afib with heart failure

[Guest guest]

I am new to this group. I have heart failure and afib. These two problems in my

case seem to be hand in hand and have both developed together. I also have

other health problems. I expect there are other people in the group who live

alone, or at any rate become anxious and depressed about their condition, as I

am afraid I do. I would welcome any advice about any treatment or medicine ,

whether natural or conventional , which has helped other members. Thank you

Best wishes Val Lowerson stormyc@...

[Guest guest]

Hello Val,

I too live alone and for many times it was very disconcerning being alone and

in afib, worried that something awfull would happen and no one would know.

However, as time passes, we become more informed, more comfortable with the

problems and with each episode, more secure in knowing that we'll be okay.

I'm sorry for your troubles. I do not have heart failure. I would guess

you've been in a-fib a while which is what may have brought on your a-fib.

Cannot comment more on meds etc as we know nothing about your condition, what

tests you've had and your medications.

Hang in there,

...christine

Val Lowerson stormyc@...> wrote:

I am new to this group. I have heart failure and afib. These two problems in

my case seem to be hand in hand and have both developed together. I also have

other health problems. I expect there are other people in the group who live

alone, or at any rate become anxious and depressed about their condition, as I

am afraid I do. I would welcome any advice about any treatment or medicine ,

whether natural or conventional , which has helped other members. Thank you

Best wishes Val Lowerson stormyc@...

[Guest guest]

Val, I too have heart failure and afib, although they developed separately and I

live alone. My afib doesn't trouble me as much or as often as many others on

this list, but learning I had heart failure was a real bummer. I have several

heart problems and had a bypass last summer and a biventricular pacer and

defibrillator implanted in January of this year. Because I've had heart

problems for some time and they developed gradually I haven't really been

overwhelmed by all of it, although it was really disappointing to know I had

heart failure. In fact, I welcomed the bypass (silly me!!) and the

pacemaker/defibrillator (ICD) as ways to keep me alive a while longer! I expect

I'm a good deal older than you, so lifestyle changes had been going on for a

while anyway. I'm hoping my new device will improve my shortness of breath,

which it has some already. I'm told it may be as much as a year before my full

benefits are felt. I'm still on a lot of medicine for all these troubles, but I

do feel lucky to be living in a time when medical miracles really do happen. My

children live away from where I do, but I have lots of friends and a pretty good

local support network. I think that really makes a big difference in how things

seem. Others on this list can give you a great deal of information about

treatments, etc. but I think one of the most important things is to find a

doctor whom you trust and who trusts you--that is, listens to you and works with

you to find solutions.

Good luck,

Brenta

afib with heart failure

I am new to this group. I have heart failure and afib. These two problems in

my case seem to be hand in hand and have both developed together. I also have

other health problems. I expect there are other people in the group who live

alone, or at any rate become anxious and depressed about their condition, as I

am afraid I do. I would welcome any advice about any treatment or medicine ,

whether natural or conventional , which has helped other members. Thank you

Best wishes Val Lowerson stormyc@...

[Guest guest]

Hello Brenta, You have been through such a lot. You do sound brave. Yes it is

good that we have medical miricles to keep us going. I would like to ask you

about your device and medicine. Would that be OK if I sent another email about

these? It seems you have some regrets about the bypass, or perhaps I

misunderstand you. Yes I agree, a support network makes all the difference.

Thank you for getting back to me. Best wishes Val

afib with heart failure

I am new to this group. I have heart failure and afib. These two problems

in my case seem to be hand in hand and have both developed together. I also

have other health problems. I expect there are other people in the group who

live alone, or at any rate become anxious and depressed about their condition,

as I am afraid I do. I would welcome any advice about any treatment or

medicine , whether natural or conventional , which has helped other members.

Thank you Best wishes Val Lowerson stormyc@...

[Guest guest]

Val, certainly it is ok to email me. I am glad I had the bypass but it was truly

an ordeal. I laugh and say that if I had known what the recovery was going to be

like I never would have agreed! But I am joking, because I needed a quadruple

bypass and without it I really wouldn't be here much longer!!! So I indeed did

welcome it, but I sure hope I don't ever need another one!

Brenta

afib with heart failure

I am new to this group. I have heart failure and afib. These two problems

in my case seem to be hand in hand and have both developed together. I also

have other health problems. I expect there are other people in the group who

live alone, or at any rate become anxious and depressed about their condition,

as I am afraid I do. I would welcome any advice about any treatment or

medicine , whether natural or conventional , which has helped other members.

