Is there many of you that have AF episodes that last 2 days or longer, mine were coming every 8 days but last week it started after just 4 days and just lasted 36 hours. I am more aware of when they start now, 6 month ago I did not know if I was in afib until I checked my pulse, I use to feel nothing.
Keith
Hi keith
My bouts of af come on about 5 times per day and last anything from 5 mins to 15 mins.maybe once weekly i have one that can go on for 2 hours.i can tell when its started as my breathing changes and i think oh hell its here again!! My pulse doubles to the 125 bpm mark
I hope yours improves as i can imagine what it Must be like for as long as 36/48 hours
Regards richard
Thank's Richard.
There is no norm! It can be permanent, once every six months or longer or whenever it jolly well likes and for however long it wants. You may start off easy and progress as AF is almost always progressive or once in a blue moon may have an event and then nothing for a year or more. AF is a mongrel condition.
At the moment after my 4th ablation I am in SR but when in AF it is there all the time 24/7
In my case it is difficult to see any regularity. I try to find causes but it is not easy. All I know is that sometimes I am extremely sensitive and other times I can do pretty much anything. The longest I ever had was 13 hours and it freaked me out completely. My cardiologist always told me that if my AF last more than 48 hours i should go to the hospital.
Take care
The longest AF episode (I knew about) was 13 days. Started one morning when I woke up, ended one night whilst I was asleep. Resting HR was 120 and it dropped to mid 60s when "well"
The first time I was aware of afib, I was in it over two weeks straight and pushed myself to continue to try to work, (thinking I just needed a day or two of rest) finally went to ER at a rate of 230, drove myself there and could barely walk in. I was in the hospital 8 days, continued in Afib for over 3 months, they tried 3 different meds and each time a cardio version. First two did not work, third one did while on Rhytmol. They did the different drugs for one month then cardioversion. The worst Dr in the world letting me go through all that.... I had no idea the care was unacceptable. So I spend all that time in afib straight, damaging my heart. My reg Dr ended up out of the blue saying, do you want a second opinion? I was surprised, but coukd tell he did not approve. Went to EP and if I go into afib, it is BAM, he says ER at heart hospital. TEE for checking for blood clots if it has been longer than 48 hours, then cardioversion. I have had 10 so far. Longest span, 20 months, shortest span 6 days. My simply does not convert unless cardioverted. I am either in perfect NSR or totally out..... we all are different. Best to you. I call it a curse.
Since medication from hospital, my AF lasts 2 days, always starts early hours of the morning, and blood pressure drops alarmingly causing dizziness and short of breath.
Frequency of occurring is varied and no known triggers.
Do you have sleep apnea? That can be a trigger.
I have problems with sleep, I keep waking up I must only get about 3 or 4 hours sleep and my head feels terrible everyday. What are the symtoms of sleep apnea?
People are different, I had no idea I had it since I do not snore. When a sleep study was done, I stop breathing 30 times per hour. It was only found after the heart hospital did a cardioversion and put me to sleep, they told me I needed a slerp study because my breathing was not normal. Studies show 50 percent of people with Afib have sleep apnea.... they are not sure if afib causes it or if sleep apnea causes afib. Some people actually wake up alot, some people never know it but actually do wake numerous times but are not aware it is due to starting back breathing. It is a huge amount of stress on your entire body, BP goes up, heart rate etc. all systems go into fight and flight mode. Meaning adrenaline rush....enorous triggers for afib, plus just simple lack of sleep is a huge trigger for afib. You must get your rest. Some people because of lack of rest, drift off to sleep in the daytime. Exhaustion. I just got up and pushed myself, I have to go to work. Inam treated now with a cpap machine, took a couple of months to adjust to the mask etc. but no way am I not treating it. Not breathing 30 times an hour, my mother died in her sleep suddenly, probably had sleep apnea. It has only been really studied seriously in the last 10 or so years. It is a very underdiagnosed problem. Please get checked out, I was totally unaware of my problem. Best to you!!!
I have poor sleep as a rule Spoiler, but that is improving, so may well be the trigger.
Have sleep apnea checked out, request a sleep study. It is extremely harmfull to your heart and other organs. My oxygen level dropped into the upper 70's when I stopped breathing. Brain cells die due to sleep apnea. It is like you are being choked my EP told me, 30 times an hour. I have normal lungs....never smoked at all, very shocked I had sleep apnea.
Mine started off every few days lasting few minutes. Then gradually progressed to persistent over a period of 2 year. 24/7 runs of very debilitating af so much so I ended up having long stays in hospital trying to get meds right. Ablation last July and apart from a couple of short runs since am now af free. I know the signs and symptoms to look out for if it ever returns. I don't think two af patients are ever the same as my dad has af and gets no symptoms at all (it was only picked up when he was in hospital for something else) and my mum who has had af longer than me gets a sickly feeling but that's it x
Are you taking any medications now? What did you formerly take? Where did you have your ablation? What odds did they give you? How long was your surgery? Do you have high blood pressure? Sorry for so many questions.....
Im taking bisoprolol 5mg twice a day. Dronedarone 400mg twice a day. Apixaban 5mg twice a day. Entresto 49/51mg twice a day. Lansoprazole 30mg one day and Furosemide 40mg once a day. Entresto I take for my blood pressure which was sky high. Dronedarone I take for the af. I was in af when had my ablation and cardiologist was certain he could solve the problem and looks like he has. It was the Freeman in Newcastle whet I had it done. Can't really remember how long the procedure was. I have other heart problems to solve but at the time last year my af was the main problem for me. Now that's sorted I can have my other heart stuff sorted well as best they can. My quality of life since ablation has improved 100%
AF/Tachycardia episode
Episodes after drinking alcohol
AF episode in the heat
AF episodes post ablation
