Was diagnosed with paroxysmal AF in 2016 but only take Warfarin. Beta-blockers caused severe loss of mobility and, with my Consultant's approval, I have been able to manage without any alternative so far.
Lately I've been feeling like I'm catching my breath on and off but have no chest pain and am not actually short of breath - just a very weird sensation and frightening. Happens even when I'm not exerting myself. Have been going through considerable personal stress for approx. 18 months which has improved lately but mention it as I'm aware that anxiety can also cause this feeling.
Has anyone else experienced anything similar as part of their AF symptoms?
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DoubleEm1
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We are not medically trained DoubleEm, so flying a bit of a kite, but I wonder it might be caused by ectopic beats. Does it only happen when you are in rhythm......maybe a good idea to ask for an ECG
Hi there, I suffer with the same symptoms, I end up sighing all the time I have it. I also have PAF and had an Ablation last September, it did disappear for a bit but I was recently taken off all meds a couple of weeks ago and I now seem to gasping again. It almost feels to me like my throat is slightly closed and I just take a deep breath to clear it. It does make me feel a bit anxious but I just took it a being part and parcel of the AF.
I have had PAF for last 16 years, I am on Flecainide maximum dose 200mg morning and evening, Tidium warfarin and Digoxin.
My symptoms of onset of an attack is.
Initially it feels like I get thumped in the chest followed by butterfly's fluttering there then it goes off like a police bike in hot pursuit.
The speed varies moment by moment down to 45 up to 210 (it has gone to 220).
Taking my pulse it feels like there are beats missing/hesitating not like a metronome going click, click regularly.
Take his pulse and You will know what i mean this You will probably find this is what is causing the symptoms you describe.
Breathlessness, lethargy, gasping, faint, very irritable.
I am not a doctor this is just my personal experience with medication, the cardiologist who first diagnosed me with paf put me on Flecainide another one put me on Sotalol a beta blocker.
It left me totally on my back unable to do a thing I thought I was going to die, I was in Portugal on holiday at the time, fortunately my wife had some of my Flecainide in her bag, so took that, I immediately improved, so Sotalol was off the menu I have been on Flecainide for the last 16 years.
My condition has grown steadily worse initially it was only few times a month then every couple of weeks them weekly now its every couple of days the initial attacks were for a few hours now they can last up to 48 hours at a time.
I track them for the cardiologist so I can show him how often they are occurring I have sports watch with heart Monitor function its very accurate I put it in training mode and connect to an app on my phone this shows the highs and lows of the heat rate also it had a graph of what's happening.
My watch is a MIO Alpha 2 its connected to the SGT app the only one I have found to actually work with The watch.
So this is my experience and symptoms, sorry You are experiencing what You are but I would certainly discuss your medication with your cardiologist a beta blocker might not be suitable for you as it was in my case.
Thankfully my HR has not reached such dizzying heights as yours ..... yet! Not looking forward to the progression, I will have to get my head around it sooner rather than later. Lots to discuss with my Consultant next time. Thanks for the information.
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