Does anyone have an irregular heart beat? If so, what was done to stop the disorder?

Answer 1

My heart always beat in irregular beats. I was diagnosed with heart disease. My heart beat irregularly, at times would skip beats, beat too fast or beat to slow. I talked to a doctor and had a internal cardioverter defibrillator implanted in my chest which sends small shocks to my heart to slow down a fast heartbeat, return a slow heartbeat to normal and/or keep my heart beating as normal as possible.

Answer 2

It depends on the actual dysrhythmia you have. Most people usually mean atrial fibrillation when they talk about an irregular rhythm, but there are others.
Atrial fibrillation is classically described as irregularly irregular (ie totally chaotic) and has various causes. Ultimately, UK Resuscitation Council Guidelines (determined by the European Resuscitation Council) classify atrial fibrillation according to the degree of risk it represents to the patient. In brief, this largely depends on your overall health, the duration of the arrhythmia and the rate (fast AF vs "Rate-controlled" AF).
Atrial fibrillation of less than 24 hours duration is usually cardioverted with a DC cardioversion (the success of which ultimately depends on the underlying cause). If it is more than 24 hours duration (which I guess yours likely is given your question) then it is more common to anticoagulate someone first for about 2 weeks and arrange for a delayed cardioversion if the underlying cause is likely to be reversible.
There are more elaborate procedures too, involving electromyocardial mapping and ablation of aberrent conduction pathways which may be done percutaneously or even intraoperatively if undergoing open heart surgery (eg for a valve repair or replacement). However, the therapies vary in appropriateness depending on the cause and you really need formal medical assessment to ascertain that.
For those in whom it is likely to be irreversible the priorities are adequate rate control (options include digoxin, amiodarone, betablockers or calcium channel antagonists) and longterm anticoagulation (usually with warfarin).
Hope that gives you some ideas to chat with your physician about.

Answer 3

Lots of variables here, especially your age. It's one thing to have an irregular heartbeat at age 20 and totally something else if you're 70. Some 70+ year olds have chronic irregular heartbeats but thats abnormal in younger people. Regardless of my age I'd see my physician. The cure may be as simple as stopping smoking if you smoke or you could need as much as medication and cardioversion.

Answer 4

My dad had an irregularity in his heartbeat and they ended up defibrillating him. It shocked his heart into a normal pattern. This usually only happens in more severe cases, but the blood thinners and other things they tried hadn't worked.

Answer 5

I have a Pacemaker. When they were suspicious...they sent me home with a 'box' ('bout the size of a small cassette player.) wired up to 'lead-points' all over my chest. I had to sleep with this on. Next day; I 'played' it for them over the phone, to a 'Cardiac-Recorder' thingy. Half an hour later, my Cardiologist called to say the Ambulance was on it's way to take me to the Hospital for the Pacemaker implantation. It has been replaced once, (batteries) & will soon be replaced again. This began abouit 13 years ago. It's all sort of 'Magical' to me. When they need to replace it due to battery going out....you end up with a brand new, state-of-the-art one. What a Country!

Answer 6

I am taking all sorts of medications to control this, all so watching my diet, salt intake, and no caffeine etc. You should be under strict doctors care.. if it is serious, some people have it since birth and have know problems with it, others developer more problems with it.. You really didn't give that much information. Basically if you have its there for life if won't go way.

Answer 7

Limit your caffeine intake and also don't smoke. try a low sodium diet.