How serious is having AFib

[Rigkk]

1 year ago Docs said I have AFib,no worries they said I'm not even a 1 on scale. Now I have episodes every other day I want to know if my life is changed will.Iprobably die eventually from Hart issues, wonder if sob is lungs related also. I was always in sports and construction,now I'm out of breath walking up stairs.

[doodle68]

Hello Rig welcome. I guess by 'not even 1 on the scale' you mean the stroke risk scale

CHA2DS2VASC , if so that is good news.

I would say AF could be serious if left untreated the main issue being the risk of strokes particularly for those with some other health issues.

I think it can be a very unpleasant condition for those of us with severe symptoms, the main thing is to get the right treatment for you also to take a hard look at 'lifestyle' including alcohol consuption/diet/ exercise/stress reduction to see if any improvements can be made.

SOB can be lung related, tests like lung function tests and x-rays should help to distinguish the cause.

We all have to die of something as they say , I don't think to have AF means you will necessarily die of heart issues. On the contrary, some of us look upon it as a warning and consequently adopt a healthier lifestyle so may live longer than we would have done had we never discovered we have AF.

[Rigkk]

Thankyou,good advise,I definitely need to change amount of disapline im used to. Its gottden me down recently bit I might regret if I don't buckle down 61 and not getting younger.Diet ,Exercise

[Vandalbragg in reply to Rigkk]

I’m fairly new to this myself, and young. But everything I’ve learned echos what John 6 has said. If you don’t take steps to treat/ manage it, it can cause problems which will harm you in the long run.

[10gingercats in reply to Rigkk]

whenever I feel a little down re. afib. thankfully not too often, I think of a friends mum who had Afib for many many years and died age 100 and not of a heart condition.

[Desanthony in reply to Rigkk]

I would definitely go to your GP and explain that your symptoms are worsening and maybe you will be referred to your Cardio or EP. Whenever your symptoms change - even for the better you should ensure your GP/cardio/EP knows as changes in medication may be necessary. There are obviously changes to lifestyle that you can make but this is not always the case, I was fit, ate well, and exercised well - not too much because I was a Physical Training Instructor so knew not to do too much. Only thing left was stress levels but usually pretty good with that too as my youngest son was the most stressful thing that ever happened to me and have learned to live with that over 30 years to the point that I never lost sleep over his escapades. So, with me it must just be old age and the luck of the draw.

[mjames1]

One of the most important thing to know about afib is that you have options. Unfortunately not every doctor explains those options to you. In general the options are rate control and/or rhythm control either with medications or possibly with ablation or another surgery. If you feel your quality of life is not what it should be, and it sounds like that to me, then you should talk to your doctor about different treatment options to address your concerns. The best person to do that would be a cardiologist well versed in arrhythmic issues or an EP. Just keep in mind that many EPs are very ablation oriented so the first step might be a second (or third) consult with a good cardiologist.

Jim

[Maagaa]

No worries? My God what a horrendous thing to say to a person experiencing AFIB. Might not be worrying them because it’s not their heart it’s yours. You must get yourself a good Electrophysiologist fast. If you live in the US that won’t be hard go online or take out your local phone book. You can always call your local hospital and ask the information department to please refer you to one. Wishing you well

[Hidden]

My view for what it's worth is that everything has a cause ! with AF you need to isolate the causes first and see where that gets you, for some people its weight, blood pressure, for others sleep and/or stress issues !or years on a terrible diet ...... and the list goes on ! i have tried to systematically tick them off one by one and correct them ! it does make a difference to how well you cope with drugs, recover from ablation, limit your attacks etc ! examine all areas of your lifestyle and take it from there ! if you only score a 1 or zero you have a head start on a lot of people !

Good luck

andy