Re: Dr. R Leachman and the Leachman Clinic

[Guest guest]

> > ...When I went back to my old doctor, I had requested a

> > physical so I could start a weight lost program. I...> During my

> first visit with Dr. Leachman, he said that I had AFIB and

> > it appeared to be chronic, as both EKG's within a week of each

> other

> > showed the same thing. I underwent a EchoCardiogram and Cardio

> > Catherization and these both came back clean. But I am still in

> > AFIB. I have been on Toprol and Sorin and these have not helped.

> >

> > Dr. Leachman now is recommending the cardio inversion and if

> > necessary the abation.

> >

>

>

> I didn't find an entry for Dr. Leachman in the Database section of

> our web site, but there is one for a Dr. Cheng at the same place

> which is favorable.

>

> Toprol is a beta blocker. I couldn't find Sorin info any place, so

I

> don't know what that is. Those are only two meds, though. I would

> think more would be tried before an ablation, unless there is

> something else in your physical condition that makes an ablation

> preferable.

thanks for the reply. I know it has been a while since I posted, and

I had two cardioinversions,neither one took. I am still in AFIB, but

they put me back on Toprol, but with a larger dose. The Sorin, I

think it is also Sobatrol (spelling these names is tough) was really

getting to me with depression and a total loss of energy. The

Cardiologist that did the inversions said that since I seem to be

permenantly in AFIB, that they may try going to a medicene that will

require me to spend a couple of days in the Hospital while they get

the med level stabilzed. He did not say what drug that was, but he

did mention that it might affect the liver. Does any one know what

drug this might be and how well it works?

[Guest guest]

> > ...When I went back to my old doctor, I had requested a

> > physical so I could start a weight lost program. I...> During my

> first visit with Dr. Leachman, he said that I had AFIB and

> > it appeared to be chronic, as both EKG's within a week of each

> other

> > showed the same thing. I underwent a EchoCardiogram and Cardio

> > Catherization and these both came back clean. But I am still in

> > AFIB. I have been on Toprol and Sorin and these have not helped.

> >

> > Dr. Leachman now is recommending the cardio inversion and if

> > necessary the abation.

> >

>

>

> I didn't find an entry for Dr. Leachman in the Database section of

> our web site, but there is one for a Dr. Cheng at the same place

> which is favorable.

>

> Toprol is a beta blocker. I couldn't find Sorin info any place, so

I

> don't know what that is. Those are only two meds, though. I would

> think more would be tried before an ablation, unless there is

> something else in your physical condition that makes an ablation

> preferable.

thanks for the reply. I know it has been a while since I posted, and

I had two cardioinversions,neither one took. I am still in AFIB, but

they put me back on Toprol, but with a larger dose. The Sorin, I

think it is also Sobatrol (spelling these names is tough) was really

getting to me with depression and a total loss of energy. The

Cardiologist that did the inversions said that since I seem to be

permenantly in AFIB, that they may try going to a medicene that will

require me to spend a couple of days in the Hospital while they get

the med level stabilzed. He did not say what drug that was, but he

did mention that it might affect the liver. Does any one know what

drug this might be and how well it works?

[Guest guest]

>... The

> Cardiologist that did the inversions said that since I seem to be

> permenantly in AFIB, that they may try going to a medicene that

will

> require me to spend a couple of days in the Hospital while they get

> the med level stabilzed. He did not say what drug that was, but he

> did mention that it might affect the liver. Does any one know what

> drug this might be and how well it works?

Hi,

Inversions (cardioversions) may work to put someone back in normal

sinus rhythm, but most of the time people go back into afib fairly

soon.

Antiarrhythmic medications may require a hospital stay to start,

because they watch your ekg for awhile, to be sure the med is

reasonably safe for you. These meds can cause changes in the ekg, so

the initial monitoring is a good way to nip any problem in the bud.

My understanding is that if that goes well, the med will be pretty

much safe for you, with ongiong monitoring outside the hospital.

However, I am worried about your mention of the liver. That makes me

think they may be considering Amiodarone (pacerone) as it is the only

one I know of that can cause liver damage. Amiodarone is an older

med that has helped some people here, but it can have terrible side

effects - blindness, liver damage, thyroid damage, fatal lung damage,

etc. And it builds up in the body, so once it is discontinued it

continues to have an effect for six months or more.

If they are thinking of amiodarone, my advice as a layperson would

be to ask them to try something else instead, such as dofetilide.

Here is a writeup on amiodarone: " Uniquely effective, but uniquely

toxic " http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/arrhythmias/a/amiodarone.htm

[Guest guest]

>... The

> Cardiologist that did the inversions said that since I seem to be

> permenantly in AFIB, that they may try going to a medicene that

will

> require me to spend a couple of days in the Hospital while they get

> the med level stabilzed. He did not say what drug that was, but he

> did mention that it might affect the liver. Does any one know what

> drug this might be and how well it works?

Hi,

Inversions (cardioversions) may work to put someone back in normal

sinus rhythm, but most of the time people go back into afib fairly

soon.

Antiarrhythmic medications may require a hospital stay to start,

because they watch your ekg for awhile, to be sure the med is

reasonably safe for you. These meds can cause changes in the ekg, so

the initial monitoring is a good way to nip any problem in the bud.

My understanding is that if that goes well, the med will be pretty

much safe for you, with ongiong monitoring outside the hospital.

However, I am worried about your mention of the liver. That makes me

think they may be considering Amiodarone (pacerone) as it is the only

one I know of that can cause liver damage. Amiodarone is an older

med that has helped some people here, but it can have terrible side

effects - blindness, liver damage, thyroid damage, fatal lung damage,

etc. And it builds up in the body, so once it is discontinued it

continues to have an effect for six months or more.

If they are thinking of amiodarone, my advice as a layperson would

be to ask them to try something else instead, such as dofetilide.

Here is a writeup on amiodarone: " Uniquely effective, but uniquely

toxic " http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/arrhythmias/a/amiodarone.htm

[Guest guest]

>... The

> Cardiologist that did the inversions said that since I seem to be

> permenantly in AFIB, that they may try going to a medicene that

will

> require me to spend a couple of days in the Hospital while they get

> the med level stabilzed. He did not say what drug that was, but he

> did mention that it might affect the liver. Does any one know what

> drug this might be and how well it works?

Hi,

Inversions (cardioversions) may work to put someone back in normal

sinus rhythm, but most of the time people go back into afib fairly

soon.

Antiarrhythmic medications may require a hospital stay to start,

because they watch your ekg for awhile, to be sure the med is

reasonably safe for you. These meds can cause changes in the ekg, so

the initial monitoring is a good way to nip any problem in the bud.

My understanding is that if that goes well, the med will be pretty

much safe for you, with ongiong monitoring outside the hospital.

However, I am worried about your mention of the liver. That makes me

think they may be considering Amiodarone (pacerone) as it is the only

one I know of that can cause liver damage. Amiodarone is an older

med that has helped some people here, but it can have terrible side

effects - blindness, liver damage, thyroid damage, fatal lung damage,

etc. And it builds up in the body, so once it is discontinued it

continues to have an effect for six months or more.

If they are thinking of amiodarone, my advice as a layperson would

be to ask them to try something else instead, such as dofetilide.

Here is a writeup on amiodarone: " Uniquely effective, but uniquely

toxic " http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/arrhythmias/a/amiodarone.htm