How long can I go on like this?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/22/2006 2:15:49 PM Eastern Standard Time,

creativecopy@... writes:

Are there others out there who have acclimated themselves

to living with A-Fib, without resorting to drastic measures that

either don't work or are still in the semi-testing stage?

, I think the answer to your question is yes. There are many who live a

normal life in AF 24/7. Like you, they deal with it as best they can, and

move on with their lives. At any time you have the option to do something about

it. Such as an ablation or mini maze or full maze.

Until that point is reached, move on. Get ready for the baseball season.

Batter up!!!

Rich O

[Guest guest]

I've been in constant A-Fib for about one year. I have constant

thumping, skipped-beats I can feel in the chest, and every time I

take my pulse with a monitor that can detect irregular beats it

almost always tells me that my heart is beating irregularly. Also,

every time I have an EKG it says I'm in A-Fib. My question is how

long can I go on like this? I take, warfirin, Toprol XL, and for the

past week I've been taking Tambocar 200 mg a day, which I have taken

in the past without effect. My blood pressure is usually 95/60 and

sometimes 75/50 which seems pretty low and my resting pulse is

around 80 and sometimes goes below 60. I don't want to do an electro-

cardio conversation, because from what I have read it only has

limited success that doesn't last very long. Plus, I'm chicken.

Don't like the thought of having my heart zapped and I hanve an

adversion about being put to sleep. I also don't want to do any of

the surgeries, which seem to work for some but not for others. Too

much of a gamble, and this is coming from a former high-stakes

gambler. Are there others out there who have acclimated themselves

to living with A-Fib, without resorting to drastic measures that

either don't work or are still in the semi-testing stage?

[Guest guest]

, as a gambler I am surprised by you indecisiveness, I would expect you

to think that life is one big gamble.

Really you only have two choices get busy living or get busy living with AF,

The choice is yours.

I would like to know where you have seen the drastic stages that don't work

please enlighten us all.

C Uk

I've been in constant A-Fib for about one year. I have constant

thumping, skipped-beats I can feel in the chest, and every time I

take my pulse with a monitor that can detect irregular beats it

almost always tells me that my heart is beating irregularly. Also,

every time I have an EKG it says I'm in A-Fib. My question is how

long can I go on like this? I take, warfirin, Toprol XL, and for the

past week I've been taking Tambocar 200 mg a day, which I have taken

in the past without effect. My blood pressure is usually 95/60 and

sometimes 75/50 which seems pretty low and my resting pulse is

around 80 and sometimes goes below 60. I don't want to do an electro-

cardio conversation, because from what I have read it only has

limited success that doesn't last very long. Plus, I'm chicken.

Don't like the thought of having my heart zapped and I hanve an

adversion about being put to sleep. I also don't want to do any of

the surgeries, which seem to work for some but not for others. Too

much of a gamble, and this is coming from a former high-stakes

gambler. Are there others out there who have acclimated themselves

to living with A-Fib, without resorting to drastic measures that

either don't work or are still in the semi-testing stage?

Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.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.

[Guest guest]

Hi, .

I was so much like you. I found out that you can probably go your whole life

in afib - check out the AFFIRM study (Google it). My blood pressure also

goes ridiculously low, but they told me if it doesn't bother me, it's fine.

And, I used to be terrified of being put to sleep (what if I don't wake up,

right?), but the electrocardioversion can work (although it may not last)

and you're only out for about 15 minutes. They do it so often, that they

pretty much have it down pat.

Hope this helps.

How long can I go on like this?

I've been in constant A-Fib for about one year. I have constant

thumping, skipped-beats I can feel in the chest, and every time I

take my pulse with a monitor that can detect irregular beats it

almost always tells me that my heart is beating irregularly. Also,

every time I have an EKG it says I'm in A-Fib. My question is how

long can I go on like this? I take, warfirin, Toprol XL, and for the

past week I've been taking Tambocar 200 mg a day, which I have taken

in the past without effect. My blood pressure is usually 95/60 and

sometimes 75/50 which seems pretty low and my resting pulse is

around 80 and sometimes goes below 60. I don't want to do an electro-

cardio conversation, because from what I have read it only has

limited success that doesn't last very long. Plus, I'm chicken.

Don't like the thought of having my heart zapped and I hanve an

adversion about being put to sleep. I also don't want to do any of

the surgeries, which seem to work for some but not for others. Too

much of a gamble, and this is coming from a former high-stakes

gambler. Are there others out there who have acclimated themselves

to living with A-Fib, without resorting to drastic measures that

either don't work or are still in the semi-testing stage?

Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.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.

[Guest guest]

I can't answer for anyone else, but I am soooo ready for the baseball season!!

This is the year the Cubs finally make it to the World Series...ok maybe there

is better odds of a cure for all a-fibbers comes than a Cubs World Series, but a

Cubs fan can be filled with optimism for now.

- Rob

celtic8586@... wrote:

Get ready for the baseball season.

Batter up!!!

Rich O

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I can tell you the electro-cardioversion sedation is nothing like what they do

for a surgery. It's a very light form, and supposedly far fewer risks.

Coming out of it feels like waking up from a nap, rather than the nastiness

of coming out of general anesthesia.

As for " how long " , when I was first doing my research after developing a-fib,

I ran across a website by a guy who's been in constant a-fib for over 10

years. He also didn't trust any of the procedures, and has learned about how

to manage the condition on his own.

I went looking for that site again for you, but haven't been able to find it

so far.

Good luck,

[Guest guest]

I also don't want to do any of

> the surgeries, which seem to work for some but not for others. Too

> much of a gamble, and this is coming from a former high-stakes

> gambler.

, I'm no gambler, but I understand 95% odds in my favor is a

great bet. I didn't know how good the odds were when I had my

maze procedure in 1998, but found out later. This is the cure rate

given by most all the earlier maze surgeons and I believe they are

very close to being correct.

When you start looking for a quicker fix for AF, and do the

ablations, mini mazes, and a few others, you odds drop drastically

for a complete cure.

You can find people who have been cured by all the non-pharmaceutical

procedures going, but the maze III is the gold standard that they

all try to duplicate. The gold standard Maze procedure is still

available by surgeons that has been doing it for several years.

Some of them have added a less invasive approach, but they still do

the original maze also.

Many of these less invasive procedures carry as many or more serious

side effect possibilities than does the open heart maze procedure.

Very few people have serious side effects from the OH maze. It is

a little longer recovery, but a great trade off.

The maze I had is the open heart maze III procedure, but for me it

was a very easy, and quick recovery surgery. Most of all I have

been AF free, and medication free for 7 1/2 years. That was worth

the time getting the maze, a dozen times over.

You can probably live with AF for a long time, but AF is known to be

a progressive ailment, and it will only get worse with the years.

I medicated for AF of about 25 years before I had the maze, and the

medication took a big toll on my health in side effects.

The best thing you can do is investigate all you options in

depth and learn all you can about the different procedures. The

better informed you can make yourself, the better chance you will

have in making a good decision on which route you should take.

Whatever route you take, I wish you the best. Jack

[Guest guest]

>,

The group may correct me if I am wrong,but, I believe that the

electro-cardio conversation is not something that " last " . It is a

proceedure that just puts the heart back into NSR. I have had 5 of

them without any ill affects.

Earl

> I've been in constant A-Fib for about one year. I have constant

> thumping, skipped-beats I can feel in the chest, and every time I

> take my pulse with a monitor that can detect irregular beats it

> almost always tells me that my heart is beating irregularly. Also,

> every time I have an EKG it says I'm in A-Fib. My question is how

> long can I go on like this? I take, warfirin, Toprol XL, and for

the

> past week I've been taking Tambocar 200 mg a day, which I have

taken

> in the past without effect. My blood pressure is usually 95/60 and

> sometimes 75/50 which seems pretty low and my resting pulse is

> around 80 and sometimes goes below 60. I don't want to do an

electro-

> cardio conversation, because from what I have read it only has

> limited success that doesn't last very long. Plus, I'm chicken.

> Don't like the thought of having my heart zapped and I hanve an

> adversion about being put to sleep. I also don't want to do any of

> the surgeries, which seem to work for some but not for others. Too

> much of a gamble, and this is coming from a former high-stakes

> gambler. Are there others out there who have acclimated themselves

> to living with A-Fib, without resorting to drastic measures that

> either don't work or are still in the semi-testing stage?

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

As others on this board will attest, you can go for decades in

afib, but this isn't a viable option for many people on this board.

I have been in constant afib for 3 months now, after slipping in and

out of it for two years before that.

I'm fortunate, in that rate control drugs are currently working

fine for me. I take a beta-blocker and a calcium channel blocker,

and the requisite warfarin. My heart rate generally runs 65-80 bpm.

I am able to fitness walk for an hour and a half each morning,

then I follow that with 45 minutes of fairly intense weight lifting

with heavy free weights. I also work in a warehouse, tossing 65-

pound cases of paper around for most of the day.

