AFibbers Database: Lawrence

Name	Lawrence
Location	Saskatchewan, Canada
Age	68
Diagnosed condition	atrial fibrillation
Years with condition	2 1/2 years (since diagnosed)
Frequency of episodes	Had increased from 4 the first year to at least 1 every third day, ceased for 100 days on Rhythmol, now restarted with no particular pattern.
Duration of episodes	longest was 60 hours, many of 12 or so, currently, on meds, they are shorter - about 3 - 4 hours
Event preceding first AF	passed my 66th birthday !
General health	health good. Never smoked. Was very moderate drinker, none now, not for several years before AF
Current state	On Rhythmol and metoprolol - have episodes from 2 days apart to 2 weeks apart.
Triggers	Caffeine, (chocolate or coffee), continuous stress of various kinds. possibly processed meats
Preventions	Don't I wish! But I do seem to be an unusual case in that indulging in sex will greatly shorten an episode. It has worked about 80% of the time, and pretty much ALWAYS if the "cure" is applied after at least 3 hours of AF - long enough for the Big Pee to manifest itself a few times. It HAS NOT WORKED on those times where we tried it immediately upon getting into AF. I also suspect that if I feel on the verge of an episode it would in fact INITIATE it. But it has been uncanny that on so many occasions, I was in full AF well into the - -ahem- preparatory stages, but immediately upon conclusion, the beat was strong, steady, not overly rapid. Sure wish I could patent this.... A sad reflection - on one occasion when the sex didn't work, a cold shower did. Go figure! I suspect it has something to do with an adequate waiting period - for the Big P.
Current medications/side effects	On 3x150 mg. propafenone/da., 3 x 12.5 mg. metoprolol. Had been AF free for 100 straight days from May 27 to September 6/01 on 2 x 150 mg. da. of Rhythmol, and 2 x 12.5 mg. metoprolol. Possible tiredness, excessively slow HR from the beta-blocker, no noticeable side effects from the prop. I DO experience a constant sick-stomach feeling that I have finally decided is nausea whenever an episode is looming, or when in one. Do NOT think it is a side effect, however, because it was there before I started any meds at all
Past medications/side effects	Had initially been put on digoxin after my first (known and identified) episode, stayed on it for 8 1/2 months, then restarted it about a month later. Within several months, the episodes increased in frequency to 8 - 12 per month, growing longer as well, up to 40 hours. Dropped digoxin, within 2 months, NO episodes at all for several weeks, then they gradually picked up again. VERY pronounced sick, dead stomach feeling, which I now identify as a kind of nausea.
History of surgery	None - I feel so punk in AF, though, that I feel I WOULD go for surgery if it was available to me.
Future plans	Hopefully, when the Rhythmol becomes ineffective in limiting and shortening episodes, another med might work. Will NOT try digoxin. I firmly believe it had something to do with exacerbating the AF - because it is in fact DESIGNED to deliver a STRONGER, MORE FORCEFUL BEAT. That I believe increases the probability of converting paroxysmal AF to chronic. On the other hand, for people who are already chronic, it may be just the med to make the AF less debilitating. I believe it is very frequently wrongly prescribed. Further future plans under "personal comments"
Personal comments	I mentioned above that if surgery was available to me I would most likely consider it. But the medical care system in Canada is not likely to cover the costs - unless I am half dead first from trying every toxic medication in the books! I cannot handle such costs myself - what's the merit in getting rid of the AF only to perish from starvation! Perhaps if the ablation route becomes more reliable I might consider it. It IS hard to contemplate going chronic and living with it, but, time will tell. It does seem that an episode is at its worst shortly after having begun, in terms of debilitating effects, extreme "antsiness" which makes sleep difficult for me in AF. This is a problem, as I have had several episoes initiated, I believe, by stressful dreams! When the Big P has done its work a few times, my symptoms are less pronounced. I fondly wish I could convince doctors to investigate the sequence of changes that the body undergoes as someone like me proceeds through an AF session right to the point of automatic conversion eventually. What changes? Why does the AF stop at last? Or why, for me, when adrenalin will initiate it, does the adrenalin of sex effect a return to sinus? I would gladly volunteer for guinea pigging this one out!
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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