Hi from UK

[Guest guest]

Good afternoon from England.

Name here is Lin and until a fortnight ago, I'd never heard of AF!

Basically, I was upstairs getting ready for a Dr's appointment when I

needed my hairbrush which was downstairs so, I 'ran' downstairs and

straight back up again to the bathroom (I ain't the fittest of people,

being a bbw!!) Anyway, I felt my heart beating rather fast and thought

that it would stop but, it didn't.

I got to the Dr's and mentioned it, I was there for another reason,

she whisked me straight to a quiet room and monitored me on an ecg.

180 bpm+ Ambulance called, straight to hospital. I hadn't got a clue

what the problem was.

At hospital it took a while to be seen but, I eventually got an IAU

bed and another ecg - still 175+ bpm. As I have an untreated thyroid

problem (all tests are borderline and no one will commit to give me

medication) I couldn't have one particular drug so, they gave me

flecainide. This took the rate down, eventually, to about 90 bpm but,

it didn't stabilise so talk began of cardio version which I wasn't

keen on.

I was transferred to a coronary care unit and more ecg's. Eventually,

the consultant came to see me and said he wanted to do cardioversion.

Then, a miracle happened, the anaesthetist came to the bed to talk

about what would happen. He scared me to death (ha, ha) and as he was

talking he was watching the display over my shoulder, I couldn't see

it. As he was chatting about the procedure, my bpm came right down to

normal 75-80 bpm and stablilised!!! YES...

So, about 3 mins after I got a cup of tea and some toast - it was 11pm

afterall.

I couldn't believe it, he performed a miracle - stopped me having the

dreaded cardioversion AND got my bpm stable - what a guy!

Anyway, I was allowed home next day, after a chest X Ray and some

blood tests.

But, I had a bad panic attack Sunday pm (original episode was on Weds)

and I was feeling bad Mon tea time, bpm rising so went to A & E and

had ecg,102 bpm - but no one could find a vein for IV etc. Dr there

asked me to relax and try and bring bpm down myself - I did and got

discharged after about an hour at 78 bpm.

This whole things really shook me up - never had any problems like

this before. I am seeing Cardiologist this Weds to see what prognosis is.

Glad I found this group, hope to find some interesting things here -

are there any natural remedies that help AF - foods, exercise, dos and

don'ts?

I do practice spiritual healing (non religious

meditation/visualisation) which helps to a degree but it is difficult

to concentrate with 3 kids round you - ha, ha.

Take care all, Lin

[Guest guest]

Hi Lin,

Sorry to hear about your recent bouts of AF, I hope it all settles down for

you. Ihad much the same experience just before Christmas, like you I had

never heard of AF and was admitted twice with my heart racing before anyone told

me what it was. Although looking back I have been having palpitations for

years. I didn't know what it was. They say ignorance is bliss. In March I

had an ablation, which I am hoping will sort it out. I just recently had a

cardioversion as my AF flared up again after the ablation, I am told this is

quite common. The cardioversion is ok, for me not even as bad a going to the

dentist, very quick and you feel instantly better. For some people it works

and keeps them in NSR [with the meds] indefinitely. I cannot really tell you

any do's and dont's as the triggers are different for everybody. For me

stress, exertion, eating heavy meals, alcohol, caffeine I haven't quite worked

it

out myself yet. I am sure you will find yours given time.

I hope it settles down and you don't need to. I am in the UK so if you need

any information about EP's let me know. Good luck with it. Pat

[Guest guest]

Hi from UK

Good afternoon from England.

Name here is Lin and until a fortnight ago, I'd never heard of AF!

Basically, I was upstairs getting ready for a Dr's appointment when I needed

my hairbrush which was downstairs so, I 'ran' downstairs and straight back

up again to the bathroom (I ain't the fittest of people, being a bbw!!)

Anyway, I felt my heart beating rather fast and thought that it would stop

but, it didn't.

I got to the Dr's and mentioned it, I was there for another reason, she

whisked me straight to a quiet room and monitored me on an ecg.

180 bpm+ Ambulance called, straight to hospital. I hadn't got a clue what

the problem was.

At hospital it took a while to be seen but, I eventually got an IAU bed and

another ecg - still 175+ bpm. As I have an untreated thyroid problem (all

tests are borderline and no one will commit to give me

medication) I couldn't have one particular drug so, they gave me flecainide.

This took the rate down, eventually, to about 90 bpm but, it didn't

stabilise so talk began of cardio version which I wasn't keen on.

I was transferred to a coronary care unit and more ecg's. Eventually, the

consultant came to see me and said he wanted to do cardioversion.

Then, a miracle happened, the anaesthetist came to the bed to talk about

what would happen. He scared me to death (ha, ha) and as he was talking he

was watching the display over my shoulder, I couldn't see it. As he was

chatting about the procedure, my bpm came right down to normal 75-80 bpm and

stablilised!!! YES...

So, about 3 mins after I got a cup of tea and some toast - it was 11pm

afterall.

I couldn't believe it, he performed a miracle - stopped me having the

dreaded cardioversion AND got my bpm stable - what a guy!

