Treatment: Hi Ive just been reading an... - Atrial Fibrillati...

Atrial Fibrillation Support

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shirlygirly profile image
15 Replies

Hi Ive just been reading an old post from Marian62 when she asks if

she should be having a check-up as she is in permanent af but has no

symptoms she is aware of, but does have a quick check by her GP. My

husband who is in exactly the same position and has been for the last

6 years. He takes Bisoprolol and Rivaroxaban and has never been checked

from that day to this. We get prescriptions by ordering when necessary and

very rarely see our GP. It worries me quite a lot but he exercises every

day and feels fine, but then he didnt know he had it anyway. He had a

double pulmonary embolism a year or so before diagnosis which was

found whilst doing pre-op checks before a hip replacement operation.

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shirlygirly profile image
shirlygirly
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15 Replies
Beancounter profile image
BeancounterVolunteer

Hi shirlygirly

I have to say my personal opinion is that GP care is not sufficient for persistent (not permanent) AF, I think he should be under the care of an EP and seeing him/her at least twice a year. I also think ideally along with regular ECGs there should be regular echocardiograms to ensure that things like the ejection fraction and the left atrial size are not getting any worse.

It would appear however that I am a lone voice, although currently this is the treatment I am getting for my persistent AF.

Still never really had anything but slightly evasive answers to "what damage is long term persistent AF doing to us"

Wish you and he well

Ian

bc109 profile image
bc109 in reply toBeancounter

Ian,

Do you have any clues as to what damage is long term persistent AF doing to us ?

Best wishes

Beancounter profile image
BeancounterVolunteer in reply tobc109

Hi Bc

The answer is it depends on who you talk to, at least one very eminent EP told me probably nothing but your stroke risk is very high, and another told me atrail enlargement and of course it gets harder and harder to ablate.

I am seeing my EP next week after more tests I will post what he tells me

Be well

Ian

bc109 profile image
bc109 in reply toBeancounter

Thanks for that Ian.

I've heard that some people have only vestigial left atrial appendages, and hence (even with persistent AF) the chance of clots forming there is correspondingly lower.

What puts me off seeing an EP is that they might recommend an ablation procedure and just the thought of that gives me the screaming habdabs.

Would you consider ablation ?

I look forwards to seeing the results of your inquisition.

Best wishes

Mike.

Beancounter profile image
BeancounterVolunteer in reply tobc109

Hi Mike

As I understand it whilst the LAA is a major source of clots, it's certainly not the only one, so I would be very nervous about anyone telling me mine was "vestigial". Do I fear ablation, yes of course, my family crest is two crossed white feathers on a bed of custard.

But if the choice is between long term heart damage and ablation then I will take the ablation. And EP's don't always reccomend them may I say

Be well

Ian

bc109 profile image
bc109 in reply toBeancounter

Hi Ian

I think it would be a difficult decision (for craven cowards like us), but I'm beginning to think along similar lines.

Best wishes,

Mike.

Marion62 profile image
Marion62

Hi Shirlygirly,

I only have my BP and pulse checked by the GP because when I asked about check ups he agreed to do this. I had to initiate the tests - nothing has ever been offered.

Totally inadequate in my opinion as I want to know about the condition of my heart and has it enlarged - and my pulse is always different every time it is taken.

Last year when I went for my INR test the nurse said - oh you've come for your kidney function test - I said no - and she said I should have been having one yearly as I was on several meds - first I knew about this.

When my INR is stable he likes me on 10/12 week testing which again is far too long in my opinion - my INR has been going crazy over the last few weeks - and when I previosly said I didn't want to go back to 10/ 12 week testing he said it was in the guidelines.

These guidelines always seem to work against me!!

Take care

Marion

jennydog profile image
jennydog

Prior to my ablation I had had numerous ECGs and a scan. After the ablation the EP said "Given your history we were surprised at what we found.". They found odd plumbing, extensive posterior wall scar, one scarred pulmanory vein and a seriously dilated left atrium. I have to wonder why none of this showed up pre-ablation. Not exaggerating your symptoms or moaning a lot isn't a good idea!

I understand that I need to have my kidney function tested annually now that I am on Pradaxa instead of warfarin. I am going to have to ask for this to be done.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

Personally I think there should be monitoring. How does your husband feel about this?

