Well, I am in hospital with a-fib . I had a murmur but update

[Demsrule86]

Last edited Mon Jul 11, 2022, 07:52 AM - Edit history (2)

Was more serious. I feel like crap. I had a clot in my left kidney which hurt. So I went ER. I didn’t know until I got here the situation. So should be controlled by meds. If it isn’t pace maker. Probably if all goes well, a week in hospital…to damned young for this! My daughter is watching Dad still recovering from spinal surgery. What a year!!!!

I had covid my birthday June 22. The symptoms were mild so I didnt go to the doctor. On July 8th I woke up violently ill...awful pain in left lower abdomen, I had felt tired for a while. But had big week with family parties, at the ER they did blood work and an EKG, I was in a fib with a heart rate above 160...fluctuated. I had multiple blood clots in my stomach and one in the left kidney which caused the pain, also pneumonia. They tell you to seek medical care with Covid if it is a bad case. But learn from my mistakes. Get checked out afterward. My cardiologist says all his new a fib cases were people who had recent covid. Some were not as lucky as me and had strokes or heart attacks. I would not be here most likely if I didn't go to the ER and I had two days of headache and nausea with Covid and thought I was fine. I would have had a stroke or heart attack likely on Friday...so be careful. Excuse spelling or any other mistakes still pretty sick and it is hard to type. Stay welll.

[SheltieLover]

1. Healing vibes on the way! 💗💗💗

Glad you got help!

[Demsrule86]

5. Thank you!!!

[SheltieLover]

46. Yw!

[Demsrule86]

57. I posted an update. Very ill but I expect a full recovery. C by

[samplegirl]

2. Get Well

Sending you get well wishes. To much stress this year.


Think good thoughts!

[Demsrule86]

6. You got that right Thanks

[Walleye]

3. Hope you make a speedy and complete recovery

[Demsrule86]

7. Thanks - husband a kids bullying me!

And thank God they did. I had appt in late July for murmur but I doubt isould have made it.

[Walleye]

12. Good for them. There's a lesson in there somewhere

[Demsrule86]

26. They sure think so!

[peggysue2]

35. Sometimes bullying/nagging is the only way to go

Particularly for strong-minded, busy types who attend to everyone else's needs while too often blind-spotting their own. Hooray for your family's persistence!

Btw, I'm the health nag in my family.

Good wishes for a speedy recovery.

[livetohike]

4. Wishing you a quick recovery! Get this taken care of and

get home soon .

[Demsrule86]

8. Yep, that is the plan.

[Demsrule86]

28. Thanks so much!

[irisblue]

9. Sending good vibes

[hlthe2b]

10. Thank heavens you've been properly diagnosed. Treatment will help you tremendously.

Best wishes for healthier many many better years to come.

[Demsrule86]

29. I do feel better today. They got my heart rate

Down this morning.

[Hortensis]

32. That's great, Des. You're probably going to feel better when

you go home than you did before too. Settle in, I guess, chat with friends, etc...

[gademocrat7]

11. Sending you healing hugs and good vibes

for a speedy recovery.

[Demsrule86]

30. Thank you. I'll take it!

[Grolph_]

13. A month ago I told the doc that the toolbox was getting heavy.

Currently recovering from Quad-Bypass.
We have the worlds greatest healthcare infrastructure.

I was served by some of our finest citizens.

I wish you well, do your therapy.


Everybody keeps asking if I dress myself. I'm starting to think that maybe it is because of what I wear, not how I wear it.

[Demsrule86]

31. Wow, I wish you a speedy and full recovery.

I was once handed money as a concerned citizen thought my ( I thought cute) bohemian outfit indicated homelessness! I do feel better this morning.

[gab13by13]

14. I messed with A-fib off and on for 9 years,

my rural hospital controlled it with meds that slow down your heart rate. One is less likely to go into A-fib from a low heart rate. Rural hospital then started treating me with Amiodarone which is good at preventing A-fib but has several side effects.

Maybe your A-fib was just a one time situation, but I do know this, my daughter got me out of my rural hospital and into UPMC Passavant hospital outside of Pittsburgh. My new doctor laid out his strategy for my A-fib and inserting a pacemaker was last on his list.

A-fib comes from a bad electrical signal in the heart, my doctor told me I was a candidate for an ablation, I agreed with him. Simple outpatient procedure through the groin, he froze out the bad signal and it worked. I just had my 3 year check up, I am off all my meds except for Eliquis which is just standard operating procedure and knock on wood am doing great.

