| Name | Sue R |
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| Location | Indiana, US |
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| Age | 56 |
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| Diagnosed condition | Parox. A Fib and atrial flutter |
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| Years with condition | 3 yrs - but had some irregular pulse problems two or three times a year since the 1980's |
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| Frequency of episodes | Every 5 or 6 days |
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| Duration of episodes | 24-65 hours |
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| Event preceding first AF | blocked sinus w/ small tumor - causing facial nerve pain like a migraine every day for several months before correctly diagnosed and surgery performed. I felt my autonomic nervous system was different from this pain experience, strong startle effect. |
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| General health | generally good inspite of several health problems, smoker trying to quit AGAIN, hiatal hernia, GERD, high uric acid, high cholesterol, back/leg pain/problems |
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| Current state | In and out of NSR every week and during AF feel very weak, tired, short of breath. I get really disgusted when I know it is starting again. I really think I convert without medication except that the meds slow my rate so the episodes are less severe. |
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| Triggers | Cold drinks/ice cream eaten quickly, heavy lifting, lying on left side, stress, extreme fatique from hard physical work, often go out while resting or while I am asleep and it wakes me when it happens, sudden loud noises or being frightened by being surprised by someone or something can start an episode once in awhile. More than 2 drinks will cause AF - I don't know if wine, beer or liquor is the worst - I just drink very little now. |
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| Preventions | I avoid lying on my left side as much as possible. I do not use alot of ice in my drinks and I "warm them up" in my mouth before I swallow. I don't eat ice cream products quickly. I try to get adequate sleep. I usually cannot go to sleep with AF going on so I sometimes take 2 1/2 mg of Valium which helps me sleep inspite of it. Sometimes mild exercise puts me back in rhythm if AF isn't too intense. I am 98% decaf and eat less chocolate than I have in the past. Seldom drink alcohol and only in small amounts. |
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| Current medications/side effects | Probenecid 500mg(high uric acid) Prilosec 20 mg for Gerd and digestive problems, Wellbutrin 150mg (has really helped my back and leg nerve pain), Spironalactone 25 mg -swelling ankles, Sotalol 120 mg am and pm, Digoxin .125 mg am & pm, Coumadin 5 mg 5 days 7 1/2 mg 2 days per wk. Lipitor 10mg,
Climara - estrogen patch l per wk, Progesterone 2 2 1/2mg for 10 days per month. I have been on Coumadin many years due to previous blood clots in legs and it thinned my hair some, but since I started Sotalol hair loss has been much, much worse. Sotalol seems to give me dry mouth and unpleasant taste in mouth. I recently stopped Armour Thyroid after years because I felt it was making me more hyper. |
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| Past medications/side effects | Lopressor 50 mg 2x day (tired)(lower BP than I already had), Digoxin .125mg none, Norpace - did not control AF and gave me a burning sensation in my mouth, felt more tired. Rythmol 150 mg 3x a day - controlled AF for one month but had to stop due to severe esophagitis even while taking Prilosec - so severe I could barely eat or swallow. Sotalol fatique, severe hair loss, loss of appetite, dry mouth/bad taste frequently. I will be stopping Sotalol 6/22/02 to go in hospital to be put on Tikosyn week of 6/24/02. My EP & internist both wanted me to go on Amiodarone - I refused until I give Tikosyn a try -due to the severe side effects of Amiodarone. |
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| History of surgery | Removal of small tumor blocking spenoid sinus and clean out of blocked sinus. |
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| Future plans | I will try Tikosyn starting next week and hope it works for me for at least a year or two ~ but may go on Amiodarone later if it doesn't work. However, I am very afraid of the side effects. I will be willing to try ablation of some type in the future if it becomes more successful and safer. I appreciate each day I am in NSR and I try to accomplish alot on those days when I feel so much better. I try not to complain about how I feel and do the best I can till things get better. I have to believe their will be a cure in the future for this condition. |
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| Personal comments | I'm so glad I found this database and AF group. I think it will help me in many ways to be in contact with all of you and I hope something I might contribute would be helpful to someone else. Carpe Diem!!! |
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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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