Posted by Roger Meyer on September 26, 2002 at 22:04:23:
In Reply to: Re: Question posted by Rob Hamill on September 26, 2002 at 10:06:26:
Thanks for your response. Concerning taking coumadin, I have never taken it. My cardiologist that saw me through my 25yrs in a-fib had said all along that at some point I would have to take it. Since I had an active lifestyle we agreed to put it off. For one thing, I loved 4-wall handball, and he said I would have to give up the game if I were on coumadin because of bruising to the hands. I didn't want to give up the game and didn't want the routines that go with coumadin. But when I became 65, he said it was time to do something. That was when the Maze was offered as a possibility for my condition. The evaluations for my Maze candidacy got underway and after being accepted, I agreed to it in no small way in order to avoid coumadin. So I have never been on coumadin either before the Maze or after the Maze.
Then I became a bit confused when I was in the EP lab (June 2002), on the table for the pacer implant. The EP working on me and I engaged in conversation, and he made it clear that it was his opinion that all Mazers should be on coumadin. I shared that during the Maze the tag had been removed, and it was my understanding that significantly reduced the chance for thowing a clot. He was insistant that in his view and in view of a recently released study from Cleve Clinic all Mazers should be on coumadin. I did not like to hear that.
You asked how I feel now compared to before the Maze. I think I feel about the same with respect to energy levels etc. Before the Maze I seemed to sweat profusely after very little exertion. I no longer sweat that profusely. I do have periods of high fatigue now that I don't recall having had before the Maze. Not sure if that is due to aging or heart function.
Thanks for your comments.
Roger