Jaunuary 2016 I had a heart bypass and aortic valve replacement. Whilst doing the operation the surgeon did a mini maze to try to stop my afib. Not that I knew that I had afib.
Long story short, when I came home I had permanent afib. They put me on amiodarone which did my thyroid in and so although I have not taken this nasty medicine for over a year I am now permanently on Thyroxine.
Eventually on 3rd November 2016 I had a cardio version for my afib. I was fortunate, it work first time and I went back into sinus rhythm. I was and am aware that I can drop back into afib at any time but thus for a year later I am still in NSR.
My point to those still suffering in afib, is don’t lose hope, pray to God. Oh don’t get me wrong I am always aware that I could drop back into afib at any time and I still suffer from a good sleep, like have since my operation, but I am slowly getting better, except for a touch of flu at present.
I wish you all well and hope that this may give you hope.
Norman
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Norm
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If you find pray helps you with your AF that's all that matters. A lot of people use mindfulness and yoga we all have different beliefs thankfully we still live in a country where this is possible
Hello Norman, I don't believe in god any more than I believe in santa claus or the tooth fairy so I won't be praying to anyone, but thanks , If it works for you all well and good
I am a Humanist and think each person has the ability to help themselves when they are ill by looking at their 'whole self,' not just the illness and adopting a positive attitude.
Hi Norm, we relate here our personal non-medical experience on how to help the AF world. As I have said in the past at the outset of my AF I was full of anxiety borderline depression and one of the biggest helps, included in a myriad of other lifestyle changes I made, was my Christian belief and the strengthening of it. Other people have other solutions and the important thing is you find what works.
Whether you are a Christian or your beliefs are more complex, prayer can help and because it takes out of ourselves can, like meditation calm tbe soul which certainly helps when we are concerned. Be grateful for your faith it is a great support for you.
Let me be a little technical here. Do you mean that you had persistent AF, not permanent, when you came home since you did have a cardioversion on Nov. 3, 2017, a year ago, and you are still in NSR?
How long were you on Amiodarone to do your thyroid in? By my calculations you took it for 9 to 10 months. I ask because I will have been on Amiodarone 4 1/2 months to my second ablation, and I want to come off it as I already have mineral deposits in my eyes, and have developed "halo-vision" - looking at bright lights causes halo effect. Also, within the last two days my rate has gone as low as 45 b.p.m. I have been concerned about my thyroid.
To be permanently on Thyroxine would devastate me as I did not want to take Amiodarone in the first place. A few days ago, I emailed my EP about coming off of it, but I still have to get a response. So, today I split my 200 mg tablet and took only half.
Yes I was in AF continually until my cardioversion on 3.11.2016 and have remained in NSR since to which I thank God.
I still have problems sleeping properly but no one seems to want to listen or refer me to a sleep clinic. I did CBT but that has not really helped.
I was on Amiodarone from when I came out of hospital on 26.01.2016 until 23.05.2016 when it was stopped.
My initial dose was on Amiodarone 200mg three times a day until 02.02.2016 then 7days at twice a day then once a day at 200mg until finished on 23.05.2016.
When my cardiologist took me off it he said just to stop as the half-life was about a year so I could just stop.
It was only after this that I found out about possible side effects and had my thyroid checked and am now on Levothyroxine 50mcg which may well be for life.
I have not had an ablation except the mini maze that they did whilst doing my operation. But I don’t think I had AF before my operation.
Yes, thank you, Norm, It helps me immensely.From January 1,2016 to May 1, 2016 is 4 months. Presently, I am in the same time frame as you -- 4 months--
The British National Formulary, edition 70 which is 2015/2016 says about Amiodarone:
"Thyroid function tests should be performed before
treatment and then every 6 months."
This is the book health workers rely on. It is very weak on lab-checks etc that have to be done. If I understand you correctly, you developed serious thyroid problems after about 16 weeks -- well short of the six months. You also took around 27g, which is roughly 30g when side effects usually *begin* to kick in. The BNF should err on the side of caution. The drug Amiodarone is out of patent so there is no money on it, while there is money in the lab tests. Given that it is known to be a dangerous drug, why should it fall to patients to push for more frequent easily done and easily interpreted tests. You have all my sympathies.
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How long have you been out of AF?
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