Anyway, I was allowed home next day, after a chest X Ray and some blood

tests.

But, I had a bad panic attack Sunday pm (original episode was on Weds) and I

was feeling bad Mon tea time, bpm rising so went to A & E and had ecg,102

bpm - but no one could find a vein for IV etc. Dr there asked me to relax

and try and bring bpm down myself - I did and got discharged after about an

hour at 78 bpm.

This whole things really shook me up - never had any problems like this

before. I am seeing Cardiologist this Weds to see what prognosis is.

Glad I found this group, hope to find some interesting things here - are

there any natural remedies that help AF - foods, exercise, dos and don'ts?

I do practice spiritual healing (non religious

meditation/visualisation) which helps to a degree but it is difficult to

concentrate with 3 kids round you - ha, ha.

Take care all, Lin

[Guest guest]

Also from England sunny Hornchurch, Is this on the NHS as your lucky to have

been offered a cardioversion on the same day usually the wait if 6 weeks and

you were also lucky that they found you a bed the usual treatment is to

offer a medication and stabilise you and send you home. I cant see what the

worry about having a cardio version was, its far better that leaving your

heart pumping at 175 bpm and then leaving It. The medical team performed in

a text book way lucky you.

Your thyroid is that under active or over active, over active and it could

be the cause of your problem it can cause it if its under active but by the

sound of you running around it is highly unlikely.

Regards

C Uk

Good afternoon from England.

Name here is Lin and until a fortnight ago, I'd never heard of AF!

Basically, I was upstairs getting ready for a Dr's appointment when I needed

my hairbrush which was downstairs so, I 'ran' downstairs and straight back

up again to the bathroom (I ain't the fittest of people, being a bbw!!)

Anyway, I felt my heart beating rather fast and thought that it would stop

but, it didn't.

I got to the Dr's and mentioned it, I was there for another reason, she

whisked me straight to a quiet room and monitored me on an ecg.

180 bpm+ Ambulance called, straight to hospital. I hadn't got a clue what

the problem was.

At hospital it took a while to be seen but, I eventually got an IAU bed and

another ecg - still 175+ bpm. As I have an untreated thyroid problem (all

tests are borderline and no one will commit to give me

medication) I couldn't have one particular drug so, they gave me flecainide.

This took the rate down, eventually, to about 90 bpm but, it didn't

stabilise so talk began of cardio version which I wasn't keen on.

I was transferred to a coronary care unit and more ecg's. Eventually, the

consultant came to see me and said he wanted to do cardioversion.

Then, a miracle happened, the anaesthetist came to the bed to talk about

what would happen. He scared me to death (ha, ha) and as he was talking he

was watching the display over my shoulder, I couldn't see it. As he was

chatting about the procedure, my bpm came right down to normal 75-80 bpm and

stablilised!!! YES...

[Guest guest]

Hi Lin, welcome! Sounds as if you've had yourself quite a few fun days.

Please don't dread a cardioversion. You will find from most who have had this

procedure they are easy as falling off of a log and for many, they work very

well. In fact, most who have them wake up in NSR...normal sinus rhythm...and

hopefully with or without help from back up drugs it will last awhile, which

is what we want!

Lil

In a message dated 5/14/2006 10:33:37 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,

spring.ball@... writes:

I couldn't believe it, he performed a miracle - stopped me having the

dreaded cardioversion AND got my bpm stable - what a guy!

[Guest guest]

Hi Pat,

Thanks for the reply, nice to hear from you.

The triggers I've thought of are stress, physical exertion (getting a

phobia about using the stairs!) and possibly caffeine.

I'm trying to reduce the stress - use spiritual healing - off there

this morning - excellent relief. Stress - 3 kids - say no more!

trying to " chill " . Physical stuff - never the most active person,

happy to sit infront of pc - and caffeine - cut out tea and coffee

completely just in case.

Hopefully I won't need the Cardioversion - see what the guy says on

Weds. Bit of a fear of the unknown there I think - 2 weeks ago I'd

never heard of this condition - it's a very steep learning curve.

Lin

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thanks for your reply, much appreciated.

Yep, all my note refers to NHS here in West Midlands - good service!

I think the CV phobia is basically a fear of the unknown - I've found

out more about it since then.

Thyroid - was suspected as underactive also suspected as having

diabetes, all tests borderline - continuing to investigate.

Basically stress, exertion and possibly caffeine appear to be the

culprits, at the moment.

Lin

[Guest guest]

Lin,

If you have to have a CV it won't be a problem. I had one on Saturday and I

am not the bravest of people, but you have a GA. Afterwards you feel fine

once they put you back in NSR. Good luck Pat

[Guest guest]

Great, many thanks.

One item I have found useful is a heart rate monitor from my local

pharmacy, it's a band worn around the chest with a transmitter which

sits over the heart area and a wrist watch type receiver.

This acts as a watch, stop watch, alarm etc. but also provides a

constant readout of beats per minute. You can turn that display on

and off, so you don't get paranoid! but, it shows current rate,

average rate and maximum rate achieved during that current session.

