Hi i have PAF and have had a lot of episodes off work. i have had a letter from work regarding my sickness it says that any repeat I may get a formal warning would they be allowed to do this ? I have contacted my union and they say they may be able to help if work do this . They mentioned they may be able to see if it’s a disability and if so work would not be able to give me the disciplinary. Does anyone know anything regarding this ?
Thanks
Common and difficult problem I'm afraid. Many people with AF live normal lives. in fact some do not even know they have it so AF per se is not a disability. Since we are all different and have different levels of resistance and coping abilities not to mention the wide range of symptoms people can suffer there really is no blanket answer. This is very much an individual problem which you may have to prove. Fortunately since AF is more often a problem of age many sufferers are close to retirement when it strikes but with all the life style problems in today's world more younger people are presenting with AF these days and the system just has not caught up.
I had one many years ago from work Nothing to do with AF It was with my manager They took notes then I got a letter stating that if I had any more time off sick with in a stated period of time it would move to next step which could be disappointed Don't worry too much I know I did but they was on a cull and pulled quite a few in
Dissaprinary
Sorry for miss spelling A formal warning is what you receive in a letter like I got They need to write to you so you have it actually in writing They need to arrange a meeting first with you and give you the chance to have someone with you If you wish
The point is, (thinking here as a former manager) that one has to do this for all and every employee regardless of their condition/illness or lead swinging ability, Not to do so would open management to accusations of favouritism which may prevent more obvious lead swingers and time wasters from being justifiably removed. OK a few rogue bosses may try to cull staff numbers with the system but then there are industrial tribunals to deal with such people.
Not a disability but it is a chronic condition and my understanding is that there needs to be some accommodation for this but you would be best advised by your union.
Thanks everyone for your reply’s . I have got my union ringing me up tommorow about it so I know where I stand with it 😀 I’m off sick now . I’m only 44 it’s so arful . This weather has given me lots of episodes and palpitations . I have been drinking loads but my heart rate is so high with the heat. I have come back from holiday early as I could hardly walk around with the heat . It really scared me. I wonder if I will be like this forever now with the hot weather. I’m on verapamil but can’t take beta blocker due to my asthma . I think if my pulse was lowered I would be able to cope better. Does anyone have medication suggestions that would help ? Thanks
What is your hr when in afib?
What dose of verapamil? How long have you been on it?
Not medically trained but i was PAF high hr, 160-190 when in AF verapamil 120mg. ( cant do betalockers) I took extra when he was high. However I was asymptomatic. Eventually AF developed and I ended up on flecainide 2 x50 and diltiazem . Since had an ablation.
I’m on verapamil 40 mg twice a day I’m going to start taking it 3 times a day again. I have asked to be referred to cardiologist as not seeen them for 4 Years . I was offered Flecainide as a pill in the pocket years ago but didn’t want to take it as it scared me. My heart rate can go up to 180 when in fast AF I can get fast tachycardia as well too without the AF starting usually in the night.
I was on 120mg slow release so same dosage as 3x 40. I had 40mg tabs I used as extra dose if I got into AF.
I even tried verapamil as a PIP but it acted too slow ( go approved that)
I did not want to go onto flecainide but when i had to take it as rhythm it it was not too intrusive at 2 x 50mg, however the diltiazem 200mg I had to take as rate control was bad (but not as bad as bisprolol), brain fog, tiredness, major exercise intolerance.
I was introduced o flecainide when it was used to cardiovert me via an iv infusion.
I tried verapamil slow release but it lowered my Boden too much . What are you on now ? I have had big problems with the heat and my pulse been so high . Dies the diltaziym lower the pulse rate ? Are you still on verapamil ?
Yes diltiazem is a calcium channel blocker similar to verapamil. It replaced my verapamil when i was put on flecainide. At the dose I was on which I thought was too high I had the side effects i advised. I used to go running but on 200mg my max HR was 137 no matter how hard i pushed. So yes it controls heart rate! Too much - running was agony. Like you would feel on the last 100m of a 5 mile race. Except at 137bpm I am doing 6 mph ish.
I did try 120mg which was not great but a lot better, less brain fog and tiredess and better exercise tolerance. Unfortunately owing to an issue where I missed a flecainide and went into afib, (my fault) the cardiologist put me back to 200mg. I did not make a big fuss as I was already waiting for an ablation which in had Jan 29th.
I am not on any drugs now since may 15th.
I
Are you af free now ? Did your ablation work ?
Sorry for slow reply - still at work. Yes my ablation on the 29th January worked. I was watching the large vdu screen as they isolated the pulmonary veins and signals on the screen stopped as they did it. The EP said it was a success there and then. I went back to work in a week. Unfortunately 2 days later I went downstairs in the morning and irregular hr kicked off and went up to 140 bpm but symptomatic I.e unlike previously. The EP said don't worry it is probably temporary these things happen, if you get concerned go to a&e. So 24 hours later being breathless on any movement I went to a&e. Eventually I was diagnosed with re-entrant atrial flutter in right atria, which was not present previously so I had a second ablation on the 26th February, a much simpler procedure, and 95% succesful, which it was. Again it stopped while I was on the table. I felt better immediately but was very tired for a month or more after as I had been 140 bpm for 3 weeks and spent most of that time lying down so was weak plus I was still taking the meds. I did get fitter and came off flecainide 2 to 3 weeks before my EP review , which also did not make my med symptoms better (hence my flecainide comments previously) but after my 8th May EP review I came off the diltiazem slowly over a week and still did not feel better which upset me , that is I kept a lot of the brain fog, tiredness and exercise intolerance! However over the next 4 to 6 weeks I really improved and am 99% back to normal now. Chalk and cheese mentally! I sometimes get skipped beats and for a few seconds a high hr but probably not even once a week and to be honest I am no longer taking notice. I doubt the reentrant flutter will ever come back, AF, well that's something else, but for now I am cured. Not drinking like I used to, even though alcohol was not a trigger ( I never recognized any trigger except maybe stress, a lot of my af attacks started Thursday evenings!) But I don't want to go back on drugs if I can help it so I am being careful.
That’s gret that it was a success. I wish I could have a drink of alcohol but unfortunately it’s a trigger for me even if I leave a 12 hour gap between going to bed . I’m up in night feeling terrible.
Have you considered or been considered for an ablation? Or were you ok on verapamil 4 years ago and it wad not seemed necessary but now the af has got worse?
Not medically trained or an expert like many on here but I take Nebivolol as a beta blocker and it is supposed to be good for asthmatics
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I will ask about that when I see cardiology thanks
The path of AFib is really unpredictable; all that one can say is that your Afib will stay the same, improve or get worse. I have been recently diagnosed with PAF and haven’t had any Afib since I started on Sotalol, but, of course, things could change in a week, a month, a year and so on. AF is a sword of Damocles.
Not medically trained but I should think it would have to be ones you can take due to asthma like you said Best person to discuss this with are you doctor or other professional who is trained
My employer classes my AF and other heart issues as a disability and as long as I am off for this reason, they won't take any further action.
All they needed was to write to my GP for confirmation of my illness and how it affects me.
I think it depends on your symptoms though and how it affects you day to day.
I've had frequent problems with this recently, if you look back at my past posts it's probably easier than me explaining all over again.
Occupational Health have been supportive as have the GP, but I sometimes feel I'm fighting a losing battle to remain at work.
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