Doc just added A-Fib to my list

Got to see my doc again today for my last post op checkup and besides my SSS/Bradycardia diagnosis he added occassional A-Fib to my list. Seems that the pacer is picking up short (less than a minute) episodes of A-Fib. He said this ties directly back to my SSS (Sick Sinus Syndrome) issue and right now it is not something I should be worried about although he did say I HAVE to keep with my 81 mg aspirin that I have been taking for about 10 years now. He said because I have few symptoms (just an occasional feeling of a fast hr when I try and lay on my left side) and that I am athletic and active, 50 years old and no other sign of heart disease other than my screwed up electrical system that right now he doesn't want to do anything other than monitor it. He thinks it was probably there before they put the pacer in, or it could have developed since then and nobody ever saw it before because it is happening much less than 1% of the time and would be hard to catch.

Anyone else out there with A-Fib/Sick Sinus/Brady? Just wondering what your doc is saying and what I have to look forward to. He did tell me he has a woman about my age, tri-athlete with the same thing and she went 6 years but did eventually have to go on drugs to control hers but hers was worse to begin with than mine but I will probably eventually have to go either on drugs or some other treatment for it, but he wants to prevent doing that as long as possible.

4 Comments

AF

by golden_snitch - 2009-10-26 04:10:36

Hi!

I have a long history of atrial arrhythmias, and during my last ep study/ablation (in 2001 for atrial flutter, had five ablations for other arrhythmias before) I went into a short episode of AF. The EP said not to worry about it unless it becomes more frequent and I get symptomatic. My pacer is picking up short episodes of AF, too, that last up to 15 minutes or so. However, since I'm on anti-arrhythmic drugs again (2008) for other arrhythmia, it is no longer recording these episodes.

I'm not worried about AF at the moment. With my history, some doctors say it's only a question of time until I'll develop AF, but right now I don't have episodes, even when they pacer recorded them I wasn't symptomatic I think so it's alright. It might be an issue one day, though.

I don't think that this "AF causes AF" is so true for people who have as short episodes as we do, only a few minutes. At least I have had those short ones for years and they are not getting more frequent or are lasting any longer.

Best wishes
Inga

Afib!

by Hot Heart - 2009-10-26 06:10:55

Hi there! Same here! I saw my cardiologist today and told himmy afib seemed better, he said i dont need medication any more and not to worry about it. Got my pacer check wed so will let you know what that says as well.

HH

Thanks

by COBradyBunch - 2009-10-26 08:10:11

The Afib thing kind of floored me today. My doc says it is just a thing that SSS patients get and that I will eventually have to go on meds for it or have a procedure when, not if, it gets bad enough. Funny thing is he keeps telling me about all these healthy athletic patients he has that are like me, but then he tells me that this one had to go on meds, or this one had to have this done. Like that is supposed to make me feel better while he is telling me my heart's wiring is all f'ed up.

Me too ...

by paf - 2009-10-27 04:10:40

with SSS and afib, but I have tachy/brady. The afib comes and goes and I have figured out that fatigue and stress seem to be a trigger for me. My episodes can last for minutes to hours. I've had my pm for a little over two years. The cocktail of pills I take have helped a lot, but I fight the overwhelming fatigue that I believe they cause. Not sure which is worse -- the thumpy da thump or just wanting to sleep all the time!

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Member Quotes

It may be the first time we've felt a normal heart rhythm in a long time, so of course it seems too fast and too strong.