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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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I AVERTED A STROKE OR HEART ATTACK!
A little background: I have had a history of high blood pressure for the last 16 years, but was kept in check with regular exercise and
light medication.
But early this year I developed Atrial Fibrillation and high blood pressure.
I've been seeing a different cardiologist every two months.
The first order of cardiological repair was a CARDIOVERSION, where they shock your heart into a normal rhythm. That worked for four days, and by the
8th. day I was back in my earlier A-fib.
Then I saw a new cardiologist in Orange County who took a much closer look at the EKG and found out that what I actually had was that one of my
electrical parts of the heart was not speaking to the other side, or to the bottom of it's own half (apparently the heard is divided into four parts).
So, we scheduled to have a "Cardiac Ablation" where they get to one's cardiac electrical circuits and cut them off (and solder the ends...called
cauterizing). In my instance the doctor had to cauterize one on the upper left and one on the upper right by inserting probes through my groin I.E. my
left and right genital area, plus insert a large tube down my throat for the camera.
I did not feel a thing during the procedure or after-effects except for a sore throat.
I am very happy to report that I came through with flying colors and have a blood pressure reading of 115/74 and heart rate of 65 bpm (all
unmedicated).
I was told to stay on the same meds until the middle of next month when I will be re-evaluated.
PHEW!
p.s. I hope I get to see DENNIS this coming weekend at the wine fest.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4177
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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Good for you Udo, maybe we'll see you in La Paz again.
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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bajadock
Super Nomad
Posts: 1219
Registered: 12-20-2006
Location: Punta sur de \'Nada
Member Is Offline
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Udo, thanks for your good health news. See you Saturday.
Hoping Nomads learn from so much recent challenging Nomad health news.
All are welcome at BajaDock's Pub, Weight Room/Gym and daily hill workouts at Colonia Puerto Escondido/Punta Banda.
I also dispense medication in liquid form(sin prescripcion) most evenings. CHEERS
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
Member Is Offline
Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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Excellent Udo. I'll bet you have added quite a few healthy years on to your life.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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KurtG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1211
Registered: 1-27-2004
Location: California Central Coast
Member Is Offline
Mood: Press On Regardless!!
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A buddy in San Diego had the same procedure last year with the same great outcome. I had not heard of this treatment until then, it is really quite
remarkable.
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Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy!
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Clutch doctor---nice going!
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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You are only the second person I have known who has had this procedure. The other one was my wife.
Since she was in her early teens, she would go into episodes of atrial fibrillation where her heart beat could go at 200 bpm and it could last hours
or days. She has/had Wolff, Parkinson, White Syndrome. It's now completely cured. She's never had an episode since the operation.
Your surgeon wasnt Dr. Ehrlich, was it?
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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We will definitely be in La Paz more regularly, Wiley, since Jana now also works for ATA and we can fly to Cabo for free!
Imagine this, Wiley...we drive to John Wayne airport (the O.C.), 5 minutes away, fly to Cabo, two hours, rent a car across the street (20 minutes) and
head for Los Barriles or Todos Santos in one hour less than it takes us to drive to Ensenada from the OC. It is 3 hours less on the return trip if we
count the border crossing!
| Quote: | Originally posted by comitan
Good for you Udo, maybe we'll see you in La Paz again. |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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I think we will drop by for some of your medication, Doc, on Saturday.
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajadock
Udo, thanks for your good health news. See you Saturday.
Hoping Nomads learn from so much recent challenging Nomad health news.
All are welcome at BajaDock's Pub, Weight Room/Gym and daily hill workouts at Colonia Puerto Escondido/Punta Banda.
I also dispense medication in liquid form(sin prescripcion) most evenings. CHEERS |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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Muchas gracias, David!
| Quote: | Originally posted by DavidE
Excellent Udo. I'll bet you have added quite a few healthy years on to your life. |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Loretana
Senior Nomad
Posts: 825
Registered: 5-19-2006
Location: Oregon/Loreto
Member Is Offline
Mood: alegre
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Thanks, Udo....
I'm going in to be checked out for a similar problem on Monday, and I appreciate your input. I feel braver already! 
"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration."
-Nikola Tesla
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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No, Hook, it was Dr. Brian Kim at St Joseph's hospital in Orange, Ca.
Everyone there was of of Chinese origin, except for the anesthesiologist who was of "Indian" descent...must be a popular profession for the Hindu
race, this is my fourth Hindu anesthesiologist.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
You are only the second person I have known who has had this procedure. The other one was my wife.
