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My Boyfriends Heart
I am posting because of my boyfriend, Sam. Sam is 28 and we live in a small town in West Virginia. A year and a half ago, Sam got involved in a nasty car accident. He was driving on a icy road when he swerved to miss a car that had crossed over into oncoming traffic to avoid a large stretch of black ice. He ended up hitting a tree. He was driving an older car with no airbags and the seatbelt came off during impact because the car was clunker and needed to be junked a while back. But, you know, men and their cars.
His chest slammed into the steering wheel so hard he developed something called Commotio Cordis, which stopped his heart almost instantly. Luckily for him we live in a small town and the fire station was barely a half mile up the road. They were able to hear the accident and respond quickly enough to restart his heart. Because we live such a little town he had to be airlifted to a hospital in a larger town over, about 30 minutes away.
When I arrived at the hospital the doctors told me that his condition was very serious. Sam had managed to avoid any serious head or spinal injuries and that his chest had taken the brute force of the impact. He had five broken ribs and a serious myocardial contusion (bruising on his heart) which was causing his heart to beat irregularly.
They told me that his heart was having trouble contracting and he was at serious risk for a heart attack. They said all that could be done was to treat his injuries and wait and see if his condition stabilized, which after 48 hours, it finally did. He spent a little over a week in the hospital before he was allowed to go home. He was still experience abnormal heartbeats, but the doctors told us that myocardial contusions take time to heal and his heart should go back to normal when it was healed. We were told they're was nothing to be worried about and sent us on our way.
He would have a check up each week with our local doctor and his contusion slowly began to heal itself. Neither Sam or I have insurance and the hospital stay really hurt us financially. We were already a few months into paying off this debt when Sam fell sick again. While in bed one morning, Sam awoke suddenly to a fast heartbeat that began at 150, shot up to 170 bpm and stayed there for twenty minutes. I wanted to take Sam to the hospital but he said he felt fine and we went to see our local doctor instead. He said he felt fine afterwards and didn't want to spend the money on a hospital for nothing. Our local doctor examined Sam and he was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation, mostly likely caused by his original injury to his heart.
The doctor put him on a drug called Digitalis, which seemed to work for a while. However after a while it would stop and the doctor just upped his dosage. Things just got worse. We visited the doctor again and he told us that the only option for Sam at this point was to have a pacemaker implanted. We were devestated. Without insurance we are only about a fourth of the way done repaying the bill from his last hospital stay. A couple thousand dollar surgery is something we cannot afford. So we went home with a different set of meds in the hopes it would be of some good. Not less than a week later, Sam ended up back in the ER.
We had just finished having dinner at my parents and were catching a ride back to our house with my sister, who lived close by. Sam had complained most of the day of being tired and so he spent most of the ride back home sleeping. As we approached the house, Sam awoke in a start, gasping, clutching his chest with one hand and almost breaking my hand he was holding it so tightly with the other. We immediately drove to the fire station which dialed 911. Sam was taken to the hospital. I was terrified he had a heart attack.
After an agonizing hour of waiting, we learned that Sam had an episode of Ventricular Tachycardia, brought on by an adverse reaction to one of his medications. The episode, however, did a number on his heart. We were stressed that a pacemaker was the only option but that right now we were told that Sam's heart is too weak to even have the surgery. So even if we could afford it, which we still can't, there is still a chance Sam could easily have a heart attack before its even possible. Right now I'm stressed and scared and looking for any support or anyone who knows of any other medical options that we might be able to try. I would gladly welcome it.
much thanks
Kay
His chest slammed into the steering wheel so hard he developed something called Commotio Cordis, which stopped his heart almost instantly. Luckily for him we live in a small town and the fire station was barely a half mile up the road. They were able to hear the accident and respond quickly enough to restart his heart. Because we live such a little town he had to be airlifted to a hospital in a larger town over, about 30 minutes away.
When I arrived at the hospital the doctors told me that his condition was very serious. Sam had managed to avoid any serious head or spinal injuries and that his chest had taken the brute force of the impact. He had five broken ribs and a serious myocardial contusion (bruising on his heart) which was causing his heart to beat irregularly.
They told me that his heart was having trouble contracting and he was at serious risk for a heart attack. They said all that could be done was to treat his injuries and wait and see if his condition stabilized, which after 48 hours, it finally did. He spent a little over a week in the hospital before he was allowed to go home. He was still experience abnormal heartbeats, but the doctors told us that myocardial contusions take time to heal and his heart should go back to normal when it was healed. We were told they're was nothing to be worried about and sent us on our way.
