Questions about a-fib
- Thread starter buncle
- Start date
Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:
ALCapshaw2
Well-known member
Here is the link to what WiKiPedia has to say about A-Fib which is way more than I wanted to copy and paste.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrial_fibrillation
Basically it is an Irregular Heart Beat, often rapid, but not always.
Many patients get A-Fib after OHS. It can come and go or be continuous.
It may come and go for several weeks after OHS.
It may or may not respond to 'lesser drugs'.
It may clear up on it's own after 'running it's course'.
It can make you feel 'weak and tired'.
It can cause Blood Clots to form.
A-Fib patients are usually prescribed to be on Coumadin / Warfarin (anti-coagulents) to minimize the risk of clot formation.
Common Triggers are Stress, Caffeine (Coffee, Tea, Cola Drinks, Chocolate, etc.), Nicotine, other non-Rx drugs, etc.
It can be diagnosed with an EKG (i.e. if it happens while you are in the Hospital, a Nurse will see it immediately on their monitor).
If you have been diagnosed with A-Fib and no other arrhythmias, you can 'probably' self diagnose with a stethoscope if you hear a similar pattern.
There are several drugs that can help control / prevent A-Fib. Several members have had good results with Sotalol (the generic form of BetaPace). Too many Doctors simply prescribe Amiodarone which is the Sledge Hammer of antiarrhythmics "because it works and they can send patients home sooner". High Doses or taking for too long can result in some Nasty Side Effects. (Do a Search for Amiodarone or Google or get an informatiion sheet from your Pharmacist to learn the gory details). As you can tell, I am not a fan of using Amiodarone for A-Fib unless Nothing Else Works.
'AL Capshaw'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrial_fibrillation
Basically it is an Irregular Heart Beat, often rapid, but not always.
Many patients get A-Fib after OHS. It can come and go or be continuous.
It may come and go for several weeks after OHS.
It may or may not respond to 'lesser drugs'.
It may clear up on it's own after 'running it's course'.
It can make you feel 'weak and tired'.
It can cause Blood Clots to form.
A-Fib patients are usually prescribed to be on Coumadin / Warfarin (anti-coagulents) to minimize the risk of clot formation.
Common Triggers are Stress, Caffeine (Coffee, Tea, Cola Drinks, Chocolate, etc.), Nicotine, other non-Rx drugs, etc.
It can be diagnosed with an EKG (i.e. if it happens while you are in the Hospital, a Nurse will see it immediately on their monitor).
If you have been diagnosed with A-Fib and no other arrhythmias, you can 'probably' self diagnose with a stethoscope if you hear a similar pattern.
There are several drugs that can help control / prevent A-Fib. Several members have had good results with Sotalol (the generic form of BetaPace). Too many Doctors simply prescribe Amiodarone which is the Sledge Hammer of antiarrhythmics "because it works and they can send patients home sooner". High Doses or taking for too long can result in some Nasty Side Effects. (Do a Search for Amiodarone or Google or get an informatiion sheet from your Pharmacist to learn the gory details). As you can tell, I am not a fan of using Amiodarone for A-Fib unless Nothing Else Works.
'AL Capshaw'
Good info Al. Thanks for posting the detailed response.
Jim
Jim
Ross
Well-known member
......And that is exactly what the manufacturer recommends also!
JeffM
Well-known member
A-fib
A-fib
Not much more to add here other than to share my own experience. My a-fib began a few months before my AVR and Maze surgery. It gradually worsened because my valve leakage had gone on for so long that my heart was becoming very ineffiecient and undergoing some very negative changes. After the surgery, I had some a-fib episodes that would last for anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours at a time. These tapered off and were mostly gone after a few months. My a-fib wasn't that uncomfortable and because I expected it, it didn't scare me a lot, especially because I was on Warfarin to help prevent clots (and strokes) for 3 months. At almost one year, I have had no A-fib for many months, only very minor rhythm disturbances a few times a day. Everyone is different though and you are wise to educate yourself and keep your medical professionals in the loop on your symptoms. Good luck!
A-fib
Not much more to add here other than to share my own experience. My a-fib began a few months before my AVR and Maze surgery. It gradually worsened because my valve leakage had gone on for so long that my heart was becoming very ineffiecient and undergoing some very negative changes. After the surgery, I had some a-fib episodes that would last for anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours at a time. These tapered off and were mostly gone after a few months. My a-fib wasn't that uncomfortable and because I expected it, it didn't scare me a lot, especially because I was on Warfarin to help prevent clots (and strokes) for 3 months. At almost one year, I have had no A-fib for many months, only very minor rhythm disturbances a few times a day. Everyone is different though and you are wise to educate yourself and keep your medical professionals in the loop on your symptoms. Good luck!
I believe that the VR Glossary has the descriptions of PVC, PAC, and A-fib.
I should mention, it's in the Forum Section: Reference Sources.
ALCapshaw2
Well-known member
PAC = Premature Atrial Contraction
PVC = Premature Ventricular Contraction
They present similar symptoms, often a "Regularly Irregular Heartbeat" that 'feels like a skipped beat BUT is actually a premature beat that (too) quickly follows the previous beat.
