Afib and advanced cancer

Posted by Karenatmayo @karenatmayo, Oct 29, 2017

I am dealing with both the misery of afib (I have episode every 5 days or so and then it goes away, but makes me miserable with more weakness and fatigue but stops after about 30 hours) but adds to the misery I am experiencing from chemo drugs (iBrance and letrozole) for advanced breast cancer. Not a good situation to be in, that's for sure. Am taking Xarelto and 12.5 metoprolol daily. More than 12.5 metoprolol lowers my blood pressure too much so I feel even weaker so Doctor keeps me on low dosage. I am 68. Obviously I am not in very good health, feeling miserable and scared, no quality of life. I might feel a little better tomorrow when afib stops, but not feeling very good these days and not optimistic. Wondering if anybody else is going through this. Thanks.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart Rhythm Conditions Support Group.

peach414144 | @peach414144 | Oct 29, 2017

my anemia is worsening. my blood was drawn 2 days age and it was black. (lack of oxygen)? i get so many different stories from the doctors, i do feel lightheaded and feel like i will pass out. will have to change doctors or is it just me?

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 29, 2017

Hi @karenatmayo
I'd like to let you know about 2 other discussions on Connect that you might be interested in following (and joining in):
- Talking Frankly about Living with Advanced Cancer https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/talking-frankly-about-living-with-advanced-cancer/
- Metastatic breast cancer: Anyone else? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/metastatic-breast-cancer-to-the-bone/

I think @hopeful33250 @predictable @oldkarl might have some thoughts to share with you as they are also familiar with living with cancer and heart issues.
Karen, I hope that the afib has stopped for the moment and that you're feeling a bit better since writing this post. It must be tough knowing that it will happen again with an episode happening every 5 days or so.

oldkarl | @oldkarl | Oct 30, 2017

In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi @karenatmayo I'd like to let you know about 2 other discussions on Connect that you..." + (show)

@karenatmayo Hie,Karen. Heart disorders are some of the most frightening events in a person's life. About forty years ago I started having real problems. Syncope every day or two for several years. A total of 30 heart caths, and for a whiled carried 24 stents, heart and close arteries. Probably 20 different diagnoses. Went through nitro pills like breakfast eggs. Enlarged heart. Low O2. Stiff heart walls. Bad lungs. 2 CABG, during which they took out about 10 stents.But the AFib kept goingtook things like Coreg, and other stuff. Finally went on Metropolol tartrate, and that helped. Then found that I had misfolded protein Light Chains which were getting into my tissue walls, such as atrial and ventricle walls, and into control nerves. That did not stop the AFib , but at least I know what is happening. My AFibs are not so frightening now, even when my tachy gets up above 150 bpm. They use to last a few days, now they only last a few hours. The only advice I can give is to laugh a lot, love those around you, and enjoy what life you have. And have your doc order SERUM Free Light Chain and 24-hour protein assays to see if those show something. Again, if the sFLC shows above 1.4 mg/dL, and/or the 24hr shows >0.4 G/day protein in your urine, You are in danger. There are Treatments now for mis-folded protein deposits. I know that one day before long a protein fibril will get into my sensori-control cardiac nerve, stop the message, and that will be it. That will be one final form of AFib.

Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Oct 30, 2017

In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi @karenatmayo I'd like to let you know about 2 other discussions on Connect that you..." + (show)

@oldkarl

Thanks for sharing your multitude of experiences with your heart issues. I think we have all learned something about SERUM Free Light Chain and 24-hour protein assays. If I may ask, what type of doctor ordered these tests - was it a cardiologist? Also, if you know, what led them to suspect this problem?

Teresa

Kanaaz Pereira, Connect Moderator | @kanaazpereira | Oct 31, 2017

Hi @karenatmayo,
I'm so sorry to hear about your symptoms. I also wanted to let you know that there are a number of published studies about the frequency of atrial fibrillation (AF) occurring in patients being treated for cancer. Here is a link to a recent article, which might interest you:

Management of atrial fibrillation in patients taking targeted cancer therapies https://cardiooncologyjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40959-017-0021-y

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