I'm not in the peak physical shape I was in 5 or 10 years ago, but

I think I'm far and above the average 54 year old. And I have

constant afib. Would you find this acceptable? I do, at least for

now.

There may come a time that rate control no longer works for me,

and I'll have to look into more drastic measures to deal with the

afib. Then again, maybe I'll never have to worry about the afib

advancing. At any rate, I accept where I am now and don't work

myself into a lather worrying about what might be.

Mike from Minnesota

>

> I've been in constant A-Fib for about one year. I have constant

> thumping, skipped-beats I can feel in the chest, and every time I

> take my pulse with a monitor that can detect irregular beats it

> almost always tells me that my heart is beating irregularly. Also,

> every time I have an EKG it says I'm in A-Fib. My question is how

> long can I go on like this? I take, warfirin, Toprol XL, and for

the

> past week I've been taking Tambocar 200 mg a day, which I have

taken

> in the past without effect. My blood pressure is usually 95/60 and

> sometimes 75/50 which seems pretty low and my resting pulse is

> around 80 and sometimes goes below 60. I don't want to do an

electro-

> cardio conversation, because from what I have read it only has

> limited success that doesn't last very long. Plus, I'm chicken.

> Don't like the thought of having my heart zapped and I hanve an

> adversion about being put to sleep. I also don't want to do any of

> the surgeries, which seem to work for some but not for others. Too

> much of a gamble, and this is coming from a former high-stakes

> gambler. Are there others out there who have acclimated themselves

> to living with A-Fib, without resorting to drastic measures that

> either don't work or are still in the semi-testing stage?

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

.. go get Cardioverted. Sometimes it lasts Sometimes it doesn't.

But when it does.. it is very good. My opinion, the long term risks from the

drugs is worse the the risk of stroke during cardioversion.

Your INR should be in range, so go get converted.

I was in a-fib for over a year, and went through 1 failed cardioversion. EP

told me A-fib was for life and she would not try to convert again. So I changed

EP's, 2 months later I was NSR.. That was back in 2001. Since then I have been

back to the ER maybe 6 or 7 times for cardio version.

I take no drugs, (cept asprin), and have opted to go for cardioversion at the

onset of each episode. As long as my insurance holds out.. thats my path.

Good luck on the path you take, and know you are not alone.

BTY.. I am now 53 year old, still male ...

Earl Kehr kehr1945@...> wrote:

>,

The group may correct me if I am wrong,but, I believe that the

electro-cardio conversation is not something that " last " . It is a

proceedure that just puts the heart back into NSR. I have had 5 of

them without any ill affects.

Earl

> I've been in constant A-Fib for about one year. I have constant

> thumping, skipped-beats I can feel in the chest, and every time I

> take my pulse with a monitor that can detect irregular beats it

> almost always tells me that my heart is beating irregularly. Also,

> every time I have an EKG it says I'm in A-Fib. My question is how

> long can I go on like this? I take, warfirin, Toprol XL, and for

the

> past week I've been taking Tambocar 200 mg a day, which I have

taken

> in the past without effect. My blood pressure is usually 95/60 and

> sometimes 75/50 which seems pretty low and my resting pulse is

> around 80 and sometimes goes below 60. I don't want to do an

electro-

> cardio conversation, because from what I have read it only has

> limited success that doesn't last very long. Plus, I'm chicken.

> Don't like the thought of having my heart zapped and I hanve an

> adversion about being put to sleep. I also don't want to do any of

> the surgeries, which seem to work for some but not for others. Too

> much of a gamble, and this is coming from a former high-stakes

> gambler. Are there others out there who have acclimated themselves

> to living with A-Fib, without resorting to drastic measures that

> either don't work or are still in the semi-testing stage?

>

>

>

Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.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.

[Guest guest]

your heart needs a spell in normal sinus rhythym so although

cardioversions usually end in another failure your heart has time to recover

some strength and avoid cardiomyopathy of the left ventricle which often leads

to heart failure. Cardioversion is noting really to worry about , just make sure

they have a biphase machine and not an old fasioned cardioverter as they work

better and dont burn your chest.

Re: Re: How long can I go on like this?

.. go get Cardioverted. Sometimes it lasts Sometimes it doesn't.

But when it does.. it is very good. My opinion, the long term risks from the

drugs is worse the the risk of stroke during cardioversion.

Your INR should be in range, so go get converted.

I was in a-fib for over a year, and went through 1 failed cardioversion. EP

told me A-fib was for life and she would not try to convert again. So I changed

EP's, 2 months later I was NSR.. That was back in 2001. Since then I have been

back to the ER maybe 6 or 7 times for cardio version.

