Medical records

Hello everyone, I'm a new member and just had my PM put in on Wednesday 3-20-13. According my doctor, PM will take care of my slow heart rate problem. But, the doctor also said I have fast heart rate problem as well, but she coulnd't perform the ablation because the "fast" pulse originates on the left side of the heart and it's too risky to perform the ablation (whatever this means I don't understand). Anyway, she said she will have me on medication Flecainide. I took the Flecainide along with the antibiotics, but I'm stll experiencing the "skipped" beats episodes.
So, I'm thinking that I don't really have the "fast" heart rate problem and stop taking Flecainide because I don't want to take drugs if they don't do anything for me. I learn that the "skipped" beats episodes that I have is what I have before the PM put in. So, PM did not help me at all. My first question here is: Can I obtain my complete whole file of medical records from my cardiologist to analyze the data to find out why they suggest what I have? I appreciate any response. Thank you.

6 Comments

Records

by Zia - 2013-03-26 06:03:31

If you're in the US, the HIPAA law requires anyone who has your medical records to provide you with a copy upon request. Unfortunately, however, it doesn't limit what they can charge to make those copies. Some will do it for free and some have "copying charges" and some will argue that you wouldn't understand them, etc. None of this should discourage you from getting and reading your records.

If you live outside the US, someone else here can probably give you an answer on this.

Medical records

by Jax - 2013-03-26 07:03:05

I always get a copy of my medical records. In the US you are entitled to them. I have met with few problems in obtaining them.

CA is one of 50!

by donr - 2013-03-26 10:03:06

Duke: Do NOT under any circumstance go cold turkey off Flecainide. It is a VERY powerful anti-arrhythmic.

For starters, you do not know what Flecainide has or has NOT done for you. The "Skipped" beats are most likely beats called PVC's - Premature Ventricular Contractions. When you have one of these, the ventricles contract earlier than they should, giving you the sensation of a skipped beat. It IS there, you just do not feel it. The following beat is heavier than usual, so you sense that one.

IF - I say again - IF - you are indeed having PVC's, they are difficult to get rid of completely. PLUS!!!!! they are totally benign, just annoying & TERRIFYING. I have them by the tens of thousands every month & have for years. I no longer feel them unless I have a run of them. One effective method of controlling PVC's is Flecainide to kill PVC's; plus a Beta Blocker to slow your heart; plus a PM to give you a decent., comfy heart rate.

Last: A PM CANNOT stop PVC's or any fast heart beats. It can ONLY speed up the heart.

You are only a week into this life, don't start trying to change things that are still too new for you to fully understand.

Don

Thanks Don

by Duke999 - 2013-03-26 10:03:58

"One effective method of controlling PVC's is Flecainide to kill PVC's; plus a Beta Blocker to slow your heart; plus a PM to give you a decent., comfy heart rate."

Thanks Don for your response. I was told by my cardio that Flecainide is to help the fast heart rate problem. I don't experience that. What I experience is what you said PVC. On the second day after my PM put in, I experienced , now I know it's called , PVC, so I pop in a pill of Flecainide per my cardio instructions, but it did nothing for me. So, I conclude that Flecainide perhaps is for fast heart rate which is not I experienced during the episodes I had. That's why I'm not taking it. So, now for the last couple days, without Flecainide, I have PVC on an off, but NOT fast heart rate. I don't want to take drugs that I don't need. Am I thinking correct here?
And regarding the problem of PVC, perhaps a diffirent medicine or something to eliminate that. Your thoughts?

Afib

by ebfox - 2013-03-27 10:03:52

Duke,

Did your EP say if you have afib, aflutter, or some kind of ventricular tachycardia? There are different treatments for each.

Flecainide is typically given for Lone afib, which originates in the left atrium. There are lots of surgical options for afib (catheter ablation, mini-maze surgery) so I am wondering what else is going on here?

Aflutter can originate right or left side, if it's left side atypical flutter that is harder to deal with (but I didn't think flecainide was typically given for that).

If you have VT that is a whole different ball game-

Good luck,

EB

Just ask?

by Selwyn - 2013-03-27 12:03:36

Welcome to the club- what you have to go through to get in! At least we are a select group.

Why not just ask for a chat with your doctor? It seems to me that you wish to have more understanding about what is happening to you. If it was me, I would ask for a chat- medical notes can be rather difficult to understand, and that is what you need at the end of the day. Let the medics do the work! You can even sit and look at the notes together if the paper work was an issue.

As for the flecainide ( a drug I have taken for some years), it is indicated for upper and lower heart chamber arrythmias- the last thing to do is to stop this yourself- you could end up in a right mess! It should form part of your chat. The dose of flecainide has to be adjusted ( Max. is 300mg) - this may need to be done with some care as you can get cardiac arrhythmias from the flecainide!

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