Exercise in itself should not be dangerous if he doesn't feel anything, according to the specialists at the Patient's Day 2013 but monitoring his heart rate whilst he exercises may be useful.

reedman profile image
reedman

Hi shirlygirly

Sounds exactly like my experience! I had an extreme pain in my chest, visited GP he determined irregular pulse, referred to Cardiology who found bi-lateral pulmonary embolism and diagnosed AF. I too am asymptomatic. Drugs were Bisoprolol (now ceased, no energy and breathless), Warfarin for stroke protection and Ramipril to attempt to improve my ejection fraction which was poor. Now I remain on Warfarin and Losartan to replace the Ramipril which gave me a bad cough. Not wishing to be alarmist in any way but I think a discussion with GP re some sort of stroke protection would be in order. I have no restrictions in what I can do physically apart from that of getting older eg at the moment I'm involved in building an extension to our house and I play regularly with my band. In fact, I feel no different to my pre-diagnosis state but I am reassured daily that having had bilateral pulmonary embolism the chances of a repeat have been considerably reduced by being anti-coagulated.

George

shirlygirly profile image
shirlygirly

Maybe I should have said persistent Im not sure of the difference, he

usually has af when checked on our home testing machine, it checks BP,

Heart Rate etc but occasionally he hasnt, what is that classed as. I do

know that he never seen a EP. The Bisop and Rivaroxaban were given

to him by a Doctor at the hospital during pre-op procedures prior to

his hip replacement.

shirlygirly profile image
shirlygirly

Hi Reedman, He takes Rivaroxaban so no problem there, but as regards the

embolism he had a very different experience. At the time roughly 8/9 years

ago he was a marathon runner, took part in triathalons etc so very fit indeed,

he was about 70 years old. He was also a keen cyclist, yes I did see he sometimes. He came off the bike whilst out on a nasty corner and badly

gouged the top of his leg, tried to get mefical help at our GP but things too

busy that morning so he came home and I tended it, although quite deep

it healed well so off he went again. After approximately 3/4 weeks he went

out for what would be for him a training run about 1 hour came back

after 15 minutes and said i cannot run, i feel OK but its my chest. We decided

that he could have some virus or the like, took it easy for a few days but

things did not improve but worsened till getting to the end of the drive was

a problem. We were due to go on holiday, so by this time we were frequent

visitors to our GP who told him that a holiday was just what was needed

and would not give him the required document so we could cancel, During this time my husband kept saying its my chest I need a CT scan but no one

listened, he saw every doctor at our surgery, We had a terrible time on holiday

he couldnt walk even to go for meals. One doctor gave him steroids and

when he looked on the internet it was a really dangerous dose. I should

point out that my husband was a medical electronics engineer and repaired

Diagnostic equipment in hospitals up and down the country, he was well

aware that was the treatment he required now. He went to the GP yet

again because he could no longer lift his arms and unbelievable he was

sent to a rhuematologist who immediately said I think you may have a

pulmonary embolism, he was immediately sent for a CT scan and the rest his

is history. The entire saga took about 3 months and the reason given was

you were so fit we didnt think it could be that.

MickN profile image
MickN

Shirleygirly

Really interested on your husbands ability to exercise when he has permanent AF

I am still classed as paroxysmal AF and for the last couple of weeks my ability to exercise has dropped dramatically and I have no idea why, was on flecainide & bisoprolol.

Off flecainide for a week now as advised by my GP has had a funny turn a few days ago, blackout which left me with severe headaches, oh how I wouldn't love to get back to some proper exercise, off to golf tomorrow hoping I get a full round in without being knackered, I was playing five times a week up until last October only dark nights stopped the amount, now wondering if I can manage one.

Need to get to bottom of why I am so tired most of the time in such a short space of time

Marion62 profile image
Marion62 in reply toMickN

Hi MickN,

I am in permanent AF - but have no symptoms.

I am one of the very lucky ones as mine was diagnosed by chance - a random pulse check.

I was put on bisoprolol and just one 2.5mg made me breathless. Even when this was reduced to the lowest dose 1.25mg I was still out of breath and struggled to walk up the slightest incline.

After 5 months I changed to diltiazem and feel much better. I walk between four and five miles five days a week - fairly quickly - mainly on the level. Maybe your GP can alter your meds again until something more suitable is found.

Take care

Marion

shirlygirly profile image
shirlygirly

Hi, MickN, My husband is not concious of any symptoms of af at all, he

would not have know but for the pre-op checks, which makes it quite

understandable that people can have a stroke without even being aware

they were at risk. In my husbands case it is thought .the accident he had

on his bike was the cause of the formation of the clots. I like you have

Paroxysmal af and my reactions are exactly like yours.Shirley.

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