My father died 39 years ago. He had a heart attack and then several years later had a massive stroke. Did he have Afib-we don't know. I had a brother that also had heart problems but he was a heavy smoker.
I decided to be proactive so that I would not have heart problems. I jogged 20+/- miles per week for over 30 years figuring my heart will never get me. At about age 55 my family doctor said he could detect a heart murmur. I did not believe him but went to a cardiologist at his suggestion. I had regurgitation at the Mitral Valve. He said to keep doing what I was doing and we would monitor the situation. So I kept on jogging.
In February of 2013 I performed a small task and was winded-- my introduction to Afib. Cardiologist recommended open heart surgery to fix the Mitral valve (repair), close the left atrial appendage, do a MAZE procedure and bypass my 50% blocked Right Coronary Artery. I stayed in Afib for 2 months until it finally disappeared.
Two and 1/2 years later it came back. Cardioversion: Multaq lasted 2 months: Cardversion: Sotalol worked for couple of weeks: Cardioversion: Sotalol failed again: pacemaker: amiodarone: cardioversion lasted 2+ years: cardioversion lasted 1 week: catheter ablation lasted 7 months: 2nd. catheter ablation lasted 1 day and after going back on amiodarone for 1 month had another cardioversion today.
Amiodarone is now being cut back to 100 mg once a day. I have been lucky so far in that I have not suffered ill effects from it but 400 mg a day is scary.
My hopes and prayers are that my heart will stay in rhythm. Most of the time my Afib has not been debiitating--but I sure love the sound of sinus rhythm.
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[Marvin Normann]
[Noblesville, Indiana
[Phone]
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