| Name | Richard Burr |
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| Location | Dover, DE USA |
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| Age | 55 |
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| Diagnosed condition | Paroxysmal A-Fib |
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| Years with condition | 5 |
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| Frequency of episodes | Daily |
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| Duration of episodes | Ten Minutes - Eight Hours |
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| Event preceding first AF | Drank heavily at a party. |
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| General health | Good |
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| Current state | Ablated at Hopkins 10/28/03. As of 6/3/04 off all meds & in NSR. It Worked! |
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| Triggers | I wish I knew... Everytime I think I've found one it turns out not to be. Stopped Caffine & Alcohol for the most part. Large meals sometimes trigger it.
7/01
Seems to run a pattern of mild for a few weeks than one - three days of more severe in length and strength then back to the mild tolerable daily episodes. |
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| Preventions | Ablation! It works, if done by an experienced competent EP. |
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| Current medications/side effects | Diltiazem 240mg x1...(For rate control)
Just started Tambocor 100mg x2.
No side effects so far.
Now on 150mg x2. and 240 Diltiazem.
No major side effects.
Helped to moderate severity and length of episodes so far. |
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| Past medications/side effects | Diltiazem - No Sides Effects
Atenolol - Tired, didn't like how I felt. Some sexual disfunction. Stopped it. then went on Rythmol.
Rythmol - No side effects except metallic taste in mouth. Worked for a short time, then didn't help. Actually was better off without it.
History of surgery None |
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| History of surgery | None |
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| Future plans | Saw Dr Marchlinski at U of P to talk about RFA. He said to wait a year and they should be further along with the proceedure. Claims a 60 - 65% success rate currently and hopes to improve that as time goes on. My insurance won't cover it so I want a better chance of success before laying out the big bucks. My goal is to find a med that works for me with minimumal side effects until the RFA is proven more effective. Tikosyn is the next drug I will try if the Tambocor doesn't work. |
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| Personal comments | I am an active Scuba Diver (every weekend during the season) and I've been lucky enough that my A-Fib hasn't slowed me down so far. I want to keep it in check so I can continue to dive for many years to come. 90% of my episodes occur after 6:00 PM.
7/01
Seems that the ablation isn't what they thought it was going to be! Still no closer than they were a year ago...
Same BS....another year.... Heard that for three years now!
11/28/03 - Had an Ablation (Pappone Method) at Hopkins ( Dr Hugh Caulkins) One month and not a single event. Couldn't be happier. He's claiming a success rate in the low 80% range since he switched to this method. Seems much better than focal point ablation. Extremely low rate of complication. Almost no stenosis as they don't ablate inside the pulminary veins. Going next week for follow-up and hope to start the process of weaning off all the meds.
6/3/04 - Still in NSR. Off all meds for four months. Ablation worked! No side effects. Not even a blip. Drink socially with no ill efffects. Still don't drink coffee... Just Decafe. |
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| Check list |  acebutolol | amiodarone (cordarone,pacerone) | anisindione (miradon) |  atenolol (tenormin) | aspirin | azimilide | | bepridil | betaxolol | bisoprolol (monocor,emconcor) | | bretylium | bucindolol | carvedilol | | cibenzoline | dicumarol | digitoxin | | digoxin (lanoxin) | diltiazem (cardizem) | diphenylhydantoin | | disopyramide (norpace) | dofetilide (tikosyn) | dronedarone | | encainide | esmolol (brevibloc) | ersentilide | | flecainide (tambocor) | gallopamil | ibutilide (corvert) | | lidocaine | mibefradil | metoprolol (lopressor,toprol xl) | | mexiletine | moricizine | nadolol | | phenytoin | procainamide | propafanone (rythmol) | | propranolol (inderal) | quinapril (accupril) | quinidine (quinaglute) | | sotalol (betapace) | tedisamil | timolol | | tocainide | trandolapril (mavik) | valsartan (diovan) | | verapamil (calan,isoptin) | warfarin (coumadin) | asthma | | diabetes | GERD/acid reflux | hypertension | | hypotension | hyperthyroidism | hypothyroidism | | adrenergic | vagal | familial | | idiopathic/lone | paroxysmal | permanent/chronic | | atrial flutter | cardiomyopathy | CHF | | PAC | PVC | SVT | | syncope | bradycardia | tachycardia | | heart block | myocardial infarction | rheumatic heart diease | | sick sinus syndrome | stroke | WPW | | electrical cardioversion | defibrillator | pacemaker | | ablation | bypass | maze | | Male | Female | |
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