to do nothing for now - I have been in persistent a-fib since Sept. 30,2003. I feel as well as I always did which, aside from long standing fibromyalgia, is good. Question: any feedback from anyone in similar situation and their success in doing nothing. Am on Coumidin and will see cardiologiat mid. January. Sally Web Page - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport FAQ - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/files/Administrative/faq.htm For more information: http://www.dialsolutions.com/af Unsubscribe: AFIBsupport-unsubscribe List owner: AFIBsupport-owner For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email, send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should be acted upon without consultation with one's physician. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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