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.

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keepumping 07/18/2016

Hi all, well, where do we go from here? I guess when I first started this group, it was all about learning about afib. Thanks to you all by the way, I did learn more than I ever thought I could. However, now what? I haven't seen much new in quite a while, not bragging just proves I've been around a lot. I've tried a lot of medications and I can't say I really liked any of them. I had a cryroablation that help very little and now I am scheduled for RF in August. I don't really think it will cure me but it might help for a little while. I am kind of burnt about hearing about supplements, bentonite, flecanide, beta blockers and so on. Like most I have tried it all and been dissapointed every time. It's like I see newbies that I use to be like and know they will just have to learn like I did. In fact, I can't even respond to them anymore. I do understand afibers and will try to say good luck with that or this, I feel for you. I have to get into the mode of just offering support and as a depressive realist, I am having problems. I will work on it though

yogacat 07/19/2016

We all learn from each other.....and everything changes. I too learned so much when I first got here 5 yrs. ago when I was totally clueless. I still hang out here, because I know my afib matters to me, and it changes and is still a bit mysterious. I appreciate others sharing their experience. I also am willing to share my experience with afib with anyone who may be interested. I also appreciate knowing I'm not alone.

Afib is an ongoing saga. I love it that so many of our previous members who had successful ablations, seem to still be afib free, cause they don't check in....hoping that is the reason.

Hope Everyone is having a Good Day!!

keepumping 07/19/2016

It is an ongoing saga, one that I am tired of but what can you do? I hang out here because I still have hope that a cure will be found. As far as sharing experiences, I have a close friend at work that was just diagnosed with afib. I have to sit and listen to him talk about his cardiologist, and how great he thinks his cardiologist is, when in reality he is no different than most in his approach to afib. I told him to think twice before starting any rat poison medications like Warfarin and Amiodarone but of course I am not the doctor and he looks at me like right, I am going to listen to you. I must not be that empathetic because when I hear people say they had 2 episodes last year or a 30 second episode in the last 2 years, I'm just thinking it must be nice. I guess it's all relative as they say. I think people leave this site because maybe some are cured but I think most are tired of it all and don't want to think about it anymore.

marikay213 07/19/2016

Information is great and its important to be an educated patient but the most important thing this forum has given me is support. To know I'm not alone, that others understand the burden of living with afib, and to be encouraged to hang in and not give up.
If the only thing you get from this site is knowing that you have supported someone when they needed it that is an awesome thing. The world needs us all to care about and reach out to one another, especially now.

acrossthepond 07/20/2016

Hey pumpin‘, I know how you feel. In the beginning I needed help to know what my possibilities were. Then nothing seemed to work and reality set in. Big time.

I don’t know anyone personally (except my friends here) who have a-fib but obviously I imagine the tendency would be to listen to your doctor first who has years of experience and studied the material. Once you get over that “phase” you come here and realize how important other’s experiences are. You see the diversity of problems and realize you are not alone with this.

I seriously doubt that a cure will be found – but I hang around because maybe…

I also hang around because I like the people I’ve met here.

Carpe diem,
atp

lalab707 07/20/2016

I realize it afib is not curable and most people who do not have afib have no idea the fear of the next attack. I read other sites but this site was my first and I feel home here because people here were the first people I felt understood. It is chronic, so learning to live with it is necessary and there is no one size fits all, reading about how others deal with it is a huge help to me.

yogacat 07/21/2016

Well said lalab707

Orchard25 08/30/2016

I hate this site! How do you send messages - you used to be able to comment on post, this is just leave a reply!!!!
Christine

Hwkmn 08/31/2016

So true about this site. Unfortunately, this format is confusing and not user friendly, so many have left. I always liked it over others because there was not an agenda pushed or any sponsorship from big pharma.

Hwkmn 09/08/2016

Christine, What do you mean by that, you just replied?

jgeske 11/01/2016

Hi all, I am new here, and I agree, the support helps tremendously! I don't know how it used to be but it helps to know we are not alone. This disease does depress me and, after about 4 years of feeling pretty good, today it seems to have come back with an attitude! I have been having pvc's all day and it's just not going away. I will be looking forward to learning about and sharing experiences with you all. God bless!

Hwkmn 11/10/2016

Welcome jg, It is quite a journey for sure. There is a diverse group here, tho many have left due to the new format which was very confusing and difficult to navigate. Some do well with ablations,some on meds, and a few like me med free and supplement only. I am going on 7 years with this condition and have my suspicions on root causes. PVCs and PACs, tho benign, are annoying and sometimes turn to full blown afib. I used to get 25-100 per week, now its more like 1 or 2. There are answers out there, we just have to be pro active.

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