Return of the Duck - The Sequel

[Ducky2003]

Quack!!! Run for the hills, the duck is back. 10 week post ablation update.

Apologies for being awol but hubby has been spending more time on the laptop, which I prefer to use for my posts of witter length and I haven't been feeling too great.

Last time, I was waiting for the arrhythmia nurse to ring me back the following day, Well, that ended up with me having to chase after a further week. She suggested a 24 hour holter to see what was going on exactly, which I was happy about. She was going to arrange that urgently and said it would be a very short wait, 3 weeks on, I'm still waiting. Still waiting for my re-arranged echo as well. My EP also advised in April that I was going to have a MUGA scan as the ablation had picked up some moderate mitral and aortic regurgitation (I did have previous mild MVR he wasn't bothered about) but, yes, still waiting for that appointment as well.

I did mention to the arrhythmia nurse, that having slow release Diltiazem may not be very useful as a PIP she suggested a few weeks ago so she said that she would advise the GP to prescribe basic Diltiazem. Cue phone call from GP surgery. She had asked GP to prescribe tablets which don't actually exist!!! I was a bit sceptical about GP as they have had more than their share of goof ups so I spoke to my pharmacist, who confirmed that basic Diltiazem tablets do not exist.

Thankfully, I have no shortage of brick walls to bang my head against.

I am still getting puffy. It started as like I was auditioning for the Michelin advert but its not as bad every day now.

Still getting breathless. I was thinking of a change in career, working from home for a heavy breathing chatline. I can stay in my pjs, rasp like Bonnie Tyler on 40 Bensons per day and make lots of money........ win win!!! It is getting frustrating at times when going upstairs feels like climbing the north face of the Eiger and its probably the thing that bothers me most as I can't have a nice walk around the park.

Pulse raises upon activity but not so much when I'm sitting still now but still have the odd 145bpm wake up call at 6am, followed by the samba in my chest. Still getting bouts of uncomfortable chest discomfort, which take a couple of paracetemol to settle.

So, I'm getting a bit frustrated with it all to be honest. The blanking period in the arrhythmia nurses chats has gone from 3 months to 3 - 4 months and apparently its still early days but I was hoping to feel better rather than worse by this point, 10 weeks on.

One "friend" said "oh well, you can have another ablation can't you?" She will hopefully be having replacement teeth fitted next week and out of the sling and cast in 6 weeks.

Hope everyone else is fine and dandy.

Ang

[BobD Volunteer]

So sorry that you are not too good right now. Yes one would have hopes that ten weeks on you would be feeling better but it does take time. Many people are still improving a year on and because I know you can't reach me from there yes you could! It often take more than one go. It would also give us the benefit of more of your humour. I hd three before my AF went finally.

Chin up. Illigitames non carborundum .

Bob

[Ducky2003 in reply to BobD]

Question is, which chin 🤔. Thanks Bob. Hopefully things will miraculously start to settle, you never know. I'll also have you know, that my parents were married, before you start any rumours there fella.

[Paulbounce]

Hope all goes well Duck. If you decide to do a Bonnie Tyler song don't sing a 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' (only people of a certain age will get that one!)

On a serious note

"Pulse raises upon activity but not so much when I'm sitting still now but still have the odd 145 bpm wake up call at 6am"

I'm sure you will but keep your eye on that - a little high IMO at rest.

Love your humour and hope thing improve soon.

Paul

[Ducky2003 in reply to Paulbounce]

I was thinking "Its a Heartache" 🤣🤣🤣Yes, will keep an eye. Nurse has been informed of the pulse but its accompanied by the samba in the chest and after about 2 mins of deep breathing, al la Bonnie, it stops.

Gotta smile Paul, even if it's just wind.😁.

[Singwell in reply to Ducky2003]

Unbreak My Heart?? I had that one on the brain for the first couple of weeks. Alternating with Heaven Help My Heart.

[Jajarunner]

Oh you do make me laugh! I love the way people are so casual about having an ablation!!!

