Hi All,
First I want to thank my good friend Gina for posting. I really appreciate your help Gina.
Yotphix: I agree that should you really burn body parts that weren't meant to be burned? Just the thought scared me. :eek2: I had never heard of the maze procedure but since I got home yesterday I did some research. It seems that wouldn't be of first preferred option after trying meds. But since I am in the unknown right now about it all, what do I know.
LucyLou: It was a electro physiologist that came to my room to see me. He was called in by the Cardio on duty, for my regular cardio.(I found out later from my cardio, that would not have been the electro physiologist of his choice.} I just met both doctors on Thurs in the hospital, so I was not very confidant or comfortable having the electro physiologist wanting to do a EPS with Ablation that quickly (the next afternoon). I mean he's standing there talking to me about something I had never heard of. I'm like WHAT????????????? I couldn't even absorb everything he was saying that quickly. I told him I would prefer to talk to my cardio about all this before I did anything. He quickly pointed out my cardio wouldn't be available until at least Monday (I found out later, my cardio had shoulder surgery the morning I went into Afib, which is why he wasn't available.) He also said if I went home before I had this done, he did not want me to drive, or be alone until I had this done. He then told me to think about it and meanwhile he would schedule it. If I decided not to have it done, I could cancel. I was stunned and so go ahead and schedule it but to be honest with you, I more than likely am not going to have it done. At that time I still thought I may still be talking to my cardio, who may very well have agreed with this electro physiologist. My gut reaction was to call Gina since I couldn't get a hold of my cardio. She reaffirmed my feeling that I should get a second opinion. I told her my decision would depend on a lot of things. Finding out more about the procedure, what my cardio thought, the risks of course and was there anyone I knew that may have had this done. I thought Gina may have had it done, but when we talked she said she hadn't. I said it seemed someone I had read on vr had it done, so she said she would post for me.
I do have a history with having two mechanical valves from March of 2001. I am also already on coumadin. These episodes of Afib didn't start happening until about 2 years after I had my heart attack in Oct of 2007. At that time I was put on linsinopril, norvasc and lopressor. In fact until Thurs, I didn't know the exact name for it. I always called it palpitations or rapid heartbeats. In the medical world though, those terminologies mean something different than Afib. At least that is what this nurse told me Thurs.
I never heard of Bisoprolo Is that a betablocker too, like Metrolopol? That is what I am currently on at 25mgs.
Johan: I agree that should you really burn body parts that weren't meant to be burned? Just the thought scared me. :eek2: I had never heard of the maze procedure but since I got home yesterday I did some research. It seems that wouldn't be of first preferred option after trying meds. But since I am in the unknown right now about it all, what do I know.
Hook: I never heard of Lavasa, but it may be discussed when I go for my second opinion. Thanks for your input.
Steve: My dear friend. Oh I totally agree with you. I found out later when I did talk to my cardio that Afib is not normally dangerous. Because I’m already on Coumadin, I was not at risk of stroking, versus someone who went into Afib and wasn’t on blood thinners. About an hour after I got home on Friday, my cardio called me. We had a long discussion about what went down and how uncomfortable I felt having this procedure practically forced on me, not going who the heck this other guy was etc. He agreed that I did the right thing by telling this electro physiologist I would not do the procedure. My cardio discussed it and see said he did not believe the procedure would hurt me but, 1st, that wouldn’t have been his electro physiologist of choice, 2nd there are other options out there. He referred me to different a electro physiologist that he know who he says is very good, who will explain all of my options to me. He also does Aterial Fibrillation ablations, but he uses a freezing method to zap erractic electrical impulses. I have a appointment with him on Thurs. I will meet with him and then confer again with my cardio.
Cooker: Thanks for your info. This was the first time I actually broke down and went to ER for my Afib. Mostly because my episodes only lasted a half to forty five minutes and then my heart went back into normal rhytyhm. The cardio had told me if we could get an EKG of what was happening, then we would know what was happening to me. I had already worn a halter monitor for 48 hours,, a Ziopatch for a week, and had a sleep apnea test done. So Thur was the first time I had a name.
What scares me is I’m on the beta blocker already. I was taking 50mg for the last two years and last month we lowered it to 25mg because my heart rate was in the 40’s. I was having episodes of light headness, usually following a few hours after the palpitations(Afib) At 25mg it still is only in the 50’s. I could be looking at a pacemaker if we can’t get my normal heart rate up. Of course we don’t want it back up to 150!
I want to apologize because I logged in yesterday, started typing. It takes me a while to think and type what I want to say. This site must have a time out on it after writing a reply for so long. When I went to post my reply, vr said I wasn’t logged in. While I had been typing I saw it had been saving, but then I thought I lost the whole post. I relogged in and part of my post came back. I decided to copy and paste what was there into a word document, and finish and repost it today.
I will keep everyone posted as to the next plan of action. Thank you everyone.
