Posted , 9 users are following.
I get Afib abt every 6 weeks, for which Dr prescribed Amiodarone to stop it (which it does eventually) then I take nothing for weeks. He says take Propafenone daily--anyone try this?
0 likes, 31 replies
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marilynSF k81655
Posted
Yes I'm on Propafenone , and usually take it 1-3 times a day, it works ok but I'm tired of taking medication!
suzanne48640 k81655
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Propafanone is a terrible drug. I was on it for nine months and it did nothing to regulate my heartbeat. I finally told the doctor I wanted to get off it. Once I was off it all of the terrible negative side effects disappeared. I would never go on it again.
for those of you that have seen my post before, I have now been told that my ablation surgery done in March did not work. I just spent five days in the hospital having a pacemaker implanted. This will not cure my afib. It will only pace my heart so that it does not pause or stop. They want me to have a second ablation surgery once I have recovered from the pacemaker surgery since they think a "touch-up" ablation with stop the afib. I a so sick and depressed from all of this. It seems when they say the doctors are practicing medicine, they are practicing on Me!!
derek76 suzanne48640
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suzanne48640 derek76
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Don't know but definitely will ask. They've called it a "touch-up" ablation, whatever the hell that is.
garry11136 suzanne48640
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I feel you !Its a terrible terrible experience, and you deserve all the medals of honor..and 21 guns salute!!!!! I just wonder. Im also an afib victim, On a daily basis..how do you cope? At least does the meds your presently taking alleviate the problem?? I hope this touch up ablation is the last procedure. On your way to your recovery. And normalcy. Keep in touch. Godbles
derek76 suzanne48640
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suzanne48640 garry11136
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Garry, thank u for your kind note. I have no symptoms of afib so coping on a daily basis is not an issue for me. But I've been told no symptoms is not a good thing because I don't know when I'm going in and out of afib. I have now been dianoised with something called sick sinus syndrome and I go from a very low heart beat to very high with some "pauses" where my heat has actually stopped. This showed up on an event monitor and they hospitalized me immediately for a pacemaker. For anyone who is getting a pacemaker, please know that this is surgery and you will feel all the after affects of it. It is not a 'piece of cake' as they would have u believe. I've always been a very happy person and I am now realizing this afib and a pacemaker will be life changing events for me and this has me somewhat depressed. I know I will get over it once I accept it. It's just taking same. All prayers being accepted and thanked for in advance.
suzanne48640 derek76
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derek76 suzanne48640
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Of course you will get over it. What after effects are you having? You obviously needed it as I did with my heart rate dropping into the 30's and 3.5 second pauses.
During the procedure my lung was punctured and I two extra nights in hospital while it was drained.
suzanne48640 derek76
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I also was two days extra in the hospital because my heartbeat and afib is "all over the place" even after the pacemaker. I had 4 second pauses and the doc put me into the hospital immediately for the pacemaker. It's been many years since I had any surgery and everyone said pacemakers are a 'piece of cake'. Hopefully that will be the case once the incision has healed and the soreness goes away. Now in talking with some people,some tell me their rib was broken or lung punctured, which can happen with pacemaker being inserted. I just don't think any surgery is a piece of cake. Snore you or being such a wuss.
suzanne48640
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Meant to say "sorry for being such a wuss". Suzanne
derek76 suzanne48640
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I was phoned on a Sunday morning and told that I needed a dual chamber pacemaker fitted as a matter of some urgency. It was actually seven weeks before I was admitted. Prior to them I had an assement and again told that it would be a dual chamber.
In the cath lab it was an EP I had not seen before. I asked him if I was getting an MRI compatible one as I was waiting for a scan. He went over to the table and returned saying it was MRI compatible. I thought that he would have known what he was about to fit.
In the evening a technician came round to program it and give me my pacemaker card. Looking at the card I saw that it was a single chamber one. He of course did not know why.
The consultant who had been supposed to fit my pacemaker came round with his team on ward rounds the following morning. After discussing my pneumothorax problem I asked why I not been fitted with the expected dual chamber pacemaker. That was a conversation killer as he had had obviously not know about it. The rest of his group stood open mouthed with nothing to say. He could only say that it must have been a decision made by someone after the pre assessment. I pointed out that my heart rate was now around 30% higher that it had been in recent weeks. He asked if my AF was usually a problem to me. I said that the only times in the past that I had been aware of it was when initially noticing the heart rate increase when suddenly going in to AF. The only other time I’m aware of it is when laying on my left side. He felt it may not need treating providing that I was protected by a blood thinner either Warfarin that I said that I had stopped due to joint pains or his preferred one Rivaroxaban that I have always said is contra indicated for patients with artificial heart valves and confirmed to me by the makers. He gave the usual cardiologists answer that it just has not been trialled on valve replacement patients as they are small group and that if it caused a brain bleed it would be less devastating than a stroke caused by a clot! In the end I agreed to try it. A nurse I had earlier been speaking to later said that I had surprised her by agreeing so easily. I changed my mind when I got home!
I had another chest X-Ray around 8.30 on Sunday morning and this time the doctor came back with a smile saying that it was clear and that I could go home. The consultant and his team came around again. My heart rate was still hovering at 100bpm and I asked him about another cardioversion or ablation to rid me of this AF beast.The consultant said that he would leave it for six months before seeing me to discuss it and by that time would know if the single chamber pacemaker was doing its job. I had also told him that I had inquired at a private hospital about having a left atrial appendage closure fitted (Watchman device) he said that they fit an alternative device the Amplatzer Device that we could discuss in the future to avoid the need for blood thinners.
It is now 14 months later and I've not had a follow up appointment. I did need another MRI scan but the imaging department at the hospital have not agreed a prtocol with cardiology to scan the make they are fitting!
After waiting months for it to be agreed I gave up and had it done privately at amother hospital.
suzanne48640 derek76
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Derek -- what an absolute nightmare you've been thru! I was under the impression that they only a single lead pacemaker if you have tachabradia. I have both tacky and bradycardia (high and low heart beats) -- I received the double lead one.
Please pursue your situation more and get some answers. Something doesn't seem right. What country are you in? You shouldn't have to wait that long to get taken care of. Praying for you. Suzanne
derek76 suzanne48640
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I'm in the UK, My GP thought that I should have had a dual chamber one.
I was told last year that I was no 611 on the list to see a neurosurgeon and that the wait for the initial appointment was 39 weeks so I went privately.
That was after having waited six months to see an NHS neurologist.