Echo

Heart health and blood vessels
1

Hi, I was diagnosed with AF two months ago and had some help and advice from lots of you which really did help, although I am still worrying all the time about it. I now have to go for an echocardigram, is this usual with this condition. I am now on Warfarin too. Thanks, Pauline

2

Hi Pauline. yes an echo is usual. it's an ultrasound of the heart and it's to look for any structural causes of af like faulty valves. It's not painful and only takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Nothing to worry about.

3

thanks for that, I had been worrying about it.

4

Speak to the person doing it as they are skilled and usually are wiling to answer questions.

5

Hi Pauline, Robyn has just said what I was going to say. I had an echocardiagram soon after I was diagnoses with AF, (last June), I also had a 24 hour ECG just to be on the safe side. Both were fine, one of the upper chambers of the heart was slightly enlarged, possibly with a bit of high blood pressure but nothing major at all, in fact it did put my mind at rest that all seemed fine. That's the odd thing about AF, you can be as fit as a fiddle and BANG, there it is. Hopefully you will be put on the correct meds and be fine. I am on warfarin too, no problems with it at all and once you get the correct dosage you only need to pop down to the clinic once every couple of months or even longer, I did 10 weeks at the last count. Don't worry, there's lots of advice out there and people to support you. It's not life threatening, just a pain in the ****!!! There are much worse things out there too. Good luck. 

6

thank you both for your replies, I didnt even know I had this condition so its been quite a shock for me. Thanks

7

Hi, I was dreading the thought of going on to warfarin but I have been on it for almost 2 years now and apart from brusing more easily it hasnt been a problem. I usually have to go for a blood test every 3 - 6 weeks depending on what I eat as some things like eggs and broccoli change the readings