He would have a check up each week with our local doctor and his contusion slowly began to heal itself. Neither Sam or I have insurance and the hospital stay really hurt us financially. We were already a few months into paying off this debt when Sam fell sick again. While in bed one morning, Sam awoke suddenly to a fast heartbeat that began at 150, shot up to 170 bpm and stayed there for twenty minutes. I wanted to take Sam to the hospital but he said he felt fine and we went to see our local doctor instead. He said he felt fine afterwards and didn't want to spend the money on a hospital for nothing. Our local doctor examined Sam and he was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation, mostly likely caused by his original injury to his heart.
The doctor put him on a drug called Digitalis, which seemed to work for a while. However after a while it would stop and the doctor just upped his dosage. Things just got worse. We visited the doctor again and he told us that the only option for Sam at this point was to have a pacemaker implanted. We were devestated. Without insurance we are only about a fourth of the way done repaying the bill from his last hospital stay. A couple thousand dollar surgery is something we cannot afford. So we went home with a different set of meds in the hopes it would be of some good. Not less than a week later, Sam ended up back in the ER.
We had just finished having dinner at my parents and were catching a ride back to our house with my sister, who lived close by. Sam had complained most of the day of being tired and so he spent most of the ride back home sleeping. As we approached the house, Sam awoke in a start, gasping, clutching his chest with one hand and almost breaking my hand he was holding it so tightly with the other. We immediately drove to the fire station which dialed 911. Sam was taken to the hospital. I was terrified he had a heart attack.
After an agonizing hour of waiting, we learned that Sam had an episode of Ventricular Tachycardia, brought on by an adverse reaction to one of his medications. The episode, however, did a number on his heart. We were stressed that a pacemaker was the only option but that right now we were told that Sam's heart is too weak to even have the surgery. So even if we could afford it, which we still can't, there is still a chance Sam could easily have a heart attack before its even possible. Right now I'm stressed and scared and looking for any support or anyone who knows of any other medical options that we might be able to try. I would gladly welcome it.
much thanks
Kay
Hi Kay
Going to skip commenting on the medicine part b/c I'm not a Dr and I find that whole things really confusing myself...but hopefully someone else can regarding the medicine he is taking/should ask about.
My only knowledge regarding Afib is regarding people who get it for no known reason (like my husband). Sam got his via trauma to the chest - so I am guessing there are a lot more variable s to consider as a result (ones only a Dr with experience treating someone who developed an arrhythmia from a blunt trauma to the heart can advise on).
Regarding some of the other things you mention though....
A lot of people with Afib get PVC (lower chamber, a.k.a "ventricular" extra beats) ...even people without arrhythmia's get them....So, those non-sustained extra beats are benign (uncomfortable and scary - but benign),
But if Sam had a documented ventricular arrhythmia now (those beats were sustained and his lower chambers were beating fast and out of rhythm/out of control) - he does need to be seen/treated by a electrophysiologist asap. That is very serious and in many cases does warrant a defibrillator (such as when anti-arrhythmic medications are not effective or the side effects just too tough to deal with....which can be the case a lot...or just better option then medications in some/many cases etc That's why he needs to see an electrophysiologist to discuss what is right for his situation).
Regarding lack of insurance:
The insurance issue is a huge problem.....but keep trying to get seen as well as find ways to work around the system; you have to be creative in finding a way to get the right treatment. Go research the NIH website for any current arrhythmia studies (or studies being conducted at well known highly reputable hospitals).
You may find a listing for something like...A study where they are investigating which treatment is most effective for ventricular arrythmias.....Such as, using a defibrillator alone verses using tried and true anti-arrthmic drugs PLUS a defibrillator sort of study. ...or one on arrhythmia's as the result of blunt trauma to the chest....Just sit down and research this stuff online.
Bottom-line (my advice), He needs to be seen by an electrophysiologist (in addition to any cardiologist he may be seeing regarding the structural damage he had to his heart) and try and find a study that is safe and can only benefit someone who otherwise ca[t effort any treatment.
Going to skip commenting on the medicine part b/c I'm not a Dr and I find that whole things really confusing myself...but hopefully someone else can regarding the medicine he is taking/should ask about.
