Hi everyone. I seem to be getting attacks (of SVT and latest AFIB) during sexual activity.. A few others had reported similar experience in the other thread. I have been curious as why as many don't. My AF started a few months ago with an attack during sex and followed up by ECG and fortunately ECG showed my heart is structurally fine. I added 5 mg dosage of amplodipine and my BP is now below 140/90 and I feel my heart is getting better EXCEPT when I start engaging in sex. So I carried out an experiment on myself last night.
Last night I measured my blood pressure while having sex. Awkward but a necessary experiment as I wanted to know why I get attacks ONLY during sexual activities and now I think I know why.
Before the start my BP was around 120 over 70 and 2-3 minutes into sex it rose to around 180 to 205 systolic and 110 diastolic. This is about 70 mm rise though my heart rate doesn't change much (thanks to beta blocker). I have read about 20 mm rise is expected in everyone but why I get more than 3 times that much?? So obviously in previous cases when I had SVT/AF attacks I think I know why. Because likely my BP rose so much that my heart could not take and showed a reaction.
Any comments or ideas to share as why my BP rises so much during sexual activities and do you have the same problem? Please share. Also if you have any idea or comments or advice as how to prevent this from happening (apart from absenteeism) also please share. Thanks in advance.
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That probably warrants a talk with your cardiologist. There are fast acting meds you could take prior to sex, to lower your blood pressure but you need to discuss it with someone higher up the food chain, lol.
Thanks for response. Here in Canada we don't have private health and we have to choose public health system and seeing a cardiologist needs good reasons like the emergency AF attack I had a few months ago and it took me even so two months and a half to see a cardiologist. I think if there is any such fast acting BP reduction meds, my GP can als prescribe it. I will talk to him about it. The more important question is though why such an enormous rise in blood pressure occurs at the first place even though my heart itself is very health and my cholesterol readings are very low (except my HDL).So likely no coronary disease either. In my last AF attack the only symptom I had was fast irregular beating (of the upper part) of my heart but nothing else (no doziness, or chest pain or anything else normally reported with AF attack).
I'm 2 days away from ablation number 5 and a "partner-imposed" nookie ban until I can convince her I feel better (usually a few weeks) so we did the deed last night. As the AF has been breaking through the medicines regime anyway (hence the ablation) I expected it might not return it to normal (as I do every time I exert not just for bumping uglies)
As with most occasions, the length and erm.... style of the deed usually has an impact on the time it takes for my HR to settle. Without going into detail of rumpy pump it took 20 minutes last night.
Other times I've needed a break or an adjustment (including to room temperature) mid way through.
I've not really had any BP side effects to note, its really just the HR. I have had one regrettable experience where I've wanted and gone for bump and grind whilst in fast AF (yet feeling OK) only to be on the verge of collapse, sweats, chest pain, light headesness, fear of collapse and rolling around on the bed praying it'll come back down. HR was 200+ on that occasion. (This is one of the main reasons for nookie ban whenever I've had a procedure/episode - not withstanding the fact fear of collapse isn't conducive to arousal)
There is also, despite my relatively young age, the frustration of feeling too tired physically despite being very much awake mentally..... although the times I've misjudged how I feel and had to say "Sorry love" have diminished as I've gotten used to reading my own body.
Im laughing at your descriptive writing!! Good luck with your ablation! It's so funny how life kind of revolves around sex. That has been the topic at our home lately as we are in late '60's, things dont work like they used to, etc. God bless us all💜💜💜🤣
Actually my research says that is true. The experts say that sex and Hollywood heart attacks we see in the movies is highly exaggerated and in reality it does not happen. Only one percent of all heart attacks is related to sex. Though in my case at least my 4 SVT attacks and one AF attack all happened during sexual activities.
Hi Kevin. I'm impressed by your scientific curiosity. Very commendable. I think you should write up how you carried off the blood pressure part and medical science would have a whole new procedure!
Seriously, I believe some a-fib patients have more problems with tachycardia in certain situations-possibly related to their original diagnosis. The important thing is identifying a problem and finding a solution.
Good for you.
Without telling tales out of school I now have a pacemaker so rapid heart beats,etc are not a problem.
Just a wild theory but maybe using the 'pill in the pocket' (taking a rate control pill before sex) might be something to ask your doc about.
Thanks fr the post. I think my problem right now is a sudden sharp rise in blood pressure rather than irregular heart addressed by rate control pills. AF happened to me only once and that was a few months ago but rapid rise in blood pressure happens every time I start sex and I read somewhere anything above 180 is dangerous causing stroke or heart attack. Mine goes up all the way to around 180 to 205 and interestingly comes down rapidly to in 10 seconds to about 130/70 after I stop. Sudden changes of BP not irregular or fast heart beat is my problem.
I wonder if it is not a sense or realized "stress" that brings it on? Sex is a relief I find. Lack of it brings anxiety and anxiety build up brings