What are the AF syptoms like, how long do they last and how long between each one, for you?

[jillgloucester]

Please..

[CDreamer]

Everyone has different symptoms, some have none and don't know they are in AF and episodes last anything from a few seconds to being in AF permanently.

[jillgloucester in reply to CDreamer]

Oh, Thx for that!

So if someone has episodes that last a few seconds , would they still have to be on rivaroxaban at 60?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to jillgloucester]

Duration and ferocity of events has no major bearing on stroke risk. If you have other co morbidities then it would depend on your chadsvasc score.

[jillgloucester in reply to BobD]

Thank you

[pottypete1]

The first question to ask you is why do you ask?

On this forum we can all tell a different story. We are all different.

As cdreamer says some do not know that they have AF.

For some they suffer permanent AF, some have it off and on daily. For me it has always been every few days or sometimes every few weeks.

Pete

[jillgloucester in reply to pottypete1]

I'm just trying to find out about the actual symptoms, and the differences between them.

[LindaDaisy]

I have episodes varying from a few seconds to several hours, with bpm from 120 up to 200. My episodes have had a pattern of once a month and more in the winter than the spring and summer but this is more an impression than a definite. I have AF, SVT, tachycardia and atrial flutter. Sometimes it's every few days. As has been said on here before, it is a mongrel condition. What i have today is no indicator as to what I will have tomorrow. Patterns only emerge when I graph episodes over years.

Once you are on medication then it could be preventing your episodes being worse in frequency and/or intensity .

[jillgloucester in reply to LindaDaisy]

Thank you for that. I'm starting to understand how it works a little more!

[maxred1]

I had a long chat with my wife yesterday on this very subject. I am fed up with feeling unwell. A feeling sorry for myself moment. Believe me, theses are very few and far between. I generally just get on with it, and in terms of some other poor souls, I am fairing ok. That said, I am permanent AF, with Atrial flutter, with an abnormal rhythm. I am heavily medicated, for rate control. So why do I feel generally unwell? Don't know. I can go for a few weeks, feeling great, I can go a few weeks feeling very unwell, I cannot predict when I will go into an attack. I scare my Mother in law, she has witnessed me draining colour before her eyes, and on the verge of passing out. Chronic fatigue, nausea, anxiety, depression, aching muscles, severe palpitations, I could go on.........Doctor cannot explain why? I look for triggers. Not sure. I have changed my life completely. I think I am slightly better due to this. I have cut out alcohol, but ask myself why, when I am still feeling unwell. Interesting condition, and I just love when people say, ah everyones got that, I have no symptoms at all. Wooden mallet please........

[jillgloucester in reply to maxred1]

Thank you. X

[jillgloucester in reply to jillgloucester]

sorry to hear that! Can I ask, when you have an attack how high does your pulse go? And do you have to take any extra meds at that time? If you pass out would an ambulance have to be called? Sorry about all the questions.

[Meeko]

I can echo the comments above. I have figured out some situations that make me feel bad and have symptoms. Lifting things over 4k will make me breathless. I'm sure I've gone in and out of afib during the night by waking briefly. I just can't stay awake to check it out. I have bought the alivecor kardia device and heartily recommend it if your in and out of afib.

[Clarrie]

I get attacks every 2-3 weeks lasting from 24-36 hours. Feel very tired, dizzy and breathless.

[djmnet]

I would agree with the other posters that everyone is different, has different experiences and the frequency varies among us all. Two "symptoms" that I always recognize at the onset of an episode are shortness of breath upon even slight exertion and the need to pee several times every hour!

[Rellim296 in reply to djmnet]

Not only is everyone different but AF can be different every time it occurs. It's very fickle and for many of us there's no telling when it will occur or how long it will last.

[cassie46]

I have permanent AF. My heart beat is always irregular and my heart rate varies greatly. Even on all my drugs my heart rate rarely goes below 85 often 95 is normal for me. I do know when things are going a bit haywire, I just do not feel good. Feel edgy, tired, breathless, can feel my heart misbehaving lots of other things. When things really kick off it is normally A & E time as heart rate go up into the 180 to 200 and takes some time to come down. Have had a few spells in hospital being monitored until it settles normally 3 or 4 days.

Even when feeling a bit rough I do try and potter about, nothing strenuous and it does seem to help and keeping hydrated is very important for me. Last Xmas I had some virus, just could not stop coughing, breathing got bad and Heart rate went mad, ended up emergency ambulance to A & E and three days in hospitol. Chest infections and viruses seem to sentd us into AF. Generally I just carry on as best I can, just listen to my body when it tells me I have done too much, I stop and have a rest. Also I avoid the things that trigger my AF, mainly for me caffine, booze, chocolate and a few other things.

[Pam296]

I was only diagnosed in March but had been experiencing symptoms for about a year. They vary from a few seconds of palpitations to a maximum of 2 minutes racing heart. I only knew it was racing as I was wearing a heart rate monitor in the gym on one occasion. Scared the life out of me!

[sleeksheep]

Always in AFIB when I had it - just irregular beats 24/7 . After conversion always felt extremely good like a dose of adrenaline. In SR and hope to stay this way.

[Hidden]

My AF has always been related to exercise and I could tell by the heart monitor download afterwards whether the high heart rate was AF - a really spikey trace - or hard cardio work - a pretty stable progression. Running with an AF heart rate was really uncomfortable so I eventually gave it up. However most hard Spin classes were OK but in the early days my heart rate would suddenly drop from around 190 to 130, blood would pool in my legs and it was like riding into a hedge, then I would recover in about 20 seconds.

I can sustain a high AF heart rate on a Concept 2 rowing machine without a problem and, the only way I would know I was in AF would be a slight drop in the distance rowed in 60 minutes, or about 40 seconds longer on a 5km row at full resistance and, the subsequent heart monitor download. I recover into normal sinus rhythm very quickly during post-exercise warming down that I initiate by the legs up the wall relaxation yoga pose.

[dmac4646]

From having 2 weekly bouts 7 years ago I now get 2/3 annually usually due to colds or an allergy to cheese, 1 normally take 2X50mg Flec - the moment I feel it come on I take an additional 3X50 mg - its usually clears up in 2/3 hours. This has been the same now for about 6 years - thank goodness for Flecanaide.

[jillgloucester in reply to dmac4646]

I will have to google flecanaide thx