A Fib Missed Me, Hit My Mom!

[StretchL]

Greetings, all.

I'm sitting beside my mom's hospital bed in the cardiac unit of her hometown hospital.

She was admitted last night after going to the ER for what we found out was a bout of atrial fibrillation. It had been going on for at least 24 hours before she decided to call her doctor. :(

The ER dox quickly got her back into sinus rhythm, she's just finishing an IV dose of diltiazem, and they're going to start her on coumadin later today. :(

So... damn. I'm the one who went through heart surgery!!! And now my 84 year old mother is the one who get a-fib and a coumadin regimen. :(

I'm pretty bummed, as she is, as well.

Thoughts or encouraging words from anyone who's been through this sort of thing? I'll pass them on to her.

Thanks.

[geebee]

Sorry to hear about your mom. It is much easier being the patient isn't it?

Although I am not 84, I have been on coumadin for over 26 years and in constant a-fib for almost the past 3 years. There is very little I cannot do. A-fib, in itself, is not life threatening once the potential clotting issue is handled - only somewhat annoying (IMHO). The only thing I cannot do is heavy aerobic excercise because I get too winded.

I am sure she is scared and worried but she should be fine as long as her coumadin is managed properly and I am sure you will see to that for her.

[Phyllis]

Sorry, Stretch. Dick has a friend in his mid seventies who is also on coumadin for a-fib and does very well with it. I know how hard it is, but hope both you and your Mom are feeling better soon and that she finds it is a manageable problem and just a bump in the road. Best wishes to you both.
Phyllis

[Susan BAV]

Hi Stretch -

Tell your mom hello for us:)? Post-op, I developed A-fib. I was rehospitalized for a few days to be put on a medication, Sotalol. However, I wanted to tell you that they also gave me IV's of magnesium. That's supposed to help and I just wanted to share that with you although I don't know if it is something that helps everyone.

[Marguerite53]

I'm sorry that your sweet mother is having troubles. I'm so glad that you were able to go down to be with her as the doctors figure things out. I know she'll be very proud of her well educated and experienced son, and I'm sure that your presence is very reassuring to her in many ways.

Please give her my best wishes and know that many of us here will have her in our thoughts.

Marguerite

[Ross]

Stretch don't be bummed. It happens just like other things do and it this really isn't that bad. One thing, I hope you've been learning about Coumadin well enough to know if she is being managed properly or poorly. If you haven't gotten that education yet, www.warfarinfo.com and devour as much as you can. ;) If she has a poor manager, well you know what poor outcomes can come of that, so someone needs to know what they're doing.

[Karlynn]

Isn't is wonderful how our Moms are still our mommies no matter how old they or we get. I know how you were worried about her prior to your surgery and she got throught that fine. I'm sure she was much more worried for you at that time than she will be for herself right now. Tell her that the bad issue would have been not having a way to keep the a-fib from causing clots and threatening the quality of her life. Coumadin should not take away from her quality of life and if you see that it is, delve more deeply into how it's being managed.

Wishing sweet blessings for your Mom.

[StretchL]

Thanks for everyone's kind responses. I've been reading them to her as they've come in. (Free wireless internet access from the rooms of this hospital!)

I neglected to post, initially, one important factor that will play into her Coumadin therapy: She has neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

This is the kind caused by tiny hemorrhaging in the retina, and for which Coumadin is contraindicated, for obvious reasons. :(

[ruth]

Strech -

So sorry to hear about your mom :(

Sounds like the docs got her back in NSR, right? I was told (for what it's worth) that if they catch the a-fib within 48 hours they can convert it right away without the mandatory 4 week Coumadin regimin that I had before conversion.

Soooo, why now keep her on Coumadin if her eyesight is at stake? What are the risk/rewards?

My mom had similar eye issues, brought on by Diabetes years ago and had to get that laser zap surgery that was available 20 years ago to try to clear the blood from the field of vision. My mom eventually went blind which really broke her spirit. I don't say this to bum you out more but to say that the doc's may need some reminding about what's at stake here vs. what their protocol says. Coumadin isn't the beast everyone fears but like you said in her case, with her eye problem, where's the reward in this risk scenario?

Any triggers for her a-fib? Chocolate, caffiene, alcohol, weight gain? If so, obviously, try to identify and eliminate them.

All my best to you and Mom,

Ruth

[Mb]

Stretch:

My husband has been in chronic a-fib for at least 6 years. Cardioverted once, only lasted four days. After this recent second heart surgery, they said as soon as they restarted his heart....a-fib.

He is on coumaden and a baby aspirin. Although it does somewhat limit his activity ( he can't run, ski, or do any other strenuous work), he is able to get around AOK.

Best wishes to your Mom.

Marybeth

[WayneGM]

Sorry to hear about your mom, but it's a good thing you're there to help her through this as you've got alot of knowledge to guide her along. Best wishes to you and your mom.

