Hubby in Hospital

[Marilyn]

Originally Posted by gja1000

Thanks for the update Marilyn!

My husband had the same thing, atrial fibrillation (a-fib) 3 years ago. They shocked his heart (actually he has an internal defibrillator due to his heart failure, so they just fired his own defibrillator) and it stopped the a-fib. Now he takes medication and it has been completely controlled. But you are right, medication does not work for everyone.

Interestingly, in May my husband developed atrial flutter which is almost the same as a-fib, but the heart rate does not go as high. Unfortunately, atrial flutter does not respond well to medication so he had the exact same procedure that you and your husband are going to Houston for. It is called a Cardiac Ablation. It is usually more successful in atrial flutter because the cells that are misfiring and causing the flutter are in the same pattern or in the same pathway - so all they have to do is burn out that pathway.

In a-fib, it is more difficult to determine (or map) where the cells are misfiring because they are misfiring in a more random pattern than in atrial flutter. You are absolutely correct in that the electrophysiology procedures have gotten much better in the past few years so that they can now better map the misfiring cells and then burn them (kill them) appropriately.

It is a very easy surgery. My husband got to come home in the afternoon after having it in the morning - but we live 10 minutes from the hospital so going from Houston to your hometown, that may not be the case. Also, he will likely have to take coumadin for a little while longer, maybe only 6 weeks, and then it will be stopped. But maybe not in your husband's case.

Sometimes in a-fib, they have to burn out so many cells to get it stopped, that the person has to have a pacemaker (and I can't remember, maybe your hubby already has one???) Anyway, even if he doesn't and he has to have one, that is OK too. It just means he won't be able to go through the metal detector at the airport (or other buildings). My husband says he gets "stripped searched" in lieu of the metal detector.

I hope everything goes well for your husband. Mine has very serious heart failure and he did great with the Cardiac Ablation - so I'm sure your hubby will come through with flying colors. Update us when you can.

Thank you so much for posting this!!!!! It's wonderful to hear from someone who has been through this. The drugs are still not working to bring his heart rate down. It was running 120 to 130 last night. We're supposed to go to Houston next week for the heart mapping and back later for the procedure. Hubby does not have a pacemaker now. Hopefully he won't need one later.

I just hate to see him going through this. He feels like he's in prison there at the hospital. He's getting lots of company, so that helps keep him distracted. And I'm taking our little yorkie, Zoe up to see him this morning. I had to give them her shot records and carry her up in a carrier, but since she's such a small dog, they are allowing her to visit. Yaaaaaa!!

gja1000, hope your hubby stays healthy for a very, very long time!! You and him will be in my prayers as well.

[gja1000]

Hi Marilyn,
Glad I could help! My husband and I just saw his electrophysiology doctor yesterday and he is very pleased with my husband's progress. In fact, he told him his heart is doing so well now, that he needs to get more exercise!!!

Gary's heart only works at about 30% of what it should, so he is quite limited in what he can do. He had to take early retirement (at age 56) and he has to rest lots and lots. But I was very encouraged by the doctor's words yesterday. This is all to say that since your hubby's heart is much stronger - he should come though this so easy and he will feel so much better after the ablation is completed. We weren't meant to have a heart rate of 120-130 and it really makes you feel crummy. Also, staying in the hospital is really crummy too!!! I hope he gets out soon - yet, with this fast heart rate, it is MUCH better for him to be in the hospital with immediate care should something go amiss.

I also hope your hubby doesn't have to have a pacemaker - fingers/toes/legs crossed that he doesn't have to - but if he does, it is such a non-issue these days. Really the only issue is having the battery replaced every five years, and not being able to go through metal detectors. I'm very comforted that my husband has a pacemaker because I know that his heart rate can't get too low. His also has a defibrillator and sudden cardiac death is a major complication of heart failure (my husband's diagnosis), so I know if that happens, his defibrillator will fire and he will have a better chance of survival.

All this information is to say that modern technology is wonderful. These electrophysiology heart studies began in the early 1970's, when I first became a nurse. I remember our patients going down for these studies. We knew they had to stop patient's hearts and then start them back up, make their hearts go fast and then slow, make hearts beat irregularly, in order to figure out what to do and how to do it. This was hard for us nurses because we knew it was dangerous for the patients. But it had to be done in order to develop the fabulous technology that we have today. And of course, it was only done on the sickest patients for whom all other options had been exhausted. But that is why I don't get upset when they stop my husband's heart once a year, to test whether or not his defibrillator will fire properly. I feel very comforted to have been a part of the very early studies to develop the technology that is now helping my husband - and soon, yours too.

I am extremely confident that it will be very successful with your husband's problem!

[Dobie]

Marilyn,

Do you mind me asking what type of symptoms he feels? Does it just feel like his heart is racing or does he also feel some other symptoms?

[gja1000]

I'm sure Marilyn will reply to you also and symptoms can vary from person to person - but in general, people may have these symptoms: racing heart, lightheaded, dizzy, falling (from dizziness), fatigue to extreme tiredness, and like "something is wrong" - or a feeling of dread.

It also makes some people cough - seems silly, I know, but coughing evokes the valsalva maneuver which is the body's own way of correcting the problem. Of course, it doesn't work sometimes, but when this fast heart rate first starts, it makes some people cough which then may change the fast rhythm to a slower one.

[Forgivenmom5]

sorry you and your husband are going through this. Hopefully the procedure will help him to feel better and able to enjoy life more.

[Marilyn]

Gayle, they can't get his rate to stay below 120 to 130, so they are going to shock him on Monday. The first cardiologist, who is now on vacation, told us that they need him in a-fib in Houston to do the mapping. Now the cardiologists are saying that they need to get him out of a-fib, and it won't affect the mapping. Houston can still do it. Hubby very much wants a cure so he doen't have to live with the possiblility of this happening again at any time. Just think if this had happened in June right before Melissa's wedding. Do you know if bringing him out of a-fib will affect the accuracy of the mapping?

He's taking the max of the drugs and they can't give him any more. His blood pressure is dropping too low.

I'm always afraid when they shock him. A friend of our almost died. Her heart stopped and they almost didn't get it restarted. Hubby did fine when they shocked him last year. I'll be a basket case while they are doing it though. He's just got too much living left to do!! He has to be here for his grandkids. He just can't miss that!!!! And I need him, not good alone and girls are gone.

[Dobie]

You and your husband will be in my thoughts tomorrow, I pray that all goes well.

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

Gayle, they can't get his rate to stay below 120 to 130, so they are going to shock him on Monday. Do you know if bringing him out of a-fib will affect the accuracy of the mapping?

Marilyn,
There are a couple of ways of treating this - one way is to map the bad cells and then ablate them - but in persistent a-fib (like your husband has), they may ablate in areas that are known to cause a-fib to try to stop it. Almost all persistent atrial fibrillation signals come from the four pulmonary veins (which are in the heart) so they just ablate these area. In this case, you don't need to map first.

I don't know which they will use with your husband, but I would guess they will ablate in the areas known to cause a-fib since his a fib is persistent. The procedure may take several hours - so don't be concerned if it does.

Yes, I hate it when they deliberately put my husband's heart into a fatal arrythmia to see if his defibrillator will fire - but I've finally resolved myself to be happy that they check it periodically to be sure it is working properly - but it still makes me very nervous.