EP doctor visit

Is it a good thing or bad thing that your heart doctor writes down his cell number and gives it to you?

I don't know, but it happened today at my scheduled 6-month check-up with my electrophysiologist (a cardiologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating heart rhythm issues). 

Normally I've seen an intern on these visits. This was my first with the actual guy who did my cardioversion and ablation. Dr. Rodriguez is a super nice guy, who seems quite normal and jokes around and everything. The first thing he asked when he came in the room was, "So how was the marathon?" Ha! He must take good notes.

Anyway, I reported that, according to my "Afib Journal," I've had another 'episode' about every 1-2 months since the ablation. The most recent was actually this past weekend - which lasted for 17 hours. Previous episodes had only lasted from one hour to overnight. I've come out of all of them on my own (Including this last one, which happened during a contemplation/meditation exercise at church on Sunday - it was kind of cool!). 

So, after chatting a bit, he recommended I either wear a monitor or get a Kardia Mobile device, and let him see actual heart readings when I think I'm having an Afib episode. He said it may or may not be actual Afib, and he won't know until he's seen what's happening himself. So I ordered the basic Kardia Mobile for $69, and he said I could just text him my readings with my name and DOB the next time my heart rate gets weird.

Otherwise he said when I'm having one of these, as long as I'm not short of breath or having some other issue, I can usually just wait it out. He said as long as I've shown I can convert on my own eventually there's really no reason for a cardioversion or ER visit.

Unless he notices something in any scans I send him (assuming I have anymore episodes), he scheduled me for another 6-month follow-up.

It's nice to feel better leaving a doctors office than when I arrive. :)

(My weight was 160; BP 142/88 -though I've been running 120/mid-70s at home lately)