prothrombin and atrial fibrillation

[erinfl111]

i have prothrombin factor 2 gene mutation. iwas on blood thinners when i was pregnant. just over the past 3 months i have been having fatigue, heart palps., weakness, dizziness, near fainting spells. ive gone to my PCP who did an MRI and echo. nothing. I was surfing the web and found atrial fib. and i think this is what i have. i just thought there might be a connection with my blood disease. i am awaiting my appnmt with a cardiologist, as well as my hematologist. and i requested a holster, so i am wearing that tomorrow. but my PCP is kind of stumped and i think ive got the answer. Is there any relation between AF and Prothrombin Factor 2 Gene Mutation??

[dolfnlvr]

I'm not sure.  I'll look into it.  Off the cuff though, I'd say that the PF2 is not the "causative" factor in a-fib (if that is what you are experiencing).  Unfortunately, since you are already prone to blood clotting and thrombosis, if you are experiencing a-fib, it is important that it be caught and treated as soon as possible.

A-fib is fairly benign in most cases, but it does increase the chances of throwing a dangerous blood clot.  If you are already prone to that complication, it is that much more important that you take anticoagulants to reduce the chances of a dangerous complication.

I'm curious as to what your blood pressure has been throughout these experiences.  How old is the baby?  How old was the baby when your palps started?  And finally, if you are still on anticoagulants, has your doctor run a CBC ro rule out anemia?  If you are anemic then it can cause ALL of the symptoms you describe above.

Good luck, let us know how things are going for you.

[erinfl111]

1st thank you for your response and insight. greatly appreciated.
2nd, my blood pressure has been wild. mostly on the high end though.
3rd I did have CBC  with Dif done, no anemia, but my WBCs were low (neutrophils and lymphocytes).
4th My son is now 14 months. I stopped taking anticoagulants 3 months after having him. my palps started 3 months ago. so he was just over 1 yrs old.

Im thinking I should be pushing my PCP, who is actually taking things very slowly, to rush this puzzle solving. I am very nervous I am going to have a DVT like my cousin who has PTF2GM just like I do. It has been 3 months since I first called my Doctor about this physical change. I am at the moment using the portable EKG Holter. Im still not even sure if it is A. Fib.. This is all pretty nerve racking considering I am a new (single) mother, and only 21 years old.

Thanks again for your response : )

[dolfnlvr]

I know how frightened you must be.  When my son was 8 months old I started having PVC's out of nowhere and they were in the THOUSANDS.  Not having any idea what was going on, I figured I was going to die of a heart attack, and with the new baby it made that feeling that much worse.

You may be wondering why I asked some of the questions I did.  Here goes.  I noticed that you said you've been "near fainting" several times.  This is often a result of low BP and so I was wondering what your "regular" BP was.  If you were already on the low side, then the fact that you were near fainting would have a chance of being caused by that.  But, your BP is fine, if not slightly high.

I asked about the baby's age because it is not at all uncommon for a new mother to experience heart palpitations (PVC's, a-fib, SVT) shortly after birth or after weaning the child from breast feeding.  The rapid shift in hormones along with the drop in blood volume can trigger previously unnoticed/unexperienced palpitations.

I was also curious about the anticoagulants and the side effects from coming off of them, but it seems as though you've been off of them for over a year and so that would not be the problem.

I was also thinking infection, but since your WBC is low that indicates that an infection is NOT the cause (they would be HIGH if it were).  

So, I'm as stumped as you are.  I would venture to say that you are experiencing SVT/A-fib or some other fairly benign arrhythmia that is affecting your energy levels(fatigue, weakness), your stress levels (elevated BP) and your blood pressure (fainting/dizziness).  Unfortunately, since you have the PF2 issue, what for most is a benign issue could be potentially dangerous.  Therefore, I think your desire to "push your doctor" a bit may not be a bad one.

I'm glad you are soon to see a specialist.  Let us know how it goes.