Can an episode of low blood sugar trigger af? Took bisoprolol in morning, late afternoon became very thirsty and hungry then had af.

[Oxford]

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi - I guess what you describe could easily have triggered your AF. What made you think you had low blood sugar? Hadn't you eaten much that day? You probably already know that feeling thirsty is often a sign that your AF has kicked off. I wonder also if you could have been dehydrated? That's what I was told I was when I was last admitted to hospital with AF. I was shocked to be told this, but then remembered that I'd had family visit that day and probably hadn't drank quite as much fluid as normal. Also eating large quantities of sugary things will set my heart off on its racing e.g. eating a bar of chocolate and yesterday afternoon eating two large squares of fudge set the Apache war drums off in my chest. Did your episode of AF last very long? Hope you are better now.

[Oxford in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks for good wishes. Yes, I think I was a bit dehydrated and also coughing like a trooper following a chesty cold so am somewhat knackered! Bisoprolol has left me almost free of noticeable af for over a year now, but on the three or so occasions it has occurred, I feel certain release of adrenaline has contributed to it - which is something that happens when blood sugar is low. Also, adrenaline and stress/anxiety seem to figure significantly in my af.

[Hidden]

Hi Oxford,

Lots of really silly-seeming things appear to set off AF and I wouldn't be at all surprised if low blood sugar was one of them. When I was at a conference with a group of people who didn't want to eat before ten in the evening I felt really poorly by the time I got some food. The more regular you can make your eating and drinking the better I think.

Lis

[Lucybod]

By not eating your electrolytes may be low in your body. When I had AF on and off for 3 days last week I was desperate. I looked on the internet and found that salt as well as potassium also plays a part in keeping the heart regular. I have been avoiding salt like the plague because I thought it was bad for you. So I ate a bag of salty crisps and I went back into sinus. I started having salt more in my diet and I didn't have an AF for about 10'days and then it started going in and out of sinus. This time I had a banana and it got better. I think I have a problem with electrolyte imbalance problem. I may not retain the electrolytes properly. I am seeing a cardiologist at the end of the week I bet he po pos the idea. I am going back to ask the GP and run the idea past him. The GP stopped all medication after my near death experience with Flecainade. I don't think it worked anyway.

My AF is just an irregular heart beat, it doesn't go fast.

[Terjo]

What a surprise to read this this morning. Yesterday the doctor told me to take more of my electrolytes as my sodium was low. I'd been drinking a lot of water as the irbasartan says to take with a glass of water also the Flecanide . Wants to see me today , lots of questions to ask about the imbalance as I did find the visits to the loo were very frequent and inconvenient. Hope you get sorted. My AF is still on holiday hope it decides it to stay away. Terjo

[Langara]

My cardiologist told me to keep clear of salt as much as possible, but to keep well hydrated, steering clear of anything containing caffeine. I never put salt on food and only add a meagre few grains of sea salt when cooking vegetables. I eat a banana every day and I think it helps to maintain a potassium balance.

[Lucybod in reply to Langara]

If you have low sodium levels in your body like Terjo it could cause a problem with irregular heart rate. Sodium and potassium are essential for the electrical side of the heart.its a shame there isn't an instant test for electrolyte levels. I thought that salt was bad and didn't put any salt on anything. I now have some. I am wondering whether some people with AF have a problem with electrolyte imbalance. It doesn't seem to be tested. The doctors are too quick to medicate. The know the diagnosis but fail to look for a cause. Since I stopped Bisoprolol and Flecainade AF is easier to stop by food!

[Oxford]

So, today, around 3pm, af started up again. No point in further musings as to what might be the trigger, I guess the age old adage of af begetting af is true after all. Having been free of it for a year and a half I allowed myself to live in la la land and make believe it was completely controlled by the bisoprolol. I suppose it is only effective for so long before the af breaks through. Feel rather miserable even though apart from the arrythmia itself I am symptom free. But emotionally it is upsetting to have to face its presence again because I know it is not an utterly benign thing and the only direction it goes is towards a more persistent af. Ho hum, I shall start composing my email for the electrophysiologist cos this is something you just can't self medicate.

[Froggy]

Hi Oxford. I hope things have settled for you now. Can I ask if you are taking any cough / cold remedies for the chesty cough you have? Some of the over the counter stuff are known to be AF triggers.

[Oxford in reply to Froggy]

No, nothing other than honey and lemon etc. Was wondering if prolonged bouts of energetic coughing could affect af? Clutching at straws here!