Hi everyone hope you are all well. I was diagnosed last September with AF. I saw a cardiologist on the 19th of December and had an Ecocardiogram on the 12th of February.
Like always I didn't ask all the questions I wanted to, so can anyone tell me what they can actually tell from the Ecocardiogram.
Can they tell if you have any form of heart disease. The reason I ask is because last November my best friend passed away, and the post mortem said he had heart disease. Nor he or any of his family any idea he was I'll he just sat down to have a cup of tea and went.
The cardiologist said he could put me forward for surgery or try a change of lifestyle and see how we go. So I went for the latter but I am struggling to get the weight off.
Look forward to any replies......thanks.
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TommoHFC
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I'm a new member, just been diagnosed, so unfortunately can't answer your questions. But it does seem a rather long term between being diagnosed, seeing the consultant and then the test. May I ask if you are in the UK and if you were prescribed any blood thinners?
Meanwhile, I wish you all the very best and I am sure you will receive some helpful replies on this amazing site.
Not sure if it’s the NHS or not but I was diagnosed in November, have been given so many pills, none of which help much, Amiodarone is the worst but didn’t see a cardiologist until mid January he told me I needed and MRI as they couldn’t get much off my echocardiogram, still not had an appointment for that yet. Tried to go ack to work as sitting at home I felt better but it was a huge mistake, the Amiodarone has given me so many side effects but unless the cardiologist says I can come off them no one else will make a decision. I feel like I’ve been given tablets to take and it’s now get on with it. I was told to loose weight also but sitting at home has had the reverse effect not due to eating but not being able to exercise without getting so short of breath I can’t breath then go into panic mode.it would seem unless you actually have a heart attack no one wants to know.
Amiodarone is very risky. If you are on it you should be having regular check-ups to monitor the side effects. Some can be permanent. I was on it for six months only. Now I have an enlarged thyroid and am at increased risk of thyroid cancer. The drug can attack the thyroid and the lungs. I had absolutely no benefits from Amiodarone. They can get a lot of information off an echocardiogram, but an MRI will also yield useful information, depending on your specific condition.
Hi Tommo
The echocardiogram won’t tell you if you have disease of the coronary arteries, so it won’t show if you are at risk of a heart attack.
In AF, they are looking at the size of the left atrium, because it’s important to know if it is enlarged. Also measurements on the left ventricle to see how well that is working. Then the state of the 4 heart valves. Basically anything to do with the structure of the heart except the arteries.
If you are worried about the arteries you would need a special sort of X-ray or a different type of scan to look at that.
I had an echocardiogram within 2 weeks of my AF starting followed by a successful (fingers crossed) cardioversion 2 weeks later. Echocardiogram was good however out of the blue 4 months later I was called in for a myocardial perfusion scan. Came back ok on that as well.
Echo can show some heart disease. CT scan can also show blockage. Stress test is best to see if you have blockage. If you are really concerned about heart disease you should consider a vegan or veg diet. If you have Netflix watch What The Health. The evidence for reversing heart disease via a plant based diet is amazing. It will also drop the weight off. Good luck with your afib and potential surgery.
I just read on YouTube from a doctor that LOW KETOSIS like from Keto diet is harmful, could start an episode...so I'm going to check with my EP next week. Low Ketosis would be about carbs under 40-50. Medium Ketosis is around 50-70 carbs per day.
I've had two echos to check my ejection fraction. The first was about a year ago when I had a condition called 'broken heart syndrome', or tako tsubo. The last words are Japanese for octopus, and with this condition the shape of the heart looks like an octopus head. Normal ejection fraction, which is the amount of blood being pushed from the left ventricle, is 65%. Mine was 35%, but it was back to 65% in two weeks. Last August I was admitted for a-fib, and again had three echos. This time my EF was 25%. I was discharged after 10 days, and had the 3rd echo two weeks later, and my EF was again 65%. I was on amiodarone for about 4 months, and stopped taking it because my hair was falling out and tests showed I had over-active thyroid. So far I've only had a few episodes of a-fib, and have taken magnesium and the episodes only lasted a few hours. I have flecainide to take if I can't get it to stop, but so far it's been great.
Yes, when I found out how bad it is, and that the side effects can be permanent, I talked to my cardio and he urged me to stop taking it. I just wondered why they had me continue taking it when I was discharged from the hospital. I think somebody wasn't paying attention.
Did you not receive a letter following your Cardiologist appointment explaining the results?. I suggest you make a list of your questions, contact your GP and ask if he has the results, failing that contact the Cardiology department ask. In my case they were only too happy to help. They do understand that one does not always comprehend the medical situations and terms at the time.
Hello, I'm 77 yr. female,and I wish this website would include people's ages, because age makes a difference in what you have done. I'm 50 lbs. overweight, am having an overnight sleep study done in 2 weeks, which is important to correct/control sleep apnea before Ablation is considered, plus lose weight. At my age, 40-70% success rate, unless I lose weight (trying, but not working), and get weight off and correct Sleep Apnea. My Cardioversion last Nov. did not work, so I'm in Persistent AF all the time, though I don't have obvious episodes. I went back to chiropractor (studies done on AFIB/Chiro),and found an Acupuncturist (reasonable $25), who has Master's Degree & is a nurse, and studies I've read on Google about benefits of Acupuncture (put needles in wrist). I'm on Eliquis, calcium blockers, and even though I have a Cardiologist, I would ONLY consider an Electrophyologist (sp) for my AFIB problems and procedures (they have more experience). An EKG and Echo (which doc. should explain more thoroughly(will give you more answers. My husband died in 1997 (57) suddently, and he snored and held his breath while sleeping, so I think this was a factor, 90% blockage in heart from autopsy. Snoring and holding breath (even though you think you don't do it) is why a sleep study should be considered. Maybe my cardioversion would have been successful if I would have had the sleep study done before the CV. Millions of people have AFIB without symptoms, and their first symptom might be their sudden death...mine was breathlessness. I hope my story helps...but knowing peoples ages on this Site would be a benefit to us Seniors.
How much are you overweight? If you are very overweight the risk factors for cancer, diabetes and joint problems go up dramatically. If you want to frighten yourself into doing something look at the number of amputations that take place every day as a result of diabetes.
If you have to lose a fair bit of weight the diabetes medics advocate an 800 calorie diet with plenty of water, under medical supervision. It is a hard process, 1 cheeseburger is about 900 calories. It is a variation on the keto diet and you only stay on it until the excess weight has gone. It is very hard to do and a lot of people drop out. But, If you can do it, it is effective and will transform your body. I have seen this process in action and it was a life saver for the individual concerned. However care is needed to make sure you get all the nutrition you need.
If you don't need that sort of weight loss and can't handle that type of diet try 'forks over knives' which advocates a highly plant based diet which will help you lose weight more slowly.
The next item then is regular gentle exercise, dump the booze, etc.
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