I’ve known two people with walking AFib. Both of them were control defibbed...as in, they had to make an appointment to go in and get shocked.
Both of them said it was pretty unpleasant but, it fixed the problem.
Yes, numbness in arms and hands, and never stand too long in one place.
It's worth it if not taking them will kill you...
I’ve been living with it for about ten years now, the last five with it under complete control. My docs tried controlling it with meds for fours years with limited success. Eventually had cardiac catheter ablation with spectacular results. I very rarely get a little wobble or two in my rhythm, but otherwise my heart beats like a metronome now.
They fix that these days on an outpatient basis with ablation.
It's not perfect, but it's better than living with the condition.
First thing they will do is take you off every heart or cardiovascular system related drug. My dad had this procedure at the age of 80.
I was diagnosed with it a couple of years ago, and am on beta blockers and coumadin. I tried Pradaxa but had a bad reaction. I also have sleep apnea, which is apparently commonly associated with Afib. So I’m on the CPAP machine. It’s all livable, but a a definite pain in the ass.
Propranolol 40mg x 2, Calan 180 mg before bed and a Blood Pressure med.
Propranolol is a beta blocker and Calan is a calcium channel blocker.
I’ve been on all the others listed but they made me feel like crap and the combo of the above work great. I’ve been on them for 10 years now.
I have Been in AFib for 20 years now, also Congestive Heart Failure. I take about 10 heart and cholesterol meds. You mentioned you have been seen by your doctor — I hope that he is a cardiologist, if not, get an appointment with one ASAP. Usually AFib is treated with blood thinners, like Warfarin (rat poison) to avoid a stroke. That requires monthly blood tests (PT-time). Your symptoms could be an indicator of serious cardiovascular problems, Good luck.
My dad has it when he eats food containing MSG. Obviously he avoids it like the plague, but sometimes it is added to restaurant prepared food. He has learned to ask for nutritional info from the waiter. If they don’t have it, they don’t get his business.
I had the same thing, but absolutely would not go on RX drugs. The drugs have tons of side effects. I went to my natural guy who knows everything......I started taking Cardio Cocktail, Hawthorn Berry 1000 mg a day and Arjuna 500 mg a day. I feel great and no more flipping heart or rapid heartbeat. I’m not a doctor, just saying natural stuff can be good even better that RX...but good luck finding a dr who will help you since they make so much money off RX drugs.
A few years ago the doctor was pushing the "shock" treatment. At my age (61), there was no guarantee that would have solved the problem so I declined.
If the blood thinner you are taking is Coumadin/Warfarin, one of the side affects could be drowsiness so I take it in the evening.
IMO, Afib is not something to panic over. It can be managed.
Had it in 2005. 85 mg Sotatol every night, never had to get shocked: converted back to normal after a day or so of Cardizem in an IV drip. Was a scary couple of days, tho. . .
My ministers wife has it and just went through quite a process. She had to be shocked a couple of times but it kept re-occurring....then she was on meds to control it but the meds slowed her heart down too much...so she had to get a pacemaker installed to compensate for that! It’s been a rough few weeks for her but things seem to be getting back to normal.
I started having episodes in the spring of '09,my heart rate would run up about 160 and my bp would drop to 90/50 or so.
It would resolve itself after some time...as long as a couple of hours.I was hospitalized for observation during one episode and a cardiac nurse showed me how to get out of it by performing a vagal maneuver...basically straining like your having a hard bowel movement.
The bottom line was after a heart cath I had a triple by-pass because of blockages of 80-85% in the descending coronary artery and voila!...no more problem.
Obviously everybody is different,but that's what worked for me at age 72 and I feel better than ever.
I have A-Fib, been treated for almost 10 years.
I was ablated, but that didn’t take. I’ve been told by my cardiologist that since then the ablation process has improved by light years.
I was on a beta blocker, same issues as you describe. Exhausting, and depressingly frustrating. They tried some anti arrhythmics, first one was a dud, second one (rythmol , generic version) did the trick. No more beta blockers. In fact my doctor was willing to stop the Coumadin after a while because I had no incidents of A fib and have stayed in normal sinus rhythm, and I promised that if I did I would get in and see him. That was about 8 years ago.
My cardiologist says that if I tire of taking the drug, or it becomes less effective, my odds with ablation should be much better now because the advances are so great.
You need to have some long talks with your cardiologist and explore what other options you may have. You might be stuck with the beta blocker, but you should find out if ablation is a possibility.
It is possible that your doctor may be taking the path of least resistance here. Be proactive and ask questions, lots of questions, learn. If your cardiologist is not willing to spend time and seriously explain and discuss things, you should find a different doctor. If I had not asked why I had to take Coumadin when I was in normal sinus rhythm, I’d still be stuck on it. We worked together on my treatment.
THAT’S what it’s called!
I don’t even have to do any strenuous exercise, when all of a sudden my heart just goes, “Boom-boom-boom-boom!” rapidly.
I’ve had that since I was twelve. Docs looked at me about it -tried to re-create it on a treadmill. Failed.
I deal with it with slowed breathing exercises. I kneel down, close my eyes and slow my breathing. It doesn’t slow regularly, either. It’s just, “BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM....Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum.”
Worst one was a little over a year ago. Kept going overnight and into the next day. I just tried to ignore it and get my butt to work. Eventually, it subsided.
Ever since my heart attack last year, I’ve been on Lisinopril and Carvaedilol (or somethign like that). One is for blood pressure, the other for rhythym.
Sadly, I experience an irregular heartbeat from time to time now. It’s hard to describe really. Normally, one never notices one’s hearbeat. When it’s irregular, it’s the only thing one notices.
Luckily it seems to return to normal after a few seconds, maybe 10-15. It seems like listening to a clock tick at the exact wrong time it’s supposed to.
How the heck did I let my heart get in this shape!? /facepalm.
Having a suspect ticker is for the birds ;/
Dad also eventually had angina, and congestive heart failure which also lasted many years, and then COPD.
Your symptoms sound like more than just AFib. If you have not seen a cardiologist, you need to. If you are being treated by a cardiologist, I would make and appointment and ask a whole lot more questions, about why you are having these symptoms. Maybe even get a second opinion.
I went to the closest med. school and went into their campus bookstore, and bought several physicians hand books of diseases and symptoms, plus internet search to become familiar with my Dad's chronic problems. Many times I had already figured out his problem(but I did not let on), and then the Dr. would confirm it.
This preparation helped me to know the questions I needed to ask, as well as to understand the answers.
Please call your cardiologist office asap and tell them of your symptoms.....this all can be taken care of and you will feel better......
All doctor are not created equal and it appears you’ve got an unequal one. Effing pill pushers.
See if your atrial fibrilation can be treated with radio frequency ablation.
Call a Dr. Maradi (sp) at University of Michigan