AFib Progress and the Cleveland Clinic

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Posted by James T. Redmond on January 08, 2003 at 11:11:40:

This is a second post to your wonderful forum. As Jim Thome,formally a Cleveland Indians player, used to say, I tip my hat to the players. I tip my hat to Jack Drum, Carl Plaskett, and others who have been so successful in assisting and educating those of us suffering from AFib and other arrythmias. I can't say enough good things about this forum. In addition, I can't say enough about the dedicated nurses, doctors, technicians, secretaries, and most all of the other employees at the Cleveland Clinic. The feedback from patients and prospective patients writing in this forum have helped me sort out issues related to my disease. My condition started in 1997 when AFib accompanied a mild heart attack. My AFib spontaneously converted while I was undergoing catherization.I recovered nicely, continued to pursue my passion for Scuba diving, moved on with my life until February of 2001 when I checked myself into the CC emergency room.I have had intermitent bouts of AFib ever since. My attending physicians at the CC have been Dr. Deedy (general cardiologist),and Dr. Schweikert(electrophysiologist and pacing cardiologist). Dr. Deedy has been trying to treat me by controlling my rate with drugs like verapamil,and beta blockers. For awhile, this approach was successful.What is an advantage at the CC is the tendency for each cardiologist to consult with one another on cases.They truly use a "team" approach at the CC. Dr. Deedy noted that his treatment was unsuccessful and he showed no hesitation in referring me to the EP people.It was at this time I met Dr. Schweikert, a young, very energetic, and knowledgeable EP who reviewed my case and made a recommendation of putting me on the antiarrhytmic drug, Sotalol.He put me on Sotalol after my sixth cardioversion. For those who don't know about the latter procedure, it is a procedure where you are put under for a few minutes to receive an electro shock to the heart. It usually converts AFib to NSR (Normal Synus Rhythm) usually 90% to 100% of the time. The duration is variable. It can last several days or several months. However,recently, I have been going back out of NSR quite frequently. Frequent meaning as in less than a month. Prior to December 2,2002, the cardioversion accompanied by the Sotalol drug kept me in NSR for nearly six months. Dr. Schweikert believed this period of time was successful.Because of this relative success, he did not recommend a radio frenquency ablation at this time. However, within the past month, I have been back in AFib and have been cardioverted for the eigth time. Dr. Deedy and Dr. Schweikert are moving toward other options, which include an ablation procedure. Needless to say, I am depressed over the prospects of having more procedures done.I have four options: (1) Do nothing and stay in AFib while taking coumidan the rest of my life (I am 60 years old). (2) Get cardioverted everytime I go out of rhythm and continue the meds Coumidan and Sotalol. (3) Have the radio frequency ablation done (4) Get the Maze procedure done.

Whatever I decide, I again wanted to thank this forum as well as my doctors, nurses, and technicians at the CC. I feel very fortunate to have the CC near my home where I can get world class treatment no matter what I choose. For those suffering from this condition, I strongly recommend my two physicians, or any of the physicians at the CC heart center. You should know that they are not trigger happy experimenters testing their wares on us fellow sufferers. They are polite, intelligent, human, and most of all, compassionate! Good luck to the rest of you AFib folks as you search for answers to this very enigmatic health problem.

Sincerely,

James T.Redmond
Aurora, Ohio

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