a real cardiologist, at last

March 4, 2006

It's not like I think the AF members are terribly interested in this, but I'll

give you a short update.

As some of you know, between 2002 and June 03, I endured 3 failed ablations and

was given a pacemaker and AV node ablation.

I got worse and worse, until Feb 2005, surgeon 1 said I should never come back &

I was never in sinus rhythm. Changed med groups, surgeon 2 lowered the high

voltage on the PM, but raised the current time to 200% normal. I got worse and

worse -- until AF was 30% of my lifetime.

Yesterday, I finally interacted with a real cardiologist - my first real

cardiologist, not surgeon - and he invited the senior tech from the PM maker.

Changes were made to lower

voltage, current-delivery-time, and minimum heart rate.

Guess what! I slept better than I have in years. I had REM sleep and a

vivid/healing dream for first time in years.

My heart still hurts, but a whole lot less. Maybe it'll be OK with time. I

don't know. Having my heart overdriven was like " heart muscle on caffeine

24/7 " .

They were wonderfully honest with me. They said PM patients are almost always

80 years old. Seeing athletic, younger, brown-haired me, with a PM was

different for them.

I had no AF since last PM Check. How about that!!!!

Put the current at the right level and no more AF.

I did have PACs and flutter --- but I can live with that. And, now my settings

are in the proper ranges. My setttings match what the manufacturer intended --

and my poor heart can -- at last -- go as low as 50 BPM over night.

I've been athletic all my life -- the PM settings of the surgeons were violently

over-driving my heart.

I'm very grateful to have a concerned cardiologist in my corner.

My game plan is return to aerobic exercises 3Xs week, and lose a little weight.

Hopefully, my lifestyle can be reconstructed.

I'm eliminating aspartamane drinks. I take magnesium, omega 3 (flax & salmon),

multivitamin, 81mg coated aspirin -- that's it.

LJ

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