Atrial Fibrillation

[giddyupgrandma 0]

I am wondering if anyone else out there in Lapband Land has atrial fibrillation. I do and it has been so much worse since my surgery on October 7th, 2008. I used to have only one episode every month or so and now it is almost every day. I take medication to control my heart rate and coumadin to prevent blood clots. I recovered rapidly from my surgery and have lost 30 lbs. I should be feeling great, but the A-Fib is making me crazy. I see a specialist on Monday (my cardiologist just doesn't seem to know what else to do.) I am 57 years old.

[babydear 0]

Hi Giddy - I am being banded on 11/21. Congrats on your wonderful weight loss.

I also have A-fib. It is not a fun thing that we have to live with. I was having almost daily episodes but now with my medication I have actually gone 2 days without one. At one point my cardiologist said that I probably would be a candidate for a pacemaker down the road. I am hoping that losing weight will help mine somewhat. Keep up the good work and know that you are not alone.

[Tess415 1]

I am wondering if anyone else out there in Lapband Land has atrial fibrillation. I do and it has been so much worse since my surgery on October 7th, 2008. I used to have only one episode every month or so and now it is almost every day. I take medication to control my heart rate and coumadin to prevent blood clots. I recovered rapidly from my surgery and have lost 30 lbs. I should be feeling great, but the A-Fib is making me crazy. I see a specialist on Monday (my cardiologist just doesn't seem to know what else to do.) I am 57 years old.

Are you back on all of your medication... besides coumadin were you taking a beta blocker or a Calcium channel blocker? I do not have afib but I had to take the shorter acting betablocker crushed for a few weeks and could tell the difference. Is your appointment with a EP specialist ( Specialized in the wiring of the heart?)

[ebonie1015 0]

I was diagnosed 5 years ago with Benign PVCs and have been taking Toprol XL for it since then. The palpatations had not been as frequent since I went on the medication but about the time I found out I was having surgery, they increased a little. Probably about two or three days out of the month.

My surgery was on October 27th. Well, the past couple of days they have been pretty non-stop. I am taking my medication and have an appointment with my physician on Tuesday. I was wondering if they had increased because of the changes from the surgery, maybe lack of some nutrients. Lying down is the worst. I am wondering if my meds need to be changed. I guess I will find out once I see the doc.

They are certainly no picnic. Sometimes I think my heart is just going to pop right out of my chest and land in front of me!!:smile:

[Tess415 1]

I know those palpitations can be very annoying... I am glad to hear that both of you have doctor appt's to have it check out!!!!

Hang in there.

[ebonie1015 0]

Well, I couldn't wait until Tuesday and got in to see my doc this morning.

He did another EKG and it did show my PVC's. He said that the cause is from the metabolic changes that are going on since the surgery. Because of some of the inbalances that are being cause by the change in diet. Also, because we are in fat burning mode, we are producing more acid in the bloodstream and this will cause the PVC's as well. It was a very informative appointment. He says that they should subside and to keep taking my Toprol. Also, drinking lots of Water can help flush the acids from the body. I was thinking that the changes in my diet and metabolism were the cause of the PVC's but hearing it from my physician's mouth made me feel much better and at ease.

Of course, while I was there, I only had one PVC that I felt and as soon as I got home, they kicked up again. Isn't that always the case?:thumbup:

Giddy- Let me know how your appointment goes.:eek:

[giddyupgrandma 0]

Wow. I thought I was alone. I saw the electrophysiologist (probably spelled wrong) on Monday. He added Rythmol SR (225mg AM and PM) and reduced my dosage of Cartia XT and Toprol XL to once a day (120mg Cartia and 25mg of Toprol). After my surgery my cardiologist had upped my dose of Toprol XL to 50 mg AM and PM and Cartia XT 120mg AM and PM. I was having some episodes of very low blood pressure, but continued to have frequent (daily) episodes of A-Fib. I also take Diovan HCT (160/12.5) in the morning. I started the Rythmol yesterday morning and still had A-Fib last night. I guess it takes a while to work and can have some serious side effects. I seem to tolerate most medications pretty well, so hopefully I will be okay with the Rythmol SR. I also take Warfarin to help prevent me from having a stroke from the A-Fib. The good news is that since my surgery, I have already reduced my diabetes medication from three per day to about three per week. I expect that soon I will not need them at all. I do think the large dose of Toprol XL that I have been on since my surgery has made me feel a little "spacey".

