Anxiety and stress post a/f

[Dapper1946]

Can any one recommend any book or any advice on worsening anxiety following my af diagnosis, please. I am desperate to find a way of overcoming the awful feelings which include tightening of the chest, feeling really ill and very frightened. Any help much appreciated

[jan-ran]

We can all relate to the feelings you are having right now dapper. Many of us have been there and know the mounting panic as realization hits that this is unpleasant, scary and seemingly life changing. But we have also come to terms with it, over time, many have had procedures that improve the situation enormously, others have learned to manage the condition with drugs. There's lots of help from the medical world, and always a mountain of support on here. Feel free to dump all your concerns on us, you will find many answers from friendly fellow sufferers. For now, try not to panic ( af won't kill you), tell us your troubles and get to know us. Jan.

[BobD Volunteer]

Please understand that you are quite normal. WE all went through this at the start and now look at us! May I suggest that you go to AF Association main website and read all you can as knowledge has the power to drive away fear. Ask us any specific question and we will try to help. You are not alone.

Bob

[Dapper1946 in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob,

I'm starting to come to terms with the fact that I have had a/f episodes and that I may have more. The bit in having difficulty with is, why am I having really awful periods of anxiety if I'm starting to understand the a/f problems?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Dapper1946]

Because you do. It goes hand in hand with AF. Accept it and know that you are not strange. You would be if you didn't worry. Think also how similar are the symptoms of AF to those of panic attacks and you have your answer. You will learn to live with this condition and get a treatment plan going and soon you will wonder why you worried.

When I was first diagnosed in 2004 after years of missed diagnosis I was terrified. There was no AF Association. nothing much on the internet and no real support for the mental side of things. That was when I pledged that if ever I could help one person not feel as I did then my life would be worthwhile. I'm still here and still understand.

[london12345 in reply to BobD]

Your comments have greatly helped me especially "it won't kill you!" I try and focus on this when I am in A fib and scared to move a muscle! Having been diagnosed Aug 15 and being so so scared I am now not so fearful and find this forum so supportive of everyone. It must have been very difficult for you Bob to feel so isolated with your diagnosis.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to london12345]

Oh yes there is so much more help now than back then. I was already working with BHF and The Royal Brompton Hospital to try and set up a help group when AF Association was formed in 2007 and I threw in my lot with them. We have come on in leaps and bounds since then. Treatment used to be a pat on the head and a lump of sugar by most GPs. My old one never even guessed what it was but a house move and change of doctor gave me one who actually knew what AF was.

Now there is so much more with All Party Parliamentary Groups, annual Patient Day at Heart Rhythm Conference , news letters, pressure groups working with NICE and so many fact sheets that there is no reason for anybody to feel alone and most of this is thanks to our inspirational CEO Trudie Lobban.

[maryjc in reply to BobD]

Your life has certainly been worthwhile then Bob MaryC

[gwyn53 in reply to Dapper1946]

Understand that one.

Anxiety and loss if any confidence.

Causing hubby to get cross.

Lets get on with life!

Its not that easy. But life gies on.

This site has helped me liads.

Bkess you all.

Good luck

[Rellim296]

I think most of us have been where you are finding yourself, Dapper. If you put 'book anxiety' in the Search AF Association box at the top right (above the green box) there's a useful post from a few days ago at the top of the list.

[Finvola]

I do sympathise with you regarding the tight chest and fear - and each makes the other worse as we worry. I went to my GP with those symptoms shortly after diagnosis and said I felt awful and it helped to be checked out and have nothing found.

The post Rellim refers to is very helpful - things do get better but there was a time when I wouldn't have believed it. I found that the tight chest feeling could be helped by calm breathing and concentrating on something pleasant - and yawning which helped me to relax.

Best wishes

[Jay10 in reply to Finvola]

Hi Finvola, reading your post it has made me realise that the other day when I had a really tight chest and feeling so awful (called dr who checked me out with ECG etc) it was a stress related panic attack. I am going to have a chat with him as I feel I need to get some proper sleep and then things will not seem so bad. Hubby has prostate cancer and my PAF is under control at present but worry that it will rear its ugly head if I don't take care. I will try the breathing next time.