They can be 'disturbing' and sometimes even 'uncomfortable' but are generally considered to be 'benign'. Several different types of Beta Blockers are effective at controlling PAC's and PVC's.
If you do not have a Stethoscope, I highly recommend buying one (an inexpensive model is 'good enough') to enable you to listen to your heartbeat. They can be found at most pharmacies (probably even Walmart, etc.) and medical equipment supply outlets.
'AL Capshaw'
PVC = Premature Ventricular Contraction
They present similar symptoms, often a "Regularly Irregular Heartbeat" that 'feels like a skipped beat BUT is actually a premature beat that (too) quickly follows the previous beat.
They can be 'disturbing' and sometimes even 'uncomfortable' but are generally considered to be 'benign'. Several different types of Beta Blockers are effective at controlling PAC's and PVC's.
If you do not have a Stethoscope, I highly recommend buying one (an inexpensive model is 'good enough') to enable you to listen to your heartbeat. They can be found at most pharmacies (probably even Walmart, etc.) and medical equipment supply outlets.
'AL Capshaw'
Jkm7
Well-known member
Can you describe what PVCs feel like?
I've read so much mention of them but can't imagine what they are like.
I've read so much mention of them but can't imagine what they are like.
for me it is first an awareness of your heart beating.you can feel it in your body.sometimes in your neck or ears. then it feels like your heart is beating hard-not fast,then i feel a much harder beat followed immediatly by a more normal beat.then it will beat normal for 10-20 beats then does it again. the irregular 1/2 of the beat is like a thud.if i get 3 or 4 in a row it will make me feel bad.it scares the heck out of you when you first get them.i have had them so long i just accept it most of the time and go on.unless you have experienced it- it is hard to explain-but if you dont have them you absolutely dont want them! when you get them for the first time you think your having a heart attack.I would invite others who have these to try to give a better explanation. It is hard explain how negitive they are.
I get PVCs occasionally. Makes me feel like I'm sucking in my breath -- that's the only way to describe it, and my doctors have said, yep, that's what PVCs feel like. I just get a couple, and then everything goes back to normal.
I don't think I've had a-fib. I did have tachycardia about 2-5 weeks post op, on and off.
I don't think I've had a-fib. I did have tachycardia about 2-5 weeks post op, on and off.
Jkm7
Well-known member
Thanks.
Do they show on an ekg?
Do they show on an ekg?
Adrienne
Well-known member
I would describe it as a slight pause and then a thud. When I have gotten them (I hardly do anymore) it almost gives a feeling of impending doom when the thud came. I don't know if that makes sense.
ALCapshaw2
Well-known member
YES (see my first reply, #2 in this thread)
Nupur
Well-known member
The blood pressure monitor that I have (Omron HEM 712C) has a little icon for "irregular heartbeat". Does that mean it can detect PVC/PAC? They say "In addition to easy one-touch operation, Omron's Advanced Blood Pressure Monitor detects irregular heartbeats. Irregular heart beat detection alerts you to a potentially dangerous irregular heartbeat which can usually cause or be an indicator of cardiovascular disease", but I don't know what exactly that means. Many times when I get this "lurching" or "thumping" feeling, accompanied with the sense of something not quite right, I use the BP but it never shows anything, although I am pretty sure I have some PVC's. Will it detect A-fib?
Mileena46
Well-known member
When I was in hospital with A-fib just a week or so ago..the BP monitor did show it. How? I have no idea...but anyone who took my pressure, I would ask if I was still in (they had slowed my heart rate so that I couldn't tell) and they would say "Yes". When I first went in, my heart rate was over 150 and my "clicking" valve was beating oddly. I woke in the night sweating and feeling like I was running a race.
I also have PVCs. To me, there is no comparsion with those and A-fib, but maybe thats just my own experience.
Mileena
I also have PVCs. To me, there is no comparsion with those and A-fib, but maybe thats just my own experience.
Mileena
My blood pressure monitor shows a little heart beat symbol everytime my heart beats and I can see it displaying irregular when I an having PVC'S.Of course I can feel them too so I can see the correlation between the monitor and my PVC's.
I had it after surgery.
They fixed it with a de-fib and gave me some really trippy drugs. Though they had it on a test cycle first and it was a talking machine so I thought they had forgotten to give me the drugs and were shocking me anyway which was scary for a second - I was even doing the 'Team America' signal.
That said, it's a great opportunity to get proper mashed in a controlled medical setting, so if you get a-fib, say yes to the d-fib
I asked them several times after what the name of the drug was but it kept falling out of my head. Apparently I was talking some really funny nonsense while I was out of it.
They fixed it with a de-fib and gave me some really trippy drugs. Though they had it on a test cycle first and it was a talking machine so I thought they had forgotten to give me the drugs and were shocking me anyway which was scary for a second - I was even doing the 'Team America' signal.
That said, it's a great opportunity to get proper mashed in a controlled medical setting, so if you get a-fib, say yes to the d-fib
I asked them several times after what the name of the drug was but it kept falling out of my head. Apparently I was talking some really funny nonsense while I was out of it.
