Can being born with a congenital hear... - Atrial Fibrillati...

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Can being born with a congenital heart disease (CHD), and getting AF be a blessing?

Janco profile image
13 Replies

Would you agree with me that feeling your heart going crazy in your chest makes you think about……. the big D? Death yes, but the flip side is life!

Afib/AF and TOF (Tetralogy of Fallot) can be a blessing.

Fear can be a very good motivator! Knowing how a sick and out of tune heart feels, only to have a “normal” heartbeat the next moment or day can be a very good motivator. Both AFIB/AF and TOF are very scary.

Afib/AF and TOF has created in me a great respect and love for life.

I have made the resolution that AFIB/AF and TOF are blessings in my life!

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Janco profile image
Janco
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13 Replies
jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

Sorry, I really can't agree with what you say. AFIB is certainly not a blessing for me. It stops me leading the life I want to lead and has led to me being admitted into hospital many times.

My passion in life had always been walking in the countryside and I thought I'd be leading a great retirement joining rambling clubs and having nice holidays abroad. I hate the periods where it depletes my energy and makes me feel like a breathless invalid. When I get it, and it can sometimes last for over a month, I can struggle to walk from my lounge to kitchen.

I love your positive attitude, but I guess we all get different levels in our severity of attacks.

Jean

Stephanietee profile image
Stephanietee in reply to jeanjeannie50

I totally agree with jeanjeanie. I have had heart problems all my life and have gathered other ones along the way. Most of the time I would welcome death. I am certainly not afraid of it.

Stephanietee

Lofty77 profile image
Lofty77 in reply to jeanjeannie50

Well said Jeanie it does spoil your way of life.I to love my rambling swimming and wine with my meals ,which is now restricted.I think A/F is a curse.

rothwell profile image
rothwell

Don't think you'll get a lot of agreement on that one I"m afraid.!

Rellim296 profile image
Rellim296

Well, I agree that we should all make the most of every day we get because, whether you have a health issue or not, life can be snatched away without warning. So many are complacent and expect the days to be stretching out ahead into the far distance and for some they don't. I've had many years more than the rest of my family and since childhood have felt that the future was very fragile.

RoyM profile image
RoyM in reply to Rellim296

I agree with Rellim296 very much life is fragile whether you are healthy or not. I have persistent AF I would prefer not to have it. It certainly isn't a blessing in my life. My grand child and my family are my blessings in life and all the other things I enjoy are blessings. My AF doesn't fall into the blessing category. I have it i deal with it. People have to deal with much worse.

daveeb profile image
daveeb

Tell me about it. All last night I was in the same state as before my ablation. I was having palpitations, high BP, and a very bad headache with the blood vessels pulsating . I hope my EP can do something for me,because I'm getting too fed up with it now. Dave

LindaDaisy profile image
LindaDaisy

I wouldn't regard AF as a blessing but it makes me appreciate life. As they say, it's better than the alternative. I lost both my siblings to heart defects so I feel lucky to be here. As to Retirement issues, AF has stopped a lot of my plans but I do get to do stuff I enjoy like family history. I've learnt to cherish the times when I'm AF free.

Alemo27 profile image
Alemo27

Defenetley, AF is not pleasant feeling. But we have to learn how to coop with it,trying the days free of AF fulfill with as many planned things , as possible. My AF used to be paroxysmal , could start and go by itself.

It was not my concern for many years.Not anymore.

Now need the chemicals to stop AF ,and more I take, more I need after.Catch 2-22. Bisoprolol is a history now.

Went from Flecaidine -50mg once or twice to 100mg (per needed.)

Now- Ablation versus medication.

Med. are producing side effect and destroying the kidneys.

Ablation- not successful at first ,still need to do again ,still anti arrhythmia drugs are required, still possibility of AF comeback.

Therefore, we have to outweight the benefit, and continue to investigate the issues. Meaning to do a home work, based on our personal health conditions.

The doctors are not a God, and their treatments should be based on the researches combined with their experience.

Listen to Dr.S Gupta ,professor , on the web site , CNN ,etc.explaining the nature of AF .

Any new references is greatly appreciated. All the best to everybody.

Janco profile image
Janco

Hi jeanjeannie50 , Stephanietee , Lofty77

I'm sorry to hear how bad it is for you, and hope you find a cure FAST!

Some perspective from my side: I was born with a heart issue (tetralogy of fallot), then on and off AF during my life.

Now AF free for more than 3 years. So maybe not a blessing (in some way) but more like a constant reminder of how fragile and short life can be, but also beautiful and so wonderful.

I pray for HOPE and a CURE for all of you. I know the feeling when doctors can take hope away from you with a few words, I understand they say what they know and see, but keep up the hope!

My AF was hateful but the blessing of it came some 12 months post diagnosis. Cardioversion terminated ablation echo chemical stress test finally had TOE and they found benign tumour in my heart. That was the blessing it was found. Open heart surgery plus cox maze made me very poorly. Eight months after I needed a pacemaker. Them eight months were not great. I still have AF and other arrythmias take bisoprolol and flecainide and a NOAC all that keeps me going. AF was a blessing but not sure it is now but make the most of life we all should when we can

cbsrbpm profile image
cbsrbpm

Sorry, not a blessing for me, if I could get hold of it I would slit its throat cut its heart out and rip it into tiny pieces! Aaarrrhhh I feel better now that's said 😱😂🤣

Janco profile image
Janco

cbsrbpm

Go for it! We all feel like that sometimes.

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