Continueing On

Just had my first full week of work after starting my new medication, and everything seems to be going well. I was a little tired from not working for about a month, but once I got back into the swing of things it started going better. Still dealing with some chronic chest pain, which isn't due to my heart now that it is beating in sinous rhythm, but more than likely some GI issues. My doctors at the UW have recommeded me to the GI department at UW, so maybe they will figure out what is causing all of this. Just seems to run you down dealing with pain all the time, but keeping focused and working on other things can take my mind off of it so it doesn't seem so irritating. I am confident that I will get back to the level of health that I was at before. Best of luck to all of you out there.

Success!

Just made it home from the hospital and everything went better than planned. I arrived at the hospital on Tuesday March 16th 2010 for a cardio version and the addition of a new med to the one's I already take. Upon arriving an ECG was done and it was determined I was already in a sinus rhythm, so there was no need to conduct the cardio version. The docs started me on sotalol, and anti arrythmic medication to keep my heart from going into atrial flutter. The gave me the lowest does possible of 80mg, but soon discovered that it was lowering my heart rate out of the normal range. It was beating around 40-45 beats per minute at rest. That was a little too slow for the docs, so they cut my sotalol dose in half to 40mg two times a day and also removed one of the doses of my diltiazem, which has an effect on sotalol and can also lower the heart rate in conjuction with it. Everything seems to be going better now, just in recovery mode and getting myself back on track to better days. Times can get tough when dealing with a medical condition, but don't ever give up. No matter how hard times get, there is always hope.

Countdown to the cardio version cont...II

Just made it back from the ACC and my protime was 3.4. A little high, but better to be on the high side than on the low side. If it's too low then no cardio version for me. One more week to go until that can be done. Just need to keep my coumadin level in the theraputic range and we will be good to go. I don't want to have to start all over again. It is no fun walking around in flutter all the time. Keep on a truckin.

Countdown to the cardio version cont...

I am on my second week now, just went and had my protime (INR) checked and was at 3.0. It is in the theraputic range that the doctors want it in, so things are still a go for March 17th. Looks like I will have to have some green beer on some other day since I will be busy on St. Patty's day.

Countdown to the cardio version

Well, I am one week in to my three week waiting period for my next cardio version. Docs were unable to do the echo so we have to go about it this way. I have to wait the three weeks to make sure that my protime (coagulation time) is theraputic since they will just be doing the cardio version and not the echo this next time. Two more weeks to go and then I check in on March 16th and will more than likely be released the following day baring any complications. If there is one thing that I do know it is that my hospital visits are hardly ever anything but routine.