Likewise last year people complaining about lockdown being boring when we post- ablation people are pretty much housebound for months after a procedure! Or after my second ablation in 11 months when someone said "oh, didn't it work then!" As if I'd decided to have a second one as a bout of pure attention seeking!!

Get better soon 🤞🤞🤞🤞

[Ducky2003 in reply to Jajarunner]

You did make me laugh with your last sentence. And if I hear someone else say "But you look so well" , I think I will slap them......twice!!! I think sometimes, because we don't have a bandage or crutches or a plaster cast, folk can't grasp just how crap you can be feeling.

[Frances123]

I really do think you should put out a government health warning before you post Ang. I laugh so much and then have a coughing bout, to say nothing of pebbledashing my iPad with coffee/tea/biscuits etc. Must learn never to be eating or drinking when I read your posts in future!Sorry things have been a bit rough for you but hopefully things will improve soon. In some ways I am glad I had my second one during lockdown as at least I didn’t feel guilty about staying home and resting and neither did people expect to see you out and about doing the usual things.

You are so right about the plaster and crutches and people thinking you’ve had your “surgery” all is right with the world and you are all cured. I have metaphorically slapped a few people too!

Damn, going to be singing Bonnie Tyler all day now!

Take care Ang. xxx

[Ducky2003 in reply to Frances123]

Thank you. I've not given up all hope just yet so I'm crossing everything I'm able to at the minute. Hope you got the wet biscuit off your iPad.😊.

[CDreamer]

Sympathies. You do start to lose hope sometimes that what anything anyone says will happen. But keep on chasing - she who shouts loudest………

I had to have a second ablation 4 months after the first and thankfully that went to plan and lasted for 3+ years but do hope you don’t have to.

Frustrating though it is - keep on chasing.

[Ducky2003 in reply to CDreamer]

I haven't given up all hope yet, mainly because I don't want to have another one.......... in 2 years time, I'll probably be saying to the EP "Give it another month to see if it settles" 😁.

[wilsond]

Oh Ducky Time to get really loud now I think.

What about contacting Osman's secretary directly with your valid concerns,organ grinder as opposed to monkey?

He probably isnt even aware of what's going on.

Mention incompetence regarding medication too...in safe hands...huh!!

You're not selling this to me so far..! Seriously I hope you get sorted out out soon and get on the road to recovery properly .

Best wishes xx

[Ducky2003 in reply to wilsond]

I'm under (not literally) Dr Yusuf, but I have to harass his secretary this week about something else, so will throw this into the pot for good measure. Sorry if its putting you off as there are many others who have done really well. I would rather be honest but, as I've said above, I haven't given up hope just yet as some peeps have said things are still settling down after 6 months. I've always been very symptomatic so I guess I'm just being consistent for once in my life 😁.

[wilsond in reply to Ducky2003]

Good luck with your quest ! Yes we are all different beasts so what one experiences may not be the same.Will keep fingers knees and elbows crossed that things calm down very soon .

Take care Ducky..btw if you do take up the heavy breathing job you could call yourself Mucky Ducky?? Lol

Xxx

[Ducky2003 in reply to wilsond]

🤣🤣🤣. I'd rather be Lucky Ducky but think that Mucky seems more likely at the moment 😁.

[Geoffa1]

Did you hear about the duck that went into the pet store to get some duck food?

[Ducky2003 in reply to Geoffa1]

No 🤔🤔🤔

[Geoffa1]

No I have no duck food.Next day duck goes back, got any duck food. No, you were hear yesterday. If you come back tomorrow and ask for duck food I will nail your feet to the floor.

Guess what, next day duck goes back to the pet store. Got any nails, no screams the pet store owner.

Got any duck food!!

[wilsond in reply to Geoffa1]

Lol

[Ducky2003 in reply to Geoffa1]

🤣🤣🤣 Love it!

