How about: in hospital? Yep. I am languishing on the 4th floor of the Intermountain Health Center's Heart and Lung Institute in SLC. I am undergoing a trial of tikosyn, a medication for serious heart arrythmias. While it does its job, it is potentially dangerous in that it can increase the qt interval which is the time it takes for the heart to repolarize for another beat, Too long an interval and one can get venticular flutter and other bad things like stroke and death.
The tikosyn protocol involves a dose morning and evening for 5 doses, followed by an EKG each time. So, the possibility of an increase in qt interval means one needs to be in hospital if the worst happens. And it means a 2.5 day hospital stay. That stay began Tues afternoon after meeting with the rhythm pros next door to this building. It ends tonight.
Leading up to all of this is that I am speeding. When the high heart rates began they were of a few minutes duration and seemingly controlled by relaxation. And these speeding occurrences were fairly infrequent, like every few weeks. Two things happened: the interval between occurrences decreased and their length increased to where I felt as though I couldn't control them. (Hint on below: I am speeding right now at 153 bpm and have been for some time.) I even ended up a couple times in the ER in Logan.
So, I have had 4 of the five doses of tikosyn and from my perspective it does not seem that tikosyn is working out. I will know in an hour or so. (Aside: a respiratory guy just came in; he thinks I am getting a procedure since he announced that he will be measuring my CO2 output therein!) What I think is going to happen is that I will get a second ablation. I don't know when--could be as early as tomorrow morning.
More when I know more....
No comments:
Post a Comment