Went into afib after been spooked

[ogallardo1]

Help I just went into afib after being spooked by a pigeon that was trapped in my chimney. I went into afib cause it scared me to death. Has any one gone into afib after a unexpected spool? Please help. I was afib free for almost 6 month. I was feeling good. I really freaking out.

[ogallardo1]

Did afib last a while?

[TamlaMotown]

A wasp buzzed right beside my ear last week & I freaked out. Had to sit & do my deep breathing till my heart calmed down. I'd been having a good day up until then the blasted little pest 😤

[Hidden]

Yes! Some years ago the phone by my bedside rang at about 2am , woke me and sent me into fast AF ..needed dc cardioversion next day !

[Webste]

Not sure what the medical history of any of you folks is, so bear in mind, this is what worked for me. I have no heart disease, no hypertension, do not take any meds. I stay fit, and never smoked.

First, anything that can raise your heart rate, will be regarded as a "cause" of A fib. Supposedly THC/weed increases your heart rate. Increased heart rate is not the cause, it is a symptom of the root problem. A better question is: Why is this happening to me??? I am 59 yrs. When I was 47, high stress, divorce etc, I had my first experience with A fib. It would happen only when I suddenly stopped running, skating, stopping the elliptical, etc. Doc called it exercise induced paroxysmal A fib. I had a very knowledgable friend/physician recommend 100 mg of Ubiqunol. I was cured! Probably because it strengthened my heart, but didn't address the cause. Fast forward 12 years. I am roughly 58 now. I moved out of state, bought a new house and worked for about 1 year and was "let go". (I promise this story has a point!) No problem, I was financially prepared to retire and looking forward to it! So, staying home (not traveling like I used to), doing projects, cleaning up 5 acres that came with the house. I sweat profusely so drink a lot of water, tap water, from my highly filtered water softener that came with the new house. Anyway, 6 months later, daughters getting married in 3 months, started getting A fib EVERY week. It would always convert within about 24 hours. I thought...... it was just speech, ex wife and others who hate you in attendance, type of jitters. Wedding came and went, still weekly Afib. This went on for another year, sometimes it would last 4 days, but i found if I got on my bike and rode INTENSELY for about 30 minutes, it would resolve. One day recently..... it didn't. I took 5 weeks. At 4 weeks I saw an EP cardio. He tried cardioversion, it didn't work. Put me on Amioderone. HORRIBLE drug, but it worked. So, during this 5 weeks of torture and even the year prior of weekly episodes, I read everything I could find about Afib. I wondered about everything I was eating, drinking, or "smoking". Nothing worked to prevent AFib. Eventually while looking at "causes of afib for about the 100th time, I saw WATER SOFTENER. I had previously thought my water softener might be the problem , since I have to regularly add SALT for proper maintenance, that maybe the water I drink 15 glasses a day of could be causing the Afib. I wasn't what was in the water, but rather what wasn't. So get this...... The filter/softener removed 99.9% of minerals from the water. I started thinking about electrophysiological aspects of heart rhythm. Potassium, Magnesium, salt, etc. All those things need to be in balance for a healthy body/heart. GUESS where about 80% of the body's magnesium is utilized? THE HEART. I was getting no minerals from a source where about 60% of minerals should come from WATER. Anyway, I found a plethora of information regarding the excessive numbers of people suffering from Afib and how it could be attributed to a magnesium deficiency, unless you have some underlying heart condition, heart failure, etc. Regardless, read about Afib and magnesium deficiency. I found a particular source so incredibly helpful with all kinds of testimonials. I won't mention it because this site does not want any "advertising". You'll find it and when you do, it will change your a fib life forever. I have been taking a 100% absorbed magnesium liquid supplement for about a month now and I have had no afib since the amiodarone conversion. Supposedly it can take up to 6 months to replenish your magnesium. Good luck to all!

[Hidden in reply to Webste]

Agree on the importance of magnesium if one is lacking. I have been taking for about 12 months. My tachycardic episodes are more infrequent so it has definitely helped but still get bouts of fast AF..persistent...from time to time.

[Webste in reply to Hidden]

So you might consider an RBC test for magnesium. Supposedly, the "standard" magnesium blood test you may get from your doc is just a serum blood level. Magnesium attaches to the red blood cell and when the serum/plasma gets low, it robs the magnesium from the red blood cells to maintain a normal serum level. So testing the serum level of magnesium will most likely give you a "normal" reading. There is a website for the RBC test for magnesium. You take the order to a local lab after paying like $50.

[Hidden in reply to Webste]

Thanks. This is something I was aware of but have not got around to doing.

[Rebma in reply to Webste]

Are you still on the amioderone? You are so right about potassium, sodium and magnesium being in the correct range in our bodies.

[Webste in reply to Rebma]

Absolutely not! I quit the Amiodarone as soon as I had a normal rhythm. It is a very dangerous drug, but I had no choice. Once I quit taking it, I still had side effects for a couple of weeks. It takes 15 to 142 days to completely eliminate from your body.

[Rebma in reply to Webste]

How long were you on the drug and what dose? It does have very bad side effects. I was on for a month, nearly did me in. Have to have thryoid, eyes and lungs checked. Crazy. Not sure why they still are allowed to prescribe it in the USA.

[Webste in reply to Rebma]

I can imagine it about did you in. I think 30 days is about the time I read some permanent issues could arise. How long to you have to have your thyroid, lungs and eyes checked? I noticed some problems with focusing, chest pain when taking a deep breath, breathlessness, and after I converted, I almost passed out a few times after standing, my heart rate seemed slow to respond to increased oxygen needs. But thank God it only took 5 days after going on the Amiodarone. I took 400mg, bid for 4.5 days. Stopped cold.....after confirming with my CD and having a follow up EKG. I think the designated use is supposed to be in "life threatening" cases of arrhythmias. I had tried Multaq, a little safer, but it didn't work for me and made me feel just as bad as the Amiodarone.

[Rebma in reply to Webste]

Multaq worked 6 weeks then stopped. Cardioverted and ablation. Afib is a beast but we can learn to live with it.

[ogallardo1]

Thank you. I will do the research.

[wilsond]

Yes!often,loud noise,balloon popping....etc.

[Polski]

Any such event will give one an adrenaline rush, which for many of us is a major cause of an AF event. Any kind of anxiety can do it too, for the same reason.