Irregular Heartbeat

[carolinemc]

Went to Cardio last week and he suggested doing a monitor. Did not say he was having sent to my house. Thought I was getting an Early BD present. Got it was in shock. Not a bulky box with a shoulder strap like in the old days. But we are trying to figure out what is causing the irregular heartbeat. The real list of causes it a long one. We may never know for certain. I am 50ish and so there is the change, diabetes, heart defect, overweight somewhat and edema. We may never know for certain. But at least hope this is at no cost. It is a small monitor that attached to a fixed taped thing that goes on the chest for 30 days. I go back to the Cardio on February 11, the day after my brother's 56 BD, He is a year younger than me by mere months. But I hope to have a little idea and will start walking and upper weight training this next week. Got 2 lbs weights and 8 lbs weights to work with and also an peddle thing to do as I sit in a chair. I will keep you all updated. After I solve one problem, a mystery come up. But make life interesting to say the least. Have a good weekend all.

 

[Geofd]

I had something similar, sticks to your chest horizontally or vertically you shower with it,there is also something that looks like a cell phone that i wore to record the data, the tape that sticks to you last a while the phone thing runs out of battery fast what is on you chest they give you 2 i just mailed mine back about a month ago, i did lots of walking, treadmill,and eliptical good luck!!!!!!!!

 

[Eva]

Keep us posted. Meanwhile, avoid any caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, processed food/salt. Are you on any thyroid medication? If so, get your TSH tested…you might be over medicated!
are you taking any diuretics for the edema?! Ihave been in and out of Afib since December 31st! Waiting for medication to kick in!

 

[carolinemc]

Keep us posted. Meanwhile, avoid any caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, processed food/salt. Are you on any thyroid medication? If so, get your TSH tested…you might be over medicated!
are you taking any diuretics for the edema?! Ihave been in and out of Afib since December 31st! Waiting for medication to kick in!

Yep, lassix and keeping no changes to diet till I hear from my heart doctor on Friday and the monitor is over on the 19 of this month. At least I am not scared from the irregular heartbeat. Been a heart person since birth. But I will be back this weekend with the update and later on the monitor. Just hanging in there.

 

[carolinemc]

I had something similar, sticks to your chest horizontally or vertically you shower with it,there is also something that looks like a cell phone that i wore to record the data, the tape that sticks to you last a while the phone thing runs out of battery fast what is on you chest they give you 2 i just mailed mine back about a month ago, i did lots of walking, treadmill,and eliptical good luck!!!!!!!!

What was so strange is there is a phone like part, can't call out if in trouble. But I am feeling good. Just hate the shortness of breathe. But that will get better soon, going to be walking with the dog when the temps are good outside. We both need the walking done. LOL!

 

[carolinemc]

I won't know what they found till May. So, I will keep you all appraised then.

 

[ejc61]

Well I also had a high HR reading over 175 bpm in December. Prior to that, I only had one episode back in 2019. Last July, when I had my annual Echo, my cardio said I'm stable but mentioned that some people with prior heart surgery may develop Afib as they hit their 60's and up. So he suggested I buy a Kardia ECG monitor. I bought the 6 Lead and was told to record an ECG once a week and send him any abnormals. In January, after my high reading in December which looked like an atrial flutter, I was hooked up with a 30-day Event monitor which didn't show anything exciting and was quite unremarkable. A few weeks ago, another 175+bpm reading. He determined that this was Afib and put me on Eliquis 5mg 2x per day. In all 3 episodes, the HR corrected itself.
I have a zoom with him next week to discuss further. I was also scheduled for a followup in May. Seems like a popular topic.

 

[goffrey]

I wear one of those every year. I am at high risk for sudden lethal arrythmias due to my particular heart defect and the surgeries I have undergone to correct it. So they like to keep an eye on my rhythm in case the time comes for a pace maker. Did they give you a journal to fill out? Normally I have to write down my daily activities like eating, sitting, walking etc so if it does detect an arrythmia it can help to see if any particular thing set it off.

 

[Haoming Li]

Hello All,
l did not post much yet I liked to read this forum daily, I had learned a lot from other members.
In end of Jan I had AFib over 120+ last over 10 days, I took Amirdarone 200mg twice a day but it didn't work, finally I was admitted to the hospital, my cardiologist did cardioversion for me. After that my heart rate stays at 60-70 and I feel fine.
It's the 3rd time I had AFib after OHS since June 2016, I don't know how it happened.
Is there any way to get rid of AFib? Please share your thoughts.
Thank you All.

 

[carolinemc]

Well I also had a high HR reading over 175 bpm in December. Prior to that, I only had one episode back in 2019. Last July, when I had my annual Echo, my cardio said I'm stable but mentioned that some people with prior heart surgery may develop Afib as they hit their 60's and up. So he suggested I buy a Kardia ECG monitor. I bought the 6 Lead and was told to record an ECG once a week and send him any abnormals. In January, after my high reading in December which looked like an atrial flutter, I was hooked up with a 30-day Event monitor which didn't show anything exciting and was quite unremarkable. A few weeks ago, another 175+bpm reading. He determined that this was Afib and put me on Eliquis 5mg 2x per day. In all 3 episodes, the HR corrected itself.
I have a zoom with him next week to discuss further. I was also scheduled for a followup in May. Seems like a popular topic.

Not in my 60's yet.

 

[ejc61]

Not in my 60's yet.

Yeah I just hit 60 last July and boom just like clockwork.

