Guest guest Posted February 1, 2004 Report Share Posted February 1, 2004 Dear BB, I am a 52 year old female. I was recently diagnosed with AF. I was on Cordarone and Aspirin. I didn't want to take Cordarone and it is a toxic drug. I have a new Cardio and Electrophysiologist and they now have me on Cardizem LA and Coumadin. Ialso take Synthroid for hypothyroidism and Lotrel for high blood pressure and pravachol for cholesterol. I guess I am a mess. I still have my irregular heart beats. I don;t how long it take for the Cardizem to kick in. I guess you are right that now much has changed since you were diagnosed. Why aren't you able to do anything physical? Is this because is sets the AF off or you choose not to waken the " giant " if not needed? Michele Chronic AF Its some time since I looked at the group and note its still going as strong as ever. I am now 55(male) diagnosed with AF back in 1999. It seems a bit worrying that so many of the posts here now are so very similar to those of 4/5 yrs ago, has nothing really changed? My own symptoms are pretty well much as they were when I was first diagnosed, ie Just cannot do anything at all physical. For the record my first Cardio put me on to Amiodarone/Warfarin, and within about 2 weeks, I woke up one morning to find that I was like a 30 year old, I could work all day without fatigue etc etc, amazing. That lasted for about a year, but symptoms gradually came back. New cardio didn`t like Amiodarone anyway and I was immediately taken off it and given Digoxin along with the warfarine. No other checks were done and next appointment with Cardio scheduled for 6 months........3 months later and 15 kilos lighter/shaking/unable to get out of a chair I was diagnosed as being Hypothyroid. More pills to bring that under control, which of course does not help the AF at all, so after a couple of emergency visits to the Hospital, where I was put onto Sotalol, I had gone backwards in curing this cursed problem... After two years of sotalol which seems to be ineffective in stopping the AF ( at least when I try to do anything physical, the latest suggestion from the Cardio is a Pacemaker and AV ablation. I am in the UK and wonder how many have been offered this treatment and if it has been successfull in taking you back to a normal life or is it `dogged` with problems and not worth considering?? I would love to hear from anyone good or bad Backup web page - http://afibsupport.proboards23.com 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...
Guest guest Posted February 1, 2004 Report Share Posted February 1, 2004 My research indicates that AV ablation with pacemaker insertion is 'the procedure of last resort' practiced by old school cardios. The more recent procedure is pulmonary vein ablation which (supposedly) has a cure rate 0f 85 to 95 per cent. Check it out and read the numerous posts about PV ablation on this board prior to making a decision. On the down side you may medically require the pacemaker and AV ablation. Chronic AF Its some time since I looked at the group and note its still going as strong as ever. I am now 55(male) diagnosed with AF back in 1999. It seems a bit worrying that so many of the posts here now are so very similar to those of 4/5 yrs ago, has nothing really changed? My own symptoms are pretty well much as they were when I was first diagnosed, ie Just cannot do anything at all physical. For the record my first Cardio put me on to Amiodarone/Warfarin, and within about 2 weeks, I woke up one morning to find that I was like a 30 year old, I could work all day without fatigue etc etc, amazing. That lasted for about a year, but symptoms gradually came back. New cardio didn`t like Amiodarone anyway and I was immediately taken off it and given Digoxin along with the warfarine. No other checks were done and next appointment with Cardio scheduled for 6 months........3 months later and 15 kilos lighter/shaking/unable to get out of a chair I was diagnosed as being Hypothyroid. More pills to bring that under control, which of course does not help the AF at all, so after a couple of emergency visits to the Hospital, where I was put onto Sotalol, I had gone backwards in curing this cursed problem... After two years of sotalol which seems to be ineffective in stopping the AF ( at least when I try to do anything physical, the latest suggestion from the Cardio is a Pacemaker and AV ablation. I am in the UK and wonder how many have been offered this treatment and if it has been successfull in taking you back to a normal life or is it `dogged` with problems and not worth considering?? I would love to hear from anyone good or bad Backup web page - http://afibsupport.proboards23.com 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...
Guest guest Posted February 3, 2004 Report Share Posted February 3, 2004 Hi Excersise or anything at all physical just leaves me breathless and amazingly tired. I`m now not sure if this is being totally out of condition or the effect of the AF. All I know is that exertion of almost any kind gives me a feeling of extreme tiredness and my legs or almost any muscle feels heavy, even showering or cleaning my teeth can leave my arms very tired, if I persist with any thing pysical I can end up asleep!! Not very good me thinks > Dear BB, > > I am a 52 year old female. I was recently diagnosed with AF. I was on Cordarone and Aspirin. I didn't want to take Cordarone and it is a toxic drug. I have a new Cardio and Electrophysiologist and they now have me on Cardizem LA and Coumadin. Ialso take Synthroid for hypothyroidism and Lotrel for high blood pressure and pravachol for cholesterol. I guess I am a mess. I still have my irregular heart beats. I don;t how long it take for the Cardizem to kick in. I guess you are right that now much has changed since you were diagnosed. Why aren't you able to do anything physical? Is this because is sets the AF off or you choose not to waken the " giant " if not needed? > Michele > Chronic AF > > > Its some time since I looked at the group and note its still going as > strong as ever. > I am now 55(male) diagnosed with AF back in 1999. > It seems a bit worrying that so many of the posts here now are so > very similar to those of 4/5 yrs ago, has nothing really changed? > My own symptoms are pretty well much as they were when I was first > diagnosed, ie Just cannot do anything at all physical. > > For the record my first Cardio put me on to Amiodarone/Warfarin, and > within about 2 weeks, I woke up one morning to find that I was like a > 30 year old, I could work all day without fatigue etc etc, amazing. > > That lasted for about a year, but symptoms gradually came back. > > New cardio didn`t like Amiodarone anyway and I was immediately taken > off it and given Digoxin along with the warfarine. > No other checks were done and next appointment with Cardio scheduled > for 6 months........3 months later and 15 kilos > lighter/shaking/unable to get out of a chair I was diagnosed as being > Hypothyroid. > > More pills to bring that under control, which of course does not help > the AF at all, so after a couple of emergency visits to the Hospital, > where I was put onto Sotalol, I had gone backwards in curing this > cursed problem... > After two years of sotalol which seems to be ineffective in stopping > the AF ( at least when I try to do anything physical, the latest > suggestion from the Cardio is a Pacemaker and AV ablation. > > I am in the UK and wonder how many have been offered this treatment > and if it has been successfull in taking you back to a normal life or > is it `dogged` with problems and not worth considering?? > I would love to hear from anyone good or bad > > > > Backup web page - http://afibsupport.proboards23.com > 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...
Guest guest Posted February 3, 2004 Report Share Posted February 3, 2004 > Hi > Excersise or anything at all physical just leaves me breathless > and amazingly tired. .> > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 5, 2004 Report Share Posted February 5, 2004 As I recall from other posts here, Amiodarone can have a negative impact on the thyroid. Also, it's a rhythm control med, not rate control. Since the title of your post is chronic AF, I assume that's what you have. If you haven't tried something for rate control other than digoxin, I'd consider giving that a try. While I was in chronic af -- since relieved by an electro cardioversion -- I was given cardizem 360 mgs. for rate control. That kept my heart rate down, and even with the continuing afib I was able to go on with most activities I had done before the afib. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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