How can I deal with the anxiety and worry with AF? I know it is silly, but can not stop shaking.

[squirrel21]

[Beancounter Volunteer]

HI squirrel

It's not silly, it's normal and usual. I am a six footer, big "tough" guy, and when I was diagnosed I cried like a baby and thought my life was over and it wouild never be the same.

I was wrong, and I found out I was wrong much later, yes you have A Fib, as you will discover so do lots and lots of other people, all of whom and moving on with the lifes and coping. It's too early yet to expect you to believe me on this, so the best thing you can do is read read read.

Go to the AFA website, and read the stories, read about how EVERYONE went though the stage you are in now of absolute terror, and yet have come through and out of the other side.

Ask people here, someone will tell you what they have been through, what to expect and above all how soon you will be feeling better. It will take a little while, but I promise you you will feel better soon

Be well

Ian

[squirrel21 in reply to Beancounter]

Thank you for your encouragement. Kind regards

[Hidden]

Hello Sqirrel,Please don't feel frightened and alone...I remember well my own experience about 16months ago, waking up in the early hrs of the morning soaked in perspiration with heart racing and jumping around as if it were going to jump out of my throat. I managed to call an ambulance and they were there within minutes. Even then with the blue light flashing and a warfarin injection in my stomach I hadn't the foggiest idea what was wrong...Although I remember was the fear the fear of dying...

The following weeks I put my house in order, made my will got rid of junk and even put the clothes I had been wearing that day in the wash at night,just incase I happened not to wake up in the morning. I couldn't tell anyone and even now only my close friends....As I am such a private person and don't want to be a burden...

It felt almost like a bereavement grieving for yourself, well I did anyway. A lot of blame also. Maybe I shouldn't have drank so much in my 20's I don't suppose that wacky backy helped either in Holland in 1980 something...Burning the candle at both ends in my youth...It made me aware of my own mortality as I often used to jest "I know we all have to die but somehow or other I believe I am going to be the exception"

I came across this site by shear chance and it has helped me so much in a practical way and in a spiritual way also...

Only a few months ago I was posting from Spain convinced that a stroke was imminent just reaching out for reassurance which I got within a matter of minutes..

So please don't be afraid its a shock I know but you will get strength and there are strength in numbers ..So pick yourself up brush yourself down you will be fine ...So smile now please and enjoy your evening.C

[squirrel21 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your support - I am preparing mentally to take my first tablet of rivaroxaban at lunchtime. Scared....

[meadfoot in reply to Hidden]

Hi Caromia, What a fabulous post. Your story is so graphic and says it all for me. Bet most of us can identify with your experience. Thank you for sharing it. Best wishes Dee.

[Hidden in reply to meadfoot]

Hi there Dee...like many others, in my youth I wasn't exactly an advert for healthy living but my gosh I am exhausting myself now trying to stay healthy,,,and as I say to my heath nut friends I have lived life and they are going to feel pretty stupid lying in hospital beds dying of nothing...Thank you my friend for your kind affirmations. C

[meadfoot]

It is a rogue of a condition. A bit of a mongrel, affecting us differently as we have all found out by chatting to each other on this forum. Best advice I was given was "ensure AF lives alongside you and that you don't live your life being dictated to by it". Easier said than done especially in the early days after diagnosis I know.

You will come to terms with it once the dust has settled. Cut yourself some slack for a while and be kind to yourself. You will feel better the more control you can gain over the condition, it will come with time. Best wishes. Dee.

[duckpopper]

Hello I felt exactly the same , I thought we'll that's it then , but then I spoke to my heart rhythm specialist , and told him my fears , he said that I would live as long as anyone else ,and that anyone can get af ,and there are a lot of people who have got it without even knowing it , it is really scary when an attack happens but there are lots of tablets that will help , and coming on here is a real help to me as there is always someone to talk with , hope this helps , I was only diagnosed in April so it is all new to me as we'll ,I still do worry , but becoming more relaxed about it as it can drive you mad , as you feel you can't go far or do things , because worrying of having an attack , things will seem better soon as I have been there good luck to you hope you can relax a bit

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

There is nothing silly about the fear that comes with the diagnosis of AF. I think it would be quite abnormal NOT to be frightened at first. We've all been there. But learn all you can about it, do all you can do to be healthy around it by getting good rest, keeping active if you can, and eating a healthy diet. Surround yourself with positivity and try to deal with the meds, the symptoms, the uncertainty of it all as best you can. Many of us have found that meditation and yoga are amazing ways to calm ourselves and help to keep the AF away. The goal is to get to a place where you are living well with AF and it is not controlling your life. Be well and take good care.

