Nervous: Heart problem under control, concerned about amiodarone

Wow, @openheart2020, that's quite the journey you've had over the past 2 months. I'm sure that @thankful @jeanern01 @harriethodgson1 and others who shared with you as you were preparing for surgery (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/bun/) will want to get this update about your ordeal.

I'm glad that the doctors and the home health nurse have given you the thumbs up and that you're back on your feet ready to start cardiac rehab. But I can also understand your trepidation of going off amiodarone in 7 days, since you probably feel it saved your life and you don't want to go through another episode like that again. I'm tagging @PatMattos @23273333 @margreet @stubeckj70 @sadee @danab and @sayaboleh who all have experience with amiodarone and who may have some thoughts for you.

Openheart 2020, did the doctors ever discover the cause for the increased heart rate?

@openheart2020 Hi and welcome.to connect, I too originally had a fast heartbeat issue and it was similar to your situation that I had fluid built up around my Heart and Lungs causing trouble breathing. I was also on Amiodarone for many years to control my fast heartbeat.

But I also am wondering in your case what your general outlook is for your Heart. In my case my heart became enlarged which caused my issue to need a pacemaker and long term care. It sounds like yours was just a temporary condition if they want to stop the Amiodarone. So I would ask some questions about the overall health of my heart. Let us know and maybe I can help. I will say that even tho Amiodarone does a great job for rapid heartbeat it has issues if used for a long time, im talking years I was on it for about 10 years.
Also there are a few conditions that have rapid heartbeats mine was Ventricular tachycardia and another I have heard of is Afib. 2 totally different issues. So maybe check and see what condition brought this on.
I hope you have a Blessed Day
Dana

Thank you so much. It is comforting to know there are others who know exactly what I am talking about.

I was told that the rapid heart beat is something that tends to happen after major surgery on the heart. The reason being that the heart is happy to do its job, but having it manhandled and all this occasionally is a natural reaction.
Thank you for your reply!!

Thank you for your kind reply. I have been told that I had a problem, bad aorta, and now it is all fixed. That made me feel better. I have heard the term "afib" tossed around.
I was also told that I need to be taken off the Amiodarone as long term use is not good. Apparently the pressure that it is putting on now to keep the heart working like it should, becomes more and more and the heart will begin having a difficult time. So, I'm glad that I'm about at the end of taking it, but nervous that my heart will go crazy again without it. Just have to have faith that everything will be fine I guess.

Thank you for that great reply. When I go to my first excersize( sp) at cardiac rehab, I will definitely start asking those questions.

My name is dave and I was wondering how they can work on your aeortic valve with minimal evasive scarring. My story is I had a heart attack 9 12 2018 put 2 stints in good to go rest of heart was only 20 blockage and my e f was 55 percent 1 year later oh I stopped cold turkey drinking 2 to 4 liters of pop no fast food lots of vegetables good fruit and only grass fed beef and chicken 1 and took the drugs that were prescribed 1 year follow up heart blockages 2 are at 60 percent been diagnosed with aeortic stensos and edoctors want to do open heart surgery to put in mechanical valve and fix blockages I'm 58 and they will not do tavir because I'm to young my open surgeon says they have to split my chest open to work on my heart which means all chest bones broken and wired together with an 11 inch long scar thanks for letting me vent with covid 19 not sure if I'll be able to get a second opinion