Symptoms of AF : Hi there. I'm new to... - Atrial Fibrillati...

Atrial Fibrillation Support

31,042 members36,645 posts

Symptoms of AF

Moorso profile image
21 Replies

Hi there. I'm new to this site snd have been wondering about the symptoms people expriance from AFib. Is it always palpitation or fluttering as some describe. I have recently been diagnosed with AF but don't experience either but have other symptoms. Would be curious to hear if anyone has other symptoms other than those mentioned

Written by
Moorso profile image
Moorso
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
21 Replies
Paddinton profile image
Paddinton

breathless, can't concentrate, dizziness, strange aches in my arms, chest and face, eyesight greying out, frequently followed by a headache, extreme tiredness and aching all over. Yesterday, it happened when I was sitting in front of a clock, and my sense of time was all wrong, what I though was about 5 minutes, was 15.

Paddinton profile image
Paddinton in reply to Paddinton

just to add, my cardiologist thinks mine is atrial flutter (not confirmed yet) rather than SVT (as my doctor thought) as my heart beats stay rhythmic. Triggers seem to be tiredness and stress. Frequently happens when I am relaxed though. Has happened a few times when driving, but, so far, the cardiologist says I can keep driving.

kitzabella profile image
kitzabella in reply to Paddinton

do you have an ICD?

GazzaD57 profile image
GazzaD57

I have very few symptoms, breathlessness and occasional fatigue.

Beancounter profile image
BeancounterVolunteer

Hi Moorso

Just breathlessness and some fatigue, wouldn't even know my heart was in AF without testing it.

Be well

Ian

jennydog profile image
jennydog

I get very cross when people describe my AF as "palpitations." Very specifically, I have never had palpitations. I can be breathless, tired, aware that my pulse is erratic but the main symptom is feeling dreadful - as if the blood and oxygen aren't getting round my system. And I have never had any pain whatsoever.

Vanna-C profile image
Vanna-C

Yet my AF started with tremendous palpitations, it felt as though there was a drum inside my chest, and a really energetic drummer was going for a record performance! Next came the chest pain, breathlessness and exhaustion. All very different responses!

Perrylees profile image
Perrylees

That's so interesting. Mine was like having a bird fluttering around in my chest. Tiredness yes and some breathlessness but not that much .... The fluttering was controlled with bisoprolol but the tiredness and breathlessness were worse!

checkmypulse profile image
checkmypulse

Can always tell when AF begins, suddenly feel tired, eyes go heavy, can feel heart going like clappers (can feel it more when resting, sitting or in bed), can be light headed or get very quick lasting dizzy spells (just a second or so). Then when it goes it's like a sudden lifting of a heavy oppressive cloud, such a relief. The tiredness dissipates fairly quickly and once again I have that vain hope it's gone for good! Just had ablation 2 so even more hoping going on!

in reply to checkmypulse

Thats exactly how mine feels, Reminds me of being in labor. Havent had an episode since april, praying it stays away.

checkmypulse profile image
checkmypulse in reply to

I can't relate to the labor analogy being of the opposite type! That's a good spell without, I see you are on diet changes etc, it seems to work for some. Lets hope you reap the benefit also.

Take care

ruuthmo profile image
ruuthmo

Never any pain - very lucky in that respect - no fluttering or palpitations, but an exhausting fatigue that is hard to deal with and only improves by taking a nap or having a series of very early nights. Doesn't enhance life really.....................

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C

The first time i was in a-fib I was in it for 2 weeks and the only reason I did anything was because I noticed my heart rate was erratic on my heart rate monitor I use when exercising. When I asked my brother in law about it (who is a GP) he couldn't stress how quickly I should get to a doctor! I have gone into a-fib twice since. One of those occasions I only picked it up on the heart rate monitor (I wasn't on flecainide then) and the second time I felt a bit of tightness in the chest (I was trying to ween myself off flec).

However, i often read posts on this forum about the symptoms of AF and think they must be about atrial flutter because I never experience those symptoms!