I take no drugs, (cept asprin), and have opted to go for cardioversion at

the onset of each episode. As long as my insurance holds out.. thats my path.

Good luck on the path you take, and know you are not alone.

BTY.. I am now 53 year old, still male ...

Earl Kehr kehr1945@...> wrote:

>,

The group may correct me if I am wrong,but, I believe that the

electro-cardio conversation is not something that " last " . It is a

proceedure that just puts the heart back into NSR. I have had 5 of

them without any ill affects.

Earl

> I've been in constant A-Fib for about one year. I have constant

> thumping, skipped-beats I can feel in the chest, and every time I

> take my pulse with a monitor that can detect irregular beats it

> almost always tells me that my heart is beating irregularly. Also,

> every time I have an EKG it says I'm in A-Fib. My question is how

> long can I go on like this? I take, warfirin, Toprol XL, and for

the

> past week I've been taking Tambocar 200 mg a day, which I have

taken

> in the past without effect. My blood pressure is usually 95/60 and

> sometimes 75/50 which seems pretty low and my resting pulse is

> around 80 and sometimes goes below 60. I don't want to do an

electro-

> cardio conversation, because from what I have read it only has

> limited success that doesn't last very long. Plus, I'm chicken.

> Don't like the thought of having my heart zapped and I hanve an

> adversion about being put to sleep. I also don't want to do any of

> the surgeries, which seem to work for some but not for others. Too

> much of a gamble, and this is coming from a former high-stakes

> gambler. Are there others out there who have acclimated themselves

> to living with A-Fib, without resorting to drastic measures that

> either don't work or are still in the semi-testing stage?

>

>

>

Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.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.

[Guest guest]

hi Earl, i was a chicken to get cardioverted also and

went for 6 months in a fib, still worked out and tried

to live a normal life it is harder in a fib. anyway i

did eventualy get cardioverted it was so fast it was

over before i knew what hit me thank G-d cause i don't

like to be out either i was not completly asleep just

kinda buzzed, hope this helps.

--- Earl Kehr kehr1945@...> wrote:

>

> >,

>

> The group may correct me if I am wrong,but, I

> believe that the

> electro-cardio conversation is not something that

> " last " . It is a

> proceedure that just puts the heart back into NSR.

> I have had 5 of

> them without any ill affects.

>

> Earl

>

>

>

> > I've been in constant A-Fib for about one year. I

> have constant

> > thumping, skipped-beats I can feel in the chest,

> and every time I

> > take my pulse with a monitor that can detect

> irregular beats it

> > almost always tells me that my heart is beating

> irregularly. Also,

> > every time I have an EKG it says I'm in A-Fib. My

> question is how

> > long can I go on like this? I take, warfirin,

> Toprol XL, and for

> the

> > past week I've been taking Tambocar 200 mg a day,

> which I have

> taken

> > in the past without effect. My blood pressure is

> usually 95/60 and

> > sometimes 75/50 which seems pretty low and my

> resting pulse is

> > around 80 and sometimes goes below 60. I don't

> want to do an

> electro-

> > cardio conversation, because from what I have read

> it only has

> > limited success that doesn't last very long. Plus,

> I'm chicken.

> > Don't like the thought of having my heart zapped

> and I hanve an

> > adversion about being put to sleep. I also don't

> want to do any of

> > the surgeries, which seem to work for some but not

> for others. Too

> > much of a gamble, and this is coming from a former

> high-stakes

> > gambler. Are there others out there who have

> acclimated themselves

> > to living with A-Fib, without resorting to drastic

> measures that

> > either don't work or are still in the semi-testing

> stage?

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

and by " burn your chest " what's meant is that you get rings of " burn " which

don't really burn, but they do itch like crazy for a few days... like a mild

sunburn. Nothing to fear as well...

Putting in the IV hurts more than the burns.

" P.Counsell " peter.counsell1@...> wrote:

your heart needs a spell in normal sinus rhythym so although

cardioversions usually end in another failure your heart has time to recover

some strength and avoid cardiomyopathy of the left ventricle which often leads

to heart failure. Cardioversion is noting really to worry about , just make sure

they have a biphase machine and not an old fasioned cardioverter as they work

better and dont burn your chest.

Re: Re: How long can I go on like this?

.. go get Cardioverted. Sometimes it lasts Sometimes it doesn't.

But when it does.. it is very good. My opinion, the long term risks from the

drugs is worse the the risk of stroke during cardioversion.

