Horrible A. Fib. Week

Hi All,
Well this has been a week or so I hope not to repeat anytime soon.
For 9 days I have been in and out of A. Fib. lasting anywhere from 5 hours to 28 hours. After my old medication (Rythmol) stopped working I was switched to 125 mg of Flecainide every 12 hours 2 years ago. It has served me well with only a very few break-throughs now and then. Then the week from hell started.

I called my cardiologist to have his approval to increase this medication to 150 mg. every 2 hours which is the maximum dose. I was unable to get through to him so left several messages. No response. This is very unlike him.

After about an 8 hour reprieve, I woke up inYesterday in A. Fib again and went to emerg. The first pair of doctors ordered NPO in case they would have to do a cardioversion. They also discussed ablation. Later they decided to give me 200 mg. Flecainide as a bolus dose (300 to 400 mg is allowed for this purpose after which 50 to 150 mg is continued) . 3 hours later two different doctors came along and ordered another 200 mg. plus .125 mg Digoxin. 3 hours after that another 2 doctors came along with a repeat dosage and said they would not do a cardioversion but urged me to stay in the hospital and allow them to continue with this treatment for up to 36 hours or until I went back into a normal sinus rhythym. At that point I became very frightened of so many doctors with different ideas along with a continued high dose of the Flecainide so I thanked them for their efforts and bid them farewell. I wasn't trying to be a know-it-all I was frankly scared out of my witts that there didn't seem to be any consultation among all these groups of doctors and everyone was heading in their own direction.

This morning I have finally been able to make contact with my cardiologist (who is leaving tonight for a 2 week vacation) He has approved the the dosage I was asking about in the first place without the Digoxin the hospital had prescribed. So far I have had 12 hours in normal rhythym. If this does not work I must go back to the hospital. YIKES !!!!!

I would very much like to hear from others who have experienced this prolonged A. Fib. and what their course of action and that of their doctors has been.

Sorry this was so wordy but I guess I'm pretty up tight.

I hope you are all well and those who aren't find solutions to your problems.

Thank you..

Nuka





3 Comments

Hi.....

by Bionic Beat - 2008-08-22 11:08:03

I sure hope you can get back into Sinus Rhythm soon.

Last September, we were on a vacation and my AFib kicked in, never went away.

For months, docs kept me on medication, stood by as my life deteriorated.

I was getting pretty desperate, had been in 4 hospitals in 2 provinces and was getting nowhere.

In January, I saw an EP Guy at Toronto General, who implanted my pacemaker in Feb. & had an AV node ablation in late April.

I feel fabulous, compared to how I was last fall and this spring.

Sure hope you are on coumadin with all that AFib.

If not, please call back your doc for advice.

Take care, hope you're feeling well soon.


Bionic Beat

So many Doctors

by fireryan - 2008-08-22 11:08:07

Nuka,

I have a different problem then yours (Vtach) however have taken many meds including the Flecanide 150 mg twice a day. I didn't feel the greatest while on it. I have 5 cardiologist dealing with my case at this time. I spoke to each office for a evaluation on why I still feel bad, and have so many PVC's. It took some work but I just switched to Mexiletine 150mg every 8 hours. The difference was Huge. I feel almost normal for once in the past 10 months. I have gone through 2 ablations so far and am looking at another in the future.
I have been through a lot as many people on this site including youself. I actually went to the hospital last week for three days, then went back less than 24 hours ago in the early morning hours with chest pain. Pericarditis is back. They don't know why.
If you can look into an ablation with a nationally recognized doctor, I highly recommend it. Check out
a-fib.com
God Bless you and hang in there.

Ryan

It is scary

by janetinak - 2008-08-23 01:08:39

Hi,

I have a similiar story as B. Beat & don't want to scare you & so hope you get back into NormaL Sinus Rhythm. But to realize that help is available as B. Beat states. I had AFib for two yrs with no changes despite several attemts to help with meds & several cardioversions. Finally elected ablation with PM & doing good now. As stated I got my life back. Meds are better now as my experience was 1999-2000. Get one Cardio or EP you trust & explore your options.

Good luck,

Janet

You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

Member Quotes

My eight year old son had a pacemaker since he was 6 months old. He does very well, plays soccer, baseball, and rides his bike. I am so glad he is not ashamed of his pacemaker. He will proudly show his "battery" to anyone.