[Ski]

#1075625

Hi there,

Welcome! Actually, a month on the meds isn’t as long as you think ~ it can take up to six weeks for all of the excess thyroid hormone to be processed out of your bloodstream, so you’re still in the VERY early stages of your treatment. I had pretty bad a-fib too, and it was controlled well by the beta blockers, and went away entirely not long after my levels came down significantly. Remember, for whatever period of time you have been hyperthyroid, your body has literally been under attack, every single cell. Once your levels are normal, your body can BEGIN to heal. Think of it as a hurricane. The wind has died down, there’s no more rain or storm surge, but things are definitely not "normal." Much work must be done before you can truly use that word.

I hope that helps!

[lpstaples]

#1075626

Ski, Thanks! That makes sense to me. My numbers are going down well so hopefully it will go away soone. I think my doctors are good but they are not always very forthcoming on everything. So it is really nice to talk to people who have actually experienced what you are going through. You don’t feel so alone. ” title=”Sad” /> Do you know how long you were a-fib? Also, do you know if it can come back?

[lpstaples]

#1020010

Hi all,
I am new to the boards and I am happy to find a place of support. I was wondering if anyone here has had a problem with atrial Fibrillation? For those not familiar, it is the fluttering of the upper two chambers of the heart and can happen to patients with Graves. From what I have researched, it is only common is older Graves patients…I am only 43. I was diagnosed with Graves about a month ago. Several weeks after the diagnosis I had an extremely high heart beat. It was 170 bpm while laying down! I went my general doctor the next day ( my endo was out of the country) and they sent me to the hospital right away where I was told I had A-Fib. I am on beta blockers morning and night along with a full aspirin and 60mg of tapazole per day. I was told by both my endo and a cariologist that the A-Fib would go away once I got my thyroid under control, however I have been on thyroid meds for over a month now and still have the A-Fib. My thyroid numbers are going down very good though. I am just concerned because a-fib can cause blood clots which can in turn cause a stroke or heart attack. At this point, I feel I can handle the Graves but am very concerned about the heart thing. Thanks to anyone who can help. I look forward to being a member! Linda

[Ski]

#1075627

Since it comes from being hyperthyroid, the only way it will come back is if you’re hyperthyroid (well, that’s the only way it will come back that is associated with Graves’). ” title=”Very Happy” />

I don’t remember how long it lasted for me, seemed like forever, definitely wasn’t. ” title=”Wink” /> The beta blockers were very effective at handling it for me. Remember that you cannot go "cold turkey" from beta blockers, because then you can experience a "surge" in the symptoms it was controlling.

[ZZZZESTY]

#1075628

Linda, I too had heart problems when diagnosed with Grave’s at 38. Because I have had heart problems for the last 20 years, I did not put it together with my other "symptoms" before my Grave’s diagnosis. I had a cardiac ablasion years ago that corrected the original problem. With the beta blocker, my heart is good again with Grave’s. Ski is right, this disease has caused a lot of damage over time and it will take time to fix it. Hang in there!!! Tracy

[lpstaples]

#1075629

Thank you both. It is reassuring to hear that this problem may take longer to go away than I expected. I guess I am being impatient and wanted things to get better quick. Life has a way of reminding us that sometimes we have to play the hand we are dealt…whether we like it or not. Thanks again. ” title=”Wink” />

[Lady]

#1075630

LPStaples, sounds like you’re developing the right attitude.

As a fellow atrial-fibber, I want to remind you: Worry only to the degree it encourages you to pay attention and make good choices for your health day to day, but worry not ONE JOT more. I discovered that it’s the "stressing" that’s a bad choice, easy to slip into – I mean, to the degree deep-seated anxiety is a "choice" when we have hyper-inducing Graves. I worried silly, and really needlessly, about atfib after my first bout, ridiculously believing it would help me gain some control over my situation, which of course it didn’t, not in the slightest. Now I tend to think all that senseless worry probably exacerbated the problem. Bottom line: When I had atfib, I’d immediately get help and the medical folks would immediately fix me.