[MrGed in reply to SRMGrandma]

good advice , I try to eat well , keep hydrated and don't be around stress

[MrGed]

hi squirrel

don't worry , af is treatable and can be cured , technology is getting better and better in understanding the condition , I was devastated when I found out, totally changed my life , its definitely changed me no doubt about it , stick in there don't stress

[Maitha]

I was happy when I was diagnosed as paroxysmal AF since at last doctors discovered what's wrong with me , I started to feel mentally sick and diagnosed as panic attacks for years then at last it is recorded

It helped me a lot to know that whenever I'm on warfarin I'm safe from heart attacks , having an attack is not death it is a hard time and It will end soon

Bisoprolol helped me a lot , understanding AF by reading a lot and joining this forum was a great support since I knew at last that I'm not alone in this and others understand well my feelings

I usually take anxiety pills such as zanax only during the attack and it is helping me to calm down and let it end quickly since stress make AF attack worse

Kind regards

Maitha

[Bagrat]

Hello Squirrel, as others have said we have all been there, and anything to do with the heart always causes the panic until you get your head round it, which takes time. Like Maitha it was almost a relief to get a diagnosis as I had been having weird episodes with no AF and thought I was just a wimp. Meditation does help or anything that helps you relax. Unfortunately AF does make you more aware of sensations in your body you usually don't notice but even that settles after a while. The more information you can get really helps too. You aren't on your own and we all live alongside this condition and try to accept it as a small part of who we are. Look after yourself, Wendy B

[squirrel21 in reply to Bagrat]

Hi, I tried meditation, but can not sit still even for 10 minutes. Want to run out of the house, anxiety is stronger than me....

[dedeottie]

Ok! First of all let me say that I do know how you are feeling. Panic attacks on their own are really scarey and leave you feeling out of control. I had my first panic attack shortly after being diagnosed and I think it was the finality of having to accept that my body had a dysfunction. I have never been an anxious person and had had the condition undiagnosed for 10 years, as I was not on warfarin I ended up having 3 TIAs before diagnosis. Even those didn't affect me as much as hearing and accepting the diagnosis! I had all the classic panic attack symptoms...couldn't swallow or breathe, tingly hands and it was always when I was in the company of people who didn't know about my A.F. Then a friend who I had always considered the last person to suffer from panic told me that she had suffered similarly because she was scared of having an asthma attack in public . She had worked out her own therapy by telling anyone she was with upfront that. A. She might have an asthma attack and B. She might have a panic attack. She said that when she did this she never actually had an attack. I adopted her style and bored all my friends for the next few months with all my problems. Guess what ? It worked. I THINK I EVEN BORED MYSELF! The more I told the tale the more ordinary it sounded and lots of friends New someone else with the problem. Also I knew that I f I did have an attack everyone would know what was happening. I have never had a panic attack since. I think CBT could work for you as I think what I did was DIY CBT. Everyone is different with how they cope with A.F. but I promise you that you will eventually feel better about it. I have also found that lending support to others on here helps me not to focus on myself so much. Everyone on here has something to contribute . It's a great forum Good luck and take care of yourself.

[squirrel21 in reply to dedeottie]

Sounds interesting. Can you explain your technique in more details? I live with my husband but do not want to worry him that I may have. A panic attack. So no it is all subdued and I am anxious all the time. Luckily high dose of bisoprolol keeps it at bay. Regards.

[Offcut]

I was diagnosed with AF in 1992 Please do not let it rule you keep the mind busy read though the posts and so forth. We all react in different ways to different drugs and treatments. BUT you are the boss of your body the AF is the trouble maker at the back of the office that pops up now and again and will get the sack in the end.

[Maitha]

Dear squirrel

Can I know how long you are suffering from anxiety and panic disorder?

As I noticed you may have it long back even before diagnosed as AF patient

If so I recommend to have appointment with a specialized doctor who may assist you to treat it , since there are advanced medications can help you a lot in addition to other techniques

I can understand your feelings since I share you few of them actually

It is funny things but really effect our lives and our partners lives also

Maitha

[squirrel21 in reply to Maitha]

Thank you. I have now being referred for CBT for my anxiety/panic disorder.

[dedeottie]

Hi squirrel. I'm not sure I can adequately explain my method as I suppose it was quite an individualistic response but I definitely felt more relaxed about it all the more I explained the condition to other people. I suppose I was also explaining it to myself. I know I couldn't have coped if I had kept it all to myself and if it was my husband suffering I would want him to share his fears with me. However everyone is different and cope in different ways. Maitha is right in saying that you may well need professional help to get over this blip. Good luck and good luck also to you maitha. I am so glad you seem to be getting the right help now.xx

[Bagrat in reply to dedeottie]

dedeottie, like you, once I admitted to other people that I suffered these weird collection of anxiety symptoms it helped me accept that this was a coping strategy for me ( the anxiety) as I'm very bad at listening to my body and tended to keep going no matter what. The other plus once you got through the"oh but you are such a calm person " stuff was how many people share our problem. Regards Wendy B