Jackie

[Finvola in reply to Jay10]

Hi Jackie - when I am stressed or worried I find myself not breathing properly and taking very shallow breaths. I didn't know this until a long time after diagnosis and now feel that many of my adjustment problems could have been better managed with breathing exercises. Have you seen the link to Dr Gupta's advice on breathing to stop ectopics? It was about a week or so ago and I do the exercise each morning for 5 or 6 minutes, yawning my head off by the 4th minute!

Your husband's illness is bound to be an extra concern, so I hope you can find a calming exercise which will be of benefit and it's a good idea to get your GP onside.

Best wishes x

[Jay10 in reply to Finvola]

Hi Finvola , thanks for your reply, I will look back and read about the exercises. Might be good to try before bedtime!!

Jackie

[gwyn53 in reply to Jay10]

Jackie. Sorry to hear of your anxiety and your husbands problem.

Im totally with you.

Mine has bladder cancer having treatment but omg it hoes on.

He gets very fidgety.

Iur daughter is Pregnant.

Has vile neighbours making our lives to a misery.

Never ends

But....

I hope you can find a wsh to overcome the anxiety.

AF is rubbish. Isnt it!

Sorry

[Jay10 in reply to gwyn53]

Thanks for your reply. I am sorry to hear you also have other health problems with hubby. You will have a lovely granchild to bring some happiness into your world soon.

Since my post I am feeling less anxious it would seem just owning up to stress helps!!

Take care of yourself and family. Best wishes, Jackie.

[Kimmieblue]

Hi Dapper

I understand completely understand your feeling the way you do, you are so uncertain about the condition and yes, it's frightening, we've all felt the same here, but you can get great advice from fellow sufferers right here.

i found it hard to come to terms with my AF, felt just like you do, really frightened and worried, we have to accept we have the condition and read up everything about it, try some relaxing breathing as Finvola suggested.

Otherwise I think a visit to your GP may help, there's lots that can be done to help you relax and not feel quite so anxious.

Best wishes.

K.

[CDreamer]

AF related anxiety is not like any other Anxiety I have ever come across and unfortunately I have found that most methods of anxiety advised by the NHS focus around CBT methodology - which are great for worry thoughts - but I think that AF related anxiety is entirely different. I came to that conclusion after experiencing severe anxiety during the time I had AF episodes.

The symptoms I experienced were physiological and not psychological although the symptoms did trigger some worry thoughts, inevitably,

Recognise that the physiological symptoms of anxiety are the body's way of alerting you to a threat or a perceived threat. I have started to write about this as I cannot find anything that specifically relates to AF anxiety and will post when I finish but in the meantime I suggest the best (& quickest) way is to practise breathing exercises known as 7/11 breathing which entails slowing your breathing down by breathing in for the count of 7 hold a second and then breathing out for the count of 11.

Continue to focus on just your breathing and practice for several minutes, 5 or more if possible. I found that closing my eyes so all of my attention focused on my breathing really helps. If you can then find an image that for you represents the word BALANCE and continue breathing you should find that everything starts to slow down a bit and you should start to relax. This takes practice!

This is a technique that is universally used in many practices such as yoga and meditation with excellent results. CBT is also a very useful tool but tends to focus more on mind rather than body so it depends whether or not you are a natural worrier?? I wasn't, and still am not a worrier so the way I described my symptoms were as an adrenaline rush - heart pounding, muscles tightening, breathing became rapid, sweating, dry mouth etc - I could feel it in my body.

Longer term - you will learn through experience that AF is an unpleasant experience but not a serious life threatening one and as others have said, once you have knowledge and a treatment plan - you will adjust and become more settled in yourself.

Very Best wishes CD.

[Annaelizabeth]

Have a look at MONASH University, they run a 6 week course on Mindfulness, it is free and excellent. It may well help you with learning to control your anxiety, I hope it does.

[Tessybear]

I can only echo things said in responses you have already had. The extreme anxiety and fear I felt when I had my first episode over two years ago was just awful, so I do understand your feelings. It has taken time to overcome this, and I still have my moments now and then. I have found different tactics helpful, such as breathing exercises, making myself distract my mind by doing ordinary tasks such as housework, inhaling essential oils that I know are calming to the mind,and - most importantly - talking to someone about it, whether that is a relative, friend or doctor. The help and support I have received from this site has helped me enormously, and Bob is quite right about finding out the facts about AF because knowledge gives you strength ( scary at first even to read about it, but over time it has set up a different train of thought when I think about AF). Try not to worry - easier said than done, I know, but remember it is completely natural and normal for you to have these feelings, and things will get better for you. Keep posting !