 

[Eva]

Hello All,
l did not post much yet I liked to read this forum daily, I had learned a lot from other members.
In end of Jan I had AFib over 120+ last over 10 days, I took Amirdarone 200mg twice a day but it didn't work, finally I was admitted to the hospital, my cardiologist did cardioversion for me. After that my heart rate stays at 60-70 and I feel fine.
It's the 3rd time I had AFib after OHS since June 2016, I don't know how it happened.
Is there any way to get rid of AFib? Please share your thoughts.
Thank you All.

Hello Haoming Li,
I’ve been thinking about you. I had started AFib on December 31, 2021 but refused to go to hospital…I hadd no other symptoms than high pulse of 125. I’m still on Amiodarone, Toprol, and digoxin. It’s slowing down. This is the third time since 2019. I’m having a video call with cardiologist this afternoon. I’ll also p.m. you.

 

[pellicle]

Hi
I've monitored this thread and didn't say anything cos its out of my knowledge area but re-reading it this morning I noticed this

Is there any way to get rid of AFib? Please share your thoughts.

not that I know of and that would in my view be an excellent question for your cardiologist.
I wasn't going to say anything (because my confidence level is low) but I have had success in having sports drinks (not bottles full, but a couple of glasses throughout the day) instead of just water. I've noted that of the minerals in there that Potassium was the only one what I was otherwise missing. So I bought some potassium suppliment and add 2g of that to a bottle of sports drink (thus doubling the potassium) and now I need to drink less.
It tastes like crap so don't over do it.

I'd try that and see if it helps. Its a cheap experiment

 

[sharky7]

Hello Haoming Li,
I’ve been thinking about you. I had started AFib on December 31, 2021 but refused to go to hospital…I hadd no other symptoms than high pulse of 125. I’m still on Amiodarone, Toprol, and digoxin. It’s slowing down. This is the third time since 2019. I’m having a video call with cardiologist this afternoon. I’ll also p.m. you.

2015/JUNE is when i got my SAINT JUDE MITRAL VALVE, been good so far, knock on wood. i see you got yours in 2008, a bit before i did, i wonder then are they the same, or by the time i got mine, were they changed, not really that i want to know, i was just wondering.....knock on wood, both of ours, and everyones will last as long as they desire them to last...and one day! KNOCK ON WOOD!!! Some say that they can hear them click, with now 2 of them, do you hear them in the middle of the night, or what? i am hard of hearing, and i cannot hear mine at all, ever. And to that, some people just standing next to me say that they can hear the valve.

 

[Amy]

Hi,

I don’t have experience with AFib specifically, but taking magnesium seems to help make other arrhythmias less frequent.

Can’t find specifics in the literature right now, but this is interesting:

https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-021-00813-z

 

[Eva]

2015/JUNE is when i got my SAINT JUDE MITRAL VALVE, been good so far, knock on wood. i see you got yours in 2008, a bit before i did, i wonder then are they the same, or by the time i got mine, were they changed, not really that i want to know, i was just wondering.....knock on wood, both of ours, and everyones will last as long as they desire them to last...and one day! KNOCK ON WOOD!!! Some say that they can hear them click, with now 2 of them, do you hear them in the middle of the night, or what? i am hard of hearing, and i cannot hear mine at all, ever. And to that, some people just standing next to me say that they can hear the valve.

I very rarely heard my valves clicking even when my hearing was excellent! And when I did, it was comforting and never annoying though I’m sensitive to any sound.
It’s my grand nephews/nieces who can hear the click…they enjoy the sound…they take turns to put their heads on my chest to listen to my “clock”, as they call it
Enjoy your newer life.

 

[Warrick]

Iv heard the same regarding magnesium supplements in helping the management of arrythmia, from someone whos wife had arrythmia and had relief with magnesium.

 

[carolinemc]

I only and very rarely heard my valves clicking even when my hearing was excellent! And when I did, it was comforting and never annoying though I’m sensitive to any sound.
It’s my grand nephews/nieces who can hear the click…they enjoy the sound…they ake turns to put their heads on my chest to listen to my “clock”, as they call it
Enjoy your newer life.

The one I have has never been changed, design been around for years, even before I got mine.

 

[sharky7]

Well I also had a high HR reading over 175 bpm in December. Prior to that, I only had one episode back in 2019. Last July, when I had my annual Echo, my cardio said I'm stable but mentioned that some people with prior heart surgery may develop Afib as they hit their 60's and up. So he suggested I buy a Kardia ECG monitor. I bought the 6 Lead and was told to record an ECG once a week and send him any abnormals. In January, after my high reading in December which looked like an atrial flutter, I was hooked up with a 30-day Event monitor which didn't show anything exciting and was quite unremarkable. A few weeks ago, another 175+bpm reading. He determined that this was Afib and put me on Eliquis 5mg 2x per day. In all 3 episodes, the HR corrected itself.
I have a zoom with him next week to discuss further. I was also scheduled for a followup in May. Seems like a popular topic.

I already own one of those, EKG that is by KARDIA, awesome, and not too bad on price!!! though got to hold it right on top of CELL than hold down thumbs on it for 30seconds, WALA....ya got ya EKG. TECH aint it wonderful, what would we do without it? I ALSO HOME TEST MY INR, and my O2 as i am sleeping thru the night, now that cost a bit, about $70usd in the USA. AND I ALSO own one of those that fit onto tip of finger which is cheaper. and a wrist one for my BLOOD PRESSURE, now i love that one, real nice i think. WOW, i almost have a doctors office in my house, but no doctor!!!

 

[carolinemc]

Finally, the update we have been waiting for. So far, with the heart monitor, everything looked fine. So we are back to kind of square one. Got a get a leg test done to make sure there is nothing blocked in the legs further up and they want to do a cardiac Cath, which has not been done since 2001. So a bit a pro at the picked and prodded. But at least it is not major yet. Going to be a long summer. LMAO!