Thank you Best wishes Val Lowerson stormyc@...

[Guest guest]

afib with heart failure

I am new to this group. I have heart failure and afib. These two

problems in my case seem to be hand in hand and have both developed together. I

also have other health problems. I expect there are other people in the group

who live alone, or at any rate become anxious and depressed about their

condition, as I am afraid I do. I would welcome any advice about any treatment

or medicine , whether natural or conventional , which has helped other members.

Thank you Best wishes Val Lowerson stormyc@...

[Guest guest]

Hello Brenta, One question I wanted to ask you was how was your heart failure

diagnosed? I have been told that my symptoms are those of heart failure (they

are not joking either!). But I am advised to have either a CAT scan or a MIBI

scan or an angiogram to confirm it. As I have recently had a CAT scan on my

head, and several xrays before that, I feel I have had more than enough

radiation already. The cardiologist says that the angiogram is rather risky, so

I would prefer not to have any of these things. They say an echocardiogram

would not be sensitive enough.

To change to the subject of AFIB; For the last two or three years I have had a

fluttering heart lasting about 7 minutes every time I wake , which is many

times per night and when I wake from an evening doze. My pulse also flutters.

I cant move for a while after this as I am faint and dizzy. When in hospital

for heart failure symptoms I was put on some sort of monitor for 48 hours but

the fluttering didnt show up on it, although I definately had the fluttering. I

cant understand this. They told me that the monitor wasnt as sensitive as an ecg

machine which is maybe the explanation? So the flutter was not diagnosed. I

live in the UK by the way. Then in February this year I had a blackout and

Atrial fibrilation for several hours. This time they said it was Atrial

Fibrilation. During this stay in hospital my waking fluttering still didnt show

on the monitor. I find I have a massive need for fresh air and oxygen and

cannot stay in a public building for more than a few mins. I have an oxygen

concentrator at home, but if I have to be away from it for the odd night, my

fluttering is more forcefull. I was wondering if anyone in the UK has a

biventricular pacer and defibrillator like Brenta. It sounds like a really good

device. Best wishes Val

afib with heart failure

I am new to this group. I have heart failure and afib. These two problems

in my case seem to be hand in hand and have both developed together. I also

have other health problems. I expect there are other people in the group who

live alone, or at any rate become anxious and depressed about their condition,

as I am afraid I do. I would welcome any advice about any treatment or

medicine , whether natural or conventional , which has helped other members.

Thank you Best wishes Val Lowerson stormyc@...

[Guest guest]

My heart failure was diagnosed based on my symptoms, stress test and an

echocardiogram where it was discovered that I have a low ejection fraction. I

also have a left bundle branch block and the lack of synchrony in my ventricles'

contraction was apparent during the angiogram in preparation for my bypass. As I

mentioned, shortness of breath was my major complaint and the surgeon and

cardiologist told me my bypass would not fix that since heart failure was the

cause and that I would need a pacemaker. The pacemaker I have is one that tries

to correct or improve the synchrony of my ventricles and it also includes a

defibrillator because people with my problems are prone to cardiac arrest (v

fib). My pacemaker delivers cardiac resynchronization therapy and I believe I

can note some improvement in my breathing. I think I mentioned that my afib

does not trouble me often, and in fact, since my pacemaker was implanted in

January I have had only two brief afib episodes ( this thing keeps track of

everything!!!) which I wasn't even aware of. I count myself among the lucky

whose afib is not very debilitating.

I wish you the best in getting your problems solved. I expect treatment in the

UK is very similar to treatment here in the US.

Brenta

Re: afib with heart failure

[Guest guest]

Usually, left sided (meaning left ventricle) systollic heart failure is

diagnosed by echocardiogram with shows the size of the heart chambers as well as

the pumping ability (EF - ejection fraction). Normal is around 55%. Heart

failure is <35%.

Another way to diagnose is with a Nuclear medicine study called a MUGA. This

gives a much more accurate EF.

A third way is on cardiac catherization.

Some people have right sided (right ventricle) heart failure. This is called

diastolic heart failure. The EF on echocardiogram can be normal in this

instance. The treatment is a little different.