I offer this as encouragement: After many cycles of the moon and big meds, my heart has finally settled down. Prior to that, my moment-to-moment worry about atfib delivered me straight into some existential absurdity, a "whatever" attitude – as if my ponderous dread was finally brought down by its own weight. I’m in my late 50’s, and my total T3 level stuck in the upper-20s range (normal range being 0.57 – 1.76) for a number of months. Alls to say: If meds eventually, albeit slowly, put an older hypercalifragilistic girl like me on safe ground, then I think there’s good reason you can rest very easy and totally confident that they will for you too, and probably a lot faster.

Whoever coined the phrase "patience is a virtue" was probably right, but I’ll wager that author didn’t have Graves. ” title=”Wink” />

[lpstaples]

#1075631

Lady,
Thanks. I just now read your last post. I need to figure out how to get an email when there is a new post. Haven’t figured that out yet.

Anyway, your story is helpful. I feel somewhat alone in this whole a-fib world. From what I’ve read, only a small percentage of Graves patients have A-fib. I hear you about not worrying. It was hard to do in the beginning. I thought about trying meditation. I’ve never been one for that kind of thing but I’ve heard it works well.

How was your a-fib fixed? Do you have it now? Does it come and go? I’m currently on coumadin as they are preparing me for electrical cardioversion. Have you ever had that? I’ve done so much reading about this online…sometimes it helps but sometimes I wonder if it makes me worry more. Not every is the same I know. Between the tapizole, beta blockers and now coumadin…I feel like I’m on way too many meds but I know it is only temporary.

[Lady]

#1075632

Hi, LP,

At the risk of tempting fate I’m willing to say that my a-fib seems to be completely under control now. I’m almost shiny and new. The meds did it. The docs just kept upping dosage of my heart medicines and tapazole, worrying aloud each time they did. Both my cardio and endo were nervous about prescribing the doses my thyroid and heart seemed to need, so it took many many months for them to get it right. I think it took them time to reconcile the risk. But the dosages seem to be exactly right for me. Apparently not for others.

I haven’t been to the hospital for many weeks now. I realize you worry about taking too much medicine, but as you say, it’s really temporary. I ASSURE you they will make you feel a lot better. I feel 300% better now that my T3s are down to 17. I can’t imagine how cool I’ll feel once I hit 10, then 6, then 4, etc. Must be incredible!

About reading too much: Yeah, I know whatcha mean. I read a lot online about a-fib when I had to learn-up; asked questions and for opinions when I was puzzling through my decision about RAI vs. surgery, but once I settled on a decision, I didn’t read anymore. I’ve mostly tried to take all this in stride. I’m back to my hands-off head-in-sand approach now that I’m out of the atrial-fib woods. Works for me. Aside from severe insomnia and a-fib the past year, I’ve really had no complaints, as everything abnormal just became normal to me over time. The docs speculate I’ve had this for years, but, then, well, I never went to docs. I had years to adjust to all of this which can be an advantage.

I never looked into meditation; the idea of holding still long enough to meditate seemed like a physically impossible feat. Sounds like a good idea though, if you can manage it. I miss the hell out of my exercise, but all the good, fun things in time.

Take yer meds without any worry. Smile knowing that you’ll feel good again soon, real good, and that ya just won’t have reason to worry anymore.

Lady

[Madame_X]

#1075633

My only symptom pretty much was a rapid heartbeat — it started out as 100 and then hit 170.

They did an echocardiogram; everything was normal. (this was before the Graves dx)

[clariandix]

#1075634

I think Atrial Fibrillation and Graves could be a good thing on heart problem either….

_________________
Bariatric Surgery

[hyperm]

#1075635

Hey ,

AF is horrible however more common than you would think. Nearly all my patients when I worked on the endo/diabetic ward had it in their past medical history…It is horrible I have had it myself… Not much help to you I am afraid ” title=”Sad” />

As ski said a month on meds is nothing, however the beta blockers should start to kick in sooner.
Lots of rest in the meantime.

m xxxx

[Author]

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