Heart Zap! Success! *whew*

[agoodwinsmith]

So on Easter Sunday I started to feel poorly. Short of breath, no energy, retaining more water than usual, etc etc. I waited for the power of my will to make myself better (it has worked in the past - I confess it works less well now that my powers are aging), but it did not. I had days of minor improvements, but not *better*.

So I made an appointment see Mom's doctor on 23 April 2018. She had me in the ER so fast my birkenstocks left skidmarks on the highway [1]. At one point in her office my heart was going 200 beats a minute. It was officially clocked in the ER at a steady [2] 185.

So they gave me immediate chemicals to reduce the beat rate, but they did not work, and they felt hideous (like being crushed from the inside - ew).

So, then they started meds to try to reduce it over time. I was taking two heart slowers and one blood thinner. The blood thinner is because when the heart is going bonkers, it doesn't always empty the lower chamber completely each beat, so older blood can clot - which leads to strokes, which we don't want. Nope. It took three days to bring it down to a level that was acceptable to release me: 110. It was not ideal, but they had had to keep me in the ER the whole time because it was the only place with a heart monitor system, so I am sure they only let me go because they needed the bed and *not* because I am a really whiny patient.

So then I went home with my *very* *EXPENSIVE* (oh boy howdy) meds and waited for my appointment to have my heart zapped (https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cardioversion/about/pac-20385123). I was happy to hear that the procedure involved no cutting or shoving hoses down veins, but was slightly apprehensive because it would involve the insertion of another IV needle (argh - let me repeat that: AARRGGHH).

My appointment was today and it worked! Woo!

I was right to be apprehensive about the IV needle. Since I wasn't permitted to drink since last night midnight and my procedure was at 11:00 am, my veins were skinny and flobby. It took three nurses and six tries, but they were ultimately triumphant, so yay. (ARGH).

Of course, I am not magically immediately better to the standards of 12 year old me health (I had a rampant dust allergy being treated with injections then, so that's okay), but I am better - and most importantly: the procedure is in the past. :)

Apparently it can be needed to repeat this procedure - and I would do it again without reservation because the actual zap was under sedation and left no sensations.

So, I continue to take meds, and I will be reviewed in a month or two, but I think I can expect improvement. :)

[1] - Our little town in on Highway 1 - The TransCanada - as are many little towns.
[2] - "steady" is a misnomer, since I was having atrial flutter - which sounds like a sparkly butterfly in the land of the unicorns, but is not.

Comments

[ranunculus]

That is really scary.

[agoodwinsmith]

Thank you.

Yes, no, and yes. Being ill and subject to other people's control - scary. This particular procedure - not scary.[1] Aging with bits falling off periodically at an accelerating pace - scary.

Also - big big relief because I didn't really expect the procedure to work and it not only worked, but worked in one try, so that's very comforting.

[1] - some of my uncles had open heart surgery, and other relatives had shunts and whatnot inserted - *those* are scary procedures.

[cunobaros]

That sounds scary, and I'm glad you were wise enough to get help, and that the help worked successfully. Do take care and keep a finger on the pulse, as it were, and get back to ER should the bpm reach or go beyond rave levels.

[agoodwinsmith]

Thank you. Except for the stabby prep, it seemed to work like Star Trek. :)