there'll be some changes made..

I don't think I have posted lately on my use of amiodarone. This is a toxic substance that helps regulate heart rhythm. When, post ablations, I began to get episodes of rapid heart rate again--which involved repeated ER visits--my shock doc put me on this substance. In my case it has lived up to its purpose. I have had no fast heart rates since--not a detectable flutter.  And I have been only using it once a day when the standard dosage is 200 mg twice per day.

But, I say toxic because it has some serious side effects including making problems for eyes, lungs, liver, etc. The docs take the side effects seriously. So, I have been undergoing some tests of late. I had a metabolic panel done yesterday the results of which imply no problemo for the chemistry which would measure liver, thyroid function, etc. I also did some spirometry--breathing into a tube to check pulmonary function.  Eye tests are forthcoming.

The bug bear at this point is the spirometry results. They are on my health pages but as yet I cannot access them. I do know that they are significantly below average. The shock doc wants me to dc the amiodarone which I have done.

The whole life of the amiodarone in my system is supposed to be about 3 weeks. We'll see then how I do without it.

Of course, this will be concurrent with the move into our new home.  Sounds stressful, eh?

Really good timing for a dicky ticker..

more observations on water retention

What a thrilling title! 

The pendulum is swinging back up again: 

Date         Weight (lbs)        Torsemide          BP
                                               (Loss)

29 Jan        221.7                   Yes                     131/83
30 Jan        216.1                   (-5.6)                  122/76
31 Jan        217.1                                              126/77
01 Feb        219.6                                              126/79
02 Feb        220.1                                              132/81
03 Feb        221.1                                              126/77
04 Feb        223.4                  Yes                      126/76

So, the torsemide on 29 Jan produced an overnight weight loss of 5.6 lbs. That weight has been regained in a week, hence the torsemide today. 

This week blood pressure has been outstanding, both systolic and diastolic pressures near normal ie 120/80. This is only worth commenting on because it seems to me that my bp has been higher than this, eg as much as 140/90 during times of greater weight. Is it because of the extra water I have been carrying?

The foregoing paints a common, perhaps representative, picture of my water retention.

In re validity of the weights: We purchased a Weight Watchers digital scale a number of years ago. I weigh each morning--buck nekkid--before doing anything else. This scale correlates well with a similar WW scale in the townhouse. When I take a weight, if I wait a minute and step back on the scale the reading is the same. The device seems reliable. Validity is another story. I'll settle for reliability.