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.
Hey Guys,
I haven't been here for quite a while. Good sign I guess. Anyway in a nutshell:
I'm 41 years old, afib started 3.5 years ago and was about 2 episodes per year with PIP to control. No other meds but using supplements.
In Sept I had an episode at 8:30 pm which was very strange for me since all my episodes have been late at night but it terminated in 1.5 hrs with PIP. All good for 3 weeks then I started getting PACs from hell day and night every day. This started after a day where I had a root canal done and I drank some kind of ginger tea that really irritated my esophagus (my afib is vagal and stomach problems amplify)
After 9 days of this things went back to normal for the most part but I was getting palps here and there in the late evenings.
Now on Monday I was in a meeting and we had a huge lunch. Shortly after I felt myself slip into afib so i excused myself and ran up and down the stairs and it stopped. Since then I've been getting daytime episodes as well as night every day but I can stop them with a run or cold water to my face so they don't last longer than 1 minute.
My EP gave me a script in Oct for propafenone 150mg twice daily and diltiazem 180mg to start if this got worse (which it has). The problem is that I'm afraid to take this med daily because of long term side effects.
I have been considering an ablation but I don't know if this is the time yet.
What is everyone elses experience? Meds daily or straight to ablation? I'm only 41 and have a young family. I'm really scared here and could use some advice.
Thanks,
Monty
I haven't been here for quite a while. Good sign I guess. Anyway in a nutshell:
I'm 41 years old, afib started 3.5 years ago and was about 2 episodes per year with PIP to control. No other meds but using supplements.
In Sept I had an episode at 8:30 pm which was very strange for me since all my episodes have been late at night but it terminated in 1.5 hrs with PIP. All good for 3 weeks then I started getting PACs from hell day and night every day. This started after a day where I had a root canal done and I drank some kind of ginger tea that really irritated my esophagus (my afib is vagal and stomach problems amplify)
After 9 days of this things went back to normal for the most part but I was getting palps here and there in the late evenings.
Now on Monday I was in a meeting and we had a huge lunch. Shortly after I felt myself slip into afib so i excused myself and ran up and down the stairs and it stopped. Since then I've been getting daytime episodes as well as night every day but I can stop them with a run or cold water to my face so they don't last longer than 1 minute.
My EP gave me a script in Oct for propafenone 150mg twice daily and diltiazem 180mg to start if this got worse (which it has). The problem is that I'm afraid to take this med daily because of long term side effects.
I have been considering an ablation but I don't know if this is the time yet.
What is everyone elses experience? Meds daily or straight to ablation? I'm only 41 and have a young family. I'm really scared here and could use some advice.
Thanks,
Monty
I know EXACTLY what you are feeling. I am 45 and have a young family and after having AFIB on and off for the last three years, I decided to have an ablation. I am scheduled for next Thursday, the 6th. I am scared mainly because of the unknown. My kids are my world and since this proceedure is elective I question my decision all the time. I am going to one of the best teaching hospitals in the North East, The University of Rochester Medical Center and I am sure they won't let anything happen to me. I do not want to be on meds my entire life so I am just going for it! If it reduces my afib I will consider it a sucess!
I will be here if you want to talk and I enjoy all the new friends I have made here. Everyone is very supportive and it has helped me a lot. I always worry about being a pest because as my proceedure date gets closer, I get more anxious. I post here a lot hoping to hears reassuring words... They always come through for me!
Write back and I am here for you!
Jim
You've come back to the right place.I wish I could offer some advise. My situation is very different. Like Jim, there are many members that know exactly what your going through and I know will offer you good advise and support in your decision.
Jim - Don't " worry about being a pest." You're Not! Keep posting.
Annette
Thanks do much for the reply. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?
How frequent were your episodes?
Were they getting worse?
Were you on any meds? Did you try daily therapy?
What triggered your decision?
Sorry if I'm being intrusive, it's just I haven't met a lot of people my age that are facing this choice. I definitely respect and appreciate answers from people of all ages but for me the choice is for the next 30-40 years so I want to make the right one do I can be there for my kids.
Monty
Prevent strokes
Eliminate symptoms
Lessen afib burden (the amount of time you are in afib) so to minimize remodeling
Maybe cure the afib
Identify health factors that could have contributing to afib and address them.
Get on with your life and forget this whole afib thing
petey
My situation is that I seem to get several episodes a day ranging from a few minutes to an hour or two. Sometimes it will go away for an hour... a day... a week... but then here it comes again. I have tried to find the actual triggers but nothing seems to be absolute. Stress and lack of sleep make it worse but I just can't find an answer. I tried a few medications including Flecanide with no luck. My frequency was absolutely getting worse and my doctor tolds me AFIB begets AFIB... The more you get it, the more likely you are to get it... if that makes sense..
I decided, with some natural hesitation, to try an ablation. While I am nervous, my friends here have helped so much. I could not do it without their support. I know in my heart (no pun intended) that its the right thing to do. My heart is strong otherwise and I have been told the earlier you treat it the better the odds it will help.
I will certianly be here posting as next week comes... and I will let you know how it goes. Again, having others here has helped me so much...
Write back and ask me anything...
Jim
I am 43 and was diagnosed about a year ago. I also have a young family. My episodes always started in the middle of the night while I was fast asleep. They would come on like a freight train! My heart would be pounding out of my chest and really fast, between 120-170. I started out on metoprolol100 mg, then 150 mg, then 200 mg! Then Multaq, then finally sotalol, also 3 different doses. I had to go into the hospital to start the sotalol and in the first month of it my episodes were getting worse and worse. Then they stopped! For 4 whole months-nothing. Unfortunately, they started back up at all different times of day and have been lasting for far too long. Some as long as 40 hours. The sotalol keeps the HR down so they are manageable. I am trying to eliminate certain things from my diet that may be triggers, such as: butter, oil, cream, peanut butter, nuts... Too soon to tell if it is working but I feel better anyway. That being said, I am scheduled for an ablation Jan. 14th. I have paid my dues and have given the meds a fair chance.
I think that your decision should be based on how you feel. how bad are your episodes, how much worse are they getting, etc. I know how you feel, trust me. It's not like we are 80 and have only a few years left, hopefully we have 40 more years left and it's important that we make the right decision for the long haul. I hope ablation is the right choice, since the sotalol seems to be giving out on me, I feel like it is what has to be done. I hope I have helped!
Kelly
The decisions I would make in my forties are different than those I making approaching 80. Now I'm in it for the short haul.
I believe it is important to live life and each day to the fullest at whatever age. There's just more urgency as one ages. Hopefully I'll have another 10-15 years. I definitely won't have another 30-40 and that's OK.
My best to all of you in it for the long haul. You're facing difficult decisions . I know you'll continue to get good information and support from the group.
Annette