Back on the merry-go-round, or just caffeine?
- Thread starter Protimenow
- Start date
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30% is no fun. With broken ribs, it's even harder to do a lot of exercise.
My coronary arteries are good - after my last angiogram, I was told that my coronary arteries were clear -- like a teenager's.
I just started a new medication - I don't know how much it costs - it's been on the market for about a month.
My valves are okay -- an echo last month didn't reveal any valvular issues, and my prosthetic is working fine.
I don't know what - if anything - can bring that EF back up. Maybe the medication will either raise it or give me more energy in spite of it.
I don't know about cardiac rehab - if they'll let me in.
My electrocardiologist doesn't seem to want to dig into the causes of the continuing drop in EF.
My coronary arteries are good - after my last angiogram, I was told that my coronary arteries were clear -- like a teenager's.
I just started a new medication - I don't know how much it costs - it's been on the market for about a month.
My valves are okay -- an echo last month didn't reveal any valvular issues, and my prosthetic is working fine.
I don't know what - if anything - can bring that EF back up. Maybe the medication will either raise it or give me more energy in spite of it.
I don't know about cardiac rehab - if they'll let me in.
My electrocardiologist doesn't seem to want to dig into the causes of the continuing drop in EF.
It's been a while since I posted here. My latest trip on the roller cycle started last week, when I became unable to control my heart rate. It seemed like every time I stood up or moved, my rate would jump. After a short walk, it hit as high as 141. I don't even want to guess what it would be if I tried to actually DO something.
At first, I didn't believe my heart rate monitor, but I WAS short of breath.
I called my cardiologist yesterday (he personally answers calls after hours), described the symptoms, and was told to come to the office today. I did. No appointment. An hour or two wait. I was concerned that my ejection fraction was so low that I was in REAL trouble.
I sent a report of my pacemaker's operation to the cardiologist. He saw that I had atrial flutter - this was causing the symptoms. We've scheduled an ablation that will stop the flutter (and make me pacemaker dependent).
He stopped the flutter by what I refer to as 'jump starting' my heart -- setting the pacemaker to defibrillate my heart. The defibrillator was strange - he moved my chair away from the wall and held the magnetic sensor firmly against my pacemaker. The thing went to 40,000 Joules (IIRC), and then -- wham! My tongue got warm. I jumped part way out of the chair, and it was quite a strange feeling. He told me that he moved the chair away from the wall because some people pull their heads back and hit the wall when they're defibrillated.
My cardiac rhythm is back where it should be. Now, after a 'jump start' I'm ready for a lube and oil change.
At first, I didn't believe my heart rate monitor, but I WAS short of breath.
I called my cardiologist yesterday (he personally answers calls after hours), described the symptoms, and was told to come to the office today. I did. No appointment. An hour or two wait. I was concerned that my ejection fraction was so low that I was in REAL trouble.
I sent a report of my pacemaker's operation to the cardiologist. He saw that I had atrial flutter - this was causing the symptoms. We've scheduled an ablation that will stop the flutter (and make me pacemaker dependent).
He stopped the flutter by what I refer to as 'jump starting' my heart -- setting the pacemaker to defibrillate my heart. The defibrillator was strange - he moved my chair away from the wall and held the magnetic sensor firmly against my pacemaker. The thing went to 40,000 Joules (IIRC), and then -- wham! My tongue got warm. I jumped part way out of the chair, and it was quite a strange feeling. He told me that he moved the chair away from the wall because some people pull their heads back and hit the wall when they're defibrillated.
My cardiac rhythm is back where it should be. Now, after a 'jump start' I'm ready for a lube and oil change.
Do you have a pacemaker, an ICD or one of those combo models (acts as both)?
If you have an ICD or a combo model, why didn't it automatically defibrillate your heart when it detected an abnormal rhythm?
If you just have a pacemaker, I'm confused how your doctor changed the "setting the pacemaker to defibrillate my heart"?
What do you mean by "and make me pacemaker dependent?
I am sorry to hear of your troubles. I hope and pray your heart gets better. When will you have the ablation?
Pacemaker dependent means that I don't have any parts of my heart that trigger contractions. Pacemaker dependent means that if you don't have a pacemaker, there's no tissue in the heart to trigger contractions. At least, this is what I understand that the term means.
Yes. I have an ICD pacemaker - the kind with a built in defibrillator.
I believe that it's triggered by continuous heartbeats above 160 bpm, and that it must detect this heartrate for a considerable amount of time. My heartrate rose into the mid 130s, with a maximum of 141. This degree of atrial fibrillation wasn't enough to trigger the defibrillator in the pacemaker to go off.
Getting a jolt from my pacemaker restored my normal rhythm.
My cardiologist talked about another ablation - but I don't know if this is possible - he may have to go through the mechanical valve (which he can't do) to reach the node he thinks should be ablated. If this is the case, I'll just have to get used to occasional aortic fibrillation and occasional defibrillation.
Yes. I have an ICD pacemaker - the kind with a built in defibrillator.
I believe that it's triggered by continuous heartbeats above 160 bpm, and that it must detect this heartrate for a considerable amount of time. My heartrate rose into the mid 130s, with a maximum of 141. This degree of atrial fibrillation wasn't enough to trigger the defibrillator in the pacemaker to go off.
Getting a jolt from my pacemaker restored my normal rhythm.
