Jonette's Posts

My only contribution is that i gave up on the patch monitors due to short term and skin issues from the glue. I now have an implanted under the skin loop monitor made by medtronic that is invisible to see and it lasts 3 years. Send a signal to doctor if any incident arises plus you get a small hand held device you can activate if you detect something. I did however get the maze procedure and recently dropped eliquis. I never had symptoms before or after mitral valve surgery but still had a fib.

Hi, Jonette. I am just four weeks post-op, following sternotomy to replace my mitral valve and repair my tricuspid valve. I went into A-fib and A-flutter while in the hospital, so they started me on amiodorone and connected my pacing wires to a pacer box. They removed the pacer box after about 1 1/2 days because they didn't want my heart to become too reliant on it. I continued to experience A-fib and A-flutter and was miserable. They scheduled me for a cardioversion, but about an hour or so before the procedure, the nurse came in to tell me that I was back in sinus rhythm so they could not shock my heart. But then a few days after I got home, I was back in A-fib again. I saw my cardiologist at two weeks post-op, on Oct. 12, and I was in A-fib. He scheduled me for a cardioversion Oct. 31. However, I have felt so much better (no pounding or racing) for the past week and a half that my cardiologist has ordered another EKG for Oct. 26. If I am back in sinus rhythm, he won't do the procedure. My cardiologist said that A-fib is very common post-heart surgery, because the heart is irritated and inflamed. He also said that it can take anywhere from six weeks to three months to get back into rhythm. My heart rate was never as low or as high as yours, but I did have lots of pounding and racing, with heart rates in the mid-100s, which made me very tired and unable to sleep. I was taking metoprolol (50 mg) prior to my surgery, but they did not give it to me in the hospital, nor did my cardiologist restart it. I am still taking amiodorone (200 mg) and Elequis, and my heart rate continues to be in the 90s, sometimes in the 80s. I share all of that to say that everyone is so different. Have you asked your cardiologist about doing a cardioversion, or has he not done one because of the readings he's received from your Zio monitor? If you are in sinus rhythm most of the time, maybe that is why he has not suggested a cardioversion. Have you shared your concerns about stroke and/or heart damage with your cardiologist? Talk to him and ask him if any of the treatment options for A-fib would be right for you, and if not, why not. A-fib can be very disconcerting. I hope you can get some answers soon.

Hi! I have a similar story to yours in that I have been diagnosed for years with anxiety and depression. When I was 33 I had an ectopic pregnancy and my anxiety really started after that. My heart would race and I would occasionally get SOB. The cardiologist said i had Moderate MVR and we just monitored it yearly. When I was 58 my symptoms worsened but the echo apparently still showed moderate leakage. BTW I also would have bouts of Afib a few times a year but they would go away in a few hours after taking a metoprolol. My psychiatrist attributed my worsening symptoms to the anxiety/dep and increased my psych meds. Turns out the valve had progressed to a severe leak which is why my symptoms were worse. The MVP and anxiety do feed off each other I think and sometimes I feel like had my valve been fixed earlier, my anxiety would have greatly decreased. I'm glad your Afib episodes are short and hopefully they will go away all together. I did have an ablation in 2020 but the Afib came back shortly after. At that point they put me on Multaq and Cardizem which did the trick for 3 years. I stayed in Sinus Rhythm with no Afib. This year, when I had the valve repaired I went into Afib for several weeks. Very rough time. After about 5 weeks either my heart had recovered enough or the Amiodorone they had me on finally kicked in and I converted back to sinus. I don't know if this has helped you at all. But I understand the need to gain control over it and since it happens briefly and occasionally, I think you will.

Thank you everyone for your responses! I have decided to seek a second opinion and find out if cardioversion or ablation are options. I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks for many years and now believe they had a lot to do with my heart disease (MV) which is so unfortunate bc they both have consumed a large part of my life. I appreciate everyone for taking their time to answer my questions and suggestions. Much love, Jonette

Yes Jonette, I was thinking cardiologist electrophysiologist also! They do wonders nowadays, but it is hard to find a good one. Keep looking. Anxiety and MVP do feed eachother, I am another living proof. I would certainly recommend having a mental support of some sort every now and then. Also try and find some technique that helps you, whether it be breathing excercize, sport of some sort, conversation with someone. We must learn how to make all that a little easier for ourselves by learning how to relax more (easier said than done). It is frustrating, no doubt! I am glad you reached out. Keep us updated!