[ange1960]

Dapper I understand just how you feel I'm very recently diagnoised (Mar 2016), have been on a roller coaster with it and at times feels so anxious and afraid I don't recognise myself! I live alone, feel very alone with this and am conscious that my grown up daughters do not understand at all how it feels or affects me on a daily basis. I was in hospital last week (with AFib complications) and about to go for Angiogram and I described to the nurse that I felt anxious about that procedure, but then I got anxious because I was anxious!

I try to practise some mindfulness meditation and deep, steady breathing techniques when I feel it's over whelming me. It does help me.

I've been home from hospital for 2 days and have been in active Afib for 24hrs now, exhausting and uncomfortable, but I repeat the mantra. "This will pass, it will not kill me"

I find I'm quite tearful too, (do you?) quite unlike the 'real me', the pre AFib me. I was considering trying some talking counselling, but things have jumped along and I've been fast tracked for a CryoAblation next week so no time for that now.

I find these forums helpful. There is always someone who has been through it, someone to give hope that there is a way around the symptoms, a coping strategy they can share, or just kind words of hope and undertanding. Just knowing that there are people, strangers in cyberspace who understand just how this feels helps me not to feel so isolated and afraid.

I hope things feel better for you Dapper, if you need to talk, this is a good place to visit.

[Hidden]

Hi dapper, I am also fairly new to this condition and like you I was very scared initially, I was diagnosed in February following an accident. I had a few sessions of. Hypnotherapy which certainly helped me to relax. Once you have been shown the technique you can do it for yourself. Another option is talk to your GP about counselling that will also help. There mah be a waiting list for that though. This is why I went to a private therapist. It cost me £45 per session which lasted about 2 hours. Price varies though area to area. I thought it was well worth the money though. You will always get good advice from this site, everyone is very understanding and supportive, Hope you feel a lot less anxious soon. . Sue

[stargazer61]

Totally normal to feel that anxiety i think, but i also found it overwhelming and it took over my life. Keep trying different solutions that may work for you - for weeks i played a slow heartbeat on the computer as i went about my day, and keep a loud ticking clock by my bed to 'entrain' my heartrate to be at that rate, it was one of the best tricks i tried. Find out what calms you - there's no other way - then immerse yourself in it whether it's reading, funny movies, baroque music, meditative videos, cleaning, singing, research, yoga, everyone is different, i tried loads of things but found the calming heartbeat really helped me - don't forget the link with heart and breath - slow your breathing and you slow your heart - watch your fear thoughts and try to over-ride them with love/joy - you can only think one thought at a time - make it a good one as often as possible! Don't feel alone - you are not! Wishing you all the best.

[Gracey23]

I have been suffering PAF for over ten years and have found my anxiety has gotten worse rather than better. When I was first diagnosed I felt a sense of relief that I now had an answer to my pounding heart episodes. I was given medication and since never being on medication before I didn't realize the ramifications of medication. Over the years my episodes increased and so has medication. I now suffer side effects such as tiredness and brain fog among others. I've had a successful ablation for flutter and now am awaiting Cryoablation for AF. All the decisions of procedures, starting an anticoagulant , increasing medication dosages have left me consumed with AFib. There is definitely a progression with this condition . I would advise anyone on this forum to read all the information they can and ask all the questions they have because the anxiety will only get worse as time goes on. Thank goodness for this forum .

[barbara2]

As Bob said, I think all of us experience fear/anxiety when first diagnosed. The first event can be so traumatic/frightening, and leaves you wondering when it will happen again, and how am I supposed to live with this from day to day?

At first, there were so many fears...going up a flight of stairs; should I take an elevator instead?...walk slowly? Can I eat or drink this; or will it trigger the afib? What about exercise...avoid it or do it??

I was afraid to travel out of town. We would plan our route so as to go through towns with hospitals, just in case.

It is now 5 months later, and I am doing MUCH better. Becoming informed through reading, helped immensely, and I've just become more comfortable, in general, with this thing called afib. I've learned from docs/websites (this one is great) an assortment of things that helped to answer my ongoing questions. Knowing that the anticoagulant that I'm taking will help avoid stroke, also brings peace of mind.

You also will get to this point. Just try to relax (and I am not a relaxed type person; lots of anxieties) , learn, and listen, and you will become more accepting/comfortable, too.

