Having been a member of this group for many years, it still never ceases to surprise me that so many diagnoses and solutions exist for what seem to be, on first impression such similar symptoms.
Is it because we are all so different and different ages or is much of it as I suspect the medical profession who cannot, and do not agree on the best remedy.
Answers on a Post Card🙂
Pete
Yes, that can be quite frustrating.
Part of it has to do with the fact that so many of our body systems are interconnected, so a diagnosis is not always a straightforward affair.
For example, chest pain can be heart or GI related. It even can be muscular or nerve related. In some cases, it could be even caused by the gallbladder!
To make a proper diagnosis, requires a detailed patient history and often multiple tests with specialists in different fields.
The problem here is we often do not get the time, attention and patience from our doctors to get at the right diagnosis.
No wonder the Cleveland clinic has found that 20% of all initial diagnosis are incorrect.
Given all this, it's really up to us, the patient, to seek out the right diagnosis when we feel our doctors have let us down.
This often requires not settling for hasty visits and often second or more opinions. And yes. That is easier said than done, but we have to try!
Jim
Yes, and chest pain might also be related to the emotional health of our heart. It's vital to acknowledge the hearts interconnectedness with the rest of the body including the brain (and any physical symptoms that arise). In this regard, perhaps HeartMath Institute is worth investigating ...
G'day pottypete1 ............ nice to see you back on here.
My personal view is that AF (in any manifestation ) is just pure mongrel ... pure mongrel. It is all things to all people and consequently treatments will be all things to all people.
Genetics plays a big role in this "thing" as does the vagal nerve , that superhighway in the central nervous system connecting brain, heart and gut. My paternal grandfather died from a series of strokes ( nobody alive now who can give any info on these strokes ), now the old boys brother's grandson also was diagnosed with AF. My daughter in both her pregnancies was also diagnosed with AF. Since she stopped breeding no more AF.
Also ... the speed of diagnosis is vital in minimising the impact of AF ... in my case I was 9 - 10 hours from onset of symptoms of flu which turned out to be paroxysmal AF .... I remain convinced it was this very speed that was instrumental in my AF being so easily and so well controlled with drugs.
John
It's because AF is multifactorial. There's no single clear cause for it. We know what it is, but we don't know why. Coupled with the wide range of people who get it, it's not surprising that there's so many different approaches.
Hi Pete. I think the treatment follows a health department ("NICE") protocol, but doctors are allowed to choose from a range of drugs which they get used to, with some also perhaps preferring ablation and others not. There aren't that many drugs, overall, I always feel (and I guess in a controlled economy, such as communism, there would be far fewer!).
Another reason might be owing to the fact that AF is, a little like a headache, only a symptom rather than a cause, so other drugs might be needed to try to help the cause itself, e.g. antihypertensive drugs to treat high blood pressure.
Steve
Quite obviously, it is as we are all different! Surely you have noticed that before? Or do you really think we are all alike! Different sizes, sexes, heights, weights, etc etc!
OK OK.
Since it is now over 30 years I have been dealing with heart rhythm problems I am very aware of the points you make.
I only posted to stimulate discussion not to be told off.
I’ve only had it for around 5 years and enjoyed around 75 healthy active years before it struck but I was a teacher for many years too!
I suspect as you the latter.
It is regrettable that insufficient research is done on causes and until there is ( I am not holding my breath on that one!) there will remain a multitude of drugs prescribed according each medics experience and preferences.
yes Pete quite right eh, it’s so varied, and I find what’s amazing is there are so many diferent things that go wrong with the heart as folk on here can just have afib or afib and other things……yet this amazing little organ keep in goung thru what sounds sometimes quite complex problems . I’ve never given my heart a secind thought till it went wrong in 2018, now I think it deserves a medal ticking away all these years……..long may it continue !!!
There seem to be hundreds of potential causes. There is also a huge body of research that outlines causes which doctors seem oblivious to. First and last solutions are meds and surgery from the medical community. We have Google to enlighten us. Keep trying with diet and avoiding as many contaminants as possible, lose weight, give up addictive poisons and sugars which causes major inflammation and take responsibility for your health to prevent further degeneration.
Lottery of initial diagnosis and lack of knowledge by GPs plays a large part I believe. I'm sure many of us were going around with what we were told were symptoms of stress/ anxiety,when in fact it was AF. I'm certain I was.
The differing ways that AF manifests itself does give a wide range of patient presentation but as AF is known to be a common condition,it could be hoped that early investigation would be advantageous.
The rather patronising reply stating the obvious that 'everyone is different ' is specious. Many other conditions vary in symptoms,and hence treatment.
AF has,though,a running thread of unexplainable racing,erratic, heart beat,that can occur at rest as well as exertion. One would hope that at least the diagnosis could be standardised!
Perhaps the perception of AF as a Non life threatening condition plays a part for some medics ,too.
Good question Potty Pete
Difference in type of AF fast or slow!
Flecainide and different suppliers 
Difference between flutter and af
What is the difference?
Different brands of bisoprolol 