I keep reading about folks having post surgery a fib and hearing doctors saying normal for a time. How long a time is the million dollar question. A fib can cause a stroke which was why i was on elliquis and now i wear an implanted chip to detect it, but i had the maze during my surgery. Knock on wood so far no recurrence. You probably did not which is why no maze. Should you be on elliquis or equivalent as a precaution is a fair question to ask your doctor

Jonette- Sorry you had another episode of Afib. Did it resolve without any intervention? I am coming up on a year s/p MVR and have had brief afib episodes (lasting 3o mins or so.) every couple months since August. I had Afib day 6 post op. Admitted and had IV Amiodarone then oral amiodarone for a month along w/ Eliquis. My cardiologist has told me PVC's and afib aren't too unusual. Hopefully will continue to fade away. It's definitely unnerving and frustrating. My heart rates were scattered also early on. Much more stable now although too low due to Metoprolol. Just had my dose decreased. Are you on a beta blocker? Cardiac rehab will be helpful. You will be making steady progress while being monitored.

I had Afib off and on for about six weeks and then it went away. I was hospitalized each time I had it because I was very symptomatic. There are videos on this site about how it is common for first six weeks and disappears in 95% of cases. Hang in there!

Yes, I had Afib and/or Aflutter off and on for about 6 weeks after my surgery. I had to be hospitalized each time because I was very symptomatic. They treated it with Amiodarone and Metoprolol. It went away finally after about six weeks. It's common. There is at least one good video on this site about it.

I went into AFIB w/ tachycardia day 6 post MVR. Admitted to hospital. Felt like my heart was doing somersaults. Took about 18 hours or so after starting IV Amiodarone drip w/ a couple boluses to get back into normal sinus rhythm. Was on oral Amiodarone w/ a taper for 4 wks. I was told before surgery there was a 30% chance of going into AFIB after MVR. I hope you are feeling better Jonette.

Dr. started me on Amiodarone 200 mg 1 tab daily and Eliquis 5 mg 1 tab twice daily and I have an appt with him in 4 weeks. This kinda bummed me out, I have been having ups and downs and so emotional lately. One minute I am crying and in pain and then a couple hours later, I am doing a lot better. Everyone says I look so great, but instead I feel like a train wreck. My block has almost worn off entirely and the edges of my ribs and breast from the MV repair robotic surgery is very sensitive and tender. I keep telling myself day by day. It is difficult for me at times to listen to my body to rest, as I was a go, go, go person. I feel I am suffering from depression. I was hoping this would not happen, but the more I read, it is very common. OHS is no joke! At times, I can't believe what my body has been through. I just have to learn to be patient with my body and mind.

Jonette, I understand your feelings and they are valid. You are early still in your recovery. For me, it was 3 months before I felt like I turned a corner and would be ok. And actually, many people say, myself included, that it takes a full year before you feel better than you ever have. I'm trying to say that it takes time but once you get there, you will feel great. Try to be patient with yourself and don't rush the recovery. Your body has been through a lot! God bless you.

Oh how I can relate to your feelings Jonette. I felt exactly the same. 5 months and now I finally feel somewhat 100% (well, still not 100....). 5 months. You are still in those really early stages of your recovery which are pretty hard. Our bodies have been through a lot, your body is working overtime now to compensate for everything it went through, red blood cells replicate rapidly for the loss, lungs recovering from deflation and most importantly - you have a scar on your heart muscle which is still healing! Please take it easy and trust me that it WILL get better!!!

I went into Afib 15 days post mitral valve replacement and tricuspid repair. Started a front load of Amiodarone 400 mg. twice a day for one week, then 200mg daily. By the third dose my IWatch ECG registered that I was back in sinus rhythm ( yay!) I had a cardioversion 14 days after starting Amiodarone and Afib stopped immediately. Two weeks after the cardioversion I wore a monitor for six weeks, stopping the Amiodarone two weeks after starting the monitor. Never had another bout of Afib. It's not uncommon after OHS - though unpleasant, and many people shift back into sinus rhythm naturally - I couldn't bear it! I'm a year post surgery now and have had no other reaction or set back, I'm doing great!