Well, this is rather interesting.

When last I wrote I had heard that I had atrial fibrillation. So they added some meds and took some away, and I had my first blood test.

Well, last Thursday I went for a follow-up appointment to see how all was going. Now from the Tuesday I had not been feeling at all well. My heart was doing that fluttering thing and even though I couldn't feel it all the time, it was, apparently doing it most of the time.

I was thinking I wished I had the appointment on one of those days so the cardiologist could see it and tell me what was specifically going on. Lucky (?) for me I awoke Thursday morning feeling pretty crummy still.

I arrived early at the doctor's office as parking is a real pain around there so if I can get there early I may get a spot and don't mind sitting in the car and waiting. When I got in the office, someone came out almost right away with a gown and I'm thinking that maybe I have another test coming.Turns out it was another EKG. The person performing it can't tell you much but she did say they captured something.

I wait in the room and the doctor comes in and looks at the reading and says that the fibrillation has settled into a flutter instead. The top of my heart was beating at over 200 BPM, and the bottom was at 126.  He said the flutter was a step in the right direction. He wanted me to increase the rhythm medication. I had taken one already and he wanted me to take another as soon as I got home.

I happened to have brought the meds with me in the car so took it as soon as I got outside. Then I headed home as I was going in to work later in the day. I arrived home and had a few hours to kill, so sat and did some stuff on the computer.

Well, don't I start to feel pretty crummy. I can't describe it other than I just felt bad! Dizzy? Exhausted? Faint? Not sure which describes it but I sure didn't feel like me. I called work and asked if they could get someone to cover for me. I was hoping the lady I traded shifts with would stay as she is always asking for more hours. It got down to 20 minutes before my shift and they finally got an answer from her. She couldn't do it. They also had some calls out to some other girls, but hadn't heard back from them. I told them I would come in as I wasn't leaving them short handed, but to keep trying to get someone.

I was to work 2:00 to 6:30. Luckily one young lady, a new hire, said she thought she could be there by 5:30. I was still feeling lousy, but thought I could make it that far. Turns out she was able to get there for 5:00 so I could go home.  I thanked her for coming in and went home.

I actually called the doctor's office to tell them what I felt like and they put the doctor on the phone. He said to give it a little time but if this didn't sort itself out we'd have to do something else. (sounded like a threat to me).

Friday morning I got a call from the pharmacist on duty at our medical centre. She is the one that will be keeping track of my medications and dosages. I went in to see her and explained all that had been going on. She recommended rather than double it, we should add half again as much for four days, then go up to double as the doctor ordered. I also had to increase my warfarin to 2 for one day as a boost, then go back to one. The blood numbers shoudl be between 2 and 3 whatever they measure. Mine was at 1.6, which is why she recommended the boost. It sort of gets you started.
I had the next blood test yesterday (Tuesday). I should get the results today. Then I will either go up or down.

This sounds like a lot of CRAP going on, but it really is nice to finally know what is going on. So many times I have felt really bad and been told there is nothing wrong. I guess it really is true about women not being diagnosed properly. I am SO VERY GLAD that the pharmacist decided to do an EKG that day and that they caught my abnormal pulse. Also I am very glad to not be going to the same cardiologist I had for several years. His office never did send anything to my family doctor. This new doctor had reports sent almost before I left the office.

Hope you don't mind listening to this but I have to keep track of it somehow.