Hi, I'm Jeff. I have had a stroke, multiple mini strokes, open heart surgery, serious spinal problems, and sepsis.I wanted to start a thread for Pinsiders who are sick or have family members who are, as a means of support. Please post any medical problems or comments you would like to make. This community is awesome and we should comfort those with cancer or about to have surgery/ other ailments. I'm aiming for a supportive group here to help your fellow pinheads in their time of need.

Hang in there! The most painful thing in my life was herniating three discs in my lower back. Just take it easy and listen to the doctors. Be careful with the anti-inflammatory medicine. That stuff can cause major stomach problems. A good mattress helps a lot too. Take care of yourself.

So I just saw my cardiologist. I've had Atrial Fibrillation for awhile now, had pretty bad symptoms including TIA'S/mini strokes until I started taking the blood thinner Eliquis. Well he either wants me to go for a cardioversion or a catheter ablation to correct the problem. Does anyone have any experience with this?

You know it's embarrassing to say but I don't care. With my back problems, I was prescribed opiates for many years. I ended up with unrelated heart problems and wanted to get off the meds. My doctor didn't recommend it because of my heart but there was a new medicine for people trying to get off opiates called Suboxone. Well I started that and have been on the medicine for a decade. I don't feel a thing from it and I have to take it at least every 48 hours or I have violent withdrawal symptoms. If you have a high opiate tolerance when you start taking the drug, it's like taking an aspirin. I wish I never started It. Every month I have to sit in a waiting room for 2 hours with a bunch of heroin addicts. I don't have many options with my health, so I just keep taking the medicine, it sucks. Since it's a long acting drug and how long I've been on it, the doctor thinks I would be in withdrawal for months. Not something I can physically or mentally handle. The more information that comes out on that drug suggest it should only be used briefly and they've had me on it for 10 years!

It is scary! First couple episodes I thought I was dying right there. That's when I had the first mini stroke. My speech went wrong. Real confused and bad headache and numbness

Too bad he can't give you anything for growing hair.

The worst is that Lipitor. They put me on it at 33 years old. I had horrible muscle issues and blurry vision. I cut my dose and that helps. For some reason they prescribe that drug to everyone and the side effects are horrendous

It's funny years ago people at the pain specialist used to talk about buying dried poppy pods and crushing them and making tea, instead of dealing with pharma. This essentially made straight up drinkable opium that a lot of people were arrested for growing and eBay was reprimanded for selling around 11-12 years ago. Look up poppy pod tea.

Literally this month our first dispensary in Scranton is opening. I'm gonna talk to my doctors.

I feel for you. My cousin is going through it. Best of luck my friend. If you need to vent, talk, or whatever use this thread or pm me personally please. I know it can be difficult to express your feelings to those around you. This thread is for pinheads united. I personally have a hard time talking about this stuff with my wife or close friends. I want a supportive community where you can talk about these things, without judgement, only support!

The best thing you can do and the hardest is to not think too much. Medicine is pretty good now and many with MS live long productive lives. Have confidence that things will work out my friend. Best of fortune to you and your family.

Wow. Did it start with cellulitis? (Lobster red and sore)

Chris, I went for a sleep study too. I have moderately obstructive sleep apnea and have been on the C-pap for a month now. I feel better but still have the A-fib because of my valvular heart disease as well, kind of a A-fib double whammy. The problem I'm having is that my body is naturally jumping from A-fib to sinus rhythm frequently. I was gonna have a cardioversion last month, went to the hospital and was back in sinus rhythm. The doctor thinks I'm having bad symptoms because my body is not getting used to either rhythm. I'll keep you posted.

I went vegetarian after my first open heart surgery but stopped a few months later. I need to try something with my diet again. I gained a bunch of weight after I was put on the anti-seizure drug Lyrica. I put on 50 pounds from that drug, doctor switched me to Topamax and I leveled off.

I'm glad you are OK right now. Take it easy and enjoy your family and some pinball when you can.

Statins are the most over prescribed meds. So many people are on them that shouldn't be

I need to try that kratom stuff. Is there a best online place to buy it?

I'm sorry to hear that. Life is short. My best friends father just passed a month ago at 70 same thing. Neighbors saw him outside shoveling snow and half an hour later he was gone. Just went to a cardiologist too. We just need to appreciate the time we have. My sympathy goes out to you and your friends family.

It's funny. I quit drinking a few years ago. Once I developed bad A-fib symptoms I started drinking a little bit because heart rhythm problems cause anxiety. It's definitely not recommended but it's nerve racking constantly worrying about your heart rate with nothing to take your mind off it.

No. I'm still jumping in and out of A-fib. I had quite a few TIA's or mini strokes until they put me on the blood thinner Eliquis. I'm talking with my doctor now about catheter ablation. I actually started drinking again because of the anxiety. I know I shouldn't, but I need some kind of relief. I never had anxiety until my heart rhythm was compromised. I don't know what else to do, honestly.

My doctors will not give me anxiety medication. I have been on either Oxycontin, Fentanyl, or Suboxone for 20 years. When they see that history, they usually won't add another addictive medication to your list. I think my best bet might be the Kratom, even though I haven't taken Oxycontin or Fentanyl in ten years.

My problem is that my body keeps going back and forth so frequently between A fib and sinus rhythm that I always feel like garbage, apparently now my doctor doesn't think I'm a candidate for cardioversion since I keep reverting. I'm overweight with valvular heart disease and sleep apnea, my heart rate is controlled which is good. I might have to do this ablation thing after all, but my doctor isn't in a rush so I guess that's a good sign.