It's a wonderful thing for peace of mind and a bargin at £9.99.

Lin

>

> Lin,

>

> If you have to have a CV it won't be a problem. I had one on

Saturday and I

> am not the bravest of people, but you have a GA. Afterwards you

feel fine

> once they put you back in NSR. Good luck Pat

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Not many uk AFibbers about,greetings from rainy Wales

Lin spring.ball@...> wrote: Great, many thanks.

One item I have found useful is a heart rate monitor from my local

pharmacy, it's a band worn around the chest with a transmitter which

sits over the heart area and a wrist watch type receiver.

This acts as a watch, stop watch, alarm etc. but also provides a

constant readout of beats per minute. You can turn that display on

and off, so you don't get paranoid! but, it shows current rate,

average rate and maximum rate achieved during that current session.

It's a wonderful thing for peace of mind and a bargin at £9.99.

Lin

>

> Lin,

>

> If you have to have a CV it won't be a problem. I had one on

Saturday and I

> am not the bravest of people, but you have a GA. Afterwards you

feel fine

> once they put you back in NSR. Good luck Pat

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Overcast B'ham here!

Lin

[Guest guest]

Hi Lin

I am from the UK too, I live in Hertfordshire. Like you I had not heart

of afib or what it was until I had a TIA (mini stroke), my GP sent me

straight to the emergency department where I was given an ECG brain scan

and numerous blood tests. 5 months later after a holter monitor I was

back in hospital again and ended up in the cardiac care unit.

At the time this was all very frightening, one minute I was walking

around the next I was stuck in bed hooked up to a monitor, I had an echo

done which was fine, I was told I would have a cardioversion and I could

go home which I was pleased about as it was 5 days before Christmas.

When it came to the time of the cardioversion the doctor doing it said

that he looked at the monitor recordings and it was too dangerous

because I have very slow rhythms as well as very fast rhythms. So that

is where I stayed until the new year when I have a pacemaker fitted.

All in all I actually spent 28 days in hospital most of them on a

monitor, which the alarm was going off several times a day, at first I

was frightened and concerned but as time went by and nothing actually

happened to me I began to relax, the alarms were still going off but I

ignored them, the nurses would ask if I was fine.

I think this is the reason that I don't panic about afib, if I get a bad

episode I try to relax as much as possible and let it pass, I work on

the theory that if anything was going to happen to me it would have

probably happened my now. When I was first diagnosed I had no symptoms

what so every, I don’t really know how long I had afib for, I would say

I must have had it some time or I was very unlucky to have had the TIA.

It was only when I started taking the meds that I felt unwell and

symptomatic, I passed out within 3 days of coming home from hospital the

first time.

I believe that I have made mistakes with not pushing for treatment, it

is almost four years now, I have tried 5 different meds all have not

really worked, most have made me feel worse.

I try to keep myself as fit and well as possible, if fact when this all

happened my friends were so shocked as I was always out and about and

walk everywhere. I think it is being so healthy that has made it easier

to cope with the afib, the fatigue still get to me though.

The best thing I did was to find these support groups, I joined the

pacemaker club first and someone posted about the Yahoo afib groups, I

could have done with finding them earlier as I have gained a lot from

the posting and other people's experiences.

It is certainly a learning experience for us all, my next stage is to

see a EP at Harefield hospital, from what I found out about him he is an

honorary Senior Lecturer for the National Heart and Lung Institute. I

hope some of this information is useful to you and good luck.

ine

Re: Hi from UK

The triggers I've thought of are stress, physical exertion (getting a

phobia about using the stairs!) and possibly caffeine.

I'm trying to reduce the stress - use spiritual healing - off there

this morning - excellent relief. Stress - 3 kids - say no more!

trying to " chill " . Physical stuff - never the most active person,

happy to sit infront of pc - and caffeine - cut out tea and coffee

completely just in case.

Hopefully I won't need the Cardioversion - see what the guy says on

Weds. Bit of a fear of the unknown there I think - 2 weeks ago I'd

never heard of this condition - it's a very steep learning curve.

Lin

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]

ine et all in the Uk,

I had an ablation and luckly there is no need for me to take AF meds.

AS there is a few patient on the board we need to state what drs your seeing

where and is this on the NHS or Private etc.

What meds we are taking and what the drs are suggesting. If we want to get

the treatments up to the standard of our american cousins then we have to

push for them.

C Uk Horchurch.

Re: Hi from UK

The triggers I've thought of are stress, physical exertion (getting a phobia

about using the stairs!) and possibly caffeine.

I'm trying to reduce the stress - use spiritual healing - off there this

morning - excellent relief. Stress - 3 kids - say no more!

trying to " chill " . Physical stuff - never the most active person, happy to

sit infront of pc - and caffeine - cut out tea and coffee completely just in

case.

Hopefully I won't need the Cardioversion - see what the guy says on Weds.

Bit of a fear of the unknown there I think - 2 weeks ago I'd never heard of

this condition - it's a very steep learning curve.

Lin

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.