A-Fib or Not???

[EpLaurie]

Re: A-Fib or Not???

For SMcCormick,

Hi, was reading your post and wondered, when you get those episodes, can you do what is called a "valsalva maneuver" which would be to bear down like you're having a bowel movement, and see if you can stop it? Or try coughing several good hard coughs, that would be similar to the bearing down.

It doesn't sound like A fib since it's so regular. What bothers me is the chest tightness you said you get with it that radiates down your arm. Do you get any shortness of breath too?

Is that your resting HR normally or are you on beta blockers? Just curious.

When you do go into this rhythm, does it gradually speed up or just go from 60 to 90's immediately? or can you tell? How long have you had these episodes (meaning all your life or just recently?) and how old are you?

thanks,
Laurie

[nirvana]

Re: A-Fib or Not???

Would it make sense to get a ECG or a Holter monitor at home if A-fib and other arrythmia is a concern?

I know it costs a lot but if you can cough up the dough somehow, the products available are so user friendly that anyone can use it. For e.g. take a look at this holter monitor:

http://www.primarycarediagnostics.com/holter.html

Can be analysed on the pc with the automatic interpretive software. Needless to say you need to keep your cardiologist in the loop *all* the time. But this saves you a drive to ER and also helps you stay on top of the situation with more frequent checks.

Is this suggestion too wierd or there people out there who own their own ECG/Holter equipment? Also, are there FDA rules on ownership of such equipment?

[smccormick]

Re: A-Fib or Not???

To Laurie,
No, I haven't tried the coughing or bearing down to stop it, but it's worth a try. I am on 75mg of atenenol daily. Was diagnosed with HOCM in 2001. I am 51 yrs. old. My heart rate goes up immediately and yes I can tell. I have had the tightness in my chest and arm since 2000. That was the main symptoms that made me go to the doctor and get checked. Also had a very loud murmur but still took them a year to figure out what was wrong. My symptoms vary from fast heart rate and chest pain to pvc's ( on one holtermonitor I had 365 in a 24hr period) to shortness of breath. Each day is a question on which of these symptoms I'll have that day. Then there is the "normal time" ( that's what I call it) that I have no symptoms and feel like I can do anything. Unfortunately, those times are not very often and if I do try to act normal it lets me know right away that I'm not. But from reading this board I'm luckier than some so I try not to complain too much and just go with the flow.