How did the Afib start, if you don't mind me asking. I had my stroke in the hospital and that is the only reason I don't have any residual effects today. Are you on blood thinners? I was hoping to hear from you on this thread, welcome buddy.

People sometimes dismiss Afib as not that serious, which is absolutely ridiculous. It may be the most common heart arrhythmia, the effects can be devastating as you and I have lived first hand. These new blood thinners DO NOT have any antidote. That's why I'm nervous about taking Eliquis, if I start bleeding there is no way to get me to stop. It's incredibly dangerous. Coumadin is the safer drug but my body would not stabilize on it for some reason, so I switched meds. I have a bio-prosthetic heart valve and not much research has been done on people like me with these meds, so I'm kind of a guinea pig in that respect.

If any of you guys have or are going to take Lyrica I suggest you find an alternative. That stuff packed the pounds on me so quick it was unbelievable. I think it was a total of almost 70 pounds in 9 or 10 months. I was on it for nerve pain due to herniated discs. My doctor said the drug works great but literally everyone he prescribed it to gained weight. I switched to Topamax which actually helps suppress appetite.

There are weird stories about that drug. Grown adults wetting the bed, crazy stuff!

I used to live on naproxen sodium (aleve) until it started adversely affecting my stomach. Now that I take blood thinners, I can't take aspirin, alive, Advil and most cold medicine. I can take Tylenol for back pain but choose not to because it's toxic to the liver and I have never thought Tylenol was particularly effective for pain, fevers yes, but pain, not so much. I think too many of us are too liberal with our pill popping.

I have a problem with exercise. My back problems aside, my Afib is a major problem if my heart rate gets too high. I'm scared to work out if that makes sense to anyone.

The Swedes make a heat cured tobacco product called snus. It's kind of like dip tobacco in pouches and is salty instead of sweet. It also doesn't require any spitting. It helped me quit smoking. If you research it, it's made in a way where the vast majority of carcinogens are removed, unlike American chewing tobacco, which is fermented. Sweden also has the lowest rate of cancer in Europe and many people use this product. I'm not saying it's completely safe just safer than American tobacco.

Don't touch Lyrica. You are better off with Neurontin, I think it's called gabapentin scientifically or Topamax/Topiramate which is what I am on now and seems to work quite well without any glaring side effects.

Apparently it is an herbal pain reliever. A non narcotic but works like one. It's interesting. Give it some research, I'm gonna check it out this week. Anything I can do to get off Suboxone will be greatly appreciated.

I hope so. Don't be a Debbie Downer, I need something to work out in my favor for once.

I wouldn't worry. You would be using it to substitute an opiate in your system anyway. The Kratom will activate certain opiate receptors in the brain, reducing pain and the need to take opiate based pain medication. I've been doing research and it seems much safer than the alternative.

Try this stuff. No spitting required. It's helped me big time.

portion-white-mint-general-3_1 (resized).jpg

Yes. I'm not gonna lie, it took me a long time. I was on the Snus instead of smoking a pack a day and felt better physically almost immediately. I got down to 1 or 2 of those pouches per day eventually then quit. I bought some nicotine gum and only used it a few times over the next several days, then I was good. You can do it and this stuff can really help. The good thing about this Swedish Snus is that it has only a fraction of the carcinogens of American tobacco

Cool

Sorry about double post, thought I just edited it.

Good for you! What meds where you taking, if you don't mind me asking? I've never had a seizure and have been taking anti seizure meds for years now.

Good for you man. I take Topamax. It's not strong once your body gets used to it, but I gotta get another open heart surgery and I'm bummed. I honestly don't know how much of this stuff a body can take. Actor Bill Paxton went for routine open heart and died and this will be my third time rolling the dice.

Two weeks

It's scar tissue from my previous surgeries which is causing the problem. It's not a dire emergency but I can't wait on it either.

Completely agree about the anxiety and paranoia. Before my first open heart surgery I was literally having nightmares where someone was sawing me in half. The anticipation is the worst of it and coughing, try to cough or sneeze with a sternum that has recently been sawed in half, fun times!

Code Blue man. It happens every day in hospitals. I don't know how you can ever get numb to that. I personally do not do well with death, even complete strangers, it's just not something I'm naturally equipped to deal with

Bills suck! I have 400K in bills from my hospitalization and heart surgery. Over 3 months in the hospital. Just had another surgery.

Has anyone had an ablation procedure? I'm scheduled for one on Wednesday to hopefully correct my Afib after Cardioversion and medications didn't work. Just getting nervous going into heart surgery again, i guess.

Thanks. I hate the IV and going under the most. I don't have any good veins from a blood infection a few years ago, so they are probably gonna have to do a PIC line in my bicep. I take the blood thinner Eliquis, so I'm a major bleeding risk too. I'm thinking too much.

I had the ablation, successfully! Six hour surgery and I am sore as hell and had some major bleeding in my arm, but I'm doing OK now. Hopefully it helps the heart arrhythmia. Thanks for the well wishes.

Best of luck guys. Stay positive and lean on whatever support structure you have to make things easier. Be it, family, friends, religion, etc and stay strong. All suffering is temporary.

I got a CPAP and I’m only in my late thirties. It helps my AFib and gives me a better night sleep in general. Once you get used to the device, it’s hard to fall asleep without it. The only problem is that it takes awhile to get used to the device.