Very scary situation..lucky it was not a heart attack!

[james caan]

I'm so anxious to get to that cardiologist appointment. They told me in the hospital that I had some abnormalities, but I was so morphined out, I don't remember if they specified or not. I know I've never had the hospital make the follow up appointment for me, the day after I was discharged I get a call from the hospital telling me when my cardiologist appointment would be. Not sure that means anything, but like I mentioned I've never had that happen before.

 

[maldorf]

I'm so anxious to get to that cardiologist appointment. They told me in the hospital that I had some abnormalities, but I was so morphined out, I don't remember if they specified or not. I know I've never had the hospital make the follow up appointment for me, the day after I was discharged I get a call from the hospital telling me when my cardiologist appointment would be. Not sure that means anything, but like I mentioned I've never had that happen before.

If there was anything even remotely dangerous in your physiology, they wouldn't have let you go home. It's normal to have a follow up if they need to run more tests or have a consult. They may end up having you take some meds eventually. Did you start taking anything new after the hospital trip?

Don't worry much now because that only makes things worse. Just feel ok about it because they didn't keep you in the hospital.

 

[james caan]

If there was anything even remotely dangerous in your physiology, they wouldn't have let you go home. It's normal to have a follow up if they need to run more tests or have a consult. They may end up having you take some meds eventually. Did you start taking anything new after the hospital trip?

Don't worry much now because that only makes things worse. Just feel ok about it because they didn't keep you in the hospital.

They changed my inhaler from albuterol to simbiocort, and put me on ativan they said to help reduce anxiety. I was also put on dyazide, which I'm using on top of lisinopril, and metoprolol. They sent lab orders to check my potassium levels one week from when I started the dyazide. What I do know is that I have a AV blockage, that I can remember but I can't remember what stage I was told. Other than that, they could of told me daffy duck was coming out my chest, and I wouldn't remember..i dont use pain meds like that, so the morphine really kicked my butt while I was there. But you have my word, as soon as I have my appointment, I post everything they tell me...you all have been so incredibly supportive, and helpful! It's really touched me to see I'm cared about, sometimes you feel totally alone, this has helped me a lot!

 

[maldorf]

They changed my inhaler from albuterol to simbiocort, and put me on ativan they said to help reduce anxiety. I was also put on dyazide, which I'm using on top of lisinopril, and metoprolol. They sent lab orders to check my potassium levels one week from when I started the dyazide. What I do know is that I have a AV blockage, that I can remember but I can't remember what stage I was told. Other than that, they could of told me daffy duck was coming out my chest, and I wouldn't remember..i dont use pain meds like that, so the morphine really kicked my butt while I was there. But you have my word, as soon as I have my appointment, I post everything they tell me...you all have been so incredibly supportive, and helpful! It's really touched me to see I'm cared about, sometimes you feel totally alone, this has helped me a lot!

Im glad this thread helped you.

Taking you off the albuterol makes sense on paper, because a beta agonist can have affects on the heart rate and rhythm. I have heart failure and use albuterol and have zero problems, but Im also on a beta blocker. Sounds like you take a beta blocker as well. The beta blocker will keep your heart rate down. Getting off the albuterol wouldnt affect me at all.

Regarding the AV block, I have that now too because of my VT ablation surgery. That means that the electrical signal doesnt travel correctly through the right side to the left through the AV node, if I remember right. It shows on an EKG. So the two sides of the heart arent properly coordinated. It can lower the ejection fraction like mine did and that has major symptoms if its bad enough. Me ejection fraction dropped down to about 15%. It was about 25% before the surgery. So it appears you have that now yourself, but yours probably isnt as bad as mine. That can cause tachycardia. I had trouble with ventricular tachycardia, but it sounds like maybe yours is started up in the atrium.

Worst case scenario I think would be that you will need to get a pacemaker like I have. Dont think it would need to have a defibrillator like mine. Chances are you wont need anything but meds to help you out. At least having AV block explains your problem! This means it is more than just stress that caused your problem.

 

[maldorf]

https://www.osmosis.org/answers/mobitz-type-i

Question is, what caused it? I think a lot of people are born with it. Hopefully its not the result of an old heart attack you didnt know of.

 

[james caan]

https://www.osmosis.org/answers/mobitz-type-i

Question is, what caused it? I think a lot of people are born with it. Hopefully its not the result of an old heart attack you didnt know of.

You know my whole life well as far back as I can recall, I remember always feeling like my heart was stopping (skipping beats, but as a kid I was say my heart stopped), I remember waking up scared as hell from my sleep, because it felt like my heart just stopped. I told my mom who then immediately took me to my pediatrician. The doctor now that I think back was a quack, but my mom always listened totally to doctors, so when he told her I was fine and it was just in my head (nightmares and what not) she trusted him. I always needed more time to recover than the other kids needed, but I just got used to it like this is just how I am. Now it makes sense that it was never diagnosed, which really pisses me off. This could of potentially been taken care of a long time ago.

