Posted by Marc on September 22, 2001 at 13:06:36:
-Hello Everyone-
I write because I am unsure of how to procede from here, or what to expect, with my
medical situation. I am 40, male. About 10 years ago I found myself with a rapid heart
beat at work, and was treated at a hospital over a few days with medicine to convert
my heart rythym out of what I have since been told was atrial flutter. I have been on a
low dosage of Toprol since. Previously I had been diagnosed with mild hypertension.
This past Feb. I awakened from sleep with atrial fib and flutter, and attempts in the ER
to convert with medication were unsuccessful. I have been very 'in tune' with my heart
since the first episode 10 years ago, and was sure that I had been in AF for only hours,
but the clinic insisted on putting me on Coumadin for cardioversion in a month. I spoke
to a 2nd EC (EP?) at that same clinic, because I did not like what I was hearing form
the 1st. The second EC had some differing view points from the first, and both sounded
iffy and were very 'clinical' with me. They were talking ablation. They were against doing
just an EP study, which I had suggested on my own from the descriptions of the ablation
procedure they gave me. I sought help from friends and was fortunate to locate Dr. Mark
Josephson at Beth Israel in Boston. He said that the ECs I had spoken to were good,
but he was not in such a hurry to do an ablation as they were. He agreed to cardiovert me
and see how long I can go on medication before a relapse, which the 2 ECs said is
inevitable because my heart has demonstrated AF tendency twice. In addition to the
Coumadin and Toprol, he put me on 225mg Rythmol 3x, and I have now gone 7+ months
w/o a relapse. The Rythmol gave me headaches (and still does now and then mildly) so
the dosage was reduced to 150mg 3x. An unsettling thing he told me is that the longer
one is allowed to remain in AF, the more a future re-occurence is helped, and that the
month I waited for cardioversion is significant in that regard. Dr. Josephson encouraged
me to see a sleep doctor for other symptoms, and I have been diagnosed with severe
obstructive sleep apnea. It turns out that my heart is slightly enlarged and it is likely
that this is the cause of my AF problem. The enlargement and the hypertension are
presumed (and I believe) to be as a result of decades of untreated sleep apnea, which is
a severe strain on the heart. I am now being treated for sleep apnea with limited success.I would greatly appreciate any suggestions/advice about the medications I am taking,
or things I should consider doing or not doing to treat my condition. I found this site
because I understand Rythmol to be a new drug and I wanted to find out more about it.
I want to be proactive instead of just standing by and taking medications (which troubles
me) until my next AF event, which may not be treated so easily the next time, and at
which time I may be facing ablation. Should I consider seeking a MAZE evaluation in
preparation for that time?Thanks,
-Marc
- Re: advise please Dave Funderburg 18:37:11 9/22/2001 (0)
- Re: advise please Carl Plaskett 16:24:12 9/22/2001 (0)
- Re: advise please Terry Gann 14:59:14 9/22/2001 (0)