If you were to have persistent problems with A-fib please ask your doctor if you are a candidate for an ablation. An ablation is usually 75% successful on the first attempt, I was one of the 75% and it's because I had a fantastic doctor.

Is your heart back in rhythm now? Did your medication bring it back into time? They usually do a cardioversion for A-fib if they can't get the heart back into rhythm, that is shocking the heart.

Don't let my post scare you, taking something like metoprolol may be all you need to stay in rhythm, I would not take Amiodarone longer than a year. If you happen to live near the Burgh I can PM you a good doctor's name.

[Demsrule86]

38. Your post is enlightening ... not scary.

It took all of yesterday and the night but this morning I am out of afib. I live near Pittsburgh in Ohio.

[Scrivener7]

15. That is rough. Best to you. Get well!

[Demsrule86]

39. Thank you Peace feel better today.

[Peacetrain]

16. Oh crap Dems... so sorry you are dealing with this!

quick healing and good speedy recovery !!!!

[Shoonra]

17. Wishing you a speedy and uneventful recovery.

I've been through this. It's no picnic but there is recovery in the near future.

[MissMillie]

18. Indeed--what a year!

Wishing your family healing and recovery.

[Demsrule86]

40. Tough year for you to with Al I'll and all.

But it is going to get better.

[badhair77]

19. Sending good vibes, peaceful thoughts and healing hugs your way.

Sounds as if you’ve been caring for others so it’s your turn to be on the receiving end. Sit back and enjoy some pampering. Wishing you well.

[Vinca]

20. Hope you get up and out of there quickly. And look at the bright side. You'll be

dining on hospital cuisine so you're likely to lose a few pounds. LOL.

[greatauntoftriplets]

21. OMG, that's scary.

You were right to go to the ER. Get well soon and I hope that whatever treatment your doctor chooses can be implemented quickly and you get out of there.

Take care of yourself.

[LoisB]

22. Sending healing thoughts your way. I hope everything goes well and you get out of there soon.

nt

[live love laugh]

23. Wishing you a speedy recovery ❤️‍🩹

[Liberal In Texas]

24. A-fib can make you feel crappy, although it sounds like you have some other issues too.

I've had 3 ablations for A-fib and A-Flutter. They are really effective and make one feel a whole lot better. It's involves running a catheter from the groin and usually one can go home the same day or sometimes the next day.

Good luck on getting better!

[niyad]

25. Sending vibes for healing and strength. You know that your DU family will be holding

you close. Lean as much as you need.

[mountain grammy]

27. Hoping for a speedy recovery

glad they figured it out quickly.

[PoliticAverse]

33. Best wishes to you!! n/t

[multigraincracker]

34. Get well soon and the best advise I

can give you is to eat as healthy as you possibly can and keep moving as much as you can.

[DFW]

36. Been almost there, done almost that

There are years sometimes, when stuff happens and just won’t quit. Cancer for my wife, heart stuff for me. Get treated, do what they tell you, take it easy, bounce back.

It’s not like the alternative is more appealing!

[Diamond_Dog]

37. Sorry to hear it!

I hope the hospital is treating you well. Feel better soon!

[KS Toronado]

41. Sending all the good vibes I can muster

[INdemo]

42. I have A-fib

And there is a shock treatment available to get both chambers back in sync but you will probably have to take blood thinner now.

[keithbvadu2]

43. My visiting home healthcare nurse taught me how to check for afib.

My visiting home healthcare nurse taught me how to check for afib.

By golly, I detected it one evening.

EKGs at the doc-in-a-box, ambulance, and the hospital.

Several hours of treatment got it stable again.

Now Flecainide and Pradaxa

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=flecanide

[FakeNoose]

44. I'm sorry to hear this & wish you a speedy recovery

Take the time to get well, follow your doctor's advice, my friend.
It's a scary thing but you've survived the worst part.
Good luck to you, and let us know how you're doing.

[highplainsdem]

45. Healing vibes and prayers on the way. And I want to mention diet,

which in my experience taking care of someone with a-fib for many years is something doctors typically don't mention.

The right amount of potassium is critical for heart health. Both too little and too much can cause arrhythmias or worsen them.

It is possible to have too much if there are factors like kidney damage.

But it's much, much more common to get too little potassium in your diet. I've read that about 98% of Americans are low on potassium.

I am NOT recommending potassium supplements, unless a doctor prescribes one. Food sources are best. The best food sources are fresh or very lightly cooked fruit and veggies.