 

[Killer.7]

Man, I am more interested in how you are living after losing your mom, wife and daughter, never mind this panic attack. Wow brother, I commend you for your strength. How do you do it?

I want to ask how they died, if you don't mind answering, if not, no worries.

Take care brother. You have unimaginable strength.

 

[james caan]

Man, I am more interested in how you are living after losing your mom, wife and daughter, never mind this panic attack. Wow brother, I commend you for your strength. How do you do it?

I want to ask how they died, if you don't mind answering, if not, no worries.

Take care brother. You have unimaginable strength.

Thank you for your kind words!
My mom lost her battle with cancer, my daughter was from complications, my wife was a life long type 1 diabetic, after she was diagnosed with 2 autoimmune diseases her health started to go down hill pretty quickly. She ended up going into deep diabetic keto acidosis, which caused her organs to fail. I didn't even get to say goodbye to her. My father was on dialysis and ended up with a severe infection in his port location. while being taken to the hospital he had what is called a widow maker heart attack (maldorf could explain what that is a lot better than I can) and was dead before he even made it to the ER. My eldest sister died after the surgeon punctured her stomach lining with out noticing, she ended up with an infection they couldn't get under control..she was eventually put on a life support machine, but she was brain dead, and her daughters decided with my dad to take her off. This year I lost my grandfather (my dads father), he was on dialysis and also ironically ended up with an infection, he all of the sudden took a massive turn for the worse and was transferred to a hospice. He passed away 4 days later. Now I'm dealing with the same brother I mentioned, being diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Life has really kicked my ass, I'm not sure myself how I keep on. Only thing I can of, is how much my mom instilled in me, God's love and to turn to him always.

 

[nicocujo]

You've been through a lot. Glad you're doing better. Take it a day at a time.

 

[maldorf]

Thank you for your kind words!
My mom lost her battle with cancer, my daughter was from complications, my wife was a life long type 1 diabetic, after she was diagnosed with 2 autoimmune diseases her health started to go down hill pretty quickly. She ended up going into deep diabetic keto acidosis, which caused her organs to fail. I didn't even get to say goodbye to her. My father was on dialysis and ended up with a severe infection in his port location. while being taken to the hospital he had what is called a widow maker heart attack (maldorf could explain what that is a lot better than I can) and was dead before he even made it to the ER. My eldest sister died after the surgeon punctured her stomach lining with out noticing, she ended up with an infection they couldn't get under control..she was eventually put on a life support machine, but she was brain dead, and her daughters decided with my dad to take her off. This year I lost my grandfather (my dads father), he was on dialysis and also ironically ended up with an infection, he all of the sudden took a massive turn for the worse and was transferred to a hospice. He passed away 4 days later. Now I'm dealing with the same brother I mentioned, being diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Life has really kicked my ass, I'm not sure myself how I keep on. Only thing I can of, is how much my mom instilled in me, God's love and to turn to him always.

The widow maker heart attack is when the widow maker coronary artery is blocked (occluded). That is the LAD coronary. Left Anterior Descending. Its the main artery that supplies the left ventricle, which is the chamber that has the job of pumping blood to your whole body. This is called the systemic circuit. My clot and resulting blockage happened in the right coronary artery, so a lot on the right side. THe right side is the pulmonary circuit that pumps blood through the lungs. The right coronary also supplies the bottom of the left ventricle too and that part of my heart is dead now. The LAD is the leading cause of death in heart attacks, so I got lucky that my clot wasnt there. 100% blockage of my right main coronary just about killed me. It was close there for awhile.

Your story is really tragic. Fate has been cruel to you. Things have to look up sometime for you. Thanks for sharing your story with us.

 

[Killer.7]

Thank you for your kind words!
My mom lost her battle with cancer, my daughter was from complications, my wife was a life long type 1 diabetic, after she was diagnosed with 2 autoimmune diseases her health started to go down hill pretty quickly. She ended up going into deep diabetic keto acidosis, which caused her organs to fail. I didn't even get to say goodbye to her. My father was on dialysis and ended up with a severe infection in his port location. while being taken to the hospital he had what is called a widow maker heart attack (maldorf could explain what that is a lot better than I can) and was dead before he even made it to the ER. My eldest sister died after the surgeon punctured her stomach lining with out noticing, she ended up with an infection they couldn't get under control..she was eventually put on a life support machine, but she was brain dead, and her daughters decided with my dad to take her off. This year I lost my grandfather (my dads father), he was on dialysis and also ironically ended up with an infection, he all of the sudden took a massive turn for the worse and was transferred to a hospice. He passed away 4 days later. Now I'm dealing with the same brother I mentioned, being diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Life has really kicked my ass, I'm not sure myself how I keep on. Only thing I can of, is how much my mom instilled in me, God's love and to turn to him always.

wow.

