Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group
Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.
I have been following this site since last November when I was first diagnosed with AFIB. Before I share a little bit of my story, let me simply say "Thanks" for all of the wonderful information and encouragement that I've discovered by reading the posts here at Daily Strength. It helped me navigate the rough waters of fear and uncertainty that come with the initial diagnosis of AFIB.
I'm a 45-year old male, excellent health, with no underlying cause (thus far) for my AFIB. My first episode last November occurred as I was riding my lawn mower. The all-too familiar "heart flopping" was taking place, but having never experienced it to that degree, I wasn't sure what was occurring. I continued doing yard work for another hour or so, came in and showered, then had some lunch. I continued to have some shortness of breath and dizzy spells so I finally told my wife what I was feeling. We immediately traveled up to the ER and I was soon presented with a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. I don't believe I had even heard the term prior to that moment.
It turned into a 2-day stay in the hospital. I converted to NSR after 24 hours via a Cardizem drip. The EKG and bloodwork came back normal and I was discharged with a prescription for Multaq and a daily baby aspirin. After doing some research on Multaq, I contacted my cardiologist and asked if it would be too big of a risk to not go on any anti-arrythmics at this point. He agreed to let me forego the Multaq so my next step was to contact an EP.
I ended up seeing David Delurgio at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta. He advised a 30-day monitoring period along with a sleep study. The 30-day period revealed no additional AFIB episodes and the sleep study didn't show any sleep apnea.
I had read about the PIP approach so I suggested this as an alternative treatment option and the EP felt I was an excellent candidate. So, I'm currently keeping Rythmol (propafenone) on standby. I ended up having to use it back in May when I had my second episode (while playing softball). I ended up converting back to NSR after 2 hours.
Since then, no additional episodes so I continue to adapt to living with an arrhythmia that can rear its ugly head without any warning. All in all, I consider myself fortunate as I could remain paroxysmal for a long time to come. I realize that there are many who have to deal with the daily effects of persistent or permanent AFIB.
I did have my thyroid tested within the past 2 weeks and I'm in the high normal range for my TSH (currently 3.1). My PCP believes that I have hypothyroidism and wants to start me on Synthroid. He wants my level to be at 2.5 or below. An endocrinologist I consulted believes I'm simply at the high end of normal (less than 3.5 TSH) and says just to monitor it. I know the thyroid can play part in all things heart and cardiovascular related (among other things), so this is something I'm having to weigh into the equation as well.
For now, I'm not on medication of any kind, including anticoagulants as my CHADS score is 0. My goal is to avoid medication for as long as possible and wait to see if ablation technology advances over the next 5-10 years to the point that the success rate increases to a 90% or greater level.
Your replies and insight are welcomed. Thanks again for the service all of you provide on this forum!
I'm a 45-year old male, excellent health, with no underlying cause (thus far) for my AFIB. My first episode last November occurred as I was riding my lawn mower. The all-too familiar "heart flopping" was taking place, but having never experienced it to that degree, I wasn't sure what was occurring. I continued doing yard work for another hour or so, came in and showered, then had some lunch. I continued to have some shortness of breath and dizzy spells so I finally told my wife what I was feeling. We immediately traveled up to the ER and I was soon presented with a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. I don't believe I had even heard the term prior to that moment.
It turned into a 2-day stay in the hospital. I converted to NSR after 24 hours via a Cardizem drip. The EKG and bloodwork came back normal and I was discharged with a prescription for Multaq and a daily baby aspirin. After doing some research on Multaq, I contacted my cardiologist and asked if it would be too big of a risk to not go on any anti-arrythmics at this point. He agreed to let me forego the Multaq so my next step was to contact an EP.
I ended up seeing David Delurgio at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta. He advised a 30-day monitoring period along with a sleep study. The 30-day period revealed no additional AFIB episodes and the sleep study didn't show any sleep apnea.
I had read about the PIP approach so I suggested this as an alternative treatment option and the EP felt I was an excellent candidate. So, I'm currently keeping Rythmol (propafenone) on standby. I ended up having to use it back in May when I had my second episode (while playing softball). I ended up converting back to NSR after 2 hours.
Since then, no additional episodes so I continue to adapt to living with an arrhythmia that can rear its ugly head without any warning. All in all, I consider myself fortunate as I could remain paroxysmal for a long time to come. I realize that there are many who have to deal with the daily effects of persistent or permanent AFIB.