[Dapper1946 in reply to barbara2]

Hi Barbara, thank you so much for your reply, your situation is an image copy of mine! It is a real fight for me and I often feel there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I keep trying to find reasons for sudden periods of anxiety, fear being the biggest problem and questioning my medication for changing my life style. Did, or do you feel the same. I am frightened to over excercise, no Zumba or line dancing any more, and absolutely no alcohol for fear of kicking off another a/f episode. Have you had to also stop these life enjoyments or have you come through these feelings?

[barbara2 in reply to Dapper1946]

Fear was a big problem and probably mostly due to not knowing much about afib and how I was supposed to live with it. It made me very anxious/worried, but as time passed and I learned more about my type of afib, I became more comfortable.

Accepting how to live with the things that will be "forever"... such as living the rest of my life with an anticoagulant, was definitely a challenge, and still is. I am on warfarin, so there's blood tests & food to be avoided or to eat on a consistent basis. That was a big learning curve, but again, after many blood tests, I've learned what dose is probably going to work for me, and to be consistent with the vitamin k that is consumed (also not easy to do, but somehow it seems to work out.)

Medication...I take Metoprolol & Flecainide and don't like the thought of Flecainide being "forever." As time goes on, and if the afib increases, I will definitely ask for an ablation. And living forever with an anticoagulant of some kind...there is no choice on this topic, at least in my mind. Some docs agree to allow their patients to give it up after having had an ablation, etc. but my docs have said it will be forever. And there are choices for anticoagulants, too, which is good.

Exercise...I asked my doc about that and he said to definitely continue walking, as much as i am comfortable with. He did suggest trying not to get the heart rate up "too high," but he felt it was important to keep moving! I also like Zumba type of exercise but I'm 65 and haven't done it for a few years. Maybe there are classes that have "lighter" workouts? I would be interested in that. Line dancing...doesn't seem like it would get the heart rate very "high?"

Alcohol...I've never been much of a drinker, so that hasn't been an issue. That is a tough one to give up, when it is something that has been enjoyed in moderation. You'll have to read what others say about alcohol consumption on this blog. Some people have given up all alcohol, some just do a bit of wine, etc.

Hope this helps. Just know that you will adjust to your new lifestyle, which is true whenever a person is diagnosed with something that changes their life.

[Dapper1946 in reply to barbara2]

Thanks Barbara, and I wish you all the best for the future. I think I will do a little more digging on the forum. Seems to me that we all have different views of what we can and can't do to try and keep our lifestyles as normal as possible. Thanks again!

[Coco51]

I can really sympathise. I had VERY bad anxiety after diagnosis of Persistent AF which lasted 5 months till cardio-version.

I was very agoraphobic and frightened to leave the house alone. ( My poor husband....!) When you are in AF your body is giving you mixed messages: a fast irregular pounding heart is usually a sign that your body is responding to danger, so for me, the worst thing was a feeling of doom - that something dreadful was about to happen. The result was that my heartrate then went even higher. I am pretty sure these symptoms were panic attacks on top of the AF. I went on a CBT course which did help me. Learning about the effects of adrenaline on the body helped me separate out the various symptoms and feel more in control. Adrenaline gives you palpitations, dry mouth, shortness of breath, dizziness, blurred vision, need to use the toilet and much more. When the symptoms were bad, I kept repeating "AF won't kill me and warfarin is protecting me" and felt safer and steadier, and the heartrate reduced. I also listened - and still do - on Sound Cloud on my phone to the progressive relaxation audio from the Glasgow Well-being NHS site. The 19 minute version works for me. Getting out for a gentle walk in the park with the dog is also brilliant, but I had to make myself do it at first. Now two weeks post ablation, one episode of PAF and lots of ectopics, but feeling better, fingers crossed. I think the hypnosis sounds like a good idea too.

Best of luck to you. You can overcome this. It's hard but there's lots of support here on the website.

[Trilby8]

Morning Dapper - Google HEADSPACE a very useful site re how to manage the dreaded stress/anxiety so closely associated with this gremlin of AF - good luck - Cathy

[Hidden]

My anxiety was helped most by resolving to come out of the 'AF dive' in a healthier state on all fronts (i.e. back in control) than before I fell into the 'icy water'. I have focussed for 2 years on lifestyle, relationships, food, business priorities and spiritual developments with a deliberate effort to develop new habits & hobbies. It worked for me but I have to avoid complacency and keep it up. Good luck Dapper.