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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 13, 2010 - 02:31pm PT
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Anyone here get Atrial. Fib. on occasion while climbing?
I've been dealing with it off and on for about 14 years, but is definitely
starting to become annoying. Iv'e been getting it with increased frequency in the past year. Aside from seeing your doctor; test etc.;
any suggestions on what works for you? This runs in my family. Most are on coumadin, and I would really like to avoid that stuff. None of them are athletic or work with their hands.
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
Full Silos of Iowa
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Dec 13, 2010 - 02:34pm PT
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What's your opinion on avoiding coumadin? What's your doctor say?
How old are you?
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maui_mark
climber
under a coconut tree
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Dec 13, 2010 - 02:34pm PT
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Dehydration is a huge cause to A-fib. Especially with the young and active. There is a familial component to the problem. Also be aware of F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech and TIme) All important things to remember with a stroke which is a very common SE from A-fib.
Anyone who is active and climbs.... Coumadin is a death sentence.
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
Full Silos of Iowa
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Dec 13, 2010 - 02:37pm PT
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Anyone who is active and climbs.... Coumadin is a death sentence.
What the hell does that mean?
.....
We sure do live in a bullshit world. Don't we.
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Robbie
Trad climber
Cheyenne, WY
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Dec 13, 2010 - 02:38pm PT
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What would you rather have happen: have your hands bleed a little bit more when climbing (but still climbing, mind you), or have a stroke / AMI, and probably not be able to climb again?
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maui_mark
climber
under a coconut tree
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Dec 13, 2010 - 02:38pm PT
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You know what coumadin does?
If you honestly think only your hands are going to bleed you need education.
ALL coumadin teaching material and literature informs you to prevent hitting/bumping objects with any part of your body. If you get hit in the head you need to seek immediate medical attention. You should not use razors to shave anymore. It's not just your hands that will bleed.... it's EVERYTHING!!
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
Full Silos of Iowa
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Dec 13, 2010 - 02:39pm PT
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I got a better question:
How old are you?
And what's your education level?
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Robbie
Trad climber
Cheyenne, WY
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Dec 13, 2010 - 02:43pm PT
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It inhibits hepatic synthesis of vit k dependent clotting actors: II, VII,
IX, X
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
Swimming in LEB tears.
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Dec 13, 2010 - 02:48pm PT
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I'm curious what you mean by "getting A-Fib while climbing." Do you feel heart palpitations or something? Or do you just notice that your heartrate is irregular when you feel your pulse?
If you have been diagnosed with A-Fib and you aren't on something like coumadin you are running a pretty significant risk of stroke and pulmonary embolism. I can certainly sympathize with the trade off, but it's a matter worth a lot of consideration.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Dec 13, 2010 - 02:52pm PT
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Maui, not to say that coumadin doesn't have plenty of downside, but my mother is 80 yrs old and was in a serious car wreck.
This included flipping endo at 60+ mph. Bruising yes. More bleeding than otherwise yes. But death sentence, no. She has lived on that stuff for many years and had many cuts, bumps and bruises.
No death sentence.
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maui_mark
climber
under a coconut tree
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Dec 13, 2010 - 02:57pm PT
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Survival..... For an active climber yeah. For my mom who is swimming, traveling and retired then shoots. That's ok.
But someone who is very active and climbs every time you go out it's a serious adventure.
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
Swimming in LEB tears.
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Dec 13, 2010 - 02:57pm PT
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Your mom was incredibly lucky. A healthy 80 year old can fall and hit her head on a sofa and get a slow cerebral bleed that can result in hospitalization 2 weeks later. An anticoagulated 80 year in a rollover car accident who doesn't get a head bleed is a minor miracle.
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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2010 - 03:04pm PT
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I just want to clarify that I rarely ever got it 10-12 years ago. Now, I've been getting episodes as long as 10-24 hours, then I may go a few days or weeks, and get it again.
What I was really asking is- aside from going on coumadin and JUST accepting the Afib. --has anyone here been successful in treating the condition?
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Tan Slacks
climber
Joshua Tree
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Dec 13, 2010 - 03:22pm PT
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Steve,
There are some important factors in your question. Your age and how you were diagnosed would help. Most people do not "feel" afib which is why how you were diagnosed would help. Once you have been diagnosed with afib, if it cant be corrected with Beta blockers or if your are not a candidate for ablation treatment then coumadin is often the best course. The risk of throwing a clot can be great depending on your other vitals.
I would think Coumadin would be a very difficult drug to take and continue climbing. I would be interested to hear if there are climbers on this forum that use the drug.
All this comes with the disclaimer... IMHO
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John Moosie
climber
Beautiful California
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Dec 13, 2010 - 03:41pm PT
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I think gene takes blood thinners and still climbs. I was warned emphatically not to climb, but now I wonder. I was also told not to wear heavy packs or snow ski, or even jog. There seems to be a wide variation in opinions on what one can do on blood thinners, but maybe there are extenuating circumstances which make each persons case different. I would love to know if there are.
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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2010 - 03:59pm PT
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Tan Slacks
I'm 64 and I have been diagnosed with Afib with an EKG. I never have the rapid-weak pulse type. Mine just bumps all over the place--skips beats etc.
I would think anyone who is in Afib. would know it immediately if they are doing anything except sleeping. I get winded easily, lightheaded etc. If you have never had it--believe me- you can feel your heart when it is out of sequence.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Dec 13, 2010 - 04:14pm PT
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See a good cardiologist, if you haven't already.
One option is coumadin, possibly plus statins.
Another may be ablation.
Several friends and relatives, mostly active 50 - 60 year olds, have experienced this.
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BurnRockBurn
climber
South of Black Rock City (CC,NV)
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Dec 13, 2010 - 04:21pm PT
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If your heart rate is getting faster and your feeling more short of breath while climbing you may be going into SVT supraventricular tachycardia and popping into afib. You also could just be going into Afib with a rapid ventricular response. Either way it sucks. If it is SVT you can bear down like your taking a sh#t and it may convert it and slow it down. This has happened to me three times while climbing rock and ice. Afib is scary if not treated.....seen way to many people come into the ER that have thrown a clot to their brain and have had nasty strokes.
Good luck
Shawn
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John Moosie
climber
Beautiful California
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Dec 13, 2010 - 04:22pm PT
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Thanks for that link HFCS.. I think I should have looked further when I went on blood thinners.
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