Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is an irregular heart beat. Mine was picked up in regular, annual screening late last year. I can't tell when I'm in Afib except by instrumentation: Omron blood pressure cup detects irregularity; stethoscope, or; electrocardiograph (EKG). After trying medication conversion, I went through electrical cardioversion: Atrial Fibrillation - Electrical Cardioversion - StopAfib.org . . . While electrical cardioversion may be effective at converting the heart back into normal sinus rhythm, it has a low success rate in keeping it there, and thus may require multiple tries. It also doesn't cure afib. . . . to avoid having blood clots break free during this procedure, you may take anticoagulants (warfarin or Coumadin®) for one to two months before the procedure to eliminate your risk of blood clots. If you can't take anticoagulants, you may have a transesophogeal echocardiogram (TEE) in which you swallow a narrow tube with a camera that makes ultrasound images of the heart to ensure that your heart doesn't contain any blood clots. Initially we tried a one month trial of Xarelto but the second month cost ~$495, nearly 10% of my retirement income. So we switched to warfarin, ~$15/month, which requires a restricted diet and frequent testing at a 'Coumadin Clinic'. The clinic is covered under medicare and we found a daily, 7.5 mg warfarin achieved the target blood thinning metrics. FYI, you bruise easier and cuts are a little messier but back to the prep and procedure: . . . not to have anything by mouth after midnight the night before the procedure. You will have your electrical cardioversion in the electrophysiology (EP) lab or suite. Once you arrive, you will be fitted with an IV for receiving medications and fluids and connected to monitors so the doctor can see what is happening with you. When it's time for the procedure to begin, you'll be given a medication intravenously to put you to sleep. In Huntsville, they test for a heart blood clot after you're knocked out. They run the ultrasonic sensor down the esophagus to get close to the heart and look for blood clots. The conversion puts a huge stress on the heart and can knock a clot loose. A floating clot can cause a stroke, heart attack, or other embolism which is a bad thing (tm). Of course I felt nothing later except a sort throat and spittle. Once you're asleep, the doctor will use the defibrillator/cardioverter/pacemaker machine to give your heart a jolt of energy that will be delivered through paddles or EKG-type patches placed on the front and back of the chest. This electric shock should restore your normal heart rhythm, and may take several tries. In our clinic they use two, sticky, oversized pads, about 4x6 inches (10x15 cm) placed over a shaved area of the chest and the other on your back. This is done as part of putting EKG electrode at the appropriate places to monitor the heart. So they rolled me on my side, facing the blood clot detecting machine and knocked me out. I understand it took two tries to get normal heart rhythm. Once you wake up following the electrical cardioversion, you can go home, but will need to have someone drive you. For a few days following the procedure, you may find that your chest is tender or your skin may have red patches. After the electrical cardioversion, you may be on an antiarrhythmic drug, a rhythm control medication that should keep the heart in normal sinus rhythm. You will also remain on an anticoagulant, such as warfarin or Coumadin®, to prevent blood clots. What they don't tell you is the vivid hallucination. Imagine a short LSD trip where colors are reversed but memory impaired: I remember the brilliant yellow colors applied to an image of the blood clot detector machine and operator . . . very entertaining. There was a little spittle and throat clearing and what feels like a stressed muscle. Sad to say I didn't have the presence of mind to ask for cold wash cloth to wipe my face. They asked what I'd like to drink from a list different soda pops. "Taquila?" no luck so I settled on ginger ale (when did they make it so sickening sweet?) After sipping enough to swallow easily, I got a small, black coffee and that is what I should have asked for. So I'm back to regular heart beat which for me is no different than Afib. I'll see the cardiologist early next week and there will probably be some follow-up scans and tweaks to the meds. Thus ended my Friday afternoon adventure. Bob Wilson
My dad was on Coumadin. The restricted diet wasn't so bad, as far as he was concerned. He just needed the blood thinner because he had a stent Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
WOW! I missed this when you first posted. Glad they got your rhythm back. I have a coworker with afib. He's been on warfarin for years. Due to stents, I've been on Brilinta for almost 2 years. Thankfully, my cardiologist usually has enough samples to keep me supplied because it was about $360/month till I got on Medicare. My new drug policy knocks it down to $48. Nice thing is not having blood draws to check the level. But now I bruise from a stern look.
While wishing no harm to readers, post-stenting anti-coagulants are narrowly called for 6 months. Running them much longer or forever might be right for you, but do try to become an informed participant in such discussions.
I made no recommendation. I simply shared my experience. It's not like someone can just go buy the stuff and start taking it.
my dad had a stent in his neck quad bypass and new pig valve at 84. they put him on coumadin for a few years, then tried the reverse a fib procedure. it only lasted a year, so they put him on eliquis. no more blood tests, and doing great at 97. not counting the dementia.
Perhaps better suited to an 'odd things about China' thread. 'Prescription' meds here are sold at pharmacies (naturally) but without any paperwork. For convenience I cut the little cardboard boxes into 'flashcards' instead of knowing product names. This works for everything I had need to buy (including Plavix cliprodogel). I believe things are different for serious pain meds, but no personal info.