My only knowledge regarding Afib is regarding people who get it for no known reason (like my husband). Sam got his via trauma to the chest - so I am guessing there are a lot more variable s to consider as a result (ones only a Dr with experience treating someone who developed an arrhythmia from a blunt trauma to the heart can advise on).
Regarding some of the other things you mention though....
A lot of people with Afib get PVC (lower chamber, a.k.a "ventricular" extra beats) ...even people without arrhythmia's get them....So, those non-sustained extra beats are benign (uncomfortable and scary - but benign),
But if Sam had a documented ventricular arrhythmia now (those beats were sustained and his lower chambers were beating fast and out of rhythm/out of control) - he does need to be seen/treated by a electrophysiologist asap. That is very serious and in many cases does warrant a defibrillator (such as when anti-arrhythmic medications are not effective or the side effects just too tough to deal with....which can be the case a lot...or just better option then medications in some/many cases etc That's why he needs to see an electrophysiologist to discuss what is right for his situation).
Regarding lack of insurance:
The insurance issue is a huge problem.....but keep trying to get seen as well as find ways to work around the system; you have to be creative in finding a way to get the right treatment. Go research the NIH website for any current arrhythmia studies (or studies being conducted at well known highly reputable hospitals).
You may find a listing for something like...A study where they are investigating which treatment is most effective for ventricular arrythmias.....Such as, using a defibrillator alone verses using tried and true anti-arrthmic drugs PLUS a defibrillator sort of study. ...or one on arrhythmia's as the result of blunt trauma to the chest....Just sit down and research this stuff online.
Bottom-line (my advice), He needs to be seen by an electrophysiologist (in addition to any cardiologist he may be seeing regarding the structural damage he had to his heart) and try and find a study that is safe and can only benefit someone who otherwise ca[t effort any treatment.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Very sorry to read of your very difficult life, for you and Sam.
I understand that you "can not afford" the recommended medical treatment... that being the case I think you should contact state social services and check on qualification for Medicaid. This is a program under state management that is intended to help people who need medical treatment but can not afford it.
Of course, there are strict requirements for such a program. But the contact my open other "doors" to needed treatment.
Sorry I don't have any specific contact information... suggest you put Medicaid and you State name in a search "engine" (google, say) and see what comes up.
In the mean time did the doctor put Sam on anything to reduce the risk of a blood clot formation from atrial fibrillation? The simplest form is simple aspirin, I take it myself, but warn that one should not take it long term without discussing with a doctor...also some people have bad reactions to aspirin.
You are both young and that will provide the physical strength to rebuild damage. I suffer form permanent atrial fibrillation and a pace maker has never been a subject of discussion in my many visits with various doctors... I'm much older, so I have seen several heart doctors in my life, none ever suggested a pace maker. Perhaps Sams heart is running too slowly, or their is concern it will stop all together besides the AFib concern.
My thoughts and prays are with you, seek help locally.
I understand that you "can not afford" the recommended medical treatment... that being the case I think you should contact state social services and check on qualification for Medicaid. This is a program under state management that is intended to help people who need medical treatment but can not afford it.
Of course, there are strict requirements for such a program. But the contact my open other "doors" to needed treatment.
Sorry I don't have any specific contact information... suggest you put Medicaid and you State name in a search "engine" (google, say) and see what comes up.
In the mean time did the doctor put Sam on anything to reduce the risk of a blood clot formation from atrial fibrillation? The simplest form is simple aspirin, I take it myself, but warn that one should not take it long term without discussing with a doctor...also some people have bad reactions to aspirin.
You are both young and that will provide the physical strength to rebuild damage. I suffer form permanent atrial fibrillation and a pace maker has never been a subject of discussion in my many visits with various doctors... I'm much older, so I have seen several heart doctors in my life, none ever suggested a pace maker. Perhaps Sams heart is running too slowly, or their is concern it will stop all together besides the AFib concern.
My thoughts and prays are with you, seek help locally.
My next thought is that he probably might benefit from an implantable cardiac defibrilator (ICD).
But then again, it sounds like he's getting some poor medication advice.
He might do better on a beta blockers or caclium channell blockers.
For insurance he should look into medicaid, or possibly PCIP.
He may end up needing an EP study with ablation.
But then again, it sounds like he's getting some poor medication advice.
He might do better on a beta blockers or caclium channell blockers.
For insurance he should look into medicaid, or possibly PCIP.
He may end up needing an EP study with ablation.
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