Since she was in her early teens, she would go into episodes of atrial fibrillation where her heart beat could go at 200 bpm and it could last hours
or days. She has/had Wolff, Parkinson, White Syndrome. It's now completely cured. She's never had an episode since the operation.
Your surgeon wasnt Dr. Ehrlich, was it? |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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My intent of this post is to provide support, as well as advice in regards to the procedure, Loretana. I am sure there are several Nomads who may or
will be going through the same thing.
It all started when I woke up early morning one day in January of this year and I felt my heart just pounding.
The problem should have been caught by my GP, who did a supposedly very thorough physical the week earlier, but somehow missed my A-fib. When I asked
him about the missed A-fib, his statement to me was that it was my responsibility to say something to him.
I now have a different GP in the OC.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Loretana
Thanks, Udo....
I'm going in to be checked out for a similar problem on Monday, and I appreciate your input. I feel braver already! |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Frank
Senior Nomad
Posts: 861
Registered: 6-5-2005
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Is it time to leave yet?
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My wife is in this line of work, its amazing what they are able to do. The biggest thing is early treatment. She doesnt come home very often with a
sad story to talk to me about. When she does its usually that the person didnt come in soon enough for her team to save them.
The motto is "Time is Muscle". Im glad they were able to save you Udo!
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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Thanks, UDO. Mine was an A-FIB stroke and when I hook up with my new Kaiser Primary, Ill bring this up.
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vacaenbaja
Senior Nomad
Posts: 641
Registered: 4-4-2006
Member Is Offline
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You experience ia a great example of the value of a second opinion.
Unfortunately we tend not to question our doctors.
A second set of eyes is often times a good idea.
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
Member Is Offline
Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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When I was diagnosed with Afib about seven years ago I was really bummed-out. Figured my days in Mexico were numbered. Went through the whole smear
including three days in the hospital. In my case it is hereditary --- whole danged family ended up with it. There was talk of ablation, pacemaker, and
Rx'ing really strong medicines like Amiodarone. Jesus, if you want a scare, go to a site like Rxlist.com and look up the side effects for amiodarone.
While grumbling around I happen to stumble on an afib forum where a long thread was running. It started with a declaration "I Am Cured Of Afib! And
Need No Medicines Now!"
The lady claimed that taking magnesium supplements "cured her" of atrial fibrillation. Boy was I ever skeptical! But then others had chimed in below
her and corroborated her claim. Too many rational accounts for me to dismiss out of hand. I had noticed that in the ER they always seem to have had me
hooked up to IV bags of Diltiazem and (!) magnesium oxide. Hey wait a minute, something's fishy here.
About a month later a cardiologist appointment came up and I mentioned to her that I wanted to include a test for blood magnesium with all the other
lab work. She shrugged "why not?".
A few days later, the lab results came back. I had to phone to get them. Really, really low magnesium level.
I went to Wally-Mart and bought the cheapest magnesium oxide on the shelf. Started taking the regular dose. A month went by, the first in eight I did
not end up in the ER with a BP of 150/120 and pulse of 180. The second month came and went. I said the hell with amiodarone, so I quit. Four months
went by, then a year. no afib. Three years. No afib.
Last summer I had started packing my car (someone else had to do it for me) down at the cape after a 7 month stay. My magnesium supplements got packed
deep, deep in the trunk, and I ever so foolishly thought (Oh heck I'm probably over afib now). I went a month and a half without taking a magnesium
oxide.
Two days after I landed in northern California (last october) I was in the hospital, connected to, you guessed it, magnesium. But this time, I asked
for a blood test before they connected me. The lab result came back as usual, three hours later. "Extremely low level of magnesium in the blood". The
moral of my story is I screwed up.
But there are just too many accounts of magnesium affecting afib out there to be a hoax. No it isn't a miracle. I had to jump through hoops before I
found an internal medicine doctor who found medication to control my blood pressure spikes. I believe blood pressure spikes really aggravated my
heartbeat. But regardless, I went 3 years with high blood pressure and no afib.
During one exam as I was being discharged, an RN came in with the papers and declared "Oh, by the way, you are severely anemic".
More online sleuthing. I started taking Folic acid and iron supplements. In four days I could not believe how much better I felt. I suspected a
placebo effect, but no, the stuff reportedly works that fast.
