I am home now after going into hospital early Monday morning with my long standing A Fib. My heart rate was 174 BPM. The Ablation that I had in 2010 was good for seven years with out meds other than a blood thinner. I am feeling fine and am on a low dose of Amiadrone daily plus a blood thinner.I may require another Ablation or Pacemaker some time down the road if reoccurance. Though Afib is irritating, no one dies from it. There is a risk of a stroke when in A Fib if not taking a blood thinner.
My ex had/has A Fib and so do many people I've talked to. Good thing that if caught, a procedure can be done. Were you in St Agnes? That's where I volunteered a few years ago. It's probably the best hospital in Fresno. I was in the surgery waiting room...I would have seen you on the computer and talked with your family members if any were there.
YIPES ! That is a high pulse rate, @Lon Tanner , and it sounds like it is a good thing that you are going in to see your doctor. It sounds like you spent almost the whole week in the hospital, and I know that had to not be any fun at all. Did they do a cardioversion to get you back out of a-fib ? I think that a-fib is much more than irritating, at least mine was before the operation. It caused heart failure over the years, and I was in a constant state of exhaustion, and could barely walk back and forth in the house, let alone do anything outside. I think it must depend on how severe the a-fib is; but a heart rate of 174 does not scoundrel good to me at all. Probably, if they do another ablation, then you won't need to stay on any of the meds besides the blood thinners, either. Amioderone is good to keep the heart in rhythm, but it is bad for the liver and kidneys, so I will be glad when i can be back off of it. Let us know what your doctor decides to do, Lon !