I'd be interested to hear any reports from runners with AF and whether they have been able to return to running ( lesser intensity ?)

[Stof]

Age 64 and been a social runner (40-50km a week for the last 35 years)

[Hidden]

You don't say if you have got symptoms, or have you had an ablation/are being controlled by drugs? My EP said that after my ablation (which worked) I was totally normal and that anything I was doing before I could do again, but they may not apply to you of course. Koll

[CDreamer]

The advice at last years patients day on exercise generally was that if you don't have symptoms then continue. If you have symptoms then don't. Most people I know with symptoms cannot continue and become breathless, racing heart, have muscle fatigue and become very tired, have an episode within 24 hours. I was told that These symptoms should not be ignored, don't run if you can't talk as well was given as a good rule of thumb and don't ignore symptoms, they indicate that your body is not getting enough oxygen and it could put your heart under too much strain. Symptomatic = reduce the intensity and the longevity until you are asymptomatic. A lot of people find they have no problems walking when they cannot run.

[Stof]

To elaborate on my earlier question. I have recently had electrocardioversion for the 3rd time. On trying a run pulse rate went from 70 odd to 160+ in 300 metres at which point I gave up.

In other ways pulse is stable and normal. I can walk for an hour or more with pulse rate stable at 90-100.

[Hidden in reply to Stof]

I Stof,I was a keen cyclist until I got AF and have not yet got back on it for 12 months,(since my ablation)I just stick to walking at the moment 3 miles a day and will only go back to my bike when i feel 100%.I have found walking does not bring on my AF and it,s keeping me fit at the moment, so don,t rush anything it does take time good luck

[Alil in reply to Stof]

Mine does the same - I think a longish warm up helps as it them. Settles to about 125 at its highest. Cycling has less effect.

[BobD Volunteer]

I think it is well known that endurance training such as yours is a prime cause of AF in some groups of athletes. The changes brought on the atria by the training seems to be the reason for the chaotic electrical impulses. Maybe time to re-consider your options?

Bob

[MarkS]

I had AF for about 15 years before my successful ablation. During that time I played hockey every week and cycled as well. I had AF about 30% of the time, so roughly one in three games I was in AF. I found that I could cope with that OK - I got more breathless but as long as I played intelligently I was OK. If you play a sport you need to accept at times AF will happen whilst you're playing and you just need to manage that.

I think it really helped me to manage my AF that I was relatively fit - if you can run aroound with AF then it's not going to affect you so much in ordinary life. I think it also helped me recover from my ablation.

Having said that, in hindsight I think I overdid it at times and I've now reduced the intensity and length of my workouts.

So I would suggest dropping your mileage and speed a bit but keep it up!

Mark

[Hidden]

I know what it's like to miss running after regular sessions for many years (I'm 67 and ran, Orienteered and cycled). It wasn't the knee arthroscopies that caused me to stop running, it was that uncomfortable feeling of my heart at 200 bpm and then having to walk / jog a 10km race. AF during intense Spin classes, Concept 2 rowing and resistance work hasn't really bothered me even now. This may be a false dawn, but yesterday, seven days after starting dronedarone, I was back in the gym (with a cough) for a 90 minute cardio session that I know will kick off AF. The first 20 minutes are the Bruce cardiac treadmill test but from 6 to 20 minutes at 15% incline, walking at 7.3 kmh and keeping to 80% of my heart rate reserve (Metzler fomula for maximum heart rate). Prior to taking dronedarone, that 90 minute session would be an average heart rate of 156 bpm and a peak of 224 bpm. The stats yesterday were an average heart rate of 125 bpm and a peak of 147 bpm (82% heart rate reserve). I'm delighted. I'm planning three months of building an aerobic base at this new profile and then trying treadmill running in the gym as it's easier to stop if thgings don't go to plan. Dronedarone won't suit everybody and it has to be prescribed by a cardiac specialist - in my case it was suggested by a brilliant advanced cardiac nurse pratctitioner and confirmed by an EP - and then the monitoring has to be sorted out between the GP and cardiac specialist (dronedarone is on an 'amber' prescription). So far dronedarone looks like the solution for me and I'm glad that the nurse practitioner listened and didn't prescribe Warfarin suggested by a GP.

[Therealsue]

Stof - I took up running at age 50. I'm 57 now and first had AF problems regularly about 18 months ago. I had my ablation last week and I'm hoping to return to easy running and maybe a bit of training in due course. Until warfarin for the ablation, I wasn't taking any medication and I hope to stop that in 6 months or so if the ablation has been successful. My AF is exercise induced almost exclusively. When I first saw my consultant over a year ago now, he said to go and do what ever I wanted - and I found that in most cases I could get back to NSR by alternating sprints and walking. I run 25-30 miles a week, and although I've trained for and run 4 marathons (one a year) I don't consider myself to be an endurance runner. I rarely run more than 4-5 miles a day. When my AF starts when I run, I just have to slow down and take some walk breaks.

[ZVI- in reply to Therealsue]

how long after the ablation did your stamina come back...????

[Therealsue]

Hi ZVI. I took my EP's advice to the letter and 'pottered' for the first week after ablation, then walked for two weeks then in week 4, I returned to some easy jogging - no more than 3 miles. But this was the acid test - would the AF be gone? Well, 9 months down the line, it looks as though it was completely successful I have a lot of ectopics but these are normal. I would say that my stamina returned within 2 months and I'm now back training the way I was before AF hit although I've been advised by my EP to cap the running at 10 miles. I'm happy to do this - well, I would have liked to run a few more marathons, but I'm happier to be out running at all. Good luck. Sue

[100MarathonRunner]

Hi

Im an endurance athlete, 100 Marathon Club member ..I've only just recently been diagnosed with AF after a training session for Ironman. I've run/cycled/swam endurance events for 15+ years. Has anyone continued to race and train and to what level? How do you manage your AF?