[HeatherO 7]

Giddyupgrandma, It is great that you got in to see your doctor. It doesn't seem like changes in diet and metabolism could affect how meds are affecting you.

It might even be nice to get seen a little more often while you are going through the most active stages of weight loss.

Hopefully as you are closer to goal, you will find numerous positive, healthy side affects that will help you to feel better every day with a stronger body.

[cproctor501 0]

I had a bout with A-Fib after my surgery, I had to be opened up all the way due to adhesions from a previous surgery, my heart rate jumped to 200 bpm on the day after my surgery when I started tapering off the morphine pump. They kept me a week and then let me go home on kumadin 6mgx1 day. I havent had a episode since then and I am glad, I am sorry for you guys that have to live everyday with that because its no fun for sure. I actually thought I had thrown a clot and was going to die from a pulmonary embolism , man it was a scary half day. I have a nuclear stress test scheduled in Jan and if thats ok then I am off the kumadin. Hope you qall get straightend out.

[JanetMcKinney 0]

I had lapband surgery 22 months ago, and I lost 40kg. I would still ike to lose another 20kg more. But about 15 months after the surgey, I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation. This has been a proper nuisance, and came on in the first place if I volited after eating. In the end I had 1ml taken out of the band, and so I have now returned to the the Hungry all the Time situation - and y es, put some weight back on.

With monitoring, and reading, I have discovered that my AF is related to the Vagas Nerve. Today I was talking with a nurse who works with band patients - and she said that the band acutally encloses the Vagas Nerve - which travels from the stomach to the heart. Apparently, some research is showing that it is pressure on the Vagas Nerve that is why we don't feel hungry when we have the band at the right level of restriction.

Now I feel in a bind - add some fill so I can be at the sated point again, and lose some more weight - or keep the pressure off so I don't go into AF.

I am seeing an EP specialist in 10 days - and no doubt he will have something to say abou tit.

It is not good for your heart to remain constantly in AF - and nor is it good for your heart to remain in Morbid obesity...

Janet McKinney

[ziggledog 0]

I know this is an old thread, but I just stumbled across something that might be of interest to Lap-Banders with a-fib.

I am 46 and have had paroxysmal (episodic) a-fib since age 17, typically an episode every 2 or 3 years converting back to sinus rhythm on its own (after 12 or so hours) or through cardioversion (if longer).

I was banded on 4/26/20 @ 237, weighing in today at 207. Very satisfied with the Band. Last night, just as I flopped into bed, I popped into a-fib. Went to see cardio-electrophysiologist this morning, was cardioverted several hours later, back into normal rhythm and feeling fine.

My doctor noted my surgery and said that he has seen a disproportionate number of gastric-surgery patients - especially banded patients - with new or increasing a-fib. He was careful to say that this was strictly anecdotal/experiential, but also that he was personally convinced that there is a connection between the procedure and a-fib. He communicated his sense that this was NOT about nutritional deficiency, but rather about the disturbance of the Vegus nerve - - the one responsible for the hiccups and left shoulder pain that many Bandsters experience. Hmmm. Any other a-fibbers out there?

[Bree99 1]

My uncle has had A-fib for years and recently had the mini-maze procedure which has worked well for him. His doctors told him his symptoms would always worsen for a while after any surgery. It is to be expected.

[monkeymama 0]

I dont have Afib but I do have PVCs and notice that when I am in super weigh loss mode I do have an increase- on the other hand when I plateau then they decrease