AFibbers Database: Guy Gooch

Name	Guy Gooch
Location	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Age	67
Diagnosed condition	proxismal(sp?) afib
Years with condition	3
Frequency of episodes	1-2mos
Duration of episodes	less than 24 hrs, except for 8 requiring cardioversion, one electrical
Event preceding first AF	hypertension, some heart disease,cholesteral
General health	asthmatic(last 3 or 4 mo) ,
Current state	relatively healthy, no restrictions on activities
Triggers	Stress,possibly alcohol but quit drinking after first known episode.
Preventions	None I am aware of
Current medications/side effects	Atenalol,lipitor,coumadine. Amiodarone:only side effect so far has been sensitivity to sunlight. Advair, inhalent: Makes me hoarse, need to clear throat often.
Past medications/side effects	Propafenone: I think it worsened my condition, taken off when heart disease was confirmed. I have a partial blockage and some scarring, indicating a possible heart attack at some time.
History of surgery	No heart surgery
Future plans	Stay with amiodarone in hopes of a better drug in future. Be alert for any side effects and hopefully stop amiodarone before any permanent damage. Alternative is PVA but I have very little symptomatic problems when in afib and Cleveland Clinic Drs seemed to prefer living with the problem instead of PVA stating that they could possibly do more damage than help. This advice was given in April, 2002, I have been on amiodarone since.Would like to try azimilide or dronedarone but don't think the are available. I also had a melanoma successfully removed 8 weeks ago but have many moles and will not be surprised if there are reoccurances. So this may "get me" before side effects from amiodarone set in.
Personal comments	When I had the first known episode, being an old jock, I thought I could fix it myself with excercise. I rode my bike all summer including a 400 mi weeklong tour. After the tour I gave up and went to the Dr. He chewed me out pretty good because of the stroke risk and sent me to an EP. I had one electrical cardioversion which lasted only 4 days and have had numerous, about 8, chemical cardioversions using procainamide. Since being on amiodarone I convert on my own usually by excercising. My normal resting heart rate is around 50 bpm and have not tried pushing it past 145, during bike riding. During afib my heart rate may go up to about 100bpm at first then settle down to 65 to 85 bpm. I also play tennis and enjoy weight lifting.
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

Statistics for the first 161 entries.

Please contact the site editor at james@dialsolutions.com
to comment or to suggest amendments or corrections.

First Form™ software © Dial Solutions Ltd 1999