On Sunday, August 23, 2020 at 6:40:31 PM UTC-4, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2020-08-23 4:54 p.m., Silvar Beitel wrote:
> > On Sunday, August 23, 2020 at 3:43:24 PM UTC-4, Dave Smith wrote:
> >> I have been stuck in the hospital for a few days and hope to get out
> >> tomorrow. I had contacted doctor because I was having some issues, but
> >> he is not seeing patients. He referred me to a cardiologist and sent me
> >> for blood work and EKG.
> >>
> >> When they did the EKG they would not let me drive him. My pulse was 186.
> >> I went to the ER and the held me there until there was a room in the
> >> cardiac unit. They worked to bring down the heart rate but when it
> >> refuse to cooperate they opted for cardiac inversion. I first had to go
> >> through an eosophical cardio echogram and that meant fasting.
> >>
> >>
> >> Not a pleasant procedure to get that down, but I was frozen and well
> >> sedated. once they determined there was no risk of clots they pulled out
> >> the scope, knocked me out with with the crdiologist clled his Michael
> >> Jackson drug. The idea was to shock my heart stop it and then another
> >> shock to restart it at a normal rhythm. They tried three times....
> >> so...another day of intervenous drugs and now I am on pills and plan o
> >> be home tomorrow.
> >>
> >> It looks like I will have to learn to live with congestive heart failure.
> >
> > Sorry about your being in hospital.
> >
> > Your symptoms and treatment sounds like AFib (atrial fibrillation). Did they mention/diagnose that? Or is it something else?
> >
>
> That's what the pros say. Prognosis is pretty good but it means a big
> changes. 1.5 l of liquid per day, low sodium diet.

I developed persistent Afib 4 1/2 years ago. And, at the time, I was fat, had high BP, bad cholesterol numbers, gout, and an arthritic knee to boot.

Today I am lean, healthy, and fit, haven't had a heart blip in the past 3 years, I walk/hike pain-free, and am not taking *any* drugs. I feel great. I'm probably in better physical shape than I was at age 30.

It has been a long journey, but I planned it out, and it was feasible and not as much work as I worried it might be. No informercial. :-) Just letting you know that there is hope.

Good luck on *your* recovery.

--
Silvar Beitel