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.
With the recent discussion about athletes and occasional reference to celebrities that have AF. I often wonder how many people out there in the limelight might be keeping (trying to keep) the exposure of their AF condition under wraps.
Obviously, a pretty tricky (perhaps near impossible) thing to do as a competitive professional athlete - but maybe not so in other areas.
It's comforting to hear about those that "have" come forward. john Mayer, etc. Susan Lucci's about her husband and so on.
But given the shear stats/numbers etc. of the percentage of the population that supposedly has AF - one would think that OK, so John Mayer and several others have it and yes if you dig hard you'll find a not too impressive list running down through the years.
I personally do not discuss my condition with very many people. Only the very, very closest people in my life know about it, and of course everyone here on this/the DS website. But it's not something that I share with everyone. Nor do I intend to do so anytime soon or as long as is possible to keep it private.
As I mentioned when I first joined this group. I know a good deal of people and have met many more. That said, I know absolutely zero people: young, old, deceased etc. that have this condition. Zero.
Do some of the people I know and have known keep it to themselves/private/discreet? Like I have? Maybe so. - Thomas
Obviously, a pretty tricky (perhaps near impossible) thing to do as a competitive professional athlete - but maybe not so in other areas.
It's comforting to hear about those that "have" come forward. john Mayer, etc. Susan Lucci's about her husband and so on.
But given the shear stats/numbers etc. of the percentage of the population that supposedly has AF - one would think that OK, so John Mayer and several others have it and yes if you dig hard you'll find a not too impressive list running down through the years.
I personally do not discuss my condition with very many people. Only the very, very closest people in my life know about it, and of course everyone here on this/the DS website. But it's not something that I share with everyone. Nor do I intend to do so anytime soon or as long as is possible to keep it private.
As I mentioned when I first joined this group. I know a good deal of people and have met many more. That said, I know absolutely zero people: young, old, deceased etc. that have this condition. Zero.
Do some of the people I know and have known keep it to themselves/private/discreet? Like I have? Maybe so. - Thomas
Heart attack and stroke... now there is something that garners interest. Read below:
According to the study, 30 of 409 leading actors and actresses (7.3 percent) suffered a stroke -- a proportion that is "sure to be an underestimate," said senior author Dr. Jeffrey Saver, medical director of the UCLA Stroke Unit.
The lifetime risk of stroke in the United States is roughly 2.9 percent, according to a 2010 report from the American Heart Association.
Thirty-nine Oscar nominees (9.5 percent) had heart attacks and 65 (15.9 percent) had either a heart attack or a stroke, the authors reported.
Now that's news. I think most people view afib in the class of heart murmers... not alot of interest. Particularly since anticogulation and rate control can minimize the risk of stroke and heart failure. Besides, actors are whiney and athletes have big egoes... both very pampered... they are probably light headed from a party or counting their money people would say. :-)
But back to Larry Bird, (also Jerry West, Hakeem Olajuwon and others that have made it to the top with afib)... the point that I was making and that I believe the question that Islandlover was asking was: does having afib mean you have to give up your career? And they answer is that it seems the answer was "not necessarily" ... it is a personal decision. But those that stayed were capable of being great... even with afib.
John Mellancamp had a heart attack almost 20 years ago and alot of people who like rock music don't even know it. Maybe it affected him less than if it had been his "playin' finger".
Rock on.
petey
And the more I talk about it, the more people tell me, "Oh I have that." or "My sister has that" ..... it's actually not all that uncommon... although I'm finding it's rather uncommon in people my age (under 60). I have yet to meet someone my age or younger with it.
I agree with Rfreeze's comment about "most people haven't a clue what it really is." In my experiences they don't have absolutely any clue whatsoever. Nor did I have any clue - before I was diagnosed with it! The very rare few that do know anything/something about it attribute it vaguely to some obscure condition that afflicts the very elderly (someone's grand parent etc.) Hence as Rfrezze puts it "It's much easier to simply not discuss it."
It's only been with the recent aggressive ad campaigns (Pradaxa etc.) launched by the pharmaceuticals, that there's been any mention of it on national television.
I hadn't heard about John Mellencamp's heart attack.
petey