GET YOURSELF CHECKED!!!

wow Jim sorry to hear you got AFIB issues. You're still young. Hope you heal up and life goes on. At my age now almost everything wants to break,, but I keep battling on and staying as healthy as I can.

Sorry to hear about the heath issues brother.  Hope your feeling better soon Jim! 

Thanks guys. I’ll keep you posted with what cardiologist says.

Feeling pretty low still, but hopefully snap out of it soon…ER doc said no caffeine so I’m sure that’s making me feel even more lethargic 

Last time I went off caffeine it took about 3 weeks to get over it....lot of sleeping

Sorry to hear about your episode with AFIB, Jim.  I'm sure you're tied into a good health system, but please consider looking up Dr. Roger Winkle in Redwood City.  He took good care of me and has lots of experience.

PS:  I had a wave of relief come over me when you disclosed that you can't do the strong handshakes for a bit!   

Get well.   Hope they get the Afib under control.  I am a lot more careful these days and limit my stressful actions.   Turning 79, I realize I can not do some of the stuff I used to do.  Sometimes sense comes with age.  And the body getting yer butt.

Dang sorry to hear Jim.  IDK if you still run, but I always think of you as a marathon guy, recalling our jogs when you did Team In Training n stuff.  Seems likelihood of afib increases with age, sucks getting older, and hopefully you can get it under control

Thanks guys. Feeling 10000% better this week, and have an appointment with Stanford today to see what the plan for the future is.

Dang sorry to hear Jim.  IDK if you still run, but I always think of you as a marathon guy, recalling our jogs when you did Team In Training n stuff.  Seems likelihood of afib increases with age, sucks getting older, and hopefully you can get it under control

I’ve ran a few halfs off the couch last couple years but mostly just swimming, diving, paddling these days…

Got my mercury test results yesterday and stupid high at 66 (0-10 is “normal “). Was only 12 in 2013 

Maybe related to some of my recent health issues??

Doing a 24 hour urine collection today and then will see if doc wants me to do chelation or what.

Also gonna check wife and daughters since we eat the same fish…

Sincerely,

Jim

Dang that is WAY high!!!! Looks like you will be MOOving to land based proteins now Hope getting that mercury level down fixes the other problems

There is or used to be a Doctor on the peninsula who has written about mercury.

There is or was a website: BARF or Coastside who has a couple of members who were diagnosed with high mercury.

The doctors name is Hightower.

Jim,

Any recent dental work removing or repairing old mercury amalgam fillings?  Mine spiked several years back in the week or so after such dental work.

Hard to believe that is all from consuming fish out of the ocean, even if you ate 10+ servings a week, unless you were eating shark and swordfish on the regular and even then it seems high.

Jim,

Any recent dental work removing or repairing old mercury amalgam fillings?  Mine spiked several years back in the week or so after such dental work.

Hard to believe that is all from consuming fish out of the ocean, even if you ate 10+ servings a week, unless you were eating shark and swordfish on the regular and even then it seems high.

No recent dental stuff...wife looked in mouth and says I have a few shiny fillings in there so will ask dentist if he thinks that's an issue...

My fish consumption has mostly been a lot of halibut in spring/summer, lings/rockfish in winter (mostly blues/blacks/olives and a red or two), decent amount of salmon, and the occasional WSB and gifted BFT chunk...

No sharks or swordfish or anything...

Any of you folks have experience living, paddling etc with a pacemaker? Seems like that is what is being recommended for me…

Backstory:

After recent afib/cardioversion episode I was wearing a heart monitor…was actually feeling better until last Thursday AM when felt myself fainting in shower and yelled to wife to call 911 before totally blacking out.

Woke up a bit later when I heard wife yelling my name…

Fire/EMT/ER said all vitals fine and no sign of heart attack or stroke.

Mailed back in monitor and results showed my heart had a bunch of “pauses” when I blacked out including a really long one of 12.6 seconds….

Guess it was a good thing I was wearing the monitor at the time so it got recorded, and that I wasn’t underwater or behind the wheel….

Will be getting 2nd opinion next Thursday from specialist up at Stanford but trying to get mentally prepared for this being reality…

Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,

Jim

Ps…on a good note. Mercury urine test came back totally negative. Waiting on girls and Ana’s tests, still but seems like my blood test might have been so elevated cuz of spring/summer fish binges, but no chronic mercury accumulated in body (urine is supposedly better indicator of chronic accumulation and shows what is being processed by kidneys).

Hey Jim, Interesting how social media connects people and although we have never met, I have followed your diving and watched your family grow up over the years via your posts. When people say we are sending our thoughts and prayers your way, please know we really are and am hoping the best for you. I trust you will continue to get excellent medical attention and they find a course of action that will get you back to the things you enjoy the most. Aging is not for ******. Stay strong!

That’s all odd and very scary. Be well Jim and I hope you get some answers at Stanford.