My next question was going to be, "Are you Christian?" lol. I am glad you are to one extent or another. I was an athiest my whole life until recently. Your story literally sounds like the story of Job. Incredible man, I cant imagine your suffering.

Stay strong. God loves you.

 

[james caan]

So my report states sinus tachycardia, stress test results state 2nd degree AV block. I have my appt next week, but Maldorf what does this if anything say to you as to what could of happened to me? Was/is my situation possibly or potentially leading towards a disastrous outcome... I know it's very vague, but you are such a wealth of knowledge.

 

[james caan]

Sorry, the report also states possible left atrial enlargement.

 

[maldorf]

So my report states sinus tachycardia, stress test results state 2nd degree AV block. I have my appt next week, but Maldorf what does this if anything say to you as to what could of happened to me? Was/is my situation possibly or potentially leading towards a disastrous outcome... I know it's very vague, but you are such a wealth of knowledge.

The AV block could have just been inherited. I don't have much knowledge on that.

Like I said, I have AV block now too from my surgery and my new pacemaker took care of the problem completely.

It doesn't seem like antiarhymics like amioderone or mexiletine help with it. I was on a big dose of mexiletine and it didn't help my block.

You might need a pacemaker, probably not a defibrillator. The pacemaker will coordinate the two sides of your heart. It's a good sign that it was sinus tachycardia! Mine is ventricular, which means my heart develops what is like an ectopic pacemaker down in the ventricle, and or the electrical signal gets trapped down there. It can easily become lethal by leading to ventricular fibrillation, which leads to cardiac arrest.

You signal is coming from the SA node which is normal. Maybe meds can regulate your arrhythmia. Worst case scenario I'd say would be a pacemaker. The pacemakers are nice because they are MUCH smaller than the combo pacemaker/defibrillator I have.

 

[maldorf]

Have you had an echocardiogram and gotten your ejection fraction from that? With AV block, the EF will be compromised in most situations I think. I'm not familiar anymore with the different degrees of blockage, studied that back in 94. Lol.

My pacer has to pace about 95% of the time or more, so my blockage is pretty bad now.

My EF went up from 25% to 35%, so 10% when I got my new pacemaker and lead placed. So don't freak out if your EF measures low now. I feel 100% better now. So if you feel crappy, once they overcome that AV block, you'll feel better.

 

[james caan]

Have you had an echocardiogram and gotten your ejection fraction from that? With AV block, the EF will be compromised in most situations I think. I'm not familiar anymore with the different degrees of blockage, studied that back in 94. Lol.

My pacer has to pace about 95% of the time or more, so my blockage is pretty bad now.

My EF went up from 25% to 35%, so 10% when I got my new pacemaker and lead placed. So don't freak out if your EF measures low now. I feel 100% better now. So if you feel crappy, once they overcome that AV block, you'll feel better.

They said they would discuss everything with me on my appointment, give me a much more detailed breakdown of all their findings, and what route we will take as far as treatment. What annoys me is that the hospitalist was very dismissive , a very pompous jerk, that spent like 1 min with me. The doctor that was meant to be there was out, and this a**hole was filling in for him. He never once visited me, but like an hour before being discharged, he said it was probably the inhaler. It was the cardiologist team, that gave me accurate information I just can't remember everything I was told. How could a rescue inhaler I use once in a while, cause that

 

[maldorf]

They said they would discuss everything with me on my appointment, give me a much more detailed breakdown of all their findings, and what route we will take as far as treatment. What annoys me is that the hospitalist was very dismissive , a very pompous jerk, that spent like 1 min with me. The doctor that was meant to be there was out, and this a**hole was filling in for him. He never once visited me, but like an hour before being discharged, he said it was probably the inhaler. It was the cardiologist team, that gave me accurate information I just can't remember everything I was told. How could a rescue inhaler I use once in a while, cause that

He figured the inhaler ,being a beta agonist, caused your fast heart rate. I've been using albuterol since I was a child in the 70s and it never caused me heart rhythm problems. I have full blown heart failure and it doesn't bother me.

If you have AV block, I think that's your problem and has nothing to do with albuterol.

 

[james caan]

Today I find out my middle step daughter is dealing with such severe panic attacks, my mother in law told me she's hitting herself and going into extreme crying and screaming fits. This is a teenage girl, dealing with the loss of her mom, her deadbeat pos sperm donor who calls himself her father, and mean kids in high school. So I can't stop worrying, it's impossible for me not to stress out over them...they mean more to me than my own life! Today has been a rough one for sure.. Sorry for venting guys!