Paul, I hate it for you too ! There is definitely a time of loss with this lovely condition, the good thing is that you are taking the bull by the horns , I am also a very proactive person and I would do exactly what you are doing , maybe consider another opinion just to see if someone else has another idea for you . Could your electrolytes be off, Potassium and Magnesium and of course the thyroid is good to check but maybe have a COMPA done too for the lytes. Its so redundant for me to say push forward and keep the faith but that is what we do, its the most important thing we can do. I am going through a health crisis right now and I am totally struggling with faith and forward but Im trying, hang in there and let us know what ideas and solutions they offer you .
jan

So sorry this is happening....I hope you feel better tomorrow!!!!!

Hang in there, Paul! Hope this is just an "off" day and you will be better this weekend. I have some days when I just don't feel right and other days when my faith kicks in and. I tell myself that it isn't so bad. I feel better in permanent a-fib than I did going in and out and none of the rythym drugs. I do take quite a lot of medicines for other condions but guess they are helping! I am keeping notes of weird symptoms that I get at times and more questions for my Doctors. See E.P. next month and cardiologist in March. Do hope changing your appts. will get you some answers soon! Please take care and think positive. Please keep us up-to-date. Hugs;
Christine

Thanks all for your support and encouragement. I was able to go to the gym today and had a good workout, so I'm feeling much better. I cut back a little on the amount of weight. Maybe I'm getting older, guess I'm not 25 any more.

I got a script Friday from my endocrinologist and had my thyroid blood work drawn that afternoon. I haven't had thyroid blood done for three months. I noticed over the last few draws that my TSH has been getting lower. Perhaps its crossed over into hyperthyroid land (again).

I was also able to move my EP appointment up to this Monday. I'll report back on status.

Make sure you check out the video I posted on the Vaso Vagal thread on Vagally Mediated AFIB (starting at minute 46:00) and how vagal tone contributes to AFIB particularly in athletes. In minute 57, he points out that extreme exercisers (well I'm not that extreme) have a 5 fold increase in the incidence of AFIB. WOW!

Anyhow a very interesting presentation.

So happy you are feeling better:) Hope your appointment with your R.P. goes well! Is the monitor implanted in your chest permanently?
Take care - don't overdo!
Christine

The battery in the monitor in my chest is supposed to last three years. I guess its replacement will depend on my heart status when the battery gives out.

Brother Paul,
Sorry to hear about the heart issues...once that starts kicking up, it is damn near IMPOSSIBLE to keep it off your mind, or to act as if nothing is going on. Speaking of the gym, was at the Fairmont Washington DC gym each morning for the last 3 days (We were there to celebrate the wife's birthday)..the ballet folks were there from the Kennedy Center..not sure, I think they were the NYC ballet? Anyway, I just wanted to scream at them "Why the heck (not the word I would have used) are you even in here?" All of them young and in INCREDIBLE shape...of course, I guess that is precisely why they were there...but damn, I haven't seen so many young, in shape women together since I left France! It was embarrassing for the fat old guy to be in there! I hope your thyroid/heart issues get resolved QUICKLY!

Youth is gone Bill

Paul, I am sorry you are having this trouble. I hope your Dr. can help you sort it out.

Ok here's the poop:
1: Thyroid blood work came back, everything is in the middle of the normal range. No hyperthyroid this time around.
2: Went to the Arrhythmia clinic. They read the LINQ monitor in my chest. AFIB burden over the last 3 months was 6.8% and increase from the 4.5 % last time. I shouldn't shovel the show. EKG was normal, except for the sinus bradycardia (my usual slow heart rate in the low high 40's- low 50's). BP 125/73 (good for a doctors visit). My EP examined me. Same story as before, we could do another ablation and maybe get me down to zero burden, but its not absolutely necessary, if I'm willing to live with the symptoms. No taking of a metoprolol when I have an episode, this is not an option for me, with my slow heart rate it might make me pass out. Also, rhymol will not work as a pill-in-the pocket for me, since most of my episodes terminate within the time it would take the rhymol to work.
3: I think the most important take away is that the Arrhythmia clinic is in full operation and I can now come in whenever I have a need, on short notice (like the AFIB anxiety is getting to me) an have my monitor read and get some good feedback. This certainly helps with the anxiety.

