Hi everyone, hope you're having decent weeks so far.
4 weeks after open heart surgery my Fitbit picked up some AFib, and then a visit from the paramedics (I had severe back pain) saw me diagnosed with Atrial Flutter. The response so far has been to increase my Bisoprolol and in general the number of weird HR peaks on my Fitbit (which seems to be detecting some of my additional Atrial beats) have decreased in frequency.
Since then, my dad has loaned me a medical stethoscope. During the period of Atrial Flutter I could definitely hear the multiple atrial beats and what was a 'da-da-dum, da-da-dum' now seems to be a more normal 'da-dum, da-dum, da-dum'. However, the beats aren't steady. I'll get three that are spaced evenly, then a bit of a gap before the next, then another flurry... It's weird! Listening to my husband's, I can clearly appreciate what a 'normal' rhythm should sound like.
I'm a bit worried that this constitutes an irregular rhythm and that intervention will be needed (cardio aversion or an ablation??) - that said, I feel absolutely fine and haven't noticed any racing heart or felt at all dizzy or out of breath at any point.
Apologies for the long post. I'm now 6 weeks and 2 days post-op, still off work, and fretting over every little thing!
What are other's experiences of this?
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LadyZ13
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Aw zoe it's fine, I like reading! 😅. That's so good that your dad had a stethoscope must of been strange hearing your own heart I would love to hear mine I'm always being told my murmur is very loud and can hear it clear with a stethoscope 🙈x Do you think your bisoprol needs adjusting bit more maybe have you told your consultant. Seems your heart still a bit too over excited hope your taking it easy 😉x
Thanks for indulging me Yumz !😘 My husband said my heart was really loud pre -op and the congential consultant said the murmur due to the hole in the heart (now an ex-hole!) was very clear. Isn't it amazing what they can listen for??
I'm seeing the congential consultant tomorrow so will talk to her, but equally don't want to over medicate if I don't have to. My BP is still recovering from being low post-op. And I'm not noticing it so.... 😬😬
Yup, taking it fairly easy still. I see cardiac rehab tomorrow too so hoping that will help me build up again!
Aw glad it's not just me then with a loud murmur I do have a VSD but it'd doesn't need any medical intervention yet, yeah it's incredible what they can hear with just a stethoscope! Hope your appointment congenital consultant goes well take care zoe X ❤️
You must be proud of yourself that you have come through this, I suppose it is still a journey. But it can only improve. Iam getting ready for my talk with a lovely lady from the Somerville foundation about my mental health. The one thing that hits me about congenital issues is we never asked for it, we all assumed we where normal but it is what it is. But you have been so brave. You take care.
I don't know Felly, it's not like we had a choice with this stuff! I don't feel brave, I feel a bit broken to be honest. It's very hard when you have surgery to correct something that isn't affecting you at all, because the recovery seems such a brutal 'cure'. I'm glad you've got a chat about mental health coming up, it's such a huge part of the experience and doesn't get nearly enough attention or support. Keep us posted xx
We did not have choice. Yes iam trying everything in my power to sort my mental health. But it damn hard. Like she said today it is a big shock. A shock that effects the mind. Its strange that up until 18months ago I knew nothing. Just assumed I was normal. I think we all suffer and how to beat it is the journey we all have to undertake. I for one will find it hard going. But I agree that you feel broken, like a broken toy. Buy she did say that I have to think of myself as a classic car. Still a good car just need a bit more care and looking after. But is not easy. We have all been through a big shock that completely comes out of the blue. But the mental impact is huge. It has knocked me quite hard . But I think we just have to keep talking to try and get it out of the system. But you have still been very brave and strong. Take care.
Hey Zoe, good to hear from you. On the positive side, it sounds like you’ve got a good strong heart making plenty of noise 😀. I’m not sure what the distinction between Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter is, perhaps it’s a matter of irregularity?
It’s very weird, in identical circumstances with similar heart rates sometimes my heart feels poundingly loud and at others I can barely notice it. Goodness knows what it is up to 😀.
I’m not the other side of my procedure yet, but I had one episode of AFib that initiated my ASD discovery journey and it was pretty scary for a newbie, so I can understand how concerned you are. It felt very different to ectopics, more like a (classic) car with a very bad idle. It started with ectopics and evolved, with heart rate climbing, even though I was lying in bed.
I’ve been told that new onset AFib is a complication in about 25% of closures. Also been told that it usually resolves before you get an appointment for another intervention scheduled. So here’s hoping yours will just go away in due course.
To be fair to one’s ticker, it’s been quite happily shunting some decent proportion of blood ‘the wrong way’ for all your life and suddenly has to adjust to that being completely stopped!
Nice to hear from you Rumbling Chest - I have been following your story. Sounds like you're on course for a catheter closure of your ASD?The BHF gives a good explanation of the difference between AFib and Atrial Flutter: bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo....
