Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

Hi, My name is Ted and I have been sampling the forum occasionally and have commented a time or two. I am a patient at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville and live in Palm Coast FL and in Rhode Island for four months in the summer. I have had AFIB since a hip replacement surgery in 2015 and presently just take Xarelto and Propranolol to keep my heart rate down. I have been monitored a number of times. Most recently the test showed much more frequent episodes of AFIB along with some other rhythm irregularities. I am now considering an ablation, but learned I also now have Parkinson's, so I am just sort of letting it all sink in. I have always been very active and healthy, work out regularly, and play a lot of golf. I'm 75 and retired from a long business career.

Thanks @becky1024. You gave us more insights on problems lurking behind asymptomatic arrhythmia -- something more to ask our medical team about when we visit them. Having just lost a brother-in-law to cancer after years with a pacemaker, I can delve into the issues confidentially with his family -- which was not a promising option in the past. You give us a large measure of confidence that doctors can be found to help us manage the most mysterious illnesses, and I am glad your life has been saved by them. Martin

Hi, My name is Ted and I have been sampling the forum occasionally and have commented a time or two. I am a patient at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville and live in Palm Coast FL and in Rhode Island for four months in the summer. I have had AFIB since a hip replacement surgery in 2015 and presently just take Xarelto and Propranolol to keep my heart rate down. I have been monitored a number of times. Most recently the test showed much more frequent episodes of AFIB along with some other rhythm irregularities. I am now considering an ablation, but learned I also now have Parkinson's, so I am just sort of letting it all sink in. I have always been very active and healthy, work out regularly, and play a lot of golf. I'm 75 and retired from a long business career.

Martin, you might want to go thru my posts and look for my reply about my rare heart birth defect and my experience with WPW, Wolff, Parkinson, White Syndrome. I’ve experienced many issues with my heart since I’m 10yo and I’m 78 now. I was experiencing Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia, Bradycardia, A-Fib and Spontaneous Blackouts and had 3 heart attacks. My regular cardiologist had no clue what was wrong and my warning to any poster with a heart rhythm problem to get an appointment with an Electrophysiologist, a specialist in the heart electrical system.

Because my heart defect is so rare, a 1 in a million occurrence, the doctor was so intrigued by my symptoms he implanted a $25,000 heart loop recorder under my left breast. It monitors each beat of my heart for any abnormalities. It records 24/7 by the loop recorder and relayed over the internet to technicians in Oregon and sent to my doctor here in Pennsylvania every day. Regular cardiologist can be clueless like 3 of my doctors so if A-fib is a problem or any other rhythm problem, contact an Electrophysiologist immediately, it may save your life.

@lenmayo, let me share the experiences I have had with AFIB. Diagnosis only by EKG in my regular annual physical exam. No perceptible heart-rate symptoms then or now, seven years later. However, two years after the diagnosis I suffered a "small stroke" which affected movement of my legs, feet, arms, and hands somewhat as well as my hearing, taste, and smell. Put on Warfarin anticoagulant and still taking it daily with monthly lab tests to confirm it's working. As in the past, AFIB is detectable only by EKG and not by any variations in heart rhythm. I also have been on a beta blocker (Coreg) since my stroke. The beast is in the closet, and I intend to keep it there by continuing my AFIB therapy. Martin

@lenmayo, let me share the experiences I have had with AFIB. Diagnosis only by EKG in my regular annual physical exam. No perceptible heart-rate symptoms then or now, seven years later. However, two years after the diagnosis I suffered a "small stroke" which affected movement of my legs, feet, arms, and hands somewhat as well as my hearing, taste, and smell. Put on Warfarin anticoagulant and still taking it daily with monthly lab tests to confirm it's working. As in the past, AFIB is detectable only by EKG and not by any variations in heart rhythm. I also have been on a beta blocker (Coreg) since my stroke. The beast is in the closet, and I intend to keep it there by continuing my AFIB therapy. Martin

@lenmayo, let me share the experiences I have had with AFIB. Diagnosis only by EKG in my regular annual physical exam. No perceptible heart-rate symptoms then or now, seven years later. However, two years after the diagnosis I suffered a "small stroke" which affected movement of my legs, feet, arms, and hands somewhat as well as my hearing, taste, and smell. Put on Warfarin anticoagulant and still taking it daily with monthly lab tests to confirm it's working. As in the past, AFIB is detectable only by EKG and not by any variations in heart rhythm. I also have been on a beta blocker (Coreg) since my stroke. The beast is in the closet, and I intend to keep it there by continuing my AFIB therapy. Martin

I had AFIB just after my CABG, my Left Kidney Removal, and an Appendectomy. I wore a Holter twice for a month each time after the CABG and kidney removal. There was no evidence of AFIB. My blood pressure monitors, which have the ability to detect AFIB, and my Kardia Mobile do not give any indications. My cardiologist insists on me taking Eliquis. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Just diagnosed with premature ventricular contractions.
Can't take beta blockers as I have low blood pressure. Tried other meds and had bad palpitations. Is it dangerous to just ignore these episodes??