So bottom line is I feel better, I still have AFIB, and am choosing to continue to live with it (for now). Thank you all for listening to my ranting and raving. It certainly helps.

Good news, my friend :) I believe that being reassured is so helpful! Stay in a- fib if it doesn't bother u ! You don't need a rate control drug like me! See how it goes and don't hesitate to return if you need reassurance:) Hope you do well! A- fib is so confusing - have researched, and watched videos which have helped me!
Take care and positive thoughts:)
Hugs
Christine

So Paul, you have afib and keep a low rate the entire time????

I have low rate, average in 50's but when I go into afib, my rate rushes up to 140. I can take Metoprolol when it goes up like that, and it will bring my rate to 100 or so while I stay in afib.

Yogacat: Not exactly.
My usual resting heart rate (when I'm not in afib) is around 50. I get that number from my Oximeter and when a doc takes my blood pressure or EKG. The monitor records when I'm in AFIB and stores the data internally. The data is dumped either to the remote transmitting unit daily (which I gave up after 18 months, costs too much) or when I see the EP or AFIB clinic and they dump the data.

The data dump reports when I have an event, date and time, the duration, and two rate numbers. One number is the one I experience and the one that is what my Oximeter reports, this is more of a mean number (but I'm not exactly sure). The highest I saw for any individual event was 133 BPM. The other number was more of a peak within an event, the highest I saw here was around 240 BPM.

I need to learn more about these numbers next time I go to the clinic. The Physicians Assistant that runs the clinic is very good at explaining things, but you can only process so much information at a time.

What's important, of course, is the AFIB burden (percent of time my heart is in AFIB, which as now gone up to 6.8% from 4.5%. I have some AFIB most days, but some days only a few minutes, other days many hours. As long as a am religious with my Eliquis, this isn't too bad (if I can stand the symptoms). However, if it the burden keeps going up, another ablation might be in the cards for me.

BTW, when I ask the EP about Metoprolol (which I shouldn't take because of my low resting rate) l he said that yes, it would lower the rate, but I'd still be in AFIB.

Yes, you would still be in afib, but your high rate would not be a burden for your heart. I would guess that since you are not in afib that long, the high heart rate is not a problem.

I also asked my Dr. about the Metoprolol lowering my HR too much, because of my Bradycardia. He said, No, since my rate was too high when in afib.

I have been in afib for days at a time, when my afib was induced by unrelated meds. Or I have converted within hours when I take Rythmol. But, I still take a Metoprolol upon onset to bring the initial high rate down. Never had a problem with rate going too low.

I am not advocating Metoprolol, I am just curious.

I was in a similar situation to Paul in that my arrhythmia would happen with a relatively low heart rate (50s and 60s). For me this was kind of a double whammy, as when your atria is quivering like a leaf on a tree and your ventricles are moving at a snail's pace, it increases the lightheadedness and the feeling of being on the verge of passing out.

And yes Paul you should NOT shovel snow. I've read that no one with a heart condition of any kind should shovel snow. I'd look at it as an excuse to go buy a gas-powered snow blower.

I give up!

The last few months I have been having 1-2 major nighttime episodes every 7-10 days. Plus I have been having multiple minor daytime episodes daily. I hate to admit it, but I'm out of control.

I have an appointment to see my cardiologist this week. I'll probably set up an appointment with my EP for a pre-surgical visit right after I see the cardiologist. This will be my second ablation, almost two years since the first. I really didn't want to do this again, but, what you gonna do!!! This time I'll take the Foley.

I have notified the job that I will be out for at least a month (after all I'm 66) and will file for disability. I'll keep you all advised.