Wondering what people with PAF do during an episode, I have no symptoms but always feel disconcerted by the crazy heartbeat.

[Oxford]

I try ignoring and just carrying on as normal and also meditation and relaxation, but I remain feeling slightly anxious and always emotionally upset/drained by any episode I have. I guess I can't help associating it with risk of stroke even though I am almost nil on the chads score.

[dedeottie]

I always find carrying on as normal within reason ,is best for me. Moderate steady walking on the flat actually helps but anything more strenuous makes me breathless. The worst thing for me is sitting still trying to keep calm. The more still I am the more I can feel my heart beat. Now I am on rhythm control meds things are a lot better and I can sit and relax again. Before I was constantly on edge all the time. I think it depends on your symptoms to some extent as some people have such high heart rates that they can hardly move.x

[Tobw in reply to dedeottie]

My episodes tend to be months apart, but when I get one it goes on for hours (the longest one I've had lasted a day and a half). Reading on here about what others go through, I'm lucky because the medication I'm on keeps my heart rate below 100 when I'm having an episode and so I can, almost entirely, carry on as normal. However, there's always that feeling of slight anxiety because I'm aware of my heartbeat whereas normally I'm not - I agree, so much of it is down to the severity of your symptoms.

[CDreamer]

I agree with dedeottie it will depend on your symptoms. I Put in the ear plugs and listen to an audiobook if heart rate very high, distraction. Carry on as normal when I can. If your worry thoughts are distressing you, consider doing some CBT as this can be very helpful, there are a quite a few online self help sites or a book in the Dummies series or see a CBT practitioner.

Worrying is going to increase your stress which isn't going to help and it can become a viscous circle so breaking the circle is important.

If you are anticoagulated you know your risk of stroke is lessened, if not then maybe consider talking to your GP, this may help ease your worry.

[Lal531]

I sit quietly with a cold glass of water for about 15-20 minutes, sometimes if I am lucky a quick nap will also happen. This reduces the erratic heart and anxiety however I still feel really tired and drained.

[Hidden]

I thought that anxiety made things a lot worse so my GP prescribed some anti-anxiety pills for me. I didn't ask for them, it came as a surprise when he suggested it. I had to confirm I would only take one as and when needed because they are addictive. When I had the next, and very bad session, I popped a pill. Low and behold, the episode went from being extremely bad to just a mild bout in 20-30 minutes. What that did was confirm to me that I was un-inentionally (fight of flght?) making things a whole lot worse (quite literally by a factor of about 5 or 10), so from that point on I felt a lot calmer if I had the wobbles and I did not have to take any more pills. Very occasionally I did pop one, but I didn't actually have to.

Koll

[jennydog in reply to Hidden]

I am quite sure that Koll is correct about stress. I read recently that older people are more affected by stress than youngsters so the effects of AF are a double whammy for most of us.

I woke up this morning with AF. I am all of a jangle about my visit to the EP in Liverpool tomorrow. The problem is the logistics of getting to the place. Last time we couldn't access it because of road closures. It was a total nightmare. This time the appointment is for 3.45 so we'll end up leaving in the rush hour.

I have bought a bottle of 200 Kalms but daren't start taking them until after this morning's warfarin check.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Koll,What are the anti-anxiety pills called

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Diazepam (Valium?). I would emphasise that the bouts I was having were scary ones, not just "everyday" versions. I also ought to mention that I didn't feel anxious, I thought I was being calm and stoic, but the experiment told me otherwise. Koll

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Koll,my problem is nausea which i,ve been putting down to anxiety but have just had my pacemaker altered so i can do more before i get breathless and whether it,s all in the mind or what i,ve improved 90% so i,ll see how things develop over the next few months Graham

[Hidden]

Most of my episodes start at night, so the main thing they do is deprive me of sleep... Fortunately my work isn't physically taxing so I try to carry on as normal during the day even though my HR can reach 170. Working is a distraction and helps me not to worry, I find.

Lis

[jeanjeannie50]

My symptoms usually start with my resting heart rate around 180bpm. I sit still while at this stage, do some of the well known procedures for calming the heart and then use my PC, read or watch t.v. Then after a few hours if it hasn't dropped below 160 I start getting ready to go to A+E. Now a lot of others on here may say I'm mad but I can't go anywhere without having a daily shower, so that's what I do. Oddly a few times after a shower my heart has reverted back to normal rhythm. If my rate drops to 130ish I try to carry on as normal with lots of rests and obviously can only walk short distances because of being breathless (have had two sessions of this period lasting 6 weeks. AF only stopped after a cardioversion).

The last time I was admitted to hospital I was surprised to be told that I was dehydrated, so now I always make sure I drink lots of water, just in case that's a trigger. I think the more years you have AF the more accepting you are that nothing serious is going to happen to you.

Like others on here I believe that focusing on or being anxious and stressed, will just keep my AF session going.

We all can't help being slightly anxious when in AF, especially if our heart is bouncing around too, so just try to accept that is how you are going to feel i.e. don't become more anxious about feeling anxious.

Jean

[lizwright]

Dehydration is a trigger too. I take deep breaths, think of the wafarin. I find hot water bottle helps.

I still think the anxiety comes from physical adrenaline due to high heart rate as well as emotional.

Try not to worry and just regard it as telling you to temporarily slow down.

[heatherblether]

Before I had my ablation I used to lie down if possible cuddling a hot water bottle, on my back, watch TV and try to calm down. If I was lucky after a couple of hours I'd feel the urge to lie on my right side and after a couple of minutes go into NSR. If I was relaxed enough lying on my right side and snoozing also brought me back to NSR. Sometimes something to eat would also help. Just think it's not going to kill you it's just damn uncomfortable, so get yourself in a position where you least feel your heartbeat and be 'good' to yourself it helps.