SYMPTOMS OF AN EPISODE ??

[poppystorey]

Please dont think im thick but there seem to be so many Symptoms ,when i feel unwell Im very short of breath feel week sometimes sickly is this what is known as a episode .I just need to be clear and have correct answers to stop me worrying ,thanks POppystorey

[Maitha]

Dear poppy

Sorry you are having those symptoms

I'm not aware of your diagnose but for me I had been diagnosed as atrial flutter patient the episoids for me may be short of breath , irregular heart beats very fast or slow , chest discomfort , fatigue , chest pain .....

Actually all of the above can be related to anxiety or medication side effects

And also it may be different from one to another

Wish you well

Maitha

[poppystorey]

Thank you im just not sure what an episode is I do have A/F and awaiting 2nd C/V poppeystorey

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

Hi Poppystorey,

Typically an "episode" of A Fib refers to the time when you are not in normal sinus rhythm and experiencing A Fib. This term is used for those of us who have paroxysmal A Fib vs permanent AF. Those of us who are mostly in normal rhythm experience the very rapid and irregular heartbeat, and sometimes feeling short of breath or fatigued during an episode of A.F. You can most certainly have an episode of anxiety which can mimic many of those symptoms, but if your heart is in normal sinus rhythm, then it isn't an AF episode. Whatever you are experiencing, I hope you feel better soon, my friend.

[poppystorey]

Hi there thanks for your reply good to hear from ,my heart is irregular all of the time some time beating faster than others .some days i am totally wiped out then others i feel fine ,i haven't actually been told what type of AF i have ,my heart sometimes feels like a wobbly jelly in my chest .take care love to your family .PoppyStorey

[jennydog]

My cardiologist says that I have classic A/F. My symptoms have evolved over several years but this is probably due to the different beta blockers being taken. Originally an attack meant going to bed to sleep the attack off but now I just feel breathless and sweaty and can function poorly. I have never had palpitations, more of a flutter and I don't think the rate is over 100. There is, however, a warning that an attack is likely that I have not seen discussed on this site hitherto - urine production! I do not normally have to get up in the night but if I'm up at 1am,3am and 6am and produce a bladderful each time then I know that a poor day will follow. I discussed all this with my cardiologist who wasn't surprised. He did an ECG when I was having an attack so he was able to make an accurate diagnosis. The trace was like a mountain range yet I couldn't feel anything.

[PhyllisK]

HI, Jennydog, I am glad someone else has mentioned urine output, I am ok in NSR but I am very frequent during an AF episode. I understand that this is to do with heart working harder during an attack and thus stimulating kidneys. Hope I am correct and not spouting rubbish.

[jennydog in reply to PhyllisK]

This is in line with the cardiologist's comments. I really do start to wonder where it's all coming from - it doesn't tie in with thirst or anything else. I do appreciate your response. I was starting to think that it was just me!!

[Hidden in reply to jennydog]

I would endorse what Phyllis said -- I have had a very long history of Af ( over 20 years on & off ) & invariably lose a great deal of fluid once fast AF kicks in due to the kidneys being stimulated by fast heart rate.

Sandra

[jennydog in reply to Hidden]

Sandra, thank you so much for your response. That makes 4 of us! It really is the most telling predictor of an attack in the night for me.

[Hidden]

Dear Poppy

When I was really poorly with AF episodes 3 or 4 years ago, I would have a whole gang of symptoms. Nausea, chronic dizziness, weakness, sweats, wobbly knees and a racing heartbeat. The only way I could deal with it was to lie down and sleep or rest until it passed, which sometimes took all day. If I had an AF episode in the night, I always knew about it in the morning, even though I was sleeping. It might take most of the day to get over it.

Fortunately for me after 3 ablations and 3 years I am now almost perfect!

I hope you feel better soon.

Best, Carrie

[dedeottie]

I also have increased urine output for about 12 hours before an attack. It makes sense that the heart is working harder but why doesn't it continue during the attack? X

[Mamamarilyn]

Just to put the cat amongst the pigeons, I have also noticed a significant increase in urine output BUT am in NSR for the moment. However, I can link this quite clearly to a change in my medication and am now taking 200mg Amiodarone and 5mg

Bisoprolol. I feel OK otherwise! The cardio plans to decrease the Bisoprolol over a fortnight and then stop it altogether. If my weeing habits return to normal I will know that it was the B that was causing it, I reckon.