Originally Posted by Eureka
And yet I notice this phenomenon whereby someone young in attitude, if not years, suddenly turns "old" after something happens to them - surgery, a fall, etc. It's as if there spirit suffers and they can't recuperate.
Anyone have any idea what I am talking about, and how to combat it when it happens?
I am going through that right now.
After years of eating correctly, getting cardio regularly, no coffee, no alcohol, never smoking, I ended up in the emergency ward and the hospital 1.5 weeks ago with continuous "atrial fibrillation." I mean it never stops, and was beating about 155 bpm.
I am now on a regimen of Cumadin, Beta blockers, digoxin to slow the damn thing down and attempt to prevent strokes..
I told my wife, "I don't know who I am, or what I can do."
Slowly, I am beginning to rediscover my limits and limitations. There is so much I don't know about this condition, and if you read the google searches, they scare you to death, so I stopped reading them.
I NEVER expected something like this. The last time I had my heart checked, the person stated, "You have a very youthful heartbeat."
My rate was right about 59-60.
I have discovered it is not uncommon (10% over 75 have it), and I have met folks who have pretty normal lives.
I will try the cardioversion - to shock it back into normalcy - in about 3-4 weeks, but that works long-term for only about 50% of folks, and the fact that my fibrillation is continuous is not in my favor.
Anyway, it was a real shocker, so to speak. I am not invincible, my carefully laid plans about bicycling into my 80's have been just a bit messed up, but maybe not.
Just getting used to this new damaged electrical system in my heart, and I don't like this AT ALL!
I have had some mild depression, but I have a pretty positive and hopeful outlook, and I have been biking a few times already. That helps a lot. ALso, taking loonngg walks with my wife helps.