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Harper saw the new cardiologist yesterday. Dr. Riepe and her tech were fabulous and we spent a good chunk of the afternoon with them. They ran an ekg on Harper and unfortunately he is in afib. We know it happened fairly recently as his holter test was just last week and he wasn't in afib then.
They also did another echo on him and fs% is somewhere between 11-15%. Dr. Riepe started him on mexitil and diltiazem and upped his pimo and lasix dose (left his enalapril and spironolactone dose as is). He isn't coughing or exhibiting and CHF symptoms and is still his usual spunky self, but with him being in afib she said his risks of going in to CHF are much higher as his heart function is even more decreased. She said he's still on a fairly low dose of lasix at 20mg TID so we have room to adjust it if needed. I asked if there was any chance at all that he could come out of afib and she said probably not.
I'm to continue the supplements that I've had him on and she was happy to see that I was using them along with the meds. He's been taurine and large amounts of Omega 3's for several years, but I also started him on CoQ10, Magnesium Aspartate, L-Carnitine and B-Complex since his diagnosis.
He's only had two doses of the mexitil and diltiazem, but so far he is tolerating them fine. His appetite is voracious as always and I'm hoping it stays that way. We go back in a week for another ekg and to check his renal function since we're adding in the new meds.
So we're just taking it day by day, but we know what is coming. In the mean time we'll make sure Harper is happy and feeling well and cherish the time we have with him.
They also did another echo on him and fs% is somewhere between 11-15%. Dr. Riepe started him on mexitil and diltiazem and upped his pimo and lasix dose (left his enalapril and spironolactone dose as is). He isn't coughing or exhibiting and CHF symptoms and is still his usual spunky self, but with him being in afib she said his risks of going in to CHF are much higher as his heart function is even more decreased. She said he's still on a fairly low dose of lasix at 20mg TID so we have room to adjust it if needed. I asked if there was any chance at all that he could come out of afib and she said probably not.
I'm to continue the supplements that I've had him on and she was happy to see that I was using them along with the meds. He's been taurine and large amounts of Omega 3's for several years, but I also started him on CoQ10, Magnesium Aspartate, L-Carnitine and B-Complex since his diagnosis.
He's only had two doses of the mexitil and diltiazem, but so far he is tolerating them fine. His appetite is voracious as always and I'm hoping it stays that way. We go back in a week for another ekg and to check his renal function since we're adding in the new meds.
So we're just taking it day by day, but we know what is coming. In the mean time we'll make sure Harper is happy and feeling well and cherish the time we have with him.
His heart rate during the ECG stayed at 120bpm or lower and the highest it got up to was 140bpm and that was when they laid him on his side. No VPC's were seen which I know doesn't mean much as it's only a short period of time, but he had some on his last ECG before we started the mexitil and diltiazem. His bloodwork looked perfect and kidney and liver values were normal as well. 
