I can’t hear my heart beat anymore since being diagnosed with A Fib

[Gigi-gaga]

I have been diagnosed with continuous A Fib and with medications have my blood pressure down and heart rate about 100. I miss being able to hear my heart beat! Does anyone else miss that?

[cat3]

Not really Gigi ; with permanent tinnitus, every beat and irregularity is echoed in my head. I must say that silence is something I yearn for !

We're odd creatures aren't we ? Maybe you need to keep a stethoscope handy to hear your heartbeat................…whilst I have my headphones/music to drown it out ! 🙄

Take care...Cat x

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Gigi and welcome to the forum.

I'm full of envy that you can't hear your heartbeat. You lucky person! Most of us would love to be that way, as we were before our AF started. Being aware can cause great anxiety to some people. As you're in permanent AF, I believe it's quite common not to hear anything.

As Cat3 has said, a stethoscope would be a good idea if you really want to hear the beat.

Feel free to ask any more questions you may have and remember there's no such thing as a daft one.

Wishing you well.

Jean

[Hidden]

I too have pulsatile tinnitus as well as ordinary tinnitus. I quite like listening to my heart beating away quite strongly when I go to sleep at night. EP has suggested I let my AF become permanent so will have to wait and see what happens then.

Di

[CDreamer]

Same happened after I had my first ablation, it felt very weird but only illustrated just how used to it I had been. After a few days I didn’t notice it and haven’t since. It’s a good thing!

[Leolaliberte in reply to CDreamer]

Are you saying ablation worked for you. If so. What were some effects of ablation. How long you been NSR??

[CDreamer in reply to Leolaliberte]

2nd ablation worked and I stayed in NSR for about 39 months when PAF returned but not as frequently or as severely. I have now had a pacemaker implanted and when it all checks out properly I will be going for AV node ablation which won’t stop AF but will mean I shouldn’t have the symptoms such as breathlessness and fatigue.

[Gigi-gaga in reply to Leolaliberte]

No I have only had a single cardio conversion and that only lasted a couple of hours. The next option my physician has given me is to be hospitalized and started on Sotolol. I am still in the contemplation process since I am not having many issues at present. My body seems to have adjusted to the irregular heartbeat and stairs are my only real difficulty.

[BobD Volunteer]

Lucky you! Most people find the pulsatile tinnitus damned irritating. I for one would love to lose it.

[Becksagogo]

Oh I do envy you! I can feel my heart leaping out of my chest most of the time and it is most prevalent at night when I am trying to sleep. Make the most of the peace and quiet!

[Ianc2]

I have permanent AF and I have a' going to sleep' routine which goes like this:

Lie on my left side and listen - I can usually hear my heart at this point and I am aware that it is usually regularly irregular, as against randomly irregular.

I then lie on my back and relax for a little while

After doing this I turn onto my right side and usually go to sleep quite quickly.

I wake up lying on my back and I am not conscious of my heart beat

So relax, take your anti-coagulants and go and enjoy life, there are some great autumn colours out there at the moment to be enjoyed at the moment!