....christine

Val Lowerson stormyc@...> wrote:

Hello Brenta, One question I wanted to ask you was how was your heart failure

diagnosed? I have been told that my symptoms are those of heart failure (they

are not joking either!). But I am advised to have either a CAT scan or a MIBI

scan or an angiogram to confirm it. As I have recently had a CAT scan on my

head, and several xrays before that, I feel I have had more than enough

radiation already. The cardiologist says that the angiogram is rather risky, so

I would prefer not to have any of these things. They say an echocardiogram

would not be sensitive enough.

To change to the subject of AFIB; For the last two or three years I have had a

fluttering heart lasting about 7 minutes every time I wake , which is many

times per night and when I wake from an evening doze. My pulse also flutters.

I cant move for a while after this as I am faint and dizzy. When in hospital

for heart failure symptoms I was put on some sort of monitor for 48 hours but

the fluttering didnt show up on it, although I definately had the fluttering. I

cant understand this. They told me that the monitor wasnt as sensitive as an ecg

machine which is maybe the explanation? So the flutter was not diagnosed. I

live in the UK by the way. Then in February this year I had a blackout and

Atrial fibrilation for several hours. This time they said it was Atrial

Fibrilation. During this stay in hospital my waking fluttering still didnt show

on the monitor. I find I have a massive need for fresh air and oxygen and

cannot stay in a public building for more than a

few mins. I have an oxygen concentrator at home, but if I have to be away from

it for the odd night, my fluttering is more forcefull. I was wondering if

anyone in the UK has a biventricular pacer and defibrillator like Brenta. It

sounds like a really good device. Best wishes Val

afib with heart failure

I am new to this group. I have heart failure and afib. These two problems

in my case seem to be hand in hand and have both developed together. I also

have other health problems. I expect there are other people in the group who

live alone, or at any rate become anxious and depressed about their condition,

as I am afraid I do. I would welcome any advice about any treatment or

medicine , whether natural or conventional , which has helped other members.

Thank you Best wishes Val Lowerson stormyc@...

[Guest guest]

Thank you , I wonder if the MUGA and the MIBI scan are the same thing.

Apparently for a MIBI, you are injected with a radioactive dye and then xrayed,

but I understood that this was used mainly to look at the vessels feeding the

heart. And the cardiiac catherization, is that an angiogram? Thank you Best

wishes Val

afib with heart failure

I am new to this group. I have heart failure and afib. These two problems

in my case seem to be hand in hand and have both developed together. I also

have other health problems. I expect there are other people in the group who

live alone, or at any rate become anxious and depressed about their condition,

as I am afraid I do. I would welcome any advice about any treatment or

medicine , whether natural or conventional , which has helped other members.

Thank you Best wishes Val Lowerson stormyc@...

[Guest guest]

It sounds as though your device is helping your heart to cope with heart

failure. That is good to know. I am worried that radiation used in diagnosis

would weaken the muscle cells of my heart, when they are already weak. I shall

ask for an echocardiogram and hope they will agree. Like you my heart failure

is far more of a problem than AFIB. Can I take this opportunity to ask if

anyone knows of a good heart failure email support group. I am not a computer

whiz kid . Thank you for your help Brenta. Best wishes Val

Re: afib with heart failure

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure what MIBI stands for. The MUGA requires injection of a

radionucleotide but looks at the funtion of the heart and evaluates for any

areas of the heart that are not viable (not moving normally as would occur in an

area of the heart wall that suffered an MI - dead muscle).

A Nuclear medicine stress test or sometimes called a Cardiolite stress or

Persantine stress or Dobutamine stress - involves injection of a medication to

either increase heart rate or dilate coronary arteries, as well as an injection

of a radionucleotide - this test looks for areas of the heart that are not being

perfused (ie blocked artery) as well as other areas of the heart. Sometimes they

also give an estimated EF (similar to the MUGA but not as accurate).

Hope I didn't confuse you!

Val Lowerson stormyc@...> wrote:

Thank you , I wonder if the MUGA and the MIBI scan are the same

thing. Apparently for a MIBI, you are injected with a radioactive dye and then

xrayed, but I understood that this was used mainly to look at the vessels

feeding the heart. And the cardiiac catherization, is that an angiogram?

Thank you Best wishes Val

afib with heart failure

I am new to this group. I have heart failure and afib. These two problems

in my case seem to be hand in hand and have both developed together. I also

have other health problems. I expect there are other people in the group who

live alone, or at any rate become anxious and depressed about their condition,

as I am afraid I do. I would welcome any advice about any treatment or

medicine , whether natural or conventional , which has helped other members.

Thank you Best wishes Val Lowerson stormyc@...