[Norwich1996]

Took about 6 months for me to feel better and then 8 months for ectopics to die down but a year and a half on it’s much improved and infinitely better than the AF I had before so fingers crossed it will get better for you too!

[Ducky2003 in reply to Norwich1996]

Awwww, thanks. That's given me renewed hope. I suppose I have become fixated with the 3 month date so maybe I need to just put that to the back of my mind for now.😊.

[Singwell in reply to Ducky2003]

Me too and the 12 weeks Ducky! I got very depressed the other week - was down for several days. Then I thought - what if that timeline is too short - what's if it were 6 months? And, you know what? It turned my mood much brighter.

[Ducky2003 in reply to Singwell]

I have gotten very focused on the 3 month timeline but will try and step away from that as like you say, its probably not helping the situation. I did have a "why me?" meltdown one day and as I normally play things down, hubby knew I felt rough. As I said above, if another ablation is suggested, I'll be saying "give it another couple of months" 2 years down the line 🤣.

[Singwell in reply to Ducky2003]

So much of it is a psychological challenge as well as physical I find.

[Ducky2003 in reply to Singwell]

Indeed it is Singwell.

[bassets]

Hope you feel much better soon

[Ducky2003 in reply to bassets]

Thank you.😊.

[SuziElley]

So sorry you’re still going through the mill Ducky. And as for people saying you look so well, I have that all the time! Just been taken off the Furosemide for fluid retention as they caused my blood pressure to sink through my boots. 98/58 would you believe!! So, back to swollen feet and ankles and walking on the flat.

I’m hearing that Bonnie Tyler all the way down here in Somerset. Maybe try to cut down on the Bensons 😱 lol…… if only eh?

One thing I have found and that is if you email the consultant, via his secretary 🙄 then they usually act on it and fairly swiftly. Much better than all the other avenues. You really do need him to understand what’s going on.

Thinking of you. Keep all the chins up 🤣 well in my case that would be about all ten of them! Let us know how things go. But do email the consultant and lay it on the line for him. Tell him everything - via the secretary of course 🙄😈 xx

[Ducky2003 in reply to SuziElley]

I did mean Bonnie on the Bensons rather than me 😁. I have the consultant's secretary's direct line number and we're on first name terms. She even popped down to say hello when I was in clinic once ............ probably so she could create a more realistic plasticine model of me to stick pins in 😁😁😁. I only take the Furosemide if it's particularly bad but being on Diltiazem doesn't help in that department either. The one thing which has been ok with me is my blood pressure, thankfully. You take care.😊.

[SuziElley in reply to Ducky2003]

Yes, taking Furosemide only when you really need it would help with the Norah Batty legs. Keep up the good work, you’re getting there! xx

[Handel]

You've still got a brilliant sense of humour Ang. Hope you start to improve soon.Sending love and hugs. Jan xxx

[Ducky2003 in reply to Handel]

Thank you Jan 😊.

[Singwell]

Oh you still manage the make us laugh! Thank you for that but I'm really sorry to read some of this update - the swelling and breathlessness especially. And it dies sound like some mismanagement is going on here too. Reminds me to count my blessings. Hang in there. And BobD has said the other thing I would've said...

[Ducky2003 in reply to Singwell]

Are you casting aspersions about my parents too? 😁

[Bonnie58]

Sorry to read that you are going through the mill. I hope you get a response from your doc soon and you start to regain your mojo.I would suggest you invest is some theatrical make up just so your friends get the message as to your actual health status. Keep on keeping on. 😎

[Ducky2003 in reply to Bonnie58]

I have to say, my friends have been great on the whole. It was one who tends to be a bit flippant about things at the best of times, who I wanted to use for slap practice. 😁.

[Poochmom]

I love your posts! I am amazed at your upbeat sense of humor when you are feeling so crappy! I hope you can get some help and start feeling better soon! Meanwhile you are giving us some much needed laughs!! Carry on.

[Ducky2003 in reply to Poochmom]

Thanks. It's a laugh or cry thing at times.😊.