This all sure leaves me wondering about leaving my health totally and completely in the hands of a doctor. My low magnesium and anemia were obvious on
a lab report. Why didn't someone say something?
To anyone with afib I would have to say that if I were them I would follow doctor's instructions to the letter and ask for a blood magnesium test. It
can't hurt.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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JZ
Select Nomad
Posts: 12966
Registered: 10-3-2003
Member Is Offline
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I'm about 40 and I got A-Fib about 4 years ago. Mine was caused 95% from drinking alcohol. I have a perfectly healthy heart, just had bad electrical
signals effecting rhythm. Something like 15% of the population will get A-fib, but generally later in life.
I did a LOT of research on this. I met with cardiologists and surgeons from USC and UCLA. Both of these hospitals do catheter ablation. There are
thousands of doctors doing this in the US and some have performed thousands of procedures.
The problem is the success rate is good, but not great. Somewhere between 60-70% depending on your health. I was quoted about 80% chance of success
by USC. If you research this, you will find that people often have this procedure multiple times, maybe 5 times!
I decided to go a different route. I had a mini-maze procedure by a doctor at Ohio State. Going back 2 years when I researched this there were only
a handful of hospitals in the world doing it. My doctor claims a 95% success rate and was super confident in fixing my particular situation. A big
different from the ablation guy at UCLA, who basically told me no more caffeine or booze.
The mini-maze is similar to ablation, but a lot more comprehensive. I was in the hospital 3 days and went back to work in about a week. Went ice
skating after 2 weeks, and in about a month I could start working out again.
I haven't had A-fib since the surgery and can pretty much drink what ever I want. Yeah, $150K later I can have a beer!! Thankfully insurance covered
it!
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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OK...let's get to the bottom of all of this. Before I became a doctor in Mexico, I worked 15 years on the telemetry floor (the heart monitor floor)
in different hospitals from New Jersey to Florida to California to Hawaii, as a Registered Nurse. Atrial Fibrillation is a conduction problem, which
can be controlled with medications. When the medications don't work, the Doctors will try Cardioversion. This works especially with new onset AFib.
But sometimes the Cardioversion doesn't work, and the person reverses back into atrial fibrillation. AFib, in itself, is not dangerous. What is
dangerous is that if the blood is not "thin" enough, the person can throw clots because the atria starts fibrillating, which can cause stasis of the
blood and can cause clots. Now, ablation is a whole other ball of wax. Ablation is done only when medications and cardioversion doesn't work. It
usually is done for a condition called SVT, or supraventricular tachycardia. This usually means the heart is beating at over 200 beats per minute,
and if unchecked, it will go into a fatal rhythm called ventricular tachycardia. VTach can lead to death. If a person has several episodes of SVT,
and cannot be controlled with a calcium channel blocker or anti-arrythmia drug such as Amiodarone, the Cardiologists will send you to a specialist in
Cardiology (an electrophysiologist) that studies the electrical system of the heart. They will actually try and put your heart into the abnormal
rhythm and with the use of computerized mapping, will see the location of where the abnormality is, and will cauterize that part of the heart.
Ablation is not something that should be taken lightly, and can sometimes fail. It is usually a last ditch effort if all else fails.
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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Sick Sinus Syndrome
There is also another arrythmia called Sick Sinus Syndrome. I have had the opportunity to see this in action on the telemetry monitors. What will
happen is a person is chugging along at a regular rate, say 80 beats per minute, and then suddenly the heart goes up to 200 beats per minute or SVT,
(can also be uncontrolled AFib) and then will go way down into the 30's and 40's. What the cardiologists will do in this case is get the heart rate
way down with the use of medications, and put a pacemaker in to prevent the spiking of the heart rate up to 200. There are also people that have
episodes of ventricular tachycardia, in which case doctors will place an AICD, or an Automatic Internal Cardiac Defibrillator, which is usually
combined with a pacemaker. It is set so if the person goes over say 20 beats of VTach, the AICD will shock the person's heart back into a normal
rhythm. | Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
You are only the second person I have known who has had this procedure. The other one was my wife.
Since she was in her early teens, she would go into episodes of atrial fibrillation where her heart beat could go at 200 bpm and it could last hours
or days. She has/had Wolff, Parkinson, White Syndrome. It's now completely cured. She's never had an episode since the operation.
Your surgeon wasnt Dr. Ehrlich, was it? |
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