Help....Atrial Fibrillation... - ThinnerTimes

Hope · 10-17-2005, 11:46 AM

Ok, outside of being extremely fat prior to surgery, I was in perfect health...no heart problems, good blood pressure, normal cholesterol, no diabetes, etc...But not I am 5 1/2 months out, 81 pounds lighter and have just been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. All of my labs to date have been in normal ranges...so what is going on?

Is this common with WLS patients? Did anyone out there experience this as well?

Insight and advice is greatly appreciated.

Tracy

got2bthin · 10-17-2005, 12:35 PM

I have never heard of that. What exactly is Atrial Fibrillation?

JimJ · 10-17-2005, 02:28 PM

A-fib is an irregular heart beat caused by the upper two chambers of the heart not beating correctly. In fact, they are doing a kinda quiver instead. It is potentially dangerous and may require the use of coumadin and other heart meds to prevent clotting and strokes.

If caught early enough and kept under control, a person can live a long healthy life. As for it being normal after this surgery, it is not normal. There are too many things though that can happen to our bodies to rule out the possibilaties(spelling) though. It is normal for people as they grow older or have things happen to their bodies to devolpe arrhythmias.

I'm sorry that you have to go through this. It is hard to live with but it can be made into just a nusance if treated.

lealphachienne · 10-17-2005, 03:41 PM

It may go away on it's own. Sometimes stress can cause A-fib. Or, it just wasn't detected earlier. Follow your doctor's plan and see what happens. Many times A-fib has no symptoms and doesn't always require treatment.

BethBaugh · 10-18-2005, 05:20 PM

My grandmother was diagnosed with a-fib over 30 years ago. She lived a long healthy life till 82. A-fib can be mild to severe. Listen to your DRs, Ask questions. Be informed. Soemtimes medicine is enough, as was the case with my grandmother- coumadin (blood thinners). In some cases surgery can help (pacemakers or newer surgeries) My sister-in-laws mother was going to have a pacemaker put in, but the doctor just "shocked" her heart back into rythm when he had her open(THATS MY SIMPLE WAY OF LOOKING AT IT). ANYWHO she is still fine. Gook luck to you.

BETH B. in TN