Guest guest Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 Mandy of CA, hi. Sorry to hear you're still afibbing, but glad you're taking your coumadin and that you have no pain, no weakness, no shortness of breath. My longest episode was 16 hours. I got nervous when I hadn't converted after 12 hours, which I had normally done in the past. Finally, in a state of high anxiety, I asked my husband to drive me to the ER. I converted on the way. Over the years, I became much more comfortable about staying home and waiting out the episodes, though as I say, 16 hours was my max. I think there are some on the board who have afibbed for days or even weeks and not gone to the ER. Maybe by the time you read this, you will have converted. I hope so! Sandy mandyofca@... writes: > > A question for the board: > > " How long does one wait during a fib attack, before going to the ER? > I am on coumadin, and this attack has been 12 hours and still going. > I have no pain, no weakness, no discomfort to speak off, just an > uneven pulse. My longest time in fib has been 11 hours and then I > self converted. Lately they have been coming closer together, and > this is the longest time in fib. My cardio has assured me that there > is no danger, as long as I take the coumadin. Just wondering how long > do some of you on the board wait? Or do you just wait it out no > matter how long it takes? > MandyofCA > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 A question for the board: " How long does one wait during a fib attack, before going to the ER? I am on coumadin, and this attack has been 12 hours and still going. I have no pain, no weakness, no discomfort to speak off, just an uneven pulse. My longest time in fib has been 11 hours and then I self converted. Lately they have been coming closer together, and this is the longest time in fib. My cardio has assured me that there is no danger, as long as I take the coumadin. Just wondering how long do some of you on the board wait? Or do you just wait it out no matter how long it takes? MandyofCA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 A question for the board: " How long does one wait during a fib attack, before going to the ER? I am on coumadin, and this attack has been 12 hours and still going. I have no pain, no weakness, no discomfort to speak off, just an uneven pulse. My longest time in fib has been 11 hours and then I self converted. Lately they have been coming closer together, and this is the longest time in fib. My cardio has assured me that there is no danger, as long as I take the coumadin. Just wondering how long do some of you on the board wait? Or do you just wait it out no matter how long it takes? MandyofCA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 > A question for the board: > > " How long does one wait during a fib attack, before going to the ER? .... Mandy, Cross fingers, I have never gone to the ER, although I would if I were fainting or somesuch. My doc says to call his office and come in for an EKG and a chat if I have been in afib for several hours. If the episode starts at night, I can wait until morning, he says. On the weekends, I am to talk to the doctor on call. I always feel better after having talked to my doc, it is reassuring. At least I did with my old doc, I have yet to do this with the new one. Thank God, my max episode has been 12 hours, although I have slid in and out for longer periods of time. My old doc said she would probably not cardiovert me because she thought I would always go back into sinus by myself, but that she would put me on coumadin. My new doc says coumadin is not appropriate for me and if I'm in afib long enough he will want to get me out of it. I have always suspected that an ER must be such an uncomfortable madhouse that I would be better off at home. My neighbor went to a good ER once with huge pain from a kidney stone and they didn't even have time to see her all night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2004 Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 > A question for the board: > > " How long does one wait during a fib attack, before going to the ER? > I am on coumadin, and this attack has been 12 hours and still going. > I have no pain, no weakness, no discomfort to speak off, just an > uneven pulse. My longest time in fib has been 11 hours and then I > self converted. Lately they have been coming closer together, and > this is the longest time in fib. My cardio has assured me that there > is no danger, as long as I take the coumadin. Just wondering how long > do some of you on the board wait? Or do you just wait it out no > matter how long it takes? > MandyofCA ********* I know how scary this can be. I've been battling afib for almost three years. In the beginning, I would keep a bag packed and in my car at all times, just in case. With stuff I had to have with me, in case I had to go to the ER and be admitted. A good book, new underwear, my own shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, a robe, etc.I would have added my own pillows to my bag, if there had been room! It was just easier for me to know that I had instant access to my stuff than to have to have my poor husband try to go through my bureau drawers, trying to figure out, which underwear? Where is this robe she's talking about, which book? But you know, in all this time, I've only had to go to the ER twice, and was only admitted once, on Christmas Day 2 years ago. I have had afib episodes that have lasted way longer than twelve hours. I have been on coumadin since the day I was diagnosed. If you are comfortable during this afib episode, you don't have to go to the ER at all. If you are on coumadin, you are pretty much covered, as far as stroke risk is concerned. Of course, I'm not a doctor. But your doctor is telling you what my doctor told me. Stay home, try to relax, rent a movie. Much better than going to the ER. Do you go to work? I go to work everyday, takes my mind off my afib. I go to work in or out of afib, see my friends and family, go on vacation, to Hawaii, to the Caribbean, to Maine, to Vermont, etc. I hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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