Kitty medicine: This morning I woke up... - Atrial Fibrillati...

Atrial Fibrillation Support

32,400 membersโ€ข38,733 posts

Kitty medicine

โ€ข40 Replies

This morning I woke up early in very mild AF. I waited a bit to see if it would revert to NSR , then took my trusty 100 mg Flecainide, ate, and went back to sleep. That alone was already significant improvement compared to even 6 months ago - that I could sleep at all and not be utterly miserable, so I was grateful for that.

Then I got up, took my supplements and did my morning yoga, which my kitty, the "real" Nella, really enjoys.

She's an intermittent cuddler. She's never been one to love being held, but has slowly allowed longer hugs.

But this morning...this was fascinating.

Seated on my yoga mat, I picked her up and held her in my lap, stroking her nose and cheeks, and she stayed there calmly for the longest I ever remember her doing that. After a few minutes, I let her go, noticed I felt incredibly calm, and checked my Kardia to confirm that, yes, I had gone into NSR while holding her. ๐Ÿ˜ป๐Ÿ˜ป๐Ÿ˜ป

So it was Pill-in-Pocket Flecainide + Kitty Chaser for a shorter than usual episode. ๐Ÿ˜น

Read more about...
40 Replies
โ€ข

Just what the doctor ordered!.....๐Ÿ˜น

โ€ข in reply to

I knew you'd appreciate that story, Flapjack! ๐Ÿ˜น She sends her greetings, always appreciating her cat-loving pals. ๐Ÿ˜ป

โ€ข in reply to

Absobloominlutely! purrfect little tale, or is it tail....๐Ÿ˜‰

โ€ข in reply to

I am learning so many Britishisms here, which is half the fun!

Yes, it's a tail of the purrfect efficacy of the kitty chaser in termination of AFib episodes.

I shall write up the research to present to my EP and we will include you in the acknowledgements once it is published! ๐Ÿ˜น๐Ÿ˜น๐Ÿ˜น

โ€ข in reply to

๐Ÿ‘

Desanthony profile image
Desanthony

They say that people with pets are usually calmer than those without and stroking pets is extremely calming. We no longer have pets but we dog and cat sit for friends and family. We are off cat sitting while our friends are off on holiday in the next few weeks. Unfortunately the cat who wants to sit on your lap will sit for quite a long time, will demand to be stroked and then after varying times will just bite! Not really calming. The other charming male cat will sit for ages but rarely on my lap but on my wife's lap! Though last visit he did sit on me for a long time. One rainy Saturday we sat and watched 3 films in a row so could have been nearly 9 hours and he sat on my wife's lap the whole time. No wonder she loves him to bits he is a little charmer and knows how to wrap her round his cute little claws! I also wish I could go that long without having to go to the loo - you women are amazing!

โ€ข in reply toDesanthony

All the kitty lovers have come out of the woodwork, which is great fun. Nella is blushing from all the attention.

Wow, Nella would never sit on my lap for that long, but my other cat, Ella, would have.

I shared a post a few months ago about Ella & Nella. I had Ella for 12 years. 3 years after she died, I happened upon Nella at an animal shelter event over the holidays.

The name connection was interesting enough, Ella, then Nella.

But 3-month-old Nella looked *exactly like Ella*!! ๐Ÿ˜ณ๐Ÿฅฐ

Kitty reincarnation...and now "kitty-o-version" for AF! ๐Ÿคฃ

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer

Pussy Power! Mrs Slocombe eat your heart out. I have always found that stroking pxxxies sorry cats has always been very calming. Years ago we had "Queenie" (Sister of Edmund and Baldrick) who seemed to sense when you were ill. and become very attentive. Sometimes we used to joke that she was off getting her funnel and rubber tubing ready with her nurses hat and plastic apron on. Pete is far too busy killing mice to bother rather sadly.

I'm so glad the real Nella is so caring.

Frances123 profile image
Frances123โ€ข in reply toBobD

As soon as Nella mentioned feline creatures i was chuckling and knew there would be a comment from you Bob ๐Ÿคฃ. Oh dear Mrs Slocombe, where would we be without her.

