Review My Af Status

[JamesP]

I have now been in continuous af since at least 2008. I consider it to be regularly irregular! I have had one cardioversion which failed after six days and no ablations. I had a single bypass and a replacement aortic valve in 2015 at the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital which can only be described a centre of excellence. I am not overweight , or diabetic nor do I smoke or drink. My INR is steady at 2.5 and my blood pressure with 5mg amlodipine within limits. I go to the gym twice a week, meditate, dance and practice Ienga yoga. I recently added an electric motor to my bicycle. I am divorced and 78 years old. My daughter lives in Canada and I spent three months there in 2013.

Having read HU regularly, and without wishing to tempt providence I must be one of the very lucky ones and I should really count my blessings As most of us live in our own isolated af worlds plowing a lonely furrow we rely on forums like this to make comparisons and judgments about our own and others conditions. Inevitably fate will finally catch up with us all gracefully surrendering the things of youth so there is no room at all for complacency. I am however curious to know if there are people out there who might be able to say they can recognise their own situation in mine.

[rosyG]

it sounds as if you are not symptomatic when in AF??

[souljacs4]

Hope your blessings continue.

[nymima01]

My mother has had af for over 25 yrs. She is 91 yrs old now and still active. I can't say she is in persistent af at this point, but she is in afib most of the time now. She is not hindered by it and has learned to meditate and exercise according to the way she feels - but she exercises on the treadmill everyday. She has a new diagnosis of congestive heart failure - and she is on 20 mgs of lasix. Not bad really for a 91 yr old. She is not interested in slowing down any and is really very good for being 91 yrs old! Everyone always tells us how great she is doing. She also takes Eliquis, Metoprolol and synthroid.

We do day trips and she keeps up well. She has long since stopped trying to figure out what triggers her afib, so I feel this has eased some of her frustration and worry. Meditation has helped this. Afib is part of her for many years now. I hope this helps and let's others see that after so many years with afib, she is still holding steady. (She is symptomatic most of the time).

[Peddling]

A delightful post JamesP. I do recognise snippets of similarities in your description of how you live your life. I think you are very much one of the lucky ones, and long may that continue. Good tip re getting an electric motor added to the bike.