Af back again after 19 months

[Redders]

So disappointed, had a upset stomach last night which started my AF off, and it’s still going now at 2.30 pm. Is this permanent now or will it eventually go back to normal rhythm? Any ideas what I can do please

[BobD Volunteer]

Try to relax. Nothing is persistent less than seven days. Do some slow deep breathing. Vagal issues after stomach upset often trigger such events.

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi my friend, sorry to hear this. Just what is your heat doing right now, is your pulse rate fast and how do you feel with it?

Do some bearing down exercises, tense your body, bear down breathing out for as long as you can and hold that bearing down position for as long as you can too.

Jean

[Redders in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Hi Jean, I’ve just taken my blood pressure and my heart bpm was 58 and took it again 2 mins later and it was 78. I’ve tried the bearing down and the deep breathing to no avail. Still breathless and heart feels as if it’s shaking.

[Kingsley09 in reply to Redders]

My dr told me if my heart rate was between 60 and 80 it was fine

[Redders in reply to Kingsley09]

Mine varies from 58 to 95. This morning it’s 93 but I’m still in af and feeling a bit nauseous

[li17]

What did you do to keep it silent for 19 months? Are you on daily medication?

[Redders in reply to li17]

I had my second ablation on the 30/6/16 and I’ve been taking flecainide, dabigatran, omeprazole and a statin. I would have a third ablation if offered. I’m still in af now

[cuore in reply to Redders]

I am curious why you have to take flecainide and omeprazole after your second ablation and were not drug free of those two.

[Redders in reply to cuore]

Well I was drug free for 2 days and af came back. The consultant said to go back on my meds do I did and my af went away but has now reared it’s ugle head after 19 months.

[Mike11]

Try going for a nice long walk and look at the early flowers appearing. Anything to take your mind off both your stomach and the AF. I'm sure you'll be better tomorrow, or at least in a few days time.

[Redders in reply to Mike11]

Hi mike11 I would if I could but went to my doctor this morning and she’s sent me straight to hospital

[Mike11 in reply to Redders]

Well she's the expert ! Hope it isn't serious but always best to get it checked out.

[Vron1]

I first had af after a stomach upset 25 years ago and it happened every time I vomited over the next 20 years. My cardiologist said he had never heard of such a thing and that it was more likely that the af would make me sick. I had a loop recorder for 3 years to prove who was right ......... and I wasn’t sick once during that time! So I still maintain that the af starts after my stomach upsets. You know your own body. I now have af quite often but am not sick! It must be vagally stimulated.

[Redders in reply to Vron1]

I think you’re right vron1, I’m in hospital at the moment with af and heart rate of 140, but I’ve always got this tightness at the top of my stomach so I think it maybe the vagal nerve. It’s typical that you hav’nt had a stomach upset still you’ve had the loop.

[Ginshu in reply to Vron1]

I would like to know more about your loop experience. I am due to have one put in June to monitor my Afib.Gin

[Vron1 in reply to Ginshu]

Hi Gin, I had a loop recorder fitted about 6 years ago so procedures might have altered by now or they might be exactly the same! They put my loop recorder just under the skin just below my collar bone so if you wear low cut tops it can be seen just as a lump under the skin. It didn’t take long to fit and it was with a local anaesthetic and a slight sedation, then pain killers afterwards. It wasn’t a problem, it just takes a short time to get used to it and can be sore if you knock it. The recorder is about the same shape and size as a memory stick that you use on a computer. The recorder was going to stay in for 2 years only but the battery lasted for 3 years so they took it out then. (I actually missed it, it was my ‘alien under the skin’!) Every so often when it was in I just went to the hospital for it to be read so found out when and how often I had af. I also had a special phone which could read the recordings down the phone line to the hospital. I had paroxysmal af and still have it but am on apixaban now. There are two scars, one from when they put it in and one slightly above where they took it out but they are very neat. Good luck with yours, but it isn’t anything to be worried about. Vron