Both are a bit annoying though and risks and treatment are similar. My surgeon didn't even bother to differentiate in his follow up letter to my consultant, just calling it tachycardia.
How is your rhythm now? Have the doctors put you on anything to help support normal rhythm in the run up to your op?
You're right that my heart is having to adjust to weird new world of being efficient! I also had a significantly enlarged right atrium so this will also be shrinking (I hope!) as part of recovery, and I wonder if this is part of what's going on...
Same about 'hearing' the heart! I never used to, and now it thumps in my left ear like I'm in an aeroplane with it, if that makes sense at all??
Keep updating us with your story as it unfolds. I'm convinced that sharing experiences makes it much more normal and bearable.
Yes, on course for the catheter placed high tech blind grommet - there’s even an App for them in the AppStore 😀. I had to put the date back to get a tooth sorted, but it’s now only 9 ‘sleeps’ away. I’m still feeling a bit weird about having a bit of metal in my heart - in my industry it would classed as FOD - Foreign Object Debris - which is generally a Bad Thing. As long as it stays where it should…
I’ve not had any repeats of AFib, I did have a couple of bouts of persistent ectopics, which I put down to lack of sleep and over-strong coffee. So no drugs for rhythm, just a blood thinner. Cardiologist #1 gave me Bisoprodol as a “pill in the pocket” but I’ve had no reason to take them. Really, my AF bout was just enough to get me to a Doctor without causing further trouble, so I’ve been pretty lucky, all things considered.
It so sad that we seem to find these horrible congenital issues just in the time of life where we have been through the up and downs of normal living for something to raise it head that we where manufactured with. Being a sad so and so I found out my issue would have been produced at around day 35 of being made in the womb. ( tricuspid valves decided to be manufactured in the wrong position) How sad am I. I possibly have an asd, but it not very visible on n echo or on an mri but my shunting goes right to left. But my asd is a bit like a sieve. Small communications that seem to get worse when you exercise or on exertion. The trouble for me is my asd could be closed, wish it could done with polly filler. But that would improve the cyanosis but then it could or would cause other problems within the right atrium and ventrical. So I suppose as you said we have lived successfully for the majority of our lives with blood going the wrong way. But for me it is a watch and wait process. But we will see. Good luck and take care.
Hi Felly12, I don’t think you are sad at all for trying to understand your condition, I did very much the same. I was Googling the different pressures in each atrium at one point 😀. It’s unsettling to discover these conditions later in life and look back for the missed clues. But time moves in only one direction, so I console myself with the thought that it just means I have given medicine longer to understand the best approaches for my condition and more time to practice 😀.
Yes I had missed clues. But if I had found out about it then, my life would have been so much different. I think it is hard to except something when found to think you have had it all your life. I then think if only I had been made normal. What could I have achieved. On top of what i have achieved with my faulty manufactured heart. Or is that being selfish? Take my son he had a turn in eye. We had it operated on when he was small. They done a good job of straightening it up. But would he wear his patch no. Now he regrets he did not wear his patch but you try telling a 4 year old to wear a patch. Now he is 30 he understands his failings in that eye. Does not effect him because he knows no different. He sees what he sees. Same with us or me I have my failings but did it bother me no, I just thought it was not being fit or asthma. But it did not stop me. But now I know a reason and its with my engine boy that really sucks. Medication has moved on in leaps and bounds but when it is something mechanically wrong then something has to be repaired., adjusted. Yes I Google. I watch you tube videos on the subject and try to understand the mechanics. Does it make me feel better I dought it but it gives me an understanding of why I have cyanosis, why I have a leaky asd. Why I have an enlarged right heart, why I have a right bundle branch block. It is how my heart was made and there is nothing I can do about it. Fortunatly iam now being looked after and checked. So I have to now except it and start living again. Like I said to the lovely therapist at the Somerville heart foundation I want go back to how I felt 18 months ago before I knew. Even if I had my issue's that I was use to. As they say ignorance is bliss. But the next question, if I was ignorant to it all and I had not collapsed. Had not then had ecg, then gone hospital. Found my blood pressure through the roof. Would I still be hear writing this? The journey of life. It is an adventure but boy it can throw some curve balls in to just spice it up a bit. But I would not wish any heart issue on any one even my worst enemies.
Sorry to hear about the AF, I had the same immediately after my ASD closure (OHS by Mr Austin).
Have to admit I didn't feel it but the daily ECG showed it up. When I left hospital some 12 days after the op the AF was under control but the Consultant said that if it came back I would have to have a cardio version. Thankfully, I'm now 9 moths post surgery and the AF has not come back.
I'm sure that they will get it under control by tweaking the drugs.
Really hope to follow the same pattern as you, Nick! I think Mr Austin was surprised that this has presented relatively late. I'm not especially keen on cardio aversion, doesn't sound pleasant, so really hoping it doesn't come to that! Glad to hear you're now doing OK, AF wise at least!
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