Four months on from my last post and how do I stand now? Most days I walk 5-10km. and am now following a hilly trail. I have spent several days cross country ski-ing, covering 8-12km per day. I am probably healthier than most men of my age (63 years). I have not identified any arrhythmia during that time. I am working fully days, and no longer left exhausted by the end of the day. So muby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
I doubted the value of a considerable daily investment in daily blogging on my Cox Maze IV procedure. There was certainly a lot to discuss in the course of it, or simply to talk about. My Cox Maze IV procedure took place on April 19, after being bumped from the surgical list. There were a couple of reviews in the vein "this man saved my life when all others failed", so it seemed hby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
I started this blog, "my story...my diary" as an account of my challenging and likely traumatic journey through my Cox IV Maze procedure...as a record of my emotional, psychological and physical highs, lows and in-betweens. As such, I am somewhat bemused to see it having been "hijacked" by a debate on the merits or otherwise of "peanuts". Some might say this toby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
16 April I have a blood test today; and then off to the physiotherapist for some acupuncture needling in the areas of tightness in my back. I am also doing back exercises around strength and flexibility. Anyway, may as get all the needling done in the one day. A friend has come to stay. The timing was to fit in when I would have left hospital had surgery occurred on 11 April. As it is, itby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
15 April My main worry, if you can describe the nagging thought as a worry, is whether the surgery will be deferred yet again...I do not believe that would now happen...but I thought that twice before. I have been living the surgery for almost a month, and perparing for it a month before that. My first meeting with the surgeon resulted in a carotid echo and spirometery test to evaluateby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
I do eat yoghurt and other dairy products and the the full range of tree nuts copiously: walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, brazil nuts, pistachios. I believe Walnuts and mushrooms provide the last of the missing amino acids...and I do adore mushrooms.by tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteElizabeth The latest belief is that about 40% of your heart is replaced during a full life. ... What about with the Watchman device, I have read that patients are to remain on aspirin. Liz Liz, as far as I know, every cell in our body is replaced every few years...and I expect that replacement does not depend on stems cells. So, the amount of your heart replaced during a fullby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
14 April. Many people will liken it to DULL, but my chore for the morning was the domestic shopping, as per usual. It went as usual...including the fact that after about an hour and a half I was weary...with a tiredness that was almost febrile in my muscles. As I carried the bags to and from the car and up the stairs, my breathing was laboured...I was out of breath and puffing as my work colleby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
13 April. First thing I contact the imaging centre for a transthorasic echocardiogram and chest Xray. I manage to get the last appointment of the day...and conveniently on the way home from work stop off for these, the last of my pre-op imaging. Two interesting things from the echo... The first was that for much of the day I was very aware of my heart beat. I was feeling it, and I donby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
12 April, and my surgeon has shifted surgery to a different, larger hospital...now booked for 19 April. As for answers, the Cox IV Cryomaze it turns out will be fairly stock standard. I will be on bypass. RF for all lesions except those close to underlying structures, in which case cryo will be used. There will be three stab punctures in the right atrium to for insertion of an Atricure RF Clby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
11 April, the original day for my surgery, I now learn I am booked in for Tuesday April 17. I have an appointment tomorrow 12 April with the surgeon, to have answered a couple of questions on the procedure.by tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
10 April, the morning of my admission, I received a phone call that I had been bumped from the surgery list for someone with greater need. This was something of a roller coaster. I had watched many videos of youtube of the procedure, which I found confronting and disturbing. However, I found repeat watching rather cathartic. I also had the opportunity to talk through the procedure with faby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had a caratoid echo and spirolmetery ahead of a second appointment with the surgeon. I had not had a repeat AF episode since the first appointment, and the day before the second appointment I had a full ECG. Immediately before it I bounded up stairs for 24 stories. My heart rate recovered well and the ECG came back normal. Although feeling a little confused at this, surgery was booked inby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
There are doctors, and then there are doctors. Some are good and some must be avoided. I just had an echo, and the technician said one of her friends recently got AFib which was totally debilitating...she was unable to walk as fare as her letterbox. The community hospital said take this drug and lets see how you feel in a month. Her local doctor said keep taking this drug and lets see how youby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sorry to hear of your problems. Your research would have revealed that the three key triggers associated with AF are weight, high BP and sleep apneoa. A question is whether you have all three of those under control? I am 63 and have had AF for over 20 years. I have had four Catheter Ablations, the most recent only two months ago was unsuccessful. Now I am scheduled for a Cox IV Maze nextby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM
I was diagnosed with AF when I was 43 and have various suffered for the last 20 years. Mine is exercise induced, so vigorous exercise is out of the question. Physical exhaustion through hard labour can also be a trigger, as can lack of sleep. I do not have other Afib risk factors: high blood pressure, sleep apnoea or obesity. If a slip into arrhythmia I can revert naturally over-night whenby tiggwigg - AFIBBERS FORUM