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DESPERATELY FRIGHTENED, PVCs, AFib or panic attack
Heart Rhythm Conditions | Last Active: Oct 3, 2019 | Replies (20)Comment receiving replies
Hey AFRobin
I can't believe they still haven't found the cause of your UTI's! I hope this study you got in to will be the answer! I've had enough UTI's to last a lifetime! No where as many as you, but they are extremely unpleasant and I can't imagine having over 10 a year! I wish we had talked about AFIB before I went ahead with the ablation. I'd be really interested to know how you "cured" yours! I had my 6th month follow up yesterday and was told everything looked good and the fact that I was having a few very mild PVC's was nothing to worry about. I asked if I could wear a monitor just for peace of mind and the PA was OK with that, so I'm just waiting for that to clear insurance. I haven't had a single drop of alcohol since the night before the ablation, and I do miss a good glass of wine or the odd cocktail. My cardio said I could try it and see if it triggered anything, and while I'm tempted, I NEVER want to go through another AFIB episode in my life if I can help it. After this long, I don't really miss it, but there were a couple really hot days this summer when a tall, frosty gin and tonic was VERY enticing! When you get to be our age, even the little things we can't do any longer is frustrating!
Aren't YOU just the world traveler now! Where do you get your energy? Probably from all those carbs......LOL I can't stay away from them either!
And me...….I'm still a worry wart! It's my hobby! That's what keeps MY brain active! Like you, I could definitely stand to be more active, but the arthritis has gotten really quite horrid and keeps me from doing as much as I want. Getting old is not for the faint of heart, is it?
My family is as supportive as they can be. I learned quite awhile ago that trying to force someone to be who you wish they were is a lost cause. I'll just take what I can get from them and be happy with that. If I need more, I've got you and this forum and when you get right down to it, people who really understand what you're going through, have gone through it themselves, are far better at giving support that really helps.
Let's try to keep in touch better! Enjoy your trip to Spain. You're going to LOVE it, and I'm envious!
With love,
Ruby
Replies to "Hey AFRobin I can't believe they still haven't found the cause of your UTI's! I hope..."
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As you may recall, at age 46 (when my mother was dying) I suddenly went into serious AFib where I didn't have 3 normal beats in a row. This went on for some time because the dose of beta blocker they kept trying wasn't doing the trick. The cardiologist I saw told me this: "Out of 10 people whom I see who have arrhythmia, I medicate ONE...and you are the one!" He told me that only when the arrhythmia makes a person light headed and faint and 'air hungry' (having to take many breaths to get enough O2), does one need to be medicated. And that was my case exactly.
After almost 2 years on the highest dose of beta blockers that I needed to control the AFib, so high (320 mg of Sotalol per day) that the cardiologist said it could cause my heart to suddenly stop, I decided to go to a gym to push my heart more than just walking. My routine was 35 minutes on the treadmill and a half hour on strength training equipment. And I HATE exercise but I was motivated. After one week, to my surprise I was able to get my dose down by 25%. At the end of one month, I was actually down to ZERO! I kept going to the gym 6 days out of 7 without fail. After 2 months, I went to see the cardiologist and he said, "Your AFib will come back. You cannot cure it.". I kept going to the gym for 4 months in total, then the gym closed but I was okay. Here I am 24 years later with no arrhythmia at all. I keep away from any heart stimulants, as I said and all is well. I cured an almost 2 year, serious case of AFib. I'm proud of it.
Now I am on the hunt for the cure for my UTIs. I think if I stop eating carbs which make the urine acidic and therefore a good medium for the growth of bacteria, I will be able to cure the recurrent UTIs. I have found an excellent product that worked for 3 months this summer so I am ready to try it again. Wish me luck!
And I wish you serenity and acceptance of your condition. I would just ignore any blips which are very common and get very involved in hobbies and interests. If you wear a monitor, it will continually remind you that you are 'sick' (weak, vulnerable, fragile etc..) and that mindset is not healthy. You want to feel STRONG! Maybe go to a gym and have a trainer set up a program for you and with your cardiologist's blessing, lower your dose of beta blockers if you are still on them. Seeing a psychologist to help you gain more self confidence and to learn how to worry less, could help. I wish you ALL THE BEST, Ruby Witch!