AFIB Support

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  • 1.  My Afib Journey

    Posted 09-12-2019 21:00
    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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