CoQ10. Coenzyme Q10. Supposedly good for heart health, among many other things. It decreases in our bodies as we age. Not to get too far off topic, but has anyone here, or anyone you know tried this vitamin / supplement? And any benefit noticed? I've read several reports and articles about CoQ10 from Penn St, the Mayo Clinic, Harvard, WebMD, etc, etc. Most reports are "neutral", or "more studies needed", but generally no harm in taking it. Some people report very good results. I'm pretty much against "Big Pharma", I do all possible to avoid taking any prescription meds. Had bad reactions in the past with pain meds and BP meds. Good nutrition (it's a battle!) simple daily walks, no alcohol, no smoking, limit the time on Priuschat ... that seems to be working for me, at 65 yrs old. Counting my blessings! So several months ago, I bought a cheap bottle of CoQ10 from Walmart. Give it a try. 100mg. (Spring Valley brand.) Its done wonders for relieving my back & neck pain. (2 spine operations, disc removals, and fusions.) It has pretty much eliminated any headaches. Knee pain. Chest palpitations. It gives me a good amount of energy, and I'm walking much better now. I cant believe it. The pain relief and extra energy is amazing. (I was really dragging!) I'll keep taking it until it quits working. But I'm NOT going to start changing my oil in the backyard. Gotta still be careful with my back.
When we lived in Honduras, there were lots of meds available over the counter that are prescription only. And all meds cost a LOT less than in the US. But I'm not sure the quality control was always as good there.
I'm glad it's working for you, and do be careful with your back! However, I wonder how much of that is a placebo effect?
Wonderful stuff! I typically take 400 mg a day of the ubiquinone form, sometimes a few 100 more or less. If you take a statin drug, it depletes your normal CoQ10 - a friend of mine was prescribed 300 mg to take with his statin. Low CoQ10 causes muscle pain/damage, the extreme being congestive heart failure. A doctor told me about one of his patients who required 600 mg a day to achieve a normal blood test - I think the guy was 85 or so. You can order a CoQ10 blood test at CoQ10 | Blood Test | Life Extension . Recommended book that discusses CoQ10 is "Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine" by Lee Know.
I see no evidence that CoQ10 could generally be harmful up to several hundred mg/day. As it is outside FDA regulation, pills' advertised dose may not be as claimed and you are on your own to know it. CoQ10 (in diet or supplements) opposes wafarin and similar anti coagulants. If one takes those latter for a reason, pushing back against requires some consideration. Statins and beta blockers are demonstrated to be helpful to some. They also lower CoQ10. Supplementing CoQ10 may for some among those some be a helpful pushback, but (for whatever reason) no large medical study has yet shown this.
The impact of CoQ10 on warfarin dosage was specifically studied and found to not be clinically significant. Medline reference at [Effect of Coenzyme Q10 and Ginkgo biloba on warfarin dosage in patients on long-term warfarin treatment. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-contr... - PubMed - NCBI
Ah, the joys of getting old. At age 85 and complaining about a minor ache, my son reminded me that most people my age are dead!
I feel that at a relatively young age, it's unfortunate that I have to be on a warfarin regiment. The most annoying thing about it is the repeated cyclical trips to the clinic needed to monitor it. But I suppose it's not too bad. Once you have a condition that requires it's necessity the alternatives are not good. For me there are other newer medicine coming out that don't require the same level of monitoring. But what I hear is that Warfarin is still the "gold" standard for treament of DVT....deep vein thrombosis, which is evidently my problem. Plus of course the fact that after a few months of seeing repeated commercials for whatever new medicine, usually with happy images of happy people playing with children, working in their gardens or enjoying a Barbeques, while taking "New Wonder Medicine X " for which I'm suppose to "ask my doctor if it's right for me", I then see a equal number of commercials from law firms asking if I or a loved one has suffered some horrific side affect, from taking this same medicine, and if so, I might be entitled to compensation. So for me, at least for now, Warfarin it is...and I have several routes to the clinic memorized. It's really not too bad. Things I would recommend? Make sure you have a medic alert bracelet or similar that clearly explains that you are on Warfarin therapy. If you are in an accident or fall, or any situation like that, you want people that might be treating you in an emergency basis to know you are on blood thinner. About the only thing else I have adjusted to, is that on Warfarin, if I feel ANY, even the slightest paper cut, I look for the cut and immediately put on a bandage. Otherwise even the smallest, microscopic cut, will have you leaving a trail of blood drops that would make Dexter get out a roll of industrial plastic.
The thing about CoQ10 is that losing it to statin treatment is a slow thing over a number of months. It feels exactly like what you'd expect with getting older. You just have less energy and more aches and pains. Keeping CoQ10 up to a youthful level eliminates that source of "getting older". Some doctors know about it, but most do not. I swim at least a mile 5 days a week at age 74. No way I could do that without energy supplements like CoQ10. Note that I'm talking about nutrients, not stimulants. Even though the study I referenced found no problem with adding CoQ10 to warfarin treatment, I'd still ramp up CoQ10 in stages and verify a proper warfarin treatment dose. One of the items I came across checking about warfarin/CoQ10 is that half of people on warfarin are using the wrong dose. Given how the proper dose varies over time, it's easy to see how just about anything could be blamed for messing it up.
