Should also have mentioned that my condition progressed rapidly late last year and so after the hospital visit and failed PIP approach, I started Amiodarone along with Warfarin and planned for an ablation (just had March 1).

Thanks for sharing Rick. Very informative. Unfortunately, nearly every episode (now 4) has been near blackout/passing out within the first 1-2 hours for me. But that said, a self management emergency protocol most certainly must be tested, even though I hope I never have to go thru this thing again. I've only been a member here for a few days and have already read alot of very touching/significant and expansive information. It's bizarre how individualized this condition can be,..... On my first trip to the ER on May 9th, 2010, I knew nothing about this condition and did not want to be admitted. The hospital staff was amazingly well trained and supportive/caring, late that night a Cardiologist met with me for a second time to check in and told me that there was a 40% chance I could have a stroke @ some point during that night. Needless to say, I didn't sleep until I was given some assistance. Humbling gig for sure. It was approx. 13-14 hours before the drip resulted in NSR. I was getting shots in my stomach as well of what I believe was some kind of blood thinner stuff. How are/have things been going for you since March 1st??

Surfrat, the shots in your stomach were most likely heparin, which threats and prevents blood clots.

I also had cardizem ... that's the stuff they put into me when the parametics got to my house. They pushed it in via a vein... once on my living room sofa, and once more in the hospital. I was told I converted in the ambulance.

Afib can be scary stuff.

Thomas... 40% chance of a stroke sounds a little high but it has been bothering me that I don't know if you are on an anticoagulant or not. The concern is that even though you are having highly symptomatic episodes, you may also be having asymptomatic episodes. Even ablated people have them. Therefore, I would ask about an anticoagulant. While you are waiting to get one, I would be taking aspirin (that's me). I used to take 81mg for years and before afib (maybe 2 years started taking 325 mg. Maybe I saved myself of having a stroke as I have always been asymptomatic and might have been having afib for years. Afibbers have about a 2-8% annual chance of having a stroke if they aren't on anticoagulants. Risk is measured over months and years, not really in one day. Your risk is probably low as I'm sure your CHA2DS2VaSC score is zero. Anyway, please check it out.

Where do you surf? (Yea, I know... the ocean)... I grew up and always lived with a few miles of the beach. It was NJ, so the waves were frozen half the year :-)

Thanks Guys. Petey, I "Surf" fish (not board) in New England (Cape Cod, MV and RI) and SE FL (Jupiter, Juno Beach, Singer Island). I was taking aspirin regularly 81 MG, baby aspirin etc. I just bought a new bottle this weekend and will likely resume to doing so daily. Dr. Knez @ Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, shared the stats with me. It was a real shock to hear that, but (Lol) I woke up OK the next day. I was admitted around 12:30-1:30p and I converted somewhere around 5:30a the next morning. I work in MA and go back and forth to FL. I will be transitioning there soon as my GF has been working down there and wants to set-up permanently, she's an MRI Tech. Thus far my main EP whom I've seen about 4+ times has just kept me on the Metoprolol ER. Not sure why another option has yet to be employed to date, as the M-ER did fail on the Feb. 17th. I'm beginning to wonder about the Magnesium talk as well as Potassium. This last bout I was told my Potassium was lower than it should've been and they gave me a bunch of it while I was there. I do however take several multi-vitamins each day, religiously evidently I guess that's not enough in certain cases??

Just curious Thomas, did the doctors give you a treadmill with echocardiogram test yet to evaluate your heart health condition?
- Rick

Surfrat- Good luck with relocation to FL. I just moved from Jupiter to Port St. Lucie a little over a year ago. I lived in Jupiter for 9 years. I still own a condo there but moved to PSL with my husband when I got re-married. Jupiter and Juno are great areas! I used to take my kids fishing off the Juno Pier when they were young :) Take care and good luck.

It is always a good thing to make sure your levels of potassium, magnesium are right. Avoid dehydration. While you are in the sun, tanning and surfing, drink enough fluids. I used to fall asleep on the beach in the heat and that can't be good.

Doing what makes you happy is so important. When I am doing that, I don't worry about "losing" things... I'm too busy having a fulfilling time. I know, you are getting "amped"!

LOL. Small world CLane. North Palm to up your way is an exceptional area. Very exceptional! Juno Pier is great, I usually walk out to check things out and will get my gear, only if somethings' going down. I do better out on the open beach, especially out on Singer. And they won't let you fish for Sharks on the Pier either. Juno Beach is a real jewel to have a public beach as expansive as this one is with Dogs allowed and tons and tons of free parking is not something that you find everywhere. ;)

Rick, i've been meaning to schedule another Stress Test. I've canceled a few here and there (unfortunately). The last one (the only one) I had done was in 2005. Petey, very true. Not sure why the Potassium was so low on the 17th? I've been eating Bananas and stuff since then along with a supplement. When I was in on March 2, 2011, my 3rd episode, they had me on a "Banana Bag" drip. It was a yellow bag filled with what I assume were vitamins and stuff,.... I'd never seen one of those things before. Good luck to everybody with this crazy stuff - today, this week and the weeks to come!!! ;-)

Welcome to the best forum on the net. We don't have any doctors that chime in, but I don't believe any of the forums do. It's a cool idea though. We do have some nurses here though, but the person you should be relying on is your doctor. Pull up a chair and stay awhile.

Welcome,
Dee

Welcome Thomas!

56 year old male who became an afibber after a heart attack and stent implant in June 2011. Have had a cryoablation procedure in December 2011. Still have afib. Currently on 200mg of metoprolol daily. May start Sotolol here shortly. Possibly a second ablation in my future. Look forward to your posts. Best of health to you now and in the future!