I'll definitely ask for cardiac rehab. Still not sure what kind of valve the surgeon will recommend, but I would like to avoid a mechanical one if I can.by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Carey and Daisy!by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Daisy, Are you going to have open heart surgery? Or is it something you can have done non invasively? Carey, how did they place the watchman in there? How long ago did they do it? How are you doing with it? I appreciate so much any help. I am so anxious and really just need to know what is happening, what choices I should make and how they are going affect my quality of life. I am a veby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Can you please explain what the LAA is? I've heard it referred to on here but not sure what it is. I am also wondering If my afib is because of the bicuspid valve, does that mean that it will stop once I have the valve replacement? Or has afib over the past 5 years created too much damage? I seem to have many PACS which I had for several years before afib struck. Even so, I am lucky thatby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Carey, that makes sense. I was in contact with Dr. Natale's office last year. Was waiting until I had better health insurance as they wouldn t pay him. Now I am on Medicare advantage. I think it is a good idea to talk to them. Thanks for the suggestion.by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes bicuspid valve. I really dont know the difference between maze or ablation. I was told that he does maze procedure when I asked about an ablation. I am so confused now. Really don't know what to do. Should I do the ablation first or AVR?by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have more testing coming up but it I was told that I will need an aortic valve replacement. Since I also have afib I have been told that the surgeon would perform an ablation at the same time. I will have to have open heart surgery. Has anyone else heard of this? I was hoping to have Dr. Natale perform the ablation when I felt the time had come for that. I am worried that I don't haby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Have you been to the Dr? Not good to have your heart rate that high. You should go to the ER when you have such a high heart rate. Especially if this is your first time in afib. They will probably start with diltiazam and hopefully you will convert to NSR on your own.by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have taken taurine with magnesium and potassium and a myriad of other supplements for years. Recently I have wondered whether taurine has increased my PACs at times. I will take all my supplements and then start PACs shortly thereafter. I have gone days without any supplements and felt fine. I have also tried taking some but leaving out the taurine. I take the same brand for the past severby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Now I am confused. I called my cardiologist's office yesterday to find out details of my echocardiogram. My husband is a retired nurse and he kept asking me what my ejection and regurgitation percentage was on the test. I talked with the nurse and she told me that my ejection percentage is 58% which is good. Normal being between 50 -70%. Also my heart is not enlarged. What did show tby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Daisy, That is the hospital that was doing the study apparently. I'm not sure if they are in my network for my insurance. I will look into it.by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Not sure if I have time to wait for the procedure to be approved. I am feeling pretty worn out and have felt pretty awful all summer. They said severe stenosis because of the bicuspid valve. If it was tricuspid it wouldn't be labeled severe. Not sure what that means. The cardiologist literally spent 5 minutes telling me this news.by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I just read an article . study at LOS ANGELES (June 20, 2019) - A new analysis conducted by investigators at the Cedars-Sinai Smidt Heart Institute shows for the first time that patients with a common heart defect who undergo catheter-based valve replacement procedures have the same survival and complication rates as patients without the defect who undergo the same procedure. This is good news,by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Carey, I made an appointment with Dr. Samuel Youssef at Swedish today. Thankfully they accept my insurance and are in network.by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you Carey. I hope my Dr. will refer me to them. I will research this. Woke up in the middle of the night with a panic attack.by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
The Dr. said that I couldn't have catherization because of the bicuspid heart valve. He said that it isn't indicated in my situation. I could probably deal with it better emotionally if it wasn't such a traumatic operation. I wonder how I am going to survive this. I am thinking I should get a second opinion. Does anyone know of a good heart surgeon in the Seattle area?by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am freaking out. My cardiologist told me the results of my echocardiogram. He told me that I have severe hardening of my aortic valve. And because I have a bicuspid valve I will have to have open heart surgery to replace or repair the valve instead of catherization. I am so scared. I am afraid of the horrible pain and or dying. What are the odds that this will go well? Any information orby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I recently saw a an article about a clinical trial for reducing afib episodes. The study had participants attach a clip to the tragus on their ear with a tens unit. The vagus nerve travels through the side of the body and this area stimulates the nerve.They had the people use the device for an hour a day for 6 months. The participants had an 85% reduction in the number of afib attacks they hadby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Today I had an A-fib attack that lasted for about a couple of hours. But my heart rate was up in the high hundreds. I took a 30 mg diltiazem and half a Xanax. My blood pressure is typically on the low side. I haven't done this before but today I took my blood pressure while I was in AFib. The highest the top went was 165/88. But the bottom pressure went up to 114. This concerned me. Noby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am just relaying my experience. I'm not saying that this is the answer. I have also had two afib attacks stop when I got angry. Not saying that's the answer. But I do think it has something to do with my breath. I tend to be a person who breathes shallowley at times and I hold my breath. Therefore I am trying to be more conscious of my breath. I do find yoga and exercise helby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am very lucky in that the pattern of my afib episodes have been at intervals of approximately every 6 months or so. I had a period a year ago when they were almost every day for short bursts. In other words, random and unpredictable. Thank goodness they are not as frequent as you say yours are. If i had afib to the point where it was interfering In my everyday life, I would probably opt toby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I luckily was at home and put it on at the beginning of the episode. Not sure how it would work if I was into an episode for a longer period of time before putting it on.by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I haven't posted for awhile cause I haven't had afib for several months. I have routinely taking magnesium, potassium, taurine, ubiquinel and Vit B Complex. One thing I have noticed is that the change of weather affects my heart. For instance, when winter begins to descend, I start having irregular heartbeats. I began having PACs again over the past couple of weeks. Twice in thby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I was looking for the same postby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, I do understand your concerns. I first started having irregular heart beats when I began menopause. I have had horrible hot flashes now for 12 yrs. When I have a hot flash my heart rate almost always skips beats or starts beating rapidly. I have also gone into afib from a hot flash in the middle of the night. I have had no help or even acknowledgment from my doctors of the correction beby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I got my labs done yesterday. These are the results. Any red flags that would show why I have increased afib? Component Results Component Your Value Standard Range Flag Magnesium 2.1 mg/dL 1.5 - 2.6 mg/dL Component Results Component Your Value Standard Range Flag Na 140 mmol/L 135 - 145 mmol/L K 4.5 mmol/L 3.6 - 5.3 mmol/L Cl 103 mmol/Lby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I will take all your suggestions to heart (pun not intended). Thank you. I've been in NSR since I converted the day before yesterday. I wish I could understand why my heart goes from afib to completely relaxed and beating normally. Definitely not anything that I did!by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I haven't had clear directions on how much metoprolol and diltiazem to take. I have taken it enough though to know what will bring my heart rate down. My cardiologist is not an electrophysiologist. In fact, I have never heard of that. Now I will research this. I have to say that the only real help I have had is from this board. I am very grateful to have this resource.by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have been wondering about the drug Flacinide that people on the board have talked about. I have just been given metoprolol and diltiazem.by amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM
I stayed in bed all day and finally converted to NSR around 6:30 pm. So I was in afib for 7 hrs. Maybe this will reset these constant short bursts of afib. It all seems like a guessing game. I can't function when I am going through this. I am trying to run my own businesses and deal with life. I just want a solution. I can't even get into seeing my cardiologist until January. Sorryby amyorca - AFIBBERS FORUM