As I started to mention in another thread I was diagnosed in 1998 at the age of 24 with unobstructed AHCM. I was diagnosed after I went into sustained atrial fibrilation, apparently brought on by a night in which I had a little too much to drink
. I was in the hospital for several days and while I was medically cardioverted. I immediately contacted a HCM specialist in NY and was put on Verapimil. I tried it for several months but didn't like the way I felt. I was them put on 100 mg of Toprol XL. I felt great for a long time with only occassional symptoms. After another case of afib in 2001 while on vacation (i flew across country while in afib, not my smartest hours) I found myself in in the hospital again. I ended up on Coumadin for six months but after 2 weeks I went back into a normal rhythm. It was during this time that a cute medical assistant was drawing my blood every week...we will be married in October
. I few months later I was in afib again and this time I was electrically cardioverted. I have felt great ever since. I stopped seeing the specialist after the second hospital visit because he would not return my phone calls. I have been seeing a doctor at Deborah in NJ but I feel it is time to find a new specialist. I feel like I am at a crossroads because the last two months I have been having an extreme amounts of PVCs which are leaving me with some SOB and feeling very fatigued. This has been constant at times. Other times I have noticed it especially after eating a meal. Is this normal? It doesn't matter on the size of the meal or what I eat. Anyway. My doctor at Deborah is great but lately I have heard things like " I am not an HCM specialist", I didn't diagnose you", and "let's try this". I understand there is a certain amount of trial and error involved, but it is time to see someone with a little more insight to HCM. I am not real happy with the options he gave me. Right now it is either go back on the Verapimil or a choice of a few other drugs which would require hospitalization for w few days to be monitored. I assume he meant anti-ahrrythmia drugs which I would like to avoid. Well, sorry to go on forever, I just feel like I am starting all over and I guess typing all of this makes me feel a little better. Thanks for reading my 5 year history.


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