But yes, stroking pussycats is calming. Decades ago my GP always had her dog roaming in and out of the surgery and waiting room and always in the surgery was her tiddles who usually surveyed the scene from the old leather couch. If a patient was nervous or upset then Tiddles always jumped onto your lap. You automatically stroked her without thinking and half your problems were gone. Being a Scottish GP it was like something out of Dr. Finley.

Really pleased the real Nella came to your aid Nella. I like that, a kitty chaser. ๐Ÿˆxxx

โ€ข in reply toFrances123

Thanks, Frances123. I love the scene of the animals in the doctor's office! That makes so much sense, but here in the US, they'd probably be nervous about germs.

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50โ€ข in reply toBobD

BobD - GO TO JAIL - Go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect ยฃ200!

โ€ข in reply toBobD

Caring she is, though today her curiosity has me a bit concerned, as she ate a rubber band - is that an elastic band across the pond?

We've already been to the kitty emergency room, but a call from my vet saved me from that visit and bill, as he said to wait & see if it passes, so we came home. Fingers crossed it does!

Visitingcat profile image
Visitingcat

What a lovely post and picture, she is gorgeous, I could do with some cat therapy to knock me back into nsr. Iโ€™ll have to keep looking out to see if any of my cat visitors are about : )

โ€ข in reply toVisitingcat

I'm going to call on her services if I go into AF again!

Wouldn't it be amazing if it worked every time??

Afbiff profile image
Afbiff

Hey, there's nothing like a good cat cuddle to brighten the day - Nella is gorgeous, Tinker and Bobtail send best wishes

โ€ข in reply toAfbiff

Thank you, Afbiff, and greetings to Tinker and Bobtail. ๐Ÿ˜ป

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

Excellent. How lovely. My cat Casper used to do be similar - would bite and claw if anyone tried to pet him but if I was ill he would come sit next to me or on my lap and pet me!

โ€ข in reply toCDreamer

Nella's predecessor, Ella, used to really take care of me in that way, too. Nella will be 3 in Sept, so is still rather young, but seems to be growing into being more cuddly and nurturing. We'll see what unfolds! Cats are amazing, aren't they?

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

Oooh that sounds the ideal AF cure. Would certainly prefer stroking a loving cat to taking tablets!

Hope you stay AF free now.

Jean

โ€ข in reply tojeanjeannie50

Thanks, Jean!

Me, too! ๐Ÿ˜น

siouxbee19 profile image
siouxbee19

No doubt they make the best nurses! I miss all of my pets, but especially a few in particular that just instinctively knew I needed their care! What a blessing, & pretty ๐Ÿฑ!

โ€ข in reply tosiouxbee19

Thanks, siouxbee19! Yes, they are amazing, aren't they?

She has a cute little black beauty mark, a perfect circle just next to her chin; it doesn't show in this photo. She is quite a little character. ๐Ÿ˜ป

Hilly22 profile image
Hilly22

What a lovely post Nella. Think I need my own Nella to get meow-t of AF when I have an episode =^..^=

โ€ข in reply toHilly22

Thanks, Hilly!

I shall have Nella come visit to give you a kitty-o-version! ๐Ÿš ๐Ÿ˜ป ๐Ÿ˜น

I will definitely be testing this out. Maybe her loving touch has healed my heart. It has felt much better ever since, so we'll see! ๐Ÿ˜ป

Hilly22 profile image
Hilly22โ€ข in reply to

๐Ÿ˜ปโœˆ๏ธ๐Ÿ˜ฝ

wilsond profile image
wilsond

Lovely story! Glad you are back on nsr xx

โ€ข in reply towilsond

Thank you, wilsond!

