I got out of hospital yesterday after another visit for AF.I'm now on blood thinners which means 5 tablets a day... not a lot compared to some but a lot for me.
I'm thought going back to work tomorrow was an option but I'm worried about having yet another "episode ". They have the ambulance on speed dial.
I find myself stressed out about it and not sure what to do. They have been good so far but I guess they limits and I asked for OH to get involved.
Any suggestions to how to manage better ?
Crying and stressing is just not working any more😊 my family are worried and my stuff upper lip is starting to wobble.
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Hutchie1
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Oh dear. We have all been where you are right now and it's horrible, destabilising and frightening. It's a time of feeling completely out of control of our lives which really knocks us off kilter.
However things will improve and it's time to make a plan. Have you seen an electrophysiologist (EP). If not you need one, if you have then it's time to have a discussion on how to get and keep you on track. Do you have a supportive GP they can be great if in your corner.
On the work front you seem to have things on track, I hope you have a good manager and ongoing support from OH.
I am going through something similar with s different health issue and completely understand how unnerving it all is. Just hoping it doesn't set my af/Svt off with the stress.
Take care, chin up, with a cohesive plan, medical and family support you will get bavk on track and normal life will resume. Take care.
Once you understand your condition a little better I am sure that hospital visits will no longer be an needed. The only time you really need to go is if you are fainting or have chest pain. AF is not an emergency or accident it is a chronic condition and needs to be treated as such. As others have said you need to see a specialist in arrhythmias like an electrophisiologist and sort out an ongoing treatment plan. Fire fighting this mongrel condition is not wise.
At least now you are on an anticoagulant which removes your greatest risk.-- that of stroke. The don't thin blood by the way so you won't bleed any more easily they just slow down the clotting process. .
Terrifying isn't it? being diagnosed with AF and finding out that the great big pump in your chest which you have barely given a thought to for 50 years is "wonky". It becomes your every waking thought, you become super aware of your pulse and even when you lie in bed you can't sleep, and your heartbeat becomes magnified inyour own head.
You may guess, I've been there, done that, as have many others on this site.
Good news, it's nowhere near as bad as you think, you are not going to drop down dead, AF is rarely fatal, and in fact as long as you control the stroke risk, which is very real, with the anti-coagulants you are already on, then you will find a way to have a near normal life with your AF. You'll be working, travelling and playing with the children and grandchildren, and will probably even live our your normal lifespan (In fact maybe even longer as you are likely to make lifestyle changes due to the AF)
OK a few things, we never call them blood thinners, I know the medics do, and we are trying hard to persuade them not to, because the thought of my blood being thinner sounds awful and scary, and it's simply not true. We take anti-coagulants, not blood thinners, they make the blood coagulate more slowly, they do not "thin the blood" so that it will all pour our of you if you cut yourself. Cut yourself and it will bleed for a few minutes longer than usual, you will barely notice it.
Information is key, you need to learn as much as you can about the condition, and the best place to start is the AF Association website, loads of stuff on there, and videos from patients like you and me, and the more you know the more you will be reassured about your condition. Knowledge is Power
Second treatment, get your GP to refer you to an EP (Electrophyisiologist) they are specialist cardiologists who handle things like AF which is an electrical problem. We joke that cardiologists are plumbers, but you need an electrician.
Lastly ask as many questions as you like on this forum, we are all patients, not medics, we are not medically qualified, but I guarantee you that whatever you ask there will be someone who has been there and done that and can tell you like it is.
Sorry you have joined a club of which you never wanted to be a member, but you are here now, and lets look forward together on how we can get you back on your feet and feeling good about the future between us.
Ian,,,,could not have said it better,,,,my first afib was January 2015 and it turned my world upside down,,,many .ER visits over the next few months for anxiety induced palpitations,ectopics,problems breathingetc,,,,,it did change,,,miraculously,my body and mind settled and my life is almost normal again,,,I still have afib but it is controlled by meds and watched over and mostly,quiet,,,,I made peace with it and myself,,,you said it all better than I,,,,,there is light at the end of the tunnel!!
Thank you so much. That all made so much sense to me and it made me smile. Thank you for taking the time , as so many of you have to reply. This forum is a "lifesaver". The amount of knowledge is amazing and it's made me realise that I'm not aline and there is light at the end of the tunnel.
you have explained A/F what we all needed to know ...
Getting a little clearer what it is helps ....zeze
My advise re your question - "How can I manage better" would be to look into EFT - emotional freedom technique. It's a very simple tapping exercise you can do when you are feeling stressed as you mention in addition to getting used to your situation and the new drugs. You can view it on You Tube - buy a simple book or better see find a local practioner. I think it could help you release the stress you feel. EFT is a technique that acknowledges how you are feeling and the tapping releases the energy. It's amazing.
Yes I too am a Reiki practioner and IHM practioner and use many mindfulness techniques to cope with various problems of which AF is one - of all of them EFT is the most effective for me to enable me to cope better. AF varies for all but it can be very debilitating and it can take hold of our lives for sure. I often ponder the lesson it is teaching me and I can only come up with Patience of a Saint! I had plenty of patience before.
I was brought down to earth last week when my husband had a heart attack made me take a look at my AF in a different light as upsetting and debilitating as it can be if managed correctly it will not kill me but a heart attack can ,but thanks to AF and all the reading I have done I knew what to do so gave him an aspirin got him to hospital very fast they put in a stent and he is well on the way to recovery
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