Lost

Well here I sit again and it is 2 AM. I have had hot sweats and headache again. Sports HR moniter is showing 147 150 steady. I had an Abilation March 13 and they tell me I have to wait 3 months to see "how it goes". I went to the ER again April 2 cause I just could not take it as my HR was up at 190 and I felt like my heart would jump out of my chest. I had 2 other episodes but didnt go to ER but the last time the HR would not stop it was pegged at 180 190 all day everyday for a week.

So I lay there and they hit me with shock 3 times but I tell them it won't work as it didn't work before the abilation either. After 3 hours listening to my HR go from 117 to 180 190 I tell them they might as well release me as it might go away later which it did for a day anyway. I was taking one Coversyl 2mg a day before and after the abilation but now they have me on 50 mg of Metoprolol 2 times a day and off the Coversyl. The Metoprolol seems to help my HR for the past 2 days but my BP is now at 100/63 and I fee like hell. I can't wait for the day to end so I can go to sleep and hopefully the next day will be better than the last but so far it hasn't been.

My abilation was suppose to take 3 hrs max but I was in surgery for 5.1/2 hours. The doc said he got 3 spots but couldn't get the 4th as the muscle was in the way so he gave up. If they would have told me that I was going to feel like this and things could possible be worse I never would have tried an abilation but it is too late now.

I am at wits end and lost with treatment as the ER says one thing, my GP says another and abilation people say something else. I just took an extra 50mg of metoprolol to see if I can kick my rate back down and maybe get some sleet.

Hi Doug - so sorry to hear you are having problems.

Can you tell me where you had your ablation done?

I had it done at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster B.C. Canada. I waited 4 month to get in. It was a Doctor Lamatrie that did it an English guy.

Regards
Doug

Doug,

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. Please note that cardioversion is unlikely to work if you are deficient in magnesium and potassium. [www.afibbers.org].

Hans

Hans

Thanks for commenting I have been reading this site from back in 2002 and I read your journey last night at 2 in the morning. What you went through is just about exactly what I have been going through except my episodes triggered always at 3 AM and yes over the last 10 years they got more bearable. I tried all the treatments like you but to no avail. I am going to get back on the Mag and potassium and try that.

You ever heard of Dr Lamatrie at RCH he did my Abilation.

Doug

Hans

I see Magnesium Glycinate at 400 Mg a day and it is east to find.

But the Potassium "gluconate" at 1500 a day is hard to find the Potassium in that form and it is not in your vitamin store in that form either. What form is o.k.?


Doug

Doug, i get potassium gluconate from Hans' vitamin store, in 1 pound bottles marked NOW brand potassium gluconate 100%pure powder. I forget what it costs, but it is not exorbitantly priced. This powder is easy to use. It does not have a strong taste like KCl does. I just stir one teaspoonful into a big glass of plain water. Try it, you might like it. You are sure to like NSR. All the best to you.

PeggyM.

Doug,

No, I have not heard of Dr. LeMaitre, but he does not appear to be an electrophysiologist and that is what you need to have a reasonable chance of a successful ablation.

Most afibbers use magnesium glycinate and potassium gluconate (in the powder form from NOW Foods). They are both available in the afibbers.org vitamin shop [www.afibbers.org].

Hans

Sorry to hear of your problems. FWIW, I find that even though I am on TIKOSYN and in NSR 100% of the time (presumably.... every time they put a monitor on me I am in NSR and the most they see are skipped beats; just finished a Friday AM to Monday noon stretch with a monitor on and will get results in a few weeks when I see Dr. Verma/Dr. Khaykin at Southlake in Newmarket ON.)... anyway, my point is simply, in a nutshell, that my heart is either 'calm' or 'chest thumping/pressure/wobblies'. The former seems to be when I miss any possible triggers and my blood sugars are in line (lately they tend to go LOW for a change). If I miss my magnesium supplements and MOST ESPECIALLY my Potassium supplements, I run into grief to the point that I sometimes think a trip to the ER in Newmarket would not be a bad idea. Problem is, I always take in a bunch of Potassium and 20 minutes later my heart is calm. In general, if I maintain Potassium supplementation, my heart is calm.

