Feeling of doom

[Kbuck1234]

Have PAF - I have this constant feeling of doom as though something is going to happen to my heart - SCA or stopping or something else - constant hollow feeling in my left side of chest and awareness of every bump and skip. Also have a low resting heart rate around 50. Is this just anxiety and if so how do I get away from it??

[Finvola]

I'm so sorry you feel so bad at the moment Kbuck. Anxiety and depression can be as physical and as debilitating as a diagnosed condition such as AF - and it is made worse by our uncertainty about what is wrong. That feeling of doom consumes everything so it's no wonder that you feel your heart and worry about it.

Have you got a doctor you can talk to and who will listen? If so, write down exactly what you feel and how your worries are affecting you and go and have a talk with him or her. All kinds of treatment and advice are available - you don't need to try to cope by yourself.

Keep in touch and let us know how you are.

Best wishes

[constabule]

I get the same feeling of Doom listening to campaigners how are urging us to vote leave or stay in the EU referendum . Like most "posters" resting quietly makes me aware of nearly every bump and skip. Its natural to have concerns

My resting heart rate has been low for a number of years and was told by the GP Id never need betablockers. Well I am on the now and it does bother me a bit. At first it was thought the low HR was the cause of my AF. (now down to a faulty valve). While in hospital I was told that overnight my HR had dropped to the low 30s but as I was sleeping it was not considered a problem .

I bought a finger monitor from Maplins (i can never came out the shop empty handed) The instruction sheet does state that it is not suitable for checking rhythm so probably as good as a chocolate teapot for our needs but it has a little graph which I find interesting to watch.

By the way just did a quick check - got a percentage of 98 with an HR hovering around 50 .

I like to think I have the heart of highly trained, very fit and honed athlete . .

As others say listen to your own body dont panic but know when to seek help

Hope you can manage not to let it get you down to much - good luck .

.

[Musetta]

Dear buck,

Sorry to read about your anxiety and feeling of doom. Apparently AFers are more sensitive than the general population of sensations in the chest such as twinges,twitches.skipped beats ect. You do become accustomed to these strange occurrences but over time you realise they're quite benign and won't kill you! Don't be too anxious - it all eventually passes. All the best to you.

Cheers,

Musetta

[Japaholic]

Im sorry to say that the "feeling of doom" goes with the territory. For me, just dealing with that anxiety on its own......

I turned to acupuncture which while maybe not affecting my heart I found did do wonders for my anxiety.I had AF on and off for 3 years, then bad AF and flutter for a year before having an ablation this time last year.

As someone else said, we AF'ers are hyper sensitive to our hearts and their function.

Even after a successful ablation that doesnt go away!

[MarkySmith]

Sorry to read about your problems. Anxiety is best diagnosed by a healthcare professional and I strongly urge you to seek professional advice. If you are suffering from anxiety, a panic disorder or low mood (all of which would result in feelings of doom) you could benefit from some form of psychotherapy. In general something triggers our thoughts (oh my got my heart is racing and I m going to die) and this then leads to feeling associated with the thoughts (panic and fear). In tandem with this our bodies start to react physically to the anxious thoughts (sweating, hyperventilating and hyperarousal) and in turn this can make us behave in certain unhelpful ways (such as smoking, drinking, avoiding situations, running away, freezing). All of this process is driven by our fight, flight or freeze instinct to a threat and is therefore very normal. Anxiety management is all about being able to distinguish between real an imagined threats. For AFib sufferers this is very very challenging as our heart really is beating very rapidly and/or erratically. If you are diagnosed and referred for psychotherapy your therapist should work closely with you and your medical team to help you manage the feelings you describe. CBT is usually recommend as this addresses the thoughts (cognitions) and behaviours, but make sure any therapist you see understands AFib!

Mark Smith accredited IAPT psychotherapist based in UK.

[Terjo]

I know what you mean when you say feeling of doom. It's not like being anxious or worried . It's quite specific , I used to get it before a migraine attack when I was a child and all my life until a few years ago. Mine were very depressing but went when the migraine developed. Luckily the meds that I take for AF have helped with the migraine . also as one gets older it has less of a kick. Digoxin has been a revelation , making my persistent AF liveable with, I also have a pacemaker. Be well Terjo

[bassets]

Sorry you are feeling so low. If it helps I was depressed and anxious for around 18 months after finding I have af but as they say, time is a great healer and this passed. I was and still am aware of every bump and lurch but I’ve learned to ignore it. You will feel better but it is probably best to get some help now if you need it. I hope you feel much better soon and can come to terms with having af. Best wishes and let us know how you are doing.