Only a tiny fraction of the US population gets enough potassium. See this USDA release: https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400530/pdf/DBrief/10_potassium_intake_0910.pdf

Low potassium not only makes heart arrhythmias and high blood pressure more likely, but it also makes developing type 2 diabetes more likely: https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/potassium-diabetes#:~:text=If%20your%20potassium%20levels%20are,those%20with%20normal%20potassium%20levels . In fact it's critical enough that lower potassium intake by African-Americans is identified as one of the reasons for racial disparity in type 2 diabetes: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/potassium_levels_possible_key_to_racial_disparity_in_type_2_diabetes

My relative with a-fib, who developed it nearly 30 years before her death, eventually needed heart procedures to control it, after a series of meds didn't help enough. But during the time she was relying on meds, her diet would make a huge difference in how often she had a-fib bad enough to make another trip to the hospital necessary, And even after she had the pacemaker and ablation, it made a huge difference in how well she felt and how strong she was. (Potassium is necessary for muscle strength.)

Again, I am not recommending anyone take potassium supplements unless prescribed or at least recommended by a doctor who'll continue monitoring potassium levels.

But the average high-salt, high-sugar American diet has everything to do with the high level of heart and blood pressure problems, and the high level of diabetes as well.

[Sympthsical]

47. It can happen at any age

My partner had open heart surgery at 31 one because of undiagnosed a-fib. He was at the gym doing his usual thing and suddenly blacked out and went head first into a rack. Fortunately, there were lots of people around. Now he takes daily medicine and has to keep tabs on blood pressure and heart rate. Even resting, his heart rate is quite a bit higher than mine. I settle around 55-60, where he'll be at 80-90 just chillin. And he's in good cardio shape. Cycles everyday.

Something to keep an eye on.

[lark]

48. Damn, so sorry to hear this.

Think A-Fib is well controlled with a pacemaker and those are relatively easy to install and don't cause problems, at least dad did great with his.

I am on a 30 day heart monitor because docs think I am having A-Fib occurrences. Thing is this rarely happens so nothing shows when I wear the monitor. Or at least that's what happened 6 years ago and bet (hope) that this time is the same. It takes awhile to get the report, so I won't know anything until the first of Sept. Oh yeah, I have an intermittent heart murmur (only happens when I'm really sick) so interesting to see that you have that as well. Wonder if this predisposes one to fibrillations?

[malaise]

49. Get well soon

[Stuart G]

50. Best Wishes to You

[Just_Vote_Dem]

51. Get well soon!

All the best

[MrsCoffee]

52. Sorry to hear this.

I really hope you have a speedy recovery.

Take it easy and take care of yourself.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

53. Take care of yourself and be careful

[Skittles]

54. we are here for you

someone is always here on DU, keep us updated

[calimary]

63. Yep. "Someone's always here."

That message touched something in my heart years ago, here. It meant A LOT, and comforted me several times and at all hours. And yeah, I think it was our Skittles who posted it back then.

DU can REALLY make a difference when something goes wrong in your life. Stay close, Demsrule86, okay? And just know you’re cared about.

Someone’s always here.

[Skittles]

64. the reason I say that

is because I live my life upside-down, work nights, so am often on DU at all hours of the night - there's always someone here

[calimary]

65. No one ever has to feel completely alone, thanks to DU.

It’s my favorite place on the ‘net.

[Samrob]

55. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

[Nevilledog]

56. But hospitals are so relaxing!

J/K

Hope you're up and outta there lickedysplit.

[Tom Rinaldo]

58. That's really rough Demsrule, I'm sorry you went through all that

As you say, of course, it could have gotten much worse. Seemingly small decisions that we all make on an almost daily basis can have such major repercussions, your decision not to seek medical aid when you didn't, your decision to seek medical aid when you did... I always have to push myself to seek medical attention, it is so easy to rationalize inaction away. Take care of yourself and keep us informed here on how you are doing.

[Demsrule86]

59. It has been pretty miserable. I had amild case of Covid?

[crickets]

60. Wow. So sorry to hear about this, and very glad you went to the doctor.

Please take care of yourself and get better soon.

[Demsrule86]

61. It is fixable... not for someone who rarely

Took an aspirin, pretty depressing.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

62. Take care of yourself and get back here!

[Efilroft Sul]

66. Criminy, what an ordeal you experienced. Get the rest you need and come back stronger.

[Demsrule86]

67. That is the plan.

[Hortensis]

68. "My cardiologist says all his new a fib cases were people who had recent covid."

I reread your OP and that jumped out. Again. There's so much talk about this but lack of definitive conclusions on research.

Hope you're feeling pretty good today and slept well in spite of people at work.

[Emile]

69. Get well soon!