Re: Joan Rivers had a heart condition

sophiamarie · ‎08-08-2013

There is no such thing as ""minor"" surgery - only ""minor"" surgeons......

sophiamarie · ‎08-08-2013

On 9/6/2014 sgraham30 said:
On 9/6/2014 colliegirls said:
An extra beat or minor arrhythmia is not considered a" heart condition" nor is it unusual.

It might not have been an extra beat or a minor arrythmia, it could have been atrial fibrillation, which is most definitely serious. A-Fib is what killed my mother.

If Joan Rivers had atrial fibrillation, no doctor would have let her walk around and have all that plastic surgery. Of course, there are people who don't go to doctors and don't even know they have A-Fib., but someone like JR would, of course, have known if she had it. In that case, she would have had ablation therapy.

BellaPaprika · ‎03-09-2010

On 9/6/2014 sophiamarie said:
On 9/6/2014 sgraham30 said:
On 9/6/2014 colliegirls said:
An extra beat or minor arrhythmia is not considered a" heart condition" nor is it unusual.

It might not have been an extra beat or a minor arrythmia, it could have been atrial fibrillation, which is most definitely serious. A-Fib is what killed my mother.

If Joan Rivers had atrial fibrillation, no doctor would have let her walk around and have all that plastic surgery. Of course, there are people who don't go to doctors and don't even know they have A-Fib., but someone like JR would, of course, have known if she had it. In that case, she would have had ablation therapy.

Ablation therapy is not routinely done for atrial fibrillation. It is done if a normal rhythm cannot be maintained with an anti-arrhythmic drug or if the patient cannot tolerate such a drug and sometimes in athletes. From Joan's description it sounds like a-fib. I have a friend who has it and he only has maybe one spell a year. A-fib will not kill you. If it goes on too long there's a danger of a clot forming and that might kill you so most patients are on anti-coagulants.People live long active lives with a-fib and, yes, they have surgery and do just fine.

sophiamarie · ‎08-08-2013

If she had A -Fib (and nobody knows if she did or not) then, as I said, her doctors - and we know she had many - would have been treating her for it in one form or another. She would not be walking around with A-Fib without treatment and having all the plastic surgeries that she did.

So far, I have not read anywhere, that she had any heart problems. I don't know where all this is coming from. It is true that people with A-Fib, can live long and healthy lives, if they are followed routinely.....

BellaPaprika · ‎03-09-2010

On 9/6/2014 sophiamarie said:
If she had A -Fib (and nobody knows if she did or not) then, as I said, her doctors - and we know she had many - would have been treating her for it in one form or another. She would not be walking around with A-Fib without treatment and having all the plastic surgeries that she did.

So far, I have not read anywhere, that she had any heart problems. I don't know where all this is coming from. It is true that people with A-Fib, can live long and healthy lives, if they are followed routinely.....

You said she would have had ablation and that's not the case if she could be maintained on an anti-arrhythmic medication and for all we know she was. And a patient who is maintained on medication can have surgery. I know many who have. The report about her condition was in People magazine back in the 1980's and what she described sounds like a-fib. Beyond that none of us know do we?

sophiamarie · ‎08-08-2013

Sorry, I should have said "she could have had".....Semantics I guess.....

You're right - none of us know..... Wink

focksie · ‎03-04-2012

This is from an aol article:

"In 1985, Rivers appeared on Good Morning America, where she was asked about her heart arrhythmia, a condition in which the heart unexpectedly beats out of sync...something Rivers says scared the h3ll out of her.

"All of a sudden you'll be on stage and hear 'tha-thud!...It scares the h3ll out of me."

In the GMA link (above) she also said "When you go for plastic surgery, that's when your heart can go out of kilter, so I'm very careful."

It doesn't sound like a-fib. It could be possibly what I have, APCs (atrial premature contractions) and PVCs (premature ventricular contractions). You can have one or the other or both. Essentially the heart "skips beats". Mine were discovered on routine exam many years ago. Mine are asymptomatic meaning I can't hear them or feel them skipping in my chest, but I can confirm them if I take my pulse. By now, I know the situations when they are present - during extreme stress or fatigue. My docs said not to be concerned about them unless they are symptomatic. Then I'd need medication. Ironically, they resolve to a perfectly steady beat during a stress test (exercise). This is unusual. They're supposed to get worse on exercise.

I've had one colonoscopy and until now didn't even consider the anesthesia. I'm due for another one and I'm really afraid in light of what has happened.

Shelbelle · ‎03-09-2010

Wondering if the doctors from Yorkville sent her for a pre op before the procedure, if she was cleared in a pre op, then they would have considered her eligible to have it done. quite often it is up to the anesthesiologist to decide on what a patient can endure, went thru this with my mom who was over 90 and needed a procedure done.

LilacTree · ‎03-25-2012

I and every single person in my family have "palpitations," "skipped beats," "arrhythmias," "momentary tachycardias," and "thumps." These are not considered serious "heart conditions." Some doctors have told me I have "mitral valve prolapse" and/or "heart murmur," others cannot hear either one. All I'm saying is this is not rare nor is it a precursor of a heart attack.

Formerly Ford1224
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel 1986

HiLo · ‎03-10-2010

On 9/6/2014 NoelSeven said:
On 9/6/2014 colliegirls said:
An extra beat or minor arrhythmia is not considered a" heart condition" nor is it unusual.

And I don't think plastic surgery is considered major surgery.

Certainly plastic surgery is not considered major surgery by the medical field but anytime the body is cut there is somewhat of a risk; as we age any surgery puts extra stress on our bodies and and takes energy away from the needs of our other organs Doctors are now saying that as a person ages he/she needs a LITTLE extra weight; I know of a case of an extremely underweight younger woman who died as a result of not having enough body energy to carry her through although the surgery itself was success. I have the more serious form of arrhythmia, an attack from which few survive. I have had a pacemaker for 10 years now and can assure you that even for a minor test every caution is taken but in the end there are no guarantees. Don't know why I am one of those survivors but when it is time God will take me Home.