The clinic appointment is to discuss IF the procedure(s) are critical and worth the risk. I get that. As one doctor (an Electrophysiologist with Atrial Fibrillation) mentions (in his online blog), "It is not for the faint of heart." ;p I kind of like his sense of humor. But he is being serious, after all.
Am I afraid? Not really. But I respect the seriousness of the situation and the procedure(s) involved. The study itself involves a lot of risk, one of which is the possibility of perforating the heart of an anti-coagulated patient. Hey, they make you WELL aware of this risk and make you sign forms when these procedures are done because the risks are serious, even when you're in the hands of a highly skilled professional.
"Just don't think about that stuff!" some may say. Seriously??? But only a fool would shove it all away and pretend the risk isn't there, tip-toe through the tulips and walk into the situation like their IQ just slipped below 70. Seriously.
This is the time to put on your big girl panties and be a grown up. We're not going to the doctor to get a shot and a lollipop. This is "The big guns" (to quote the EP doc).
Again, I'm not afraid of doctors or hospitals and feel mighty blessed to have the opportunity to take care of the thing that has been (possibly) ruining my life for so long. I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth, and I will walk into this procedure (if it comes to pass) as I did my last heart cath. I knew the risks then, too, though they weren't near as great. So anyone who is perplexed as to why I'm not afraid, well, I guess they just don't know me that well, and they sure haven't been in this body for the last several years. Or they would be as eager as I am to have the chance to feel normal and energetic again!... no matter what the risk. Because living every day as if you have no energy, massive crashes that leave you feeling 100 years old.. is not living.
I'm ready for answers. And I'm ready for a solution. Risk be-damned.
So June 30th is my clinic appointment to see the Electrophysiologist. We will go over my records, symptoms, then discuss the risks of the study and possibility of procedures and options. I suppose that if I had any fear at all it would be that he would decide NOT to do the procedure (ablation, vein block, etc). I need relief from these symptoms. I really, really do. However, he's the guy who deals with matters of rhythm, whereas my cardiologist 'can deal with those issues... he is actually a cardio 'plumber'... whereas the EP guy is more of an electrician. Give that, Dr. O. can possibly make medication changes that will help. But I must say, I'm NOT at all keen on taking drugs that mess with heart rhythm as they have a huge risk of causing dangerous arrhythmias of other kinds. *sigh*
I simply don't know how this visit will play out. But I do really hope he does the study to see what exactly is going on. If we can get that far, at least we will know what to do. An ablation may get me off the beta blockers, which would help a great deal.
Speculation. Speculation. Speculation.
Wish they had an earlier appointment so I could get this over with. As it is, the AF makes my BP plummet, so that makes the fatigue, breathlessness, dizziness, chest pain, etc. come on board quickly. And it seems to get worse each week. I just hope they hurry.
Would be great to feel better... because the below... sucks when it happens, and it happens more often than not. But... just 10 more days...
P.S. The little white graphic at the top above the systolic pressure, the one with the heart.. that's an indicator of irregular heart rhythm. Anyone considering getting a BP monitor, I suggest this brand and this model. It's ratings are high, and the irregular heart rhythm indicator is great for anyone who is monitoring such things, or to catch a "possible" issue. It's not a diagnostic tool by far, but if it comes up a lot you can bring it up to your doctor and they can look into things further.... just in case.
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