Your INR should be in range, so go get converted.

I was in a-fib for over a year, and went through 1 failed cardioversion. EP

told me A-fib was for life and she would not try to convert again. So I changed

EP's, 2 months later I was NSR.. That was back in 2001. Since then I have been

back to the ER maybe 6 or 7 times for cardio version.

I take no drugs, (cept asprin), and have opted to go for cardioversion at

the onset of each episode. As long as my insurance holds out.. thats my path.

Good luck on the path you take, and know you are not alone.

BTY.. I am now 53 year old, still male ...

Earl Kehr kehr1945@...> wrote:

>,

The group may correct me if I am wrong,but, I believe that the

electro-cardio conversation is not something that " last " . It is a

proceedure that just puts the heart back into NSR. I have had 5 of

them without any ill affects.

Earl

> I've been in constant A-Fib for about one year. I have constant

> thumping, skipped-beats I can feel in the chest, and every time I

> take my pulse with a monitor that can detect irregular beats it

> almost always tells me that my heart is beating irregularly. Also,

> every time I have an EKG it says I'm in A-Fib. My question is how

> long can I go on like this? I take, warfirin, Toprol XL, and for

the

> past week I've been taking Tambocar 200 mg a day, which I have

taken

> in the past without effect. My blood pressure is usually 95/60 and

> sometimes 75/50 which seems pretty low and my resting pulse is

> around 80 and sometimes goes below 60. I don't want to do an

electro-

> cardio conversation, because from what I have read it only has

> limited success that doesn't last very long. Plus, I'm chicken.

> Don't like the thought of having my heart zapped and I hanve an

> adversion about being put to sleep. I also don't want to do any of

> the surgeries, which seem to work for some but not for others. Too

> much of a gamble, and this is coming from a former high-stakes

> gambler. Are there others out there who have acclimated themselves

> to living with A-Fib, without resorting to drastic measures that

> either don't work or are still in the semi-testing stage?

>

>

>

Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.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.

[Guest guest]

Hi : I have been in constant Afib ever since September of last

year. The only way I really aware of it is when I take my pulse.

I'm on Coumadin and Metropolol. And apparently there I stay. The

cardiologist and my primary care doc both say that the quality of life

and mortality studies indicate that I'm just as well off not doing

anything except slow the heartbeat, avoid strokes (with coumadin) and

exercise as much as I can. Fine with me I guess; the ablations and

everything seem really severe. I would like more energy and I have

gained about 15 pounds. I had low energy and a little shortness of

breath that I attributed to the Metropolol, but lately I have been

feeling much better, with renewed energy. I think I have dropped a

few pounds in the last few weeks too.

Thanks to all for the information.

[Guest guest]

Hi :

I don't know what you mean by drastic stages. In any case, it's true

that life is a gamble, but you still have to play the odds.

>

> , as a gambler I am surprised by you indecisiveness, I would

expect you

> to think that life is one big gamble.

>

> Really you only have two choices get busy living or get busy

living with AF,

> The choice is yours.

>

> I would like to know where you have seen the drastic stages that

don't work

> please enlighten us all.

>

> C Uk

>

>

> I've been in constant A-Fib for about one year. I have constant

> thumping, skipped-beats I can feel in the chest, and every time I

> take my pulse with a monitor that can detect irregular beats it

> almost always tells me that my heart is beating irregularly. Also,

> every time I have an EKG it says I'm in A-Fib. My question is how

> long can I go on like this? I take, warfirin, Toprol XL, and for

the

> past week I've been taking Tambocar 200 mg a day, which I have

taken

> in the past without effect. My blood pressure is usually 95/60 and

> sometimes 75/50 which seems pretty low and my resting pulse is

> around 80 and sometimes goes below 60. I don't want to do an

electro-

> cardio conversation, because from what I have read it only has

> limited success that doesn't last very long. Plus, I'm chicken.

> Don't like the thought of having my heart zapped and I hanve an

> adversion about being put to sleep. I also don't want to do any of

> the surgeries, which seem to work for some but not for others. Too

> much of a gamble, and this is coming from a former high-stakes

> gambler. Are there others out there who have acclimated themselves

> to living with A-Fib, without resorting to drastic measures that

> either don't work or are still in the semi-testing stage?

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.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.

>

[Guest guest]

My mother was in AFIB for many many years. She had a major event

many years ago and they refused to convert her. She lived out her

life and AFIB had nothing to do with her death. She took coumadin

and had weekly blood tests to manage her levels.

Best, manda