Nella is blushing...all the attention! ๐Ÿ˜ป

cbsrbpm profile image
cbsrbpm

I may need to borrow her๐Ÿ˜น

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50โ€ข in reply tocbsrbpm

You'll have to go to one of those cat cafe's Brenda.

cbsrbpm profile image
cbsrbpmโ€ข in reply tojeanjeannie50

May have to snatch the little black and white kitty thatโ€™s always strolling around my garden and got locked in my summerhouse for about 4 days while we were away, poor little thing. It survived and hasnโ€™t learnt itโ€™s lesson, was found in there again on another day ๐Ÿ˜‚. My family are allergic so I canโ€™t have one in the house also my daughters little dog ๐Ÿถ would go crazy as he thinks my house is his as well as his own ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿคฃ

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteerโ€ข in reply tocbsrbpm

Mike and Daisy woke up the other night with a strange black tom about a year old curled up in bed with them. Not chipped and VERY hungy so currently up the road at the cattery having his pocket picked and being chipped after which we will see if he will integrate with Pete.

โ€ข in reply tocbsrbpm

Who knows, maybe this is her superpower and I will be able to send her on missions to convert the world to NSR! ๐Ÿ˜น

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50โ€ข in reply to

Just looking at Nella in your photos makes me feel better. She is so cute and looks as though she's full of curiosity.

โ€ข in reply tojeanjeannie50

A...yes, she's a cutie! Glad she makes you feel better, Jean. She's a curious rascal, for sure. Still on my rubber band vigil here.... ๐Ÿ˜น

She can open a big sliding door on my closet on her own.

She's also a fan of playing Frisbee, fetching her favorite deli container lid and trotting back with it each time till she forgets how the game is played and just stares at me.

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50โ€ข in reply to

How lovely to hear about her, it made me laugh to hear how she can open your sliding closet door. How lucky you are to have her, she sounds like a gift from heaven. x

irene75359 profile image
irene75359

Totally understand, Nella!

Thirteen years ago, my younger daughter was at a really low point in her life. She had a natural affinity with all the cats that we had as a family but lived elsewhere on her own, so when she mentioned she had seen a kitten advertised we drove her there and picked up little Elmo, who is with her to this day. He turned out to be the most attentive little fellow and gave her utter devotion and companionship through a very rough period in her life.

โ€ข in reply toirene75359

With just the right kitty, there can be quite a powerful connection, for sure. Both my kitties have been magical in that way.

By the way, for fans of the Real Nella who didn't already see it, I shared the story of Ella and Nella, the look-alike kitties who've come into my life, in a post named "AF and kitties" 9 months ago.

I included photos of the 2 of them side-by-side.

You can probably find it through the Search feature.

Nella and I appreciate your kindness and fun comments!

It's a nice diversion from waiting for the rubber band to pass!

Visitingcat profile image
Visitingcatโ€ข in reply to

I found the post you mentioned, what a sweet story, you and Nella were definitely meant to be. We had to let our lovely 19 year old girl cat go Nov โ€˜17 it really broke my heart for cats, she was such a dear little soul, you could do anything with her, carefully de-knot her long black coat she would pat but never scratch. I will get an older rescue eventually but at the moment love to see our cat visitors, one is the very young image of my lovely girl but she is very timid (probably a good thing) we watch each other from a safe distance in my small back garden. I speak to her but wonโ€™t approach her, she may come over for a pet one day : )

Glad you enjoyed the story. It's so difficult when they go, isn't it? I hope that just the right kitty comes into your life when you are ready. ๐Ÿ˜ป

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

returning to NSR after taking Flecainide

hi there. Iโ€™d welcome any thoughts. I took Flecainide as a PIP (100mg) as prescribed by my...
OscarN profile image
โ€ข

Woke up in AF

I had a bad night due to the symptoms that have prevailed due to the urinary catheter (removed on...
pottypete1 profile image
โ€ข

Flecainide: Worse AFib attack ever after being prescribed at a+e admission

Hi all hope everyone is well. Wish I was. Two days ago I was diagnosed with angina in ACU and...
DizzyD profile image
โ€ข

after effects taking PIP

Morning, I found myself in AF this morning, took my pip meds about 7.30am (150mg flecainide and...
Tilly1957 profile image
โ€ข

Seems to have progressed...

My AFib seems to have progressed somewhat of late. I woke up in AF Friday morning but after 100mg...
joebob profile image
โ€ข

Moderation team

See all
Kelley-Admin profile image
Kelley-AdminAdministrator
jess-admin profile image
jess-adminAdministrator
Emily-Admin profile image
Emily-AdminAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.