My cardiologist talked about another ablation - but I don't know if this is possible - he may have to go through the mechanical valve (which he can't do) to reach the node he thinks should be ablated. If this is the case, I'll just have to get used to occasional aortic fibrillation and occasional defibrillation.
That explains it. Thanks.
I don't think I can EVER have the ablation. My cardiologist apparently forgot about my prosthetic aortic valve. In the past, when he thought about it, when he puts the probe through the prosthetic valve to reach the node he wants to ablate, it stops the heart (because the valve stops working). I don't know if going through the effort of putting me on a heart lung machine would work, or be viable or affordable - but this seemed like a procedure that he won't do.
I'll just have to hope that the fibrillation doesn't return - I'd rather not have my heart defibrillated again.
The saga continues ....
Although the aortic fibrillation hasn't returned, my cardiologist is pushing me to get the ablation. (This is of tissue that he can access - not the one that requires him to go through my valve, instantly stopping my heart). I'm doing this on April 2. My wife is as scared as hell - but I'm not all that concerned - it's like an Angiogram, but he also uses a 'tool' to ablate the spot in the heart that occasionally triggers fibrillation.
He does a lot of these. I'll be in the hospital for this procedure (they're well equipped for this - great technology - I saw this setup when they tried to ablate what was causing PVCs a few years ago). This procedure should actually take about 10 minutes or so - plus an hour or two pre-op and a few hours to recover from the stuff they give me while they do it.
In THEORY, this should fix the fibrillation issue. It is supposed to somehow make my heart work more efficiently and, possibly, give me more strength.
Time will tell.
I'll probably update this after the procedure.
Although the aortic fibrillation hasn't returned, my cardiologist is pushing me to get the ablation. (This is of tissue that he can access - not the one that requires him to go through my valve, instantly stopping my heart). I'm doing this on April 2. My wife is as scared as hell - but I'm not all that concerned - it's like an Angiogram, but he also uses a 'tool' to ablate the spot in the heart that occasionally triggers fibrillation.
He does a lot of these. I'll be in the hospital for this procedure (they're well equipped for this - great technology - I saw this setup when they tried to ablate what was causing PVCs a few years ago). This procedure should actually take about 10 minutes or so - plus an hour or two pre-op and a few hours to recover from the stuff they give me while they do it.
In THEORY, this should fix the fibrillation issue. It is supposed to somehow make my heart work more efficiently and, possibly, give me more strength.
Time will tell.
I'll probably update this after the procedure.
Protimenow - Please update us after the procedure. We care about you! Also, this helps us to better understand ablations, which we also may need some day.
How will they perform your procedure? I've heard of Radiofrequency Ablation, Cryoablation, Laser Ablation. and Chemical Ablation.
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
slipkid
Well-known member
Best wishes
2nded & 3rded Protime!
Last edited:
Of interest: Magnesium
https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-magnesium
https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-magnesium
I don't think my issue is related to magnesium. If I'm really blocked (rarely), magnesium citrate does the job. There are different forms of magnesium. Some are kinder than others.
One thing that DID seem to make a difference is the amount of sodium that I was ingesting. For many years, I did the cooking, and most of it was very low sodium - a matter of taste, rather than necessity (my wife didn't like things salty). I seemed to do better when I would sneak in a hot dog before bedtime. My body may have been low in sodium, and this may also have had an effect on cardiac function.
I plan to check in on Tuesday night to report on the ablation. (They're keeping me an extra hour or two because I don't have a 'trusted adult' to take me back to my hotel - and so that I can tackle the Uber driver if he starts to behave 'irresponsibly.'
One thing that DID seem to make a difference is the amount of sodium that I was ingesting. For many years, I did the cooking, and most of it was very low sodium - a matter of taste, rather than necessity (my wife didn't like things salty). I seemed to do better when I would sneak in a hot dog before bedtime. My body may have been low in sodium, and this may also have had an effect on cardiac function.
I plan to check in on Tuesday night to report on the ablation. (They're keeping me an extra hour or two because I don't have a 'trusted adult' to take me back to my hotel - and so that I can tackle the Uber driver if he starts to behave 'irresponsibly.'
I've been on magnesium supplements for years and can't say it's made a difference in arrhythmic occurrences. But maybe I would have had more problems if I wasn't on it. One of life's great unknowns, I suppose.
Best of luck with the ablation! Make sure you get your frequent customer card punched so the next one is free
(I'm likely up for my second ablation if my EP has his way, trying to put it off)
All the best with your procedure tomorrow.
Yeah. I'll ask about punching my frequent flyer card when I get there. They seem to be running out of spots to ablate....the only one that will be left, afaik, is one that they can't access.
This should be a simple procedure - an hour or two to prep me, ten minutes to actually do the job, then a few hours in post-op.
They don't want to release me to Uber - I'm supposed to be picked up by a 'responsible adult.' This, of course, suggests that Uber drivers are irresponsible adults. My doctor said that they'll just have to keep me an extra hour or two, THEN I can take Uber back.
And thanks to everyone for the 'good lucks' and other nice things.
My biggest concern is my wife - this stuff really upsets her.
This should be a simple procedure - an hour or two to prep me, ten minutes to actually do the job, then a few hours in post-op.
They don't want to release me to Uber - I'm supposed to be picked up by a 'responsible adult.' This, of course, suggests that Uber drivers are irresponsible adults. My doctor said that they'll just have to keep me an extra hour or two, THEN I can take Uber back.
And thanks to everyone for the 'good lucks' and other nice things.
My biggest concern is my wife - this stuff really upsets her.
