Oh shoot..........and here I was thinking how cool of this elderly gent to be posting on the internet!! I'm just gonna forget that you updated your age, and pretend that you are still 89! ;-)
Well HAPPY BIRTHDAY. You just gained 30 years!!!!!!!! Not every day you do that!!!!!!
:-)
Hi Both, thanks for the replies
First a mistake by me. Just noticed I put in 89 years !!!!! Bit off that i am 59.
Well when I say I do not feel the AF, I mean I dont have any sensations of lumping and bumping, I guess i have gotten used to it.
INR is always pretty stable unless I take new drugs,
One of my probs I think is that now with CAD, I dont know what is causing the biggest problem. I was always told that I would always fail a stress test, due to the AF, well its true that i have failed 2 tests, I am usually tired and have to take small naps in the day.
I am steadily putting on weight, despite running a pretty careful diet ( I am expat UK living in Portugal).and that doesnt help. Exercising is almost impossible, due to the angina pains.
Yes I am aware of ablations (My first electrocardio suggested AV node ablation and pacemaker, 9 years ago !!!!!! ) I saw that as a one way ticket and always hoped that the drug guys would come up with something for the AF, but not to date.
Ablations scare the daylights out of me, and as I see it, it is a bit hit and miss, esp when its well established, and with CAD.
In addition I remember the times I visited the ER when this first started, and remember the sensations in the chest,now being used to it, I dont seem to have thise episodes, just the debilitating effects of it.
My brother suffers the same prob, and lives in France (near Bordeaux) and has been to see Hassegau,(top man) who has suggested that he does not have an ablation !!!!
Yes you are right I think I have had enough of this.
I agree with maggiemag! However, I will say that if I had been in AF for 10 years, I might seriously consider visiting and electrophysiologist for an electrical mapping and ablation procedure. Ablation, if successful, destroys the cells that cause the AF and, while it may not completely cure you, it usually DRAMATICALLY reduces the episodes.
Again, as maggiemag says...you are doing something right. Sounds like you are living with this fairly well, but I am not as patient as you seem to be. After 10 years I think I'd be ready to say, "give me a break already."
Take care,
A
I am not a doctor, but frankly I am surprised that your left atrium isn't bigger! Yes, yours is enlarged but not horribly so, especially for someone that has been in AF for 10 years. As far as trying to stop the AF even though you have great rate control, I would bet that the majority of cardiologist would say to leave well enough alone, especially since you say you normally do not even notice the AF. You must be doing a great job with control of your INR/PT too. I say keep up the good work!