got good news yesterday

[Mont]

May, a year ago, I was formally diagnosed with a-fib. After I knew what it was, I realized I had been having it for several years. My plumbing is fine, it's just an electrical problem. He tried cardioversion, which didn't work, and was the worst I have ever been hurt in my life, including being rear ended at 60 MPH waiting on a light to go green. Since then, I have been on rat poison (warfarin) and a handful of other drugs and have been feeling fine. On Wednesday, I had a full scan done, and both my docs looked it over. Yesterday, my primary cardio doc said my pumping function is very close to normal now, and while technically, I am still in a-fib, it's actually more like an irregular heat rate. So, I got a new script for Pradaxin, and taken off one of my other drugs, and don't have to take any more rat poison. I start the new stuff on Sunday and instead of weekly or bi-weekly blood tests, I just have a 6 month visit to see my doc. The next time I have to go in is Pearl Harbor day, in Dec. What got all of this started was dehydration and being an attic rat for 20+ years, I have had plenty of that over the years, not to mention how many times I have been hit with either 110 or 220 volts working on a/c's. It's going to be nice to stay out of the doctors office, and in particular, once flu season gets going again. I guess y'all are gonna be stuck with me for a while, or at least that's the game plan.

[Lost Shaker]

Glad to hear things are improving Mont! I'll Google it but can you give a cliff-note version of a-fib? Use small words too so Zane can understand. :)

[JD]

Good news. I came off my arrhythmia meds after 18 months and the misfiring totally cleared after about 2.5 years. Trust you're on your way to the same Mont. And am now 18 years past the heart attack and doing just fine.

Now go play ;)

[Howard/Jax]

Monty, JD. Good news to hear. Hope both of you go on forever, with no more problems. :)

[Mont]

a-fib means the chambers of the heart don't fire off correctly. They fire out of sync which makes the heart not pump as well and then it corrects that by speeding up. It's like an engine with a miss, you have to give it more gas to make it run the same speed as it would without the miss.

Dehydration is a leading cause of all kinds of electrical problems in the body. Our bodies are mostly water, and just like a battery low on water, it quits working. I drink gallons of just plain water or decaf ice tea. When I want a real jolt, I drink regular ice tea, but caffeine is hard on your body too. It's been 100 degrees here just about every day this month.

[Lost Shaker]

Thanks for the explanation!

Dehydration just isn't something we deal with in this 100" a year rainforest.

Okay, maybe it is......but I do mix my Jack with water so it counter-balances the dehydrating influence. :)

[Bryan/BC]

Unfortunately Shake-- it doesnt just take dehydration ( but that IS a major factor) I have been taking rat poison for a year now too. It prevents stroke from blood that might coagulate when the heart doesnt pump properly The simple corrective procedure (cardioversion, where they basically tazer you and shock the heart into sinus rythumn) has not worked on me. But I control my heart rate with drugs, and as I was told--" Go home-- you are not sick enough to go to the next level" ( which is ablation surgery where they destroy the part of the hearts pacemaker that is misfiring)

Mont -count your blessings :) I hope that you continue to improve. Right now, I wish I was in your shoes--- but since I am basically symptom-free with my meds, things could be a lot worse!

Now where do they hide the "Golden Years" ????? ;)

[PK]

glad to hear both of you are doing a lot better...

had the dehydration thingy while getting prepped for a colonoscopy last year...veins were collapsed... said it was an 'electrical problem' while I'm lying there on the prep table ... bring in an EKG machine... everyone is in a panic around me..except for moi.... Doc kept on asking me if I had any heart/chest pains... nope... heartbeat was up to 112... I've never had any heart problems...

I knew what did it.. all that saltwater prep used to clean me out.. 2 gallons I had to drink the day before... all I was worried about was him not doing the procedure and sending me home.. which would have meant I had to do the prep again.. ugh... he checked with his partner in the group.....a cardiologist.. and the procedure was completed..

had to go in for a nuclear stress test a few days later... all a-okay..passed with flying colors... that stinkin' saltwater prep done did me in... arrrrggghhh

[Zane]

Good news Mont, and shake you forget I was a paramedic and actually understand this stuff. This is just what some of us old guys have to face as the clock keeps ticking. I also have episodes of a-fib, but I prefer Jamision Irish for medication :D I'm glad all you old guys are doing well. :D :D

[Mont]

Ray, the whole medical procedure thing scares me with all the new bugs they have running around. I had a buddy get a staph infection during that same procedure you had done and he came close to biting the sand over it. Anything I can do that keeps me out of the docs office, including the hospital, works for me. Even though I got a flu shot last year, that didn't keep me from getting a nasty stomach bug at my cardiologists office last February.

[PK]

Ray, the whole medical procedure thing scares me with all the new bugs they have running around. I had a buddy get a staph infection during that same procedure you had done and he came close to biting the sand over it. Anything I can do that keeps me out of the docs office, including the hospital, works for me. Even though I got a flu shot last year, that didn't keep me from getting a nasty stomach bug at my cardiologists office last February.

absolutely... I hate doctors offices and hospitals..always have even when I was w*rking.. bringing people there..... the only people that are there are sick... good chance you'll pick up something.. but at my age.. gotta go do the 'required-checkups'

[SpeckTackler]

I have one of those 'required-checkups' in the morning.I have not eaten all day and I just drank the juice from hell.I think life is still good even better if I had a burger :D

[Mont]

ah, the wonders of getting old. Gotta luv it. I beats the alternative, though. Today is the 4th day on the new meds and the first time I have felt good since I stopped taking the old stuff. It's either working or I am going numb, but it's a bit early in the day for the latter ;)

[Joe/GA]

Wow! All of this medical talk on a fishing WEB site! What a bunch of old guys! Oops, I'm getting there too! :confused: I'm also due for the dreaded colonoscopy. This will be my 4th one. I hate it.
Glad everyone is doing OK.