New Member(s) with questions

Posted May 31, 2004 · May 31, 2004

Hi all,

I'll make this shorter than my last email. My dh is in AF since

December, not on coumadin (2 major bleeds in January) and waiting (3

months so far) for an appointment to be scheduled to see an EP in

Ottawa. He was wondering if it's " normal " to have good days and bad

days (extreme fatigue). He's on a beta-blocker (we know that causes

fatigue), calcium channel blocker, and ACE inhibitor. Another question,

he no longer is seeing a Dr. other than his GP. How often should ECG's

be done or should they?

Lynda ( over shoulder)

Posted May 31, 2004 · May 31, 2004

Link wrote:

>

> Has anyone tried to convert your husband to normal sinus rhythm?

Yes, this is the third episode. The previous were 18 months before, and

9 months prior to that. The first cardioverted spontaneously after his

potassium was upped to normal range by IV. The second time he was again

low in potassium but had to be cardioverted for him to return to NSR.

He's had problems in the past with low potassium. Here they consider

3.5 " OK " , but I see in my research that 4 is considered a more " normal "

range for AF ... hmmm... what term will I use... sufferers(??) This

time he was cardioverted but it only lasted 2 days. He had been put on

amiodarone and they gave it to him IV with his admission after the AF

returned and he had an anaphylactic reaction to that..... for which I

was grateful, because he'd been on that at home and he could have

reacted that way later on. <picturing my rushing to find his bee sting

kit and using that>

>

> The good days/bad days thing is common, especially when one is in

> chronic A-Fib.

OK, thanks. We've monitored times and moods and nothing shows a trend.

He can wake up beat, and sometimes he just gets that way as the day

progresses, unrelated to drug times.

>

> I can always tell when my exercise routine has broken A-Fib because I

> suddenly feel stronger. This is a relative sensation. I might feel

> strong enough to leg press 1,000 pounds 80 times in A-Fib, but when I

> pop out of it, I can do 20 more reps the next set. Or if I'm on a

> treadmill, I can increase the incline several degrees and up the speed

> half a mile per hour and it feels easier than before.

Currently, he's exercise intolerant, but trying to walk 10 minutes a

day. Prior to December he was doing 45 minutes of cardio on the

elliptical machine 5 times a week, with strength training on various

weight machines. The idea of doing a tread mill or any weight lifting

or pressing is only a future dream. He's 57, btw and because of this

has decided to take early retirement, finding 6 hours of work too much

some days (not a labouring job).

>

> Finally, there is a mental component. When you heart is off, it changes

> one's perspective, no matter how " rational " you try to be about it. I

> always tell myself that if I must have an arrhythmia, Atrial Fib is the

> one to have. All the others are much more serious. It helps to think

> this way, sort of, anyway.

We have a friend who has a ventricular irregularity and is much younger.

He's on amiodarone but doing well, so we are grateful for this " minor "

problem. Unfortunately, this means dh is also low on the priority list

to see the EP, although two here in our town have offered their upcoming

follow-up appointments with this Dr. :-)

Thanks for your response, . It's good to know (even though this

is such a common arrhythmia - our Dr. says epidemic levels in the world)

we can learn what's " normal " while still being stuck in abnormal.

Lynda < over shoulder>

Posted May 31, 2004 · May 31, 2004