This morning at abt 05.45 I suddenly woke up with AF. I've heard descriptions ... like butterflies !? .... I thought this was more like bats flapping around. Horrible! After abt 45 mins I was quite anxious and rang a friend/neighbour for support as I live alone. She happened to meet another friend-neighbour and they both came along. I rang NHS 111 who said I needed to dial 999. They were not helpful ... .said "we have people waiting for ambulances now, who are not breathing" ... !! A bit later a doctor rang from NHS 111 who said I needed to go to A&E in an ambulance! After 2 hrs of it all starting, the ambulance arrived and I went in to resus. After another hour, I reverted and it has stayed almost that way the rest of the day. I admit, I found it pretty scary and totally exhausting ... I was widowed a year ago, live alone, am 75 yrs old. No family nearby but a couple of good friends just across the road They then kept me in till my BP went down to 124/72. A friend drove me home to my two lovely small dogs
Is this a familiar story for any of you ??
vovvarna
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vovvarna22
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I get episodes of P-AF lasting up to 15 hours , I had one this week lasting 10 hours no 'butterflies ' more like a herd of wildebeest trampling through my chest the worst part is the breathlessness and shaky legs.
The main thing is don't panic stay calm, becoming anxious can raise your BP and make an episode worse.
I don't get chest pain or faint if I did I would go to A&E, instead I do the jobs I have to do and sit or lay down when I can and use breathing exercises and distraction to get me through an episode . Like you I live alone with my little dog and appreciate how scary AF can be.
I am so used to P-AF now it is part of my life and doesn't bother me.
Can you identify anything which triggers the PAF? I am trying to do that by keeping a diary. It is possible that the PAF is induced by emotional stress several hours before. My PAF is always late evening or at night. Another posssibility is that it has something to do with the time since I last took a Sotalol. The longer this is the more likely it is that I get palpitations, ectopics etc then slip into PAF.
Thank you for your reply. Very interesting. I was diagnosed with AF abt 6 yrs ago but have never had a long attack like that. Think it might have been due to trying to work out what dosage of Sotalol to be on ...!? Am now back on 40mg twice a day and feel better, generally. ... ... ... Staying calm!!!???? "Wazzat?" I can take ½ Lorazepam when it gets bad and that does work ... ok, to some extent! b I am 75, teaching/tutoring dyslexic kids at my home. I love the teaching and my dogs. The rest is ... .... At the hospital yesterday, they kept asking me why I do not have a Carer at home!!?? Should I have? I have someone help me with cleaning and walking the dogs.
Another thing ... What does PAF mean? Never sure ... Paroxysmal .... ?? ... Permanent??? Or? Sorry to go on, on and oooon :-)))
Thank you for listening
vovvarna2
I'm in the UK. Are all of you? Never sure if this is an international site ....
Hi Vovvarna P-AF is paroxysmal AF the type that comes and goes.
I reckon I have had it for about 20 but the episodes were infrequent and I thought nothing of it until 2 years ago when the episodes suddenly became frequent and prolonged, I was diagnosed and started taking an anticoagulant (apixaban) and a rate control drug a beta blocker.
I quickly recognised that fear and anxiety were making things a whole lot worse and possibly contributing to a high Blood Pressure which of course can increase the risk of a stroke.
So I have learnt calmness is my friend during an episode and slow breathing techniques can help to make you calm.
This site is based in the UK but welcomes members from anywhere in the world and we have lots of those .
Our medication can differ and sometimes treatment options but it is good to compare
If you click on someone’s screen name you may see their gender and location, either under personal info or their mini AF bio at the top. Clues lie in the terms used in posts, in the UK we use AF and A&E. In North America they often use AFib and ER respectively. I first became aware of the term ER with the exciting TV drama featuring one G. Clooney, whom my wife seems to rate for some reason.
I had an episode lasting 31 hours last week. Not pleasant. I try to go for a walk which sometimes makes it stop but it didn’t that time, luckily I was seeing my cardiologist a few days later.
It seems to me that anxiety is not helping you. To be honest, as unpleasant as it is I think you should give it a bit more time before you call for medical help. To be carted off to hospital and for your heart to flip back into NSR is an unnecessary lengthy ordeal unless you have chest pain, feel faint or generally unwell.
I read that you are on Sotalol.
In the UK Sotolol is rarely prescribed. Whilst I am not medically trained I think it would be worth talking to your EP and discuss a change in your medication.
You are so right, in all your comments. However, it has now been found I have heart failure /CHD. Having Heart echo to see what medication might help. I saw my GP this morning and he said never leave it more than 30 mins of high pulse, before going to A&E. Oh .... hope that will not be every other night as it has been the last few days!
Sotalol, yes, I do not like it after reading NICE's comments a couple of years ago ... will ask for that to be changed after the heart echo result is through! "One thing at a time" ...
Hi Vovvana,I have had PAF for 15 yrs,don’t get it that often but feel same as you ,shaky and terrified,and wonder whether to go A@E,but I try to sit it out,please find,DR SANJAY GUPTA ,ON FACEBOOK AND YOU TUBE,he explains everything and is so calming,he has really helped me.
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They then kept me in till my BP went down to 124/72. A friend drove me home to my two lovely small dogs 
AF episode and triggers
What type of AF do you have
Ectopic Beats and Perimenopause....
Paroxysmal AF - but a long episode.
AF episode
