Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

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??

@helent, you must see your doctor right away. It IS dangerous to ignore PVCs as well as side-effects of medications taken to deal with them.

@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

Hi Martin,
Thanks for your reply. I never had an EKG showing AFIB except just after three operations.
I wore a Holter twice for a month with also no indication.
A friend of mine just came off Eliquis by having the watchman installed.

Best of health,
Len

Martin, the greatest danger of AFIB is stroke. I'm amazed your doctors didn't put you on a blood thinner sooner as AFIB can be rather easily detected, even by wearable devices now. But your coumadin/warfarin may be able to be replaced now by any number of alternatives like Xarelto or Eliquis that don't need testing and are just as effective as Warfarin. Most importantly, you should be asking your doctors these questions. I am not an expert, but I have AFIB like you and have read and studied in addition to my treatment. If you are a Mayo patient it is easy to submit questions on your patient portal. Good luck to you. Ted

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.

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.

Hi Ted, I'm Dana and now live in Arizona where due to VT had an Heart Transplant and am very familiar with Ablations, I am also a Rhode Islander where I graduated from High School so some find memories of the Bristol and Warren area plus a bit of time in Cranston and Warwick. So Glad you joined our group and if I can be of any assistance in the Ablation department let me know.
Blessing