Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group

Hey guys, it's too bad I've found you on what might be my way out.. but there's no assurance that ablations are 100% effective, so we might be seeing each other for awhile. I'm having a rough time of it right now, and I hope that talking to people who understand what it's like to have AFib can be a bit of a net for me to fall back on.

My story is pretty average. I'm 21 right now, and I've felt palpitations ever since I was 12 years old. Maybe 5-10 minutes at a time. I remember asking my mom about it and she said she gets the same thing, and it's ok. And it was OK, until December of 2007! That's when the palpitations got longer. I wasn't sure if that was a big deal or not, half an hour or so. One Saturday, three hours in, my boyfriend resolved that it was time to head to the ER despite my objections and was about to call a taxi when they just stopped. Frustrating. Then in February of 2008 I started this new chapter of being an AFib patient. I woke up with palpitations (what I called them at the time, it was full blown AFib) and called work, told them I wouldn't be on time - I was going to wait for my heart to calm down and then come in. Four hours later, no change. I called the Health Link line, which connects you to an RN. When I told her I had no way to get to the hospital.. she connected me with 9-1-1!

My RHR was 198, my BP was all over the place. But the whole morning at the hospital I thought I was going to be sent home! That obviously didn't happen and I was in AFib for a good 24-30 hours. I left the hospital the next day with a cardiologist, a diagnosis, and a very worried family.

It's been a year and a half since then. I've been through many meds, all of which I grow a tolerance for after about 5 weeks at a time! I've also had an amazing cardiologist, and some other doctors who weren't the best. I've had nurses accuse me of being a drug addict and employers who don't understand my needs. It's a strange beast to be a very young heart patient.

Currently, I'm in such a state that I can't do much physical activity - I can't work for the summer to save up for school in September, even :( My cardio advocated for me very well when he saw how I was feeling, and I'm FINALLY having an EF Ablation July 24! I'm ecstatic... we're also moving into our first home on July 28. It's a good month.

But it isn't easy. My family, my boyfriend and my friends... they've been around me with this problem for a long time, but I've never been this sick. A lot of them are a bit scared, and my boyfriend is doing his best to understand (he's been a saint through this entire thing). My parents both live in another province, so it isn't easy for them either. Some days I just want to complain about PVCs (thumpin and bumpin!), low blood pressure, INR tests, and everything else... without having to explain what they are beforehand.

And for the curious, currently taking 180 diltiazem, 600 propafenone, 7mg wafarin (but they're still stabilizing my INR for my surgery), 81 ASA... and allegra for hayfever. Taking warfarin and having hayfever SUCKS! I also picked up my Fragmin injections yesterday. My surgery is getting real! But the next three weeks will be long and challenging, and the recovery takes so long to see any results, that I'm curious how other people handled it.

So, hello! Let's be buddies!
Posted on 07/03/09, 11:07 am