Stress

[7Helena]

Can stress affect your INR or increase the incidence of AF, please?

[rosyG]

I'm not medically qualified but think stress could only influence your INR if you were too stressed to eat properly-i. e an indirect effect.

Some types of AF are definitely affected by stress and there are many people on here who will suggest some good meditations yo help you reduce stress.

[BrettonLass in reply to rosyG]

Unlike cat55, I've never had stress trigger AF. Apart from the one episode that landed me in CCU getting an armful of Amiodarone overnight, my episodes have always seemed to start when I'm sitting down and e.g. reading or using a computer, so not doing anything stressful or exciting.

[cat55]

Hi, nearly every episode I have had has been straight after I have been through a very stressful time. In 13 years I haven't had too many episodes although they have been quite lengthy, so I feel pretty sure about the stress affecting the A.F . I am very anxious and am now having some CBT to help with this, I think it is helping me to re- think how I deal with things.. Apart from a cold my Christmas has been very peaceful heart wise, just the usual ectopics but they havent been too troublesome. Don't think stress affects my INR. Best wishes kath

[paulina1 in reply to cat55]

wht does CBT stand for? Thanks.

[cat55 in reply to paulina1]

Hi Sorry for using initials I often wonder what some of the initials on here stand for. CBT is cognitive behavioural therapy and it is meant to teach you a different way to respond to your anxieties and stress I don't think it means it goes away it's just that you can stop the worry becoming all encompassing. It isn't easy but I am trying to take it all on board in the hope I can regain some of my life I have lost to over- worrying. Best wishes Kath

[cat55]

Hi, As Bob always says it's such a mongrel condition. My aim this year is to try and have a healthier lifestyle, curtail my worries and enjoy life a bit more and realise that this won't kill me.

[BobD Volunteer]

I can't see how stress could affect INR unless as Rosy suggests it stops you eating properly. Not a lot ever stops me eating sadly. AF itself causes stress so we have a chicken and egg situation . I always found my attacks came on AFTER the stress had passed and I was relaxing. In a motor-sport environment this was always at the end of the season so I dreaded November when we had finished racing and had not yet worked out what the next year would bring.

One suspects that it is the adrenaline affect brought on by stress which can help bring on AF but remember it isn't the cause, just maybe a trigger and not everybody has them.

Bob

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

I find that as well Bob, my AF comes on a few days after some big stressful event (like the Lisbon conference) rather than right at the time. Probably good in the sense that you get through whatever it is you're doing, but there's always that 'here it comes' thing afterwards...

Lis

[7Helena]

Thank you folks. My AF began after a severe period of deep stress and I wasn't sure if that was coincidence or not. Most of your answers suggests that stress could affect the AF but not the INR. I'm going through another very stressful situation at present and would be very interested in trying meditation to relieve it. I feel I must find a way as it seems a vicious circle where I find my AF episodes have increased lately causing me a lot of worry. Hospitalization is a no-no for me at present. I'm the sole able person as my husband is in great pain with his hip and can hardly move, His mind is also affected and I dread leaving him on his own. I have to find a way to reduce the stress of it all.

[Hidden in reply to 7Helena]

Good luck... My hubby is also very under the weather and needing a lot of care at the moment. When you have a condition like AF, it does add very much to the stress. Take care, I hope he improves soon.

Lis

[Japaholic]

Same, my AF really kicked in during a period of extreme stress. I take Rivaxoban so can't comment on the INR issue

[Tobw]

Never heard or read anything about stress affecting your INR, but the example first mentioned by rosyG has to be a possibility.

As for the second part of the question, my experience during 2014 when a health issue increased stress levels is that it does increase the incidence of AFib in my case - I had far more episodes in the lead up to my biopsy in September (none while I was waiting for the result though) and have had none since being given the all clear three months ago.

[iris1205]

Hi, You will find a multitude of answers here as diffferent as our AF conditions - so pick the answer (s) which will help you! I cannot speak to the INR as I am on a NOAC - xarelto. For the stress....

Stress creates inflammation in the body in every domain, so yes, stress can effect AF. It is not the cause, and it is not your fault. AF alone is a condition to be grappled with, add in watcing someone you love in pain, and feeling out of control, again as in AF, won't make this an easy task.

I am known as the duracell bunny, and rarely used to slow down, so meditation was very hard for me, until someone told me - no one "does it well". We all have our mind wandering, we improve the practice as we begin to observe instead of reacting to our thoughts. It has helped me with AF, as it has also allowed me to become an observer to my AF episodes instead of a victim of it.

Find guided meditations... I still use guided ones as they provide a distraction from our thoughts and can help us focus better. I enjoy tarabrach.com, she has great wisdom and compassion and is very good at bringing us away from guilt and needing to control. AF, certainly teaches me as a "control freak" that control is an illusion!

If you don't like her talks, then just listen to her meditations - they are free. Listen to any- your preference, I know MamaCass here listens to something called headspace...... anything that works!

Try guided meditations, I hope you get some relief soon, you have a lot on your plate.

To a calmer 2015!

[Hidden]

Not sure this would be classified as stress, but during lambing last year my INR dropped like a stone. Long days, high food intake and good stress. Always enjoy it. I'd guess it was more the exercise and food intake but who knows? Going to buy myself a home monitor this year so I can keep an eye on my INR weekly.

Koll

[paulina1]

In my case stress of moving made me have an AF incident which i didn't have for years. YES!

[teach2learn]

I believe anything taking long-term toll on your "heart" takes a toll on your heart. My physical heart felt like a stone after emotional abuse from daughter which also created physical stress. AF episodes began after that and escalated as other stresses related to children were added. Correlation? I think so, but not blame. Just one more thing to internalize. The meditation sounds like a good idea.

[paulina1]

Everyone should listen to wonderful music and if possible take up dancing. Dancing is like a drug. I go ballroom dancing at least 2-3 times a week. The movement to music is exercise, the social interactions are wonderful, the getting dressed pretty and feelng good about the way you look is definitely a plus.. So for me dancing is keeping me in sinus rythym. Also I take Diltiazam and magnesium/calcium before i retire to sleep. I don't fibrilate for years. (knock on wood). I think my constant exercising just walking and dancing and smiling at people. I'm lucky I found the answer for myself. Unfortunately doctors won't take me off warfarin. I'm 80 years old, history of hypertension, brother stroked, father heart desease. I guess better safe than sorry and will have to continue on warfarin for my lifetime plus my dancing hobby.

Good luck everyone and me too.

Pauline

[Dottilind]

My Af has been triggered by stress, and each episode I have I can pinpoint it exactly. I have been told though that INR cannot be affected by stress, but there again who knows.

[dedeottie]

I believe my I.N.R. decreases with heavy exercise and now I am merely 2 weeks from first ablation and intent on keeping my I.N.R. between 2 and 3 it is stubbornly sticking at 3.1 so maybe stress does affect it who knows?!

[dedeottie]

Thank you. Feel better now.x

[Rellim296 in reply to dedeottie]

I think it's a low INR that is unwelcome, dedeottie, if not a serious delaying factor. I had to have an INR over 2 and on the day it was 3.5. Not a problem, apparently. It had been 2.7 four days earlier, so yes, stress drives it up! Ask your EP's secretary what the ideal range would be. You are having weekly tests, presumably, apart from your own checks? As I've just said to Ectopic, I had weekly venous tests done.

[dedeottie]

Thanks. Yes I am having weekly tests done. It is good to hear what you say. I just feel a bit out of control at the moment. Never mind I am practising " going with the flow". Hope you are well .x