EXTREME shortness of breath - Scared!

[doeadeer]

Had my 1st A Fib episode with TIA about a year ago. The doc did 'something' to get me out of Afib while in the hospital. The last couple weeks, I've become more and more short of breath and fatigued. Ended up in the ER on Monday July 31 and they really just gave me some medicine in an IV and sent me home the next day. I am still extremely short of breath, even just sitting! If I try to walk, I must look like I'm a 90 year old having a heart attack! It is very very scary and I don't know if I need to go back to the ER. This time the ER (in a different county) didn't try to get me out of AFib...just meds. I wake in the middle of the night several times just gasping for air. Not sure when I should go back to ER, if at all.

[azriverrat]

Besides just er you need follow through. If afib with a cardiologist or better an electrophysiologist which is a cardiologist trained in the electrical system of the heart.

ER are good for emergencies but you need the following through. So if bad sure go.to ER but then get follow through.

[CDreamer]

Hi and welcome. ER or (A&E) are only there for emergency or life threatening conditions. AF is not life threatening so they will not treat you but refer you back to your doctor for investigation and referral to a specialist - which is what is required.

As said, you need to see a specialist - an EP = Electrophysiologist. It could be there is something else going on so I would think you need tests such as ECG and echocardiogram and possibly scans to at least rule out something more serious.

AF can make you very breathless and fatigued but so can some of the meds that are prescribed, especially Beta-blockers.

Can you see your doctor as soon as possible?

[Enjoy]

I know exactly how you feel. Just turning over in bed made me breathless. Even drinking a cup if tea needed breathing effort. On the third referral to A&E by my GP I saw a doctor who agreed with me that it was one of my meds that didn't agree with me. One that millions take happily.... a water tablet.

I stopped the water tablet and within 36 hours I was a different person, so maybe look at what medication you are taking. As I was told - not every tablet is right for every person.

Do hope this helps.

[kellie111]

I was not aware that water tablets can have such a bad effect.

So how then can one deal with water retention. My ankles are still swollen while taking water tablets.

[Offcut in reply to kellie111]

I cannot take water tablets as they hits my kidneys badly

[Offcut]

I would look at the medication you are taking as many can react and cause SOB. I am one that does not seem to do well with quite a few tablets that have made me worse or no better.

Be well

[Hidden]

You need to find out what the medication was, as although it's rare, there can be a reaction to rate control medication that will leave you with low blood oxygen (SpO2). I had that reaction to Dronedarone that produced inflammation in one lung, and in a subsequent admission to hospital I was given Amiodarone by IV. The Amiodarone produced inflammation in the left lung. That resulted in another admission to hospital with my SpO2 at 76%, and in the early hours I had to robustly argue against being sedated and put on mechanical respiration. I was later told that I had been close to death and, my case was later the subject of a paper to the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh. Key indicators are: low SpO2 and anything below 92% requires investigation and, a crackling sound when exhaling.