Elaine1951 profile image
Elaine1951

Fascinating to read the different accounts. For me my heart raced so v v v fast indeed and I could not get it back in rhythm at all. V V scary. When finally it came to an end about three hours later I was exhausted as indeed I had in effect run a marathon without the leg movement !

Ectopic beats were a precursor. It also felt like Indigestion promoted it but v job sure. I find magnesium daily and breathing exersizes helps hugely. I've had only two attacks but enough to scare me significantly I read this site everyday and am full of admiration for others suffering daily.

Dr Gupta is a great person to read I take the magnesium from Holland and b my bloods didn't show Iwas depleted but then testing is pretty random I tend to do what I think my body needs Good luck to you

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

Frequent peeing, easily fatigued, sudden drop in BP leaving me feeling as though I was about to black out, breathless on exertion, very conscious of my heartbeat especially when lying down, heart dancing to a disco beat and sometimes feeling I was Popeye when eying up Olive - if you can remember that cartoon when the heart jumps out of his chest and beats very fast!

KipperJohn profile image
KipperJohn

All very familiar! When it kicks off I get a sort of 'hot flush' followed by increased HR, severe palpitations and pulse all over the place, heavy limbed and light headed. For the first couple of hours there is the need to pee about every 20-30 minutes until my meds bring the HR down.

No pain but general weakness and just routine activities wear me out. Always comes on when sitting or lying down and with no apparent or trigger.

Hope that helps.

FyldeWhite profile image
FyldeWhite

It's great this AF isn't it, because it affects us all differently its no wonder people don't understand. I am very similar to above, most of the time it's just a constant feeling of being at about 70-80 % my normal self With the odd light headedness. If I get what I think of as an attack I sweat very heavily, feels like my heart wants to escape ala meatloaf (see lyrics to bat out of hell) and I can,t do anything other than sit or lie still, thankfully with me that only lasts 20-30 minutes then it's like a switch is flicked and I'm back to normal well 70/80% normal anyway.

checkmypulse profile image
checkmypulse in reply to FyldeWhite

Yes just like a switch,,,,on and off......and I agree others just don't understand, sometimes the people closest to me. They see you when you are ok and in nsr and cannot relate to the afib occasions.

jayedeebee profile image
jayedeebee

Very first episode was like a hammering on my ribs, it was so scary. Happened a few times over the next few years. I'm in permanent AFib now. Kicked in after a chest infection. The tiredness is the worst, just feel so exhausted all the time. I cannot walk up an incline in the road, that's a real killer! Otherwise I don't really have many other problems. Occasionially i can't sleep on my left side, or if i bend over i can't breathe when i stand up, which makes putting my shoes on a really not funny. Swollen hands, legs and feet. I can't wear my rings anymore. But I take my meds and get on with it. I don't want my whole existence to revolve around AF. Although AF has other ideas I think x

Moorso profile image
Moorso

Thanks everyone for your replays. It's the extreme exhaustion that I find the most difficult to deal with. Along with friends saying " but you look well "

I woyuld feel breathless, tired, and often after it was over I would urinate more. Happened almost every time. I felt a heart beat in my neck the first time too. I have never felt pain of any sort. A tiny bit lightheaded and a feeling of anxiety or doom. I often had it happen after eating certain things or lots of stress. or bending over would sometimes do it too.

You may also like...

Paroxysmal AF symptoms

just wondering if anyone is in the same boat as me and how they are treating their symptoms. I have...

AF symptoms following Ablation

stop AF symptoms, or just mask them. I have felt great not having the palpitations, but I have...

Relieving symptoms when in AF?

hours. Is there anything you can do to relieve the symptoms while they happen. I am on Sotalol 80mg...

Symptoms of af

My father has been diagnosed with AF but has no symptoms.  I just wanted to find out if over time...

AF symptoms

Anyone felt like this not in AF but have all the symptoms very tired shakey and need to pee a lot...