Bad cold brings on AF

[dmac4646]

Have had a cold for about 2 weeks , Dr says not a chest infection but has kicked me into AF despite upping daily Flecanaide to 150 - anyone else find a head cold a trigger ?

[Pdotg]

No, but every over-the-counter cold remedy is a trigger.

[Drounding]

I find that a chest cold with strong bouts of coughing can trigger my AF. I also don't take any medication for it other than paracetamol.

[Hidden]

I came back from Madeira with a virus that affected my heart beat. I don't know whether it affected my heart because I have underlying AF, or whether it's because I have AF I noticed that it affected my heart. I have a sneeky feeling that in my case it's the latter.

Hope you feel better soon.

Koll

PS I didn't take any medication for the virus.

[buddje]

colds/flu etc.

definitely can bring on A fib every time-cold remedies a trigger.unfortunately we have to bear the symptoms of a cold

[HastyHeart]

Hi Everyone with a cold!

Childhood remedy, all natural, which I found very soothing for my wheezy, chesty cold recently: Lemon, Glycerin and Honey. Mix together juice of one lemon, two tablespoons each of glycerin and runny honey.(glyceryn BP available from chemists). Keep mixture in glass jar/bottle with tight lid and take couple of teaspoons of it when cough or cold symptoms are bad. Good to have at bedside for coughing in night.

Keep warm and well!

[engineer51 in reply to HastyHeart]

Hi HastyHeart, just a quickie do you add any other liquids , i.e water or just what you stated.as I seem to get colds weekly during the winter months and it starts to bring on pulps and the feeling of my AF, I work outside on shift a lot which don't help , im goanna give your recipe a shot , cheers .

take care.

[HastyHeart in reply to HastyHeart]

No, do not dilute! Let it slide down your throat slowly for best effect.

[10gingercats]

Whenever I had a cough after/or with a cold, it always made my AF worse., and esp. with regard to night palps. I am in perm. AF. However, recently my health has been much better and I have not had a really bad cold/cough for about two years. I wonder how I might be affected as/when I get one.

[LisaV59]

Yes. I'm still coughing at night following a cold and my AF is definitely worse.

[ruuthmo]

There have been any amount of colds and coughs in this area - it's difficult to escape it. I certainly have gone back into AF immediately following a dose of whatever this bug is = but feel much better again now = so wonder if it's possible to recover from AF and intending to ask my Doctor this question. She didn't want to send me for another cardioversion and if it's not necessary that would be even better.

Ruuthmo

[dmac4646 in reply to ruuthmo]

Good question , I was hospitalised once , was cardioverted , let me out the next day was back into afib in hours then readmitted told them about chest infection again this time the gave me antibiotics and 24 hours later returned to NSR ..... probably no need for the cardioversion had they treated the underlying problem.

[sueallen]

Could be an upper respiratory infection,I swear by echinacea if I have a cold, start taking it when symptoms start & use it till 3 days after the symptoms have resolved,works for me.

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

YES, yes, yes! Last spring I got a chest cold and had so much coughing, that it knocked me into persistent AF. NEVER had I been in AF longer than 20 hours and I was 3000 miles from home and the AF lasted for over a week!. My EP said that my lungs (which had deteriorated into pneumonia) really just p***ed off my heart. Obviously! AF is a reflection of one's general health, so it really hit home to me!

[dmac4646 in reply to SRMGrandma]

Interesting , in the past I have always thought it was only if you had a chest infection that it set of AF , but, it appears as you say that any impact on your general health can set off AF , I must remember to up my Flecanaide at the onset of anything. I am assuming you went back to NSR when the episode passed ?

[SRMGrandma Volunteer in reply to dmac4646]

After 10 days I was still so sick that even a cardioversion failed to put me back into NSR. I was admitted to the hospital to try tikosyn, which worked, but I couldn't tolerate because it caused prolonged Q-T interval, as did amiodorone. I was in NSR from the drugs, but once they were pulled I went back into AF a few days later while I was then traveling abroad. (I had wanted to cancel but my EP insisted we not cancel our anniversary trip to Paris, that I would be fine, whether in AF or not) As soon as we came back I emailed my EP and we set up my ablation. Once my heart had been so irritated, and I couldn't tolerate the meds, it was time! Happily, after an initial 10 days of instability after the ablation, my heart has been perfect for nearly 5 months.

[wilsond]

Yes and I have only used real lemon and hot water and paracetamol when the headache got really bad.I think any stress on our respiratory system affects the cardiac ssytem, which is why there are cardio-respiratory units in hospitals. I was really getting concerned but as cold/flu has eased so has symptoms. I guess we have to ride it out huh?

If we know we can stress less perhaps breaking the circle a bit. I did find one weird thing,drinking a glass of iced water straight off,dehydrated,stopped Af in its tracks for some time. ??????????????

[PALady]

The limitations on what remedies are available to treat symptoms make it all the more important to get your flu jab sorted out.

[NooNoo14]

Not sure about a cold setting off AF but a stomach bug certainly did but this may be because my EP thinks a problem with my stomach triggers my AF.

[CTG99]

I've been told by the doctor that I can use Sudafed SPRAY if I get a cold (not capsules or tablets) and couple that with the good old Vick on the chest & feet method. I know the spray doesn't contain the caffeine that is often found in the usual cold remedies but there might be another difference in ingredients that is relevant.

Caroline

[Timmo50]

I have recently had 6weeks with barely any af, but have started a light flu like bug last night and was in af for 12 hours. And am today off work, lying in bed feeling sorry for myself. So yes the connection is clear to me.

[dmac4646]

my Cardioligist says that respiratory issues definitely spark AF episodes due to stresses that causes to your general health.