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.
Hi everyone,
I get to go to the cardiologist again. I want to ask a weird question, has anyone else had to deal with RVR paroxysmal episodes for 46 years?
I have had a TIA, not as bad as I expected, and caught me completely off guard when the Docs figured out what happened. I was probably lucky, I only notice some function loss occasionally.
I have been on Inderal, Digoxin, Quinidine gluconate, Diltiazem(horror drug), Atenolol(Tenormin) and others. The best overall rate control has been the Atenolol. Have been on it so long the beta blocker withdrawal was palpable when undergoing a massive drug change due to the Docs deciding I have asthma and fifty percent lung function on top of this stuff. The asthma drugs (my opinion) caused me to have another ER ambulance trip due to afib, ventricular rate ~ 200, BP 200/120, a wonderful evening was had by all in my family (the wife and I). IV Cardizem did nothing on the first push, and on the second dose a little while later (about 10 mins) that was twice the size I was deemed transportable...yay!
The same thing, with exactly the same drugs has happened before...go figure. I really like paramedics, they are great guys!(truely!)
But back to the question, has anybody else got 4 decades of going through this behind them? It is getting to the point that after my "exacerbations" I feel like a hippo has bit my chest and I have no energy for up to 5 days.
Is this really normal? How long will this crap happen?
Kevin
I get to go to the cardiologist again. I want to ask a weird question, has anyone else had to deal with RVR paroxysmal episodes for 46 years?
I have had a TIA, not as bad as I expected, and caught me completely off guard when the Docs figured out what happened. I was probably lucky, I only notice some function loss occasionally.
I have been on Inderal, Digoxin, Quinidine gluconate, Diltiazem(horror drug), Atenolol(Tenormin) and others. The best overall rate control has been the Atenolol. Have been on it so long the beta blocker withdrawal was palpable when undergoing a massive drug change due to the Docs deciding I have asthma and fifty percent lung function on top of this stuff. The asthma drugs (my opinion) caused me to have another ER ambulance trip due to afib, ventricular rate ~ 200, BP 200/120, a wonderful evening was had by all in my family (the wife and I). IV Cardizem did nothing on the first push, and on the second dose a little while later (about 10 mins) that was twice the size I was deemed transportable...yay!
The same thing, with exactly the same drugs has happened before...go figure. I really like paramedics, they are great guys!(truely!)
But back to the question, has anybody else got 4 decades of going through this behind them? It is getting to the point that after my "exacerbations" I feel like a hippo has bit my chest and I have no energy for up to 5 days.
Is this really normal? How long will this crap happen?
Kevin
Just wondering what problems you experienced on diltiazem? I'm on it and metoprolol for rate control of permanent atrial fib. Also on Eliquis. I seem to have some gastrointestinal difficulty probably attributable to the diltiazem.
Steve