[knightfan2691]

Stretch,

Very sorry about your Mom's health issues. It sure is one thing to be the patient ... but a completely different thing to be the relative/friend of the patient....

Thoughts/prayers coming to your Mom and you, as well.



Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker
PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"I'll be with you" ... Cheap Trick ... 'The Flame'

[twinmaker]

Stretch, has your mom been seen by an electrophysiologist? As I'm sure you know, they're cardios that deal with the electrical part of the heart. Just a thought in case she hasn't been seen by one. Please tell your mom that all of us here at VR.com are keeping her and you in our thoughts and prayers. LINDA

[Wise]

Stretch, just want to wish your mom well. Hope her a-fib is treated successfully and without event. My wife and I will be praying for her.

Wise & Cindy

[maka]

Stretch
There is nothing I can add in the "technical" side....I'm really ignorant about the matter but want to let you know that I'm thinking and Praying for you Mom

[StretchL]

Thanks so much to each of you. I just read mama your posts and they put a smile on her face.

Here's the latest-

Mama's long-time physician, Dr. Joel Roesenberg, stopped by to see her this morning. He is very optimistic about her prognosis. Here's the 411:

He hopes that the afib may be have been an acute episode, rather than something she will have to deal with chronically. This is more of a hope than a prediction, because the afib is inherently unpredictable of course.

Given the fact that she's in sinus rhythm now, and hoping that the afib was
an isolated incident, he will not continue the Coumadin. He feels that the bleeding risks posed by Coumadin are greater than the clotting/stroke risks, especially given her MD.

He will keep her on a drug to keep her heart rate down, which he said is actually more important than avoiding the "fibrillation," or quivering, part of the afib.

Along those lines, he noted that the very fast heart beat she experienced actually gave her a bit of a "stress test," which her heart tolerated well. (This sounded familiar to me, as Dr. Stelzer said the same thing about the very low blood pressure I experienced due to my post-hemorrhoid-op hemorrhaging back in September.)

He encouraged her to begin walking the hallways here in order to start building her strength back up. I'll be here all day to help with that.

She will have an echocardiogram later today.

She'll be in here at least through tonight, and possibly tomorrow night.

She just finished breakfast, which she enjoyed, and her spirits are good.

All in all, a very good morning.

Thank you again for all your good wishes and prayers.

[twinmaker]

Sounds like a very good report to me. Tell your mom to keep up the good work. I'll be keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers. LINDA

[Ross]

Thanks for everyone's kind responses. I've been reading them to her as they've come in. (Free wireless internet access from the rooms of this hospital!)

I neglected to post, initially, one important factor that will play into her Coumadin therapy: She has neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

This is the kind caused by tiny hemorrhaging in the retina, and for which Coumadin is contraindicated, for obvious reasons. :(
I live on the two edged sword also. If my lungs decide to hemmorhage........Well if one thing doesn't get me, the other will, so you do what you must and keep moving.

[Mary]

I thought about you and your mom this morning, Stretch, and said a quick prayer that this will be resolved soon.
Moms are resilient beings--thank goodness!

[StretchL]

Strech -

So sorry to hear about your mom :(

Sounds like the docs got her back in NSR, right? I was told (for what it's worth) that if they catch the a-fib within 48 hours they can convert it right away without the mandatory 4 week Coumadin regimin that I had before conversion.

Soooo, why now keep her on Coumadin if her eyesight is at stake? What are the risk/rewards?

My mom had similar eye issues, brought on by Diabetes years ago and had to get that laser zap surgery that was available 20 years ago to try to clear the blood from the field of vision. My mom eventually went blind which really broke her spirit. I don't say this to bum you out more but to say that the doc's may need some reminding about what's at stake here vs. what their protocol says. Coumadin isn't the beast everyone fears but like you said in her case, with her eye problem, where's the reward in this risk scenario?

Any triggers for her a-fib? Chocolate, caffiene, alcohol, weight gain? If so, obviously, try to identify and eliminate them.

All my best to you and Mom,

Ruth

Hi, Ruth. Thanks for your note.

We've not been able to pinpoint a tigger for the afib, although she broke a tooth last week, and had to go in to get a crown the day before the afib showed up. The dental visit really stressed her out, so maybe that was it. I've encouraged her to give up the caffeine.

I'm sorry to hear about your mom's blindness. It's something that both my mom and I fear for her. She's been taking a drug newly approved by the FDA which has pretty much stopped the retinal bleeding, so at least her sight is stable for now, even though she is, legally, blind.

[PegB]

Hi Stretch,

I just wanted to add my get well wishes for your Mama. I know how worried you were over each other about your surgery. I'm sure she's feeling like she's being a "big bother" for you right now, and is worrying about upsetting you. You just tell her to follow her Drs. orders, and she'll be up and about in no time. She sounds like a very strong lady with miles to go yet.

