Defibrillator at 39???

[Tim]

For many years I have had episodes of heart flutters and what felt like quivering.  I went to a Cardiologist four years ago.  After wearing a holter, stress test, and echogram he said, "Sounds like atrial-fib, don't worry about it, it is not life-threatening!"  I lived with this condition for years.  I am a firefighter in Oklahoma and was fighting a house fire in December 2000 when I felt the quivering.  Since noone actually recorded this rhythm, I went to the paramedics on scene and had them hook me up to their monitor.  They said, "I was in V-Tach!", which quit on its own within minutes.  The emergency room doctor diagnosed the rhythm as SVT.  During an Electrophysiology study, V-Tach was induced and an ablation was not possible.  The next day they implanted a Medtronic defibrillator.  One week before my first post-operative check up, I had another episode which I received two shocks at 30 joles.  During this episode, I was conscience and felt ok as usual.  This was the same feeling I have had in the past.  When they read the ICD, I was in V-fib.  They placed me on Sotalol 80mg twice a day.  Since I have been taking the medication, I have not had any episodes.  Although, the heart flutters seem to be constant now.  I have worked out with free-weights and ran most of my life.  I would like to start working out again, but I am afraid!  I have never had an episode from weightlifting, but usually after running I would go into the rhythm.  Also, they thought I would be able to return to work as a firefighter.  I do not see any possible way to return to such a "safety sensitive" job.  What do you think?

[Zapper]

Tim, I took Sotalol for a little more than two years.  It worked very well for me stopping the arrhythmia, but the only side effect was what my doctor termed "profound fatigue."  I always felt like I was dragging an elephant around.  Last summer I switched meds due to this (to amiodarone--which I know has a lot of potentially very serious side effects), and now I feel "almost normal."

[Zapper]

Tim, I agree with Hankstar, you couldn't have been in v-fib; you must have been in v-tach.  As my cardiologist explained to me, in v-fib your heart is not pumping blood; it is just quivering like a bowl of jello.  I go into v-fib and pass out within about a second.  It wouldn't matter if your heart is strong and healthy; you can't stay conscious when it's not pumping oxygen to your brain.  If your doctor and nurse are telling you you're in v-fib as opposed to v-tach (very rapid heartbeat), I would definitely seek another opinion.

[wingtip]

Tim, how many bpm was your heart rate while in v-fib?

[Tim]

Thanks for the concern!  My electrophysiologist is one of the top specialist in his field, but I have thought of a second opinion.  When the Nurse read the ICD, it was definetly V-fib, and the doctor informed me of the same.  I am no doctor, but I have been told the reason I stay awake is because my heart is strong and healthy with no blockage-I was a runner and worked out.  However, as I get older, I will not stay conscience.  Thanks for your advice!

Tim

[Tim]

I forgot to thank you for your suggestion.  The web-site certainly sounds interesting, and I want to thank you for the information.

[Tim]

I have had probably twenty stress test in the last eighteen years of my career.  None of which produced any abnormal rhythms.  Moreover, they performed a stress test after the first episode on the fire scene.  I have no blockage, damaged heart muscle, or heart injury.  I do not know the actual cause of the arrhymias.  It is simply an electrical problem, caused from heart disease. I guess????