I did have my thyroid tested within the past 2 weeks and I'm in the high normal range for my TSH (currently 3.1). My PCP believes that I have hypothyroidism and wants to start me on Synthroid. He wants my level to be at 2.5 or below. An endocrinologist I consulted believes I'm simply at the high end of normal (less than 3.5 TSH) and says just to monitor it. I know the thyroid can play part in all things heart and cardiovascular related (among other things), so this is something I'm having to weigh into the equation as well.
For now, I'm not on medication of any kind, including anticoagulants as my CHADS score is 0. My goal is to avoid medication for as long as possible and wait to see if ablation technology advances over the next 5-10 years to the point that the success rate increases to a 90% or greater level.
Your replies and insight are welcomed. Thanks again for the service all of you provide on this forum!
Sorry about your cat. Lost mine some time back.
I hope they do find a reason for Afib, I just presumed mine was caused by the heart attack. All I know is they said the bottom of my heart beats faster than the top part and so have to have the blood thinner.
My INR is where it should be in the middle. Been over 6 months flipping around. Stress from moving? B/P had gone up and I told the Dr from packing and moving. Only was like 140. I can not take B/P reducing medicine. In hospital they flatened it. Dr just lets me alone and it will come down. I was 2.4 today. I will watch what I eat.
My folks did not smoke or drink. Dad did eat fat specially in the depression that cheap meat was so fat and he would eat the fat off mom's and my meat.
I was eating a lot of sugar before I got sick. I admitted too much, I was put on sugar free diet and then allowed some sugar. I have to limit sugar as I am addicted to it it seems. Petey, you think it could be caused some thing we eat. I am not diabetic.
petey
Petey, I am 6' and thin (160 lb) :-) May be IslandLuver is an anomaly in your theory, hehehehehehehehe
If you have thyroid problem, please do not even trust the endocrinologist. The best of them, don't even know about thyroid. The reason is that they do NOT read the latest research.
Doctors diagnose thyroid only based on TSH and may be T4. They never test for crucial T3 thyroid hormone, which is the hormone that acts on the cells. Free T3 is what really counts when it comes to thyroid and how you feel.
Also, ferritin (stored iron and not iron serum) must be tested. If ferritin is too low, T4 does not get converted to T3 (the useful hormone).
So, please ask for a complete (TSH, free T4, free T3) thyroid panel test and get a copy of the results so you can see iot for yourself.
My wife and I went through thyroid issues about 6 months ago. I read a couple of books, asked for right blood test, and got the correct dosage of Synthroid and synthetic T3. Now, we feel fine. All our levels are okay specially the free T3 , which is the most important one.
Thyroid is not complex at all. So, I am not sure why doctors do NOT
know enough about it and what to test for to find the problem. Believe me it is NOT rocket science. You just have to read about 10 pages to understand the thyroid and what to test for.
There are lots of good books written by competent MDs out there.
Please let me know if you need more info.
Flipper, don't let them to diagnose your thyroid only by your TSH levels. That is irresponsible and absolutely incompetent in their part. Also, you are correct about the importance of a good functioning thyroid for heart and everything else in the body. Thyroid is first thing which should be fixed (if not working correctly) in the body. This is what Dr Brownstein MD says in his book. His book is what I followed and got great results. I fired my endocrinologist after going to her for the past 12 years.
Scott
You said:
If you have thyroid problem, please do not even trust the endocrinologist. The best of them, don't even know about thyroid. The reason is that they do NOT read the latest research.
As a nurse I feel I must defind Doctors and the medical profession....
Please don't generalize. There are good and bad doctors just like every other profession. I have often seen doctors order a whole thyroid panel (free T3,T4) when indicated.
I believe it is important to be informed, but it is not a good idea to self-diagnose or self treat because you read a book.
Well, thanks for telling me that you have seen at least ONE doctor to give a FREE T3 blood test. This made my night, really. Doctors (even endocrinologists) don't give the free T3 blood test. It is a disgrace. May be T3 blood test was not available 15 years ago. But, now, it is a test that can be very useful to diagnose thyroid problems and/or adjust the thyroid mediction. Another test is ferritin (stored iron), which is necessary to convert T4 to T3. I was low on ferritin and my endocrinologist told me that I have to go to an internist since ferritin does not have anything to do with thyroid. She said she only treats my thyroid. This is from a top endocrinologist in Phx. She has been named the best endo in Phx for the past 12 years. Give me a break!!!!!!!!
Well, after reading the thyroid books, I found out that ferritin has a lot to do with thyroid function. So, I started taking iron and within 2 months I felt better and my free T3 went up. How come my specialist could not find the problem? Because she did NOT have the knowledge in spite of having the title. Title only can NOT cure but knowledge can. Medicine is not rocket science!
Also, KNOWLEDGE is POWER. You do NOT have to have the title of doctor to diagnose or treat conditions. If you know what to test for and how to read a blood tests, you can diagnose. That is exactly what doctors do. The difference is that most of the time they don't order the correct blood test and/or they can NOT interpret the blood tests. As a result, they diagnose incorrectly. I think I can do a better job than doctors for something like thyroid. Also, I see my PCP assistant for my thyroid. But, I get all my blood tests over the net. Lab Corp performs the actual blood test.
I read books from MDs and not anybody. The MDs who are writing books and have a practice are very competent and they are not following the rest of the crowd like sheep. They are goats, very original and independent minded. That is what I like in a doctor, to be a goat and not a sheep :-) So far, I have had very good luck following the material in the thyroid books (by competent MDs).
Also, please don't defend incompetent doctors. Almost in every profession except for doctros, if a person does NOT do a good job, he/she will be fired. But, as a society we never come down hard on doctors even when they make obvious mistakes. There is no accountability when it comes to doctors. They all support each other and they never say the another doctor made a mistake.
I think it's important to realize (like any other profession) some are more qualified than others and it's a good idea to seek a second or third or fourth and fifth opinion - when it comes to your own health/situation.
I takes a very long time to graduate from medical school and it's very expensive. I'm not sure what kind of oversight they have once they get out on their own. I think many of us have horror stories regarding improper treatment or diagnosis by doctors, if not personal than within the family or close friends - unfortunately I have several of these very tragic stories. And when there's an attempt to right what wrong has been done, it is very, very, very difficult to pursue a law suit - regardless of what everyone has been led to believe.
There are incompetent doctors, just like there are incompetent car mechanics.
As a nurse, I get a different view of physicians. Most I know are very hard working, dedicated, educated, and they DO read journals, and research and attend continuing education conferences, etc, etc.
The point I want to make is that I think it is irresponsible to tell people that they should not believe anything their doctor says. Especially, people who are already struggling with how they should manage a fib and try sort through the confusion.
You said: "If you have thyroid problem, please do not even trust the endocrinologist. The best of them, don't even know about thyroid. The reason is that they do NOT read the latest research. "
Sorry Scott.....I'm sure you are very knowledgable, perhaps you should go to medical school so it doesn't go to waste.
Thanks for your feedback. I understand what you are saying. May be my choice of words was not very good. I feel it would be irresponsible to tell somebody like Flipper to trust all his doctors knowing what I know about doctors out there.
All my doctors/specialists who did NOT do a good job for me are still out there and practicing and people like Flipper go to them. I am sure there are good doctors out there too. My PCP is one of them, no problem with him, very competent and thorough.
I was trying to warn people like Flipper who are new to a medical problem to do their homework and get invloved understanding the issues. I did not get involved since I thought all doctors are GOD and nobody like myself told me watch out for bad doctors. I just trusted the doctors (specially the specialists) without any doubt.
I clearly see they are diagnosing Filipper's thyroid is similar to the way they did mine, which was absolutely wrong. I am trying to tell people like Flipper "TRUST and VERIFY" by reading about your condition. Make sure your doctor is doing the right things and if not, ask them why such and such is NOT done. KNOWLEDGE is POWER.
This is a forum to share our experiences even if they are bad. I am NOT here to agree with everybody. I am here to tell people about my mistakes dealing with my medical problems so they have easier
time to reach their goals.
Sorry for being so blunt and direct. May be I should shut up and let people to find out themselves, the hard way like I did. But, I don't think that is moral either.
BTW, I could have gone to med school but I chose not to since I just don't like that field. Thanks for your advice.
Scott
Do you realize that somewhere in the world there exists a person who qualifies as the worst doctor? If you took the time, by process of elimination you could actually determine the worst doctor in the world. And the funny part is knowing that someone has an appointment to see him tomorrow.
-petey
I am very happy for you that the ablation got rid of your afib. That is another great success story. I wish you NSR always and ever. Yes, it feels good to be in NSR :-) Amamzing that before coming with afib, we take NSR for granted!
Petey, I did not realize we were fighting otherwise I would have brought my gloves :-) Thanks for the Carlin's quote, it is pretty funny.
Flipper, you will be okay, man. Just watch your electrolytes specially now during summer. Good luck.