Biotech Values

[spartex]

OT: Atrial Fibrillation and Kaiser

Beachgal,

First off, I am a type I diabetic (the past 19 years) and have been very aggressive in management of my blood sugars, along with strict attention to exercise and diet. Around 10 or so years ago I had been under Kaiser's plan (as of 1996 w/ BlueCross BlueShield) and found, as you said, they were very good about being preventive-care, but not good at being proactive with illnesses and treatment. I test my blood sugar 8+ times a day, and had to almost go to battle with them to write my prescriptions for blood test strips for that amount (they were going to give me 6/day to control their cost...though they wouldn't say that directly). Funny thing is my aggressive monitoring and routine is what may be keeping me free from any diabetic-related affects. I'm still "clean" of any kidney, eye, or nerve damage. Bottom line message here is that you HAVE to be an advocate for yourself or your loved ones with Kaiser. Otherwise, you may not get the needed treatment available and which I feel you deserve.

Now, more recently (last 1.5 years) I had been diagnoised with AF (atrial fibrillation). While I'm in excellent health (run marathons, heart stress/echo tests show I'm fine) it turns out my AF was possibly due to either a low resting heartrate at night (mid-40's) or possibly due to low blood sugar events which also occur in the early morning period while I'm sleeping.

So, what my cardiologist ended up giving me (as pointed out by someone else; medication) was a prescription for 240 mg/day of Cardizem (see link below), which is a calcium channel blocker for the heart and which is supposed to lower blood pressure a bit, while also keeping the left atrial chamber of heart from triggering a AF event. So far, to my knowledge, I have not yet re-experienced an AF event, so am pleased with the way in which the medication is working. Granted, I hate to be on a medication (other than my insulin, which I won't argue for good reasons) that I may not need, but in this case it appears to take care of my possible AF events.

I'd be curious if the Kaiser doctors would recommend something like this for your father. Granted, they may not do the blood thinners (warfarin, aka Coumadin) due to your fathers age.

http://www.cardiologychannel.com/afib/treatment.shtml

Good luck! From what I've heard from you and Dew, your fathers are the type of people that inspire me to live life to its fullest by staying active.

Regards,
Spartex (quadkk on DNDN yahoo message board; long DNDN)