Hugs to both of you, and if you're still there with her Stretch, please tell her how much we all appreciate the fine son she raised. She should be very proud!:)

[Susan BAV]

Hi Stretch -

What you wrote about your mom's dental visit reminded me of my husband's great aunt and the troubles she has had with dental visits. Anyway, I searched a couple of things and came up with an interesting post from www.chfpatients.com/archives :

"Jill S, June 30, 2000 - Hi, I don't know if it's in The Manual or not, but I just found out that CHF patients who need a local anesthetic for dental work should not have the Novocaine that is mixed with epinephrine. Epinephrine is adrenalin and can speed up your heart rate. It's a good thing my periodontist checked with my cardiologist, cause the cardiologist never told me this poses a health risk for me. You need to tell your dentist to give you the stuff without it, if you need to have an anesthetic."

This may or may not have anything to do with your mother's episode but I thought I'd post it for what it's worth. Take care.

[StretchL]

Peg, I just read your post to my mom and she got a big kick out of it! :)

Susan, thank you for that alert. We're going to check this out, first by calling the dentist's office to find out exactly what numbing med they gave her.

We went walking around the hallways here a little while ago. She did great! Reminded me so much of Noni walking me through the hallways of the step down unit at Beth Israel.

When I told Noni about it she said that it will be her in the hospital next, with my mom walking her through the hallways during her recovery! :)

[ruth]

Stretch -

Great to hear Mom is up & doing the hallways. I played a trick on my Surgeon's aide when I was out walking I saw him and he said I could be released that day. I smiled and shook the hand in my robe pocket as though I was holding keys and said "Yup, that's where I'm heading, out to the garage & home!" He gave me a "deer-in-the-headlights" look for a second then smiled and said "hey, you almost got me with that!" :)

Give mom my best, that's great that she's not going to be on Coumadin and that she's in NSR. With luck the a-fib was an isolated event, perhaps brought on by stress and/or stress and some shot the dentist used.

Oh, and tell your mom that she raised a great son!

Best Regards,
Ruth

[StretchL]

That's a funny story Ruth! :)

But I won't lie to my mom and tell her what you told me to tell her about me. ;)

We checked with the dentist's office and the drug they gave her was "Carbocaine." It's apparently used either with or without epinephrine. The dentist's office specifically said that mama was given "carbocaine without epinephrine."

[Adrienne]

Glad to hear that your mom is in NSR and that she won't have to take Coumadin. Keep us posted.

[Christina L]

VR.com about a-fib and our fears of it. I am so thankful to read here that a-fib can be lived with. As a former medical transcriptionist, I learned that a-fib is really, really common in the elderly - even people with "perfect" hearts. I also learned that most people on their demise in their 80s and 90s have enlargement of their hearts to some degree.

Yes, we with defective hearts are at greater risk for these things, but we are not the only ones on whom the heart can wreak havoc with. :(

Stretch - sorry to hear about your mom's bout with a-fib and hope that she will go on to live 10 plus years without another darned episode!

Christina L

[Susan BAV]

...As I've read your various sweet posts now and then that show your love for your mama, and now especially this particular thread, I'm reminded of a sweet story that a really nice old lady bought for me when my boys were little. It's written by Robert Munsch and the title is, I'll Love You Forever. If you've never read it, now might be the perfect time.

[Karlynn]

So glad to read your Mom is doing better and that Coumadin is not needed at this time. Sounds like she's getting great care from doctor and son! Continued best wishes.

[Susan BAV]

Hi Stretch - How's your mom doing? Hoping no news is good news...

[StretchL]

Thanks for asking Susan. I was just logging on to post the latest.

My mom was discharged today, and is back home. She's feeling kind of weak, probably from lack of sleep in the hospital as much as from the afib, but her spirits are *very* high, and all-in-all she doesn't seem to be too much worse from the wear.

I just arrived back home in Richmond, but Noni and I are planning to head back down there for Easter, so we'll see her again soon.

Many, many thanks to everyone for your thoughts, prayers, concerns, and messages to her. She thinks I have a great bunch of friends here. And I agree! :)

[Wise]

Glad to hear your mom is progressing and is home. May she continue to improve and get stronger!

[knightfan2691]

Excellent news that she is home, Stretch :).

Thoughts/prayers continuing for a SUCCESSFUL recovery!



Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker
PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Loose your blues" ... Kenny Loggins ... 'Footloose'

[gijanet]

to duck that curve ball! ;) Seriously,chiming in late as always (even though I am the significant other, I forget to check this forum), I am so sorry to hear that your mom has been having a rough go of it. I will keep her in my prayers that the Afib was just a one time thing, a freak occurence, and that she has no more episodes. Glad to hear that everyone is home safely. (That's the one good thing about chiming in late. You get to read the happy ending first!) Hugs. J.