Just keep going

[Dogge1956]

Hi all,

I’m a new boy here but an old friend to af. I started getting AF in Jan 2004 I was admitted to the hospital I worked at and sent home 2 days later on beta blockers to control my rate. Unfortunately when I reported back for cardioversion my rate was still 160. This was my life for 5 years 3-6 months in sinus followed by 3-6 months in AF.

One day it dawned on my spec that my rate did not respond to beta blockers whether given orally or centrally via CVP line and he referred me to St Thomas in London. Apparently a small number of cases do not respond to drugs and I had my first ablation in 2011. This worked for 6 months then I had to wait until 2013 to see the spec at Tommy’s again. My second ablation in Sept 2013 was a bit of a disaster as I arrested in recovery having gone into complete heart block and ended up in Coronary Care on a temporary pacing wire whilst they waited to see if I recovered. I did not so I received a pacemaker which everyone assumed would control the AF. After a few teething problems and some mental readjustment I thought things would be ok but in late 2014 the AF came back. The pacemaker said I was not in AF but my said it was. It took 2 visits to Tommy’s to find out was happening, one of the registrars suggested turning off the pacemaker and watching the ECG, and there it was AF at a rate of 110. This apparently was also unusual and I had to repeat the trick for several Professors until the technician reminded them I needed my pacemaker on.

Now they knew where to look I had a third ablation in Sept 2015.

This has worked until now and it has been great, I had two holidays, I walked miles, I lost 40 kg in weight and I felt normal at last. Then in April I had to leave my job of 30 years as I was getting so short of breath and had chest pains so often it was felt I should not be in a clinical role. The problem is it seems that my atria are not synchronising due to the AF resulting in insufficient oxygenated blood flow. So here I go again waiting to go to Tommy’s in November and discuss my options.

It has been a hard 10 years but I am still here, most of my fathers family died before 60 with cardiac problems. I have managed to get a desk job with an insurance company where I am able to utilise my clinical knowledge to help our members, I miss my long walks, but I have a granddaughter to console me and maybe I will get another couple of normal years if we can come up with a successful treatment plan.

My advice to anyone with AF is take one day at a time, when you can do things do them, when you cannot, then rest, and don’t forget your supporting cast of family and friends.

[meadfoot]

What a story, so sorry you have been through the mill over so many years and yet manage to sound up beat,. Bet it gets you down at times though.

Good luck at St Thomas in November, I am a patient there too. Hope they get you on an even keel again very soon and thank you for sharing your experiences.

[rosyG]

you've done well to get through all this- I hope you are sorted out soon. let us know how you get on please

[JaneFinn]

Thank you for your post, Dogge... That's quite some experience you've been going through these past few years. You sound like a resilient sort of chap and what a great outlook to have on life and AF. (And whatever other health issues we face too, of course.)

Really hope the treatment plan they come up with does give you many many years more of quality life to enjoy with your family. Keep us posted, won't you? X