Saying hi from the southern hemisphere

[Aus19]

Hello AFers! I'm new. This forum is just so great - reading about other people's experiences. I'm 51, male, fit, no AF risk factors, recently diagnosed with AF after a minor stroke. Now on Apixaban and Solatol. If anyone out there is wondering why docs put people like us on anti-coagulants, I can tell you: having a stroke is just terrible. Obvious thing to say, but it's true. My stroke was brief, with relatively little brain damage (but there was some visible on the MRI over 24 hours later, so it's a stroke, not a TIA). I was extraordinarily lucky. But for 20 terrifying minutes I couldn't speak! So I'm glad to be here and will never complain about being on anti-coagulants. I want to be protected as best as I can.

[jedimasterlincoln]

G'day Bruce... welcome to the forum. Glad to have you with us in every sense of the phrase.

[Aus19 in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

Thanks for your welcome, jedimasterlincoln. May the force be with you.

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to Aus19]

Live long and Prosper

[Hidden]

G 'day sport,

Glad you survived OK, and long may your success continue. Get them anticoagulants down yer neck, life is for living, not playing Russian Roulette 😊

As a former Sydneysider who loves cricket I've been in tears at Australia's ODI performance against the SAF's but on the other hand it's been great to see sunshine and blue skies.

May the force be with you also.

John

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to Hidden]

Can always find some sandpaper!

[Hidden in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

Yeah mate, actually I've been thinking of inviting Warner and Smith back for an 'all is forgiven try out' 😂😂

[Aus19 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your kind words, carneuny. I replied to you a little while ago but it seems to have disappeared into the ether! If only AF could disappear so easily ... And, as I was saying before, watching Australia's cricketers at present will make anyone's heart condition worse!

[Hidden in reply to Aus19]

Yeah, tell me about it. 😎😎

[jeanjeannie50]

Welcome to the forum Aus19.

Sorry to hear about your stroke and the fact you have AF. Are you fully recovered now?

Yours is a good warning for everyone who knows they have AF to be on anticoagulants. When you look back now can you see that you had AF before the stroke?

Jean

[Aus19 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks for your welcoming greeting, jeanjeannie50. I have recovered from my stroke but my AF has worsened pretty quickly. No, I didn't have any AF symptoms before my stroke (and I was running competitively, bush-walking, etc.). It was asymptomatic and sub-clinical - not even detected on a Holter monitor for 36 hours when I was in hospital after my stroke, not present on ECG, etc. After about a fortnight, it became easily detectable by ECG and quite symptomatic. So I guess I am just starting off on my AF journey.

[Hidden in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Hiya Jean. How r u?

Whoever is keeping the statistics Aus19 is another one of modest age doing healthy exercise who has acquired AF.

Weird isn't it?

John

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Hidden]

Hi John

Yes, all very odd, but I'm sure I read recently that AF is more likely caused by over exercising when we are older, so not so much of an adverse AF effect on young people. I can't remember what the age was when you were deemed as 'older'.

I'm 5 months Af free now! Yippee!

A good warning from Aus19 to those who think they don't need to take anticoagulants.

Jean

[Hidden in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Hi Jean, well done you. A 5 month milestone of being AF free is great. I remember those days only to well, thinking that every month I stayed free of AF the better my heart stayed. You are doing a lot right so good luck and long may it continue.😀

[Kaz747]

Hello and welcome. I’m in Australia too (WA). Sorry to hear about your stroke. It’s scary when we discover we are not infallible 🇦🇺

[Aus19 in reply to Kaz747]

Hello Aussie! Thanks for your welcome - nice pic of Perth skyline on your page!

[wilsond]

Hi Aus19! Glad you lived to tell the tales! Keep calm and take the tablets.....youre right,this is a great place to find support,humour and information....take care xx

[Aus19 in reply to wilsond]

Thanks for your kind welcome, wilsond. They look like nice lemons in your pic. A dash of summer!