Craziness continues

The craziness continues.
I honestly don't know what I have. Last month EP gave me an EKG and told me I was in a flutter. Scheduled an abalation in Glens Falls Hostpital. North of Albany, NY. I went to see him last Friday and he says I am now in afib. Can't do ablation for that locally so will have to go to Albany for that. I am in line for a Dr. Natale ablation in the spring. Local EP wants to do a cardioconversion on the 17th of this month.
Here is what is absolutely crazy. Yesterday Kardia app showed "possible afib" several times with a pulse of 40-50. One reading showed a pulse of 38 which scared me to be honest. Omron cuff showed good bp but pulse of 40, with irregular heartbeat.

Today 4 Kardia readings showed normal with a pulse of around 75. 3 Omron readings showed good bp with a pulse of 75 with NO irregular heartbeat.

I don't feel any different physically from yesterday to today.

I would guess I am in NSR today but don't know for sure. Who knows what tomorrow will show. I think this has been going on for decades.
Is the Omron cuff a good indicator of NSR if the irregular heartbeat light in NOT lit?

The Kardia should be far better than the BP cuff. I’m a bit surprised that it said possible AF with such a low rate. Usually it kind of “gives up” if the rate is below 50. Although I’m not 100% sure on that, as my lowest AF rate was 55.

Stay away (far away) from any EP who says he or she can do an ablation right away. If you’re on Natale’s list then stay there. That’s exactly where you want to be. In the meantime, work with your local docs to get a medication regimen that works for you while you are on the waitlist. I’d start by insisting on a Holter Monitor to establish your exact arrhythmia throughout the day.

If the Kardia said normal then you're in NSR so forget the cardioversion. And I wouldn't put much stock in what the BP cuff says about regularity. Believe the Kardia.

I second what wolfpack said about Natale. If you're on his schedule, stay there and don't let local EPs steer you otherwise.

That's great advice above Robin. Like the guys say, head straight to Natale in spring and manage things optimally until then starting by getting a Holter monitor ASAP to see exactly what's going on.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/2019 03:29AM by mwcf.

Thank you for your comments.
Crazy thing is inconsistent reading from the Kardia app. This morning first reading said Normal. Second reading a minute later read, Unclassified. Next reading a minuter late said possible afib. 3 different readings in a two minute period??????????????????????

I had a Holter last Sept. Conclusion was: afib with good heart rate and some periods of bradycardia. Rare PVC"s.

a month ago my cardiologist gave me EKG which showed a flutter
last Friday EKG showed afib.

EP recommends a cardio conversion this coming Thurs. He also said he would but a small chip under my skin that would transmit my heart stats to him daily.

And, yes. I hope to see DR. Natale in the spring.

A cardioversion to get you out of afib makes perfect sense. So does the monitor (the chip). Go with all that.

Robin, you might suffer from unsustained afib, which would explain your various ECG readings in a short period of time, and the craziness you're feeling.
If this is the case, the chip monitor would be nice to record what really happens.
But if your afib is unsustained, a cardioversion (I mean electric cardioversion) would be of very little help.
Of course, I'm no doc and I may be wrong, but the things you describe look like those I've frequently lived by myself.
I'm among the patients going frequently in and out of afib, with quiet episodes in between, then lots of ectopics, short bursts of atrial tachycardia or atypical flutter, then back in NSR... It's crazy but I'm used to; and now my rule is: no more stress (it really makes things worse).

I can only speak for myself, but the only EP that I would allow to do a procedure or do anything invasive on me is Dr. Natale. I'm still in perfect sinus since my ablation in Dec. 2013. I was in a-fib 24/7, and a real mess, but I just took my Xarelto and waited months on his list until it was my day.

I would maintain the plan to go to Austin.

Thank you for your comments folks,

Pompon...……...I never heard of unsustained afib but this sounds exactly like me. I have had ectopic, PVC"s, PAC"c and infrequent tachycardia events for probably over 40 years. Which bring up some interesting questions like should I be on blood thinners all the time just in case? A year ago I felt ill and went to my family Doc who said I was just having a series of PVC.s. Six months later on a return visit he found a flutter. When I was cardio coverted in October the Doc looked at the screen and said you are in afib. I said I thought it was aflutter. He looked back at the monitor and said, OH yes, you are in aflutter now.
My VA doc read each line of my recent EKG and said the first line showed aflutter, second line NSR, third line afib, forth line NSR. Then an inverted T wave with first degree av block. He said I was all over the place. I never have heard of such craziness.
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So maybe it's just me? How do you treat something like that? Maybe I should cancel the conversion for this Thursday.

But thanks for the info.

Quote
Robin
Maybe I should cancel the conversion for this Thursday.

Why? If it doesn't last, oh well, nothing lost other than a couple hours of your time. But if it does last, you're better off. Cardioversions are no big deal. I wouldn't hesitate to do one if it had even a small chance of succeeding.