Tachycardia and A-fib

Ugh. My heartbeat is all messed up again. At around noon today, I took a short nap. Since then, my heart rate has gone crazy. Initially I was just looking at my Fitbit and it was showing a heart rate of ~110. I didn’t feel weak or anything like the episode before the heart bypass surgery. I also pulled out the blood pressure monitor and my Kardia EKG. Both gave me a heart rate of 110 to 120. The EKG said I had tachycardia but otherwise normal heart rhythm. I then tried to take a nap around 6:00 pm to see if my heart rate will slow down. As I was lying down, I can hear my fistula whooshing. The rhythm was super weird so I got out the EKG again. I measured several times and it either said possible a-fib or unknown. The rhythm is very irregular. I would hear three or four fast beats, then my heart would skip a beat and continue. Something it slowed down to 70 bpm, other times it sped up to 120+.

Last time this happened, my heart rate was up at 150 bpm. I couldn’t even stand up and ended up sitting/lying down on the carpet in front of my dialysis cycler. This time, I feel okay other then then weird heartbeat. I just walked upstairs from the dining room and feel fine. I’m not sure what to do at this point. I guess I can ask the nurses at dialysis tomorrow.

I have to see a cardiologist at UCLA Wednesday morning. I’m pretty sure if this continues, I’m not going to be able to clear the hold on my transplant. Each time there’s a milestone for my transplant process, something always comes up to block or delay the schedule. Sigh…

==========

I was taking amiodarone for three weeks after heart surgery. While I was in the hospital, they had to give me amiodarone through an IV because my heart beat sped up again. I stopped taking the medication about three weeks after discharge but it has a very long half-life. Maybe the after-effects of the drug was keeping my heart in check, and the drug has finally worn off. Amiodarone is very toxic and has tons of side effects. I hope I don’t have to go back on the medication again.