I take in 400mg. Magnesium Glycinate (Chelated) in two to four doses over the course of the day.

What appears to ME anyway to be more important to maintaining my heart 'calm' is taking in up to 3 GRAMS of Potassium Gluconate daily and I generally take it in the following form: 1.5g. dissolved in Polar Seltzer Water over the course of the day (Polar has no other significant additives like Sodium for instance)..... plus 1.5g. via drinking a beercup full of low sodium V8 or Mott's Vegetable Cocktail. Each beercup of about 16oz. will provide about 1.5g. of Potassium. Again, I take in about 3g. on a normal day and my last blood tests showed serum Potassium at 4.2 and Sodium at 143. My Potassium likes to be up around 4.5-4.7 to keep my heart calm.

I cannot comment on post-ablation issue as I have yet to have ablation (am on TIKOSYN which is 100% NSR since Dec 2011) and am waiting for my left atrium to shrink down below 50mm before considering ablation.

FWIW.

Murray L

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Tikosyn uptake Dec 2011 500ug b.i.d. NSR since!
Herein lies opinion, not professional advice, which all are well advised to seek.

"Problem is, I always take in a bunch of Potassium and 20 minutes later my heart is calm. In general, if I maintain Potassium supplementation, my heart is calm"?

My experience, post ablation, too. If I get missed beats which I still get once every 3-5 weeks or so, Potassium seems to fix it

Anyone out there please, can anyone tell me if they have experienced RAPID 190 HR continually after abilation and if so does it go away ever? I have been back to the Royal Columbian Hospital clinic finally April 23 for a nurse visit (can you believe it) not a doctor visit. I havent seen the Doctor since he told me he could not get one of the vein ends cause too much muscle was in the way he said he burnt it but didnt want to burn it anymore as they were not sure it was a problem area anyway, nice hey. So 3 out of 4 is all I get????

That was after being on the table for 5 1/2 hours. I think he made a mistake and has really caused some damage. At the RCH A Fib clinic they are way to casual about the post abilation attacks than I think is right. Of course when I go there for the 6 week check they do an ecg and I am in NSR so no record again.

I NEED to know from anyone if it is normal to be having these 153 to 190 HR attacks that last all day? I am on the Potassium and Mag for 3 days but nothing so far. I am waking up at night with major body aches in my hips, knees and feet and Night time is hell usually sleet in 2 hour fits. I take 50mg of Xanax when I get stressed and depressed but even that isnt helping. You know when I had A fib there was hope but now that all seems to have gone away and I am scared to death I will never get back to NSR.

I am 62 years old by the way in good shape, 6'4" tall 220lbs. I am now on 50MG Metoprolol 2 times a day and sometimes I take an extra 25MG at 3 in the afternoon as I get some hits then and also at 3 AM and I can tell it will be another night in hell tonight. I just soaked in a tub to prep for bed but my heartrate is showing 165 with my sport moniter on my chest and I cant seem to get it down again.

What bothers me is the way the RCH clinic has just dropped the ball as no one mentioned the Afib could get worse not better after the operation and I dont even get to see Dr LeMaitre until June 18 thats 3 friggen Months after the procedure is that normal?

So far I have been whinning to Leanne there at the RCH a fib clinin she is the drug person who put me on the Met and the only support I get so far.

Can Anyone explain what is happening to me please and will it get better?????

Regards
Doug Gooch

I don't know but I would hesitate a guess that a rapid heartbeat like that is not a great sign and if it has not settled down you need to be in front of a cardiologist/EP nose-to-nose. Even when I was in aFib my heart rate never went that high. I am now on TIKOSYN for NSR and taking 10mg of Metoprolol b.i.d. My heart rate is 60 at rest, 70 when active, up to 115 when exercising. I would want to ask for some answers.

Murray L

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Tikosyn uptake Dec 2011 500ug b.i.d. NSR since!
Herein lies opinion, not professional advice, which all are well advised to seek.