Hello,
I'm new to his group, so I will give you some background info.
I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve, which I didn't know about until i was 27 years old. I am now 44, and two days before Christmas last year, I was diagnosed with a 5.1 cm thoracic aortic aneurysm, and my valve was moderately leaking. I had open heart surgery to replace the valve and repair the aneurysm, on 30th of June, this year. I came through the surgery ok, and the pacemaker was removed after 4 days, as it never went off.
I was "fine" (just slow and sore) for two weeks. Then, out of the blue, my heart felt like it was pounding out of my chest and going super fast. I had only ever experienced that under the influence of drugs, (honesty is the best policy) when I dabbled in my younger years, not knowing that I had a BAV and those drugs could kill me.
I rung the hospital, who said go the A&E, where I sat in the lobby for 2 1/2 hours before being triaged. When they finally got me in, the nurse thought her machine was broken, as my heart rate was 190 BPM and my blood pressure was super low. I had 3 doctors scratching their head at my ECG. They admitted me, and talked about doing a shock to reduce my heart rate. Before they could, and after about 6 hours of this, my heart re-set itself. They released me the next day, with no med change, and a self admit card, with a diagnoses of Complex Narrow Tachycardia.
After being home for just a few hours, it started up again, only worse. I rung the hospital, who said ring 999 (911), and when the medic showed up and hooked me up, my pulse was 205 and my ECG was off the chart again. They admitted me again, and put me on beta blockers. I was in for 5 days. The episodes did reduce, but would come on several times a day, for 5 to 10 min, then reset. I had 4 episodes the morning they released me.
After being home for a few hours, it started up again, and continued, despite the breathing exercises. I rung the hospital, who said they didn't have a bed and told me to go back to A&E. We rung the hospital where the surgery was done and they said to come there. On the way there, my heart reset itself. They kept me for 4 days, and changed my med to Amiodarone . Since then, I have only had one episode, funny enough, when I was on the way to get a 24 halter monitor. They captured it on an ECG, and were going to admit me again, but it reset itself while I was waiting for a bed. I elected to go home, and have been home a week without further episodes.
I understand the Amiodarone is for life threatening tachycardia, but the side effects are kind of crazy. I am tapered down to 1 pill a day, as of today.
Any one else have a similar experience? Sorry if I have joined, or posted in the wrong group, but it is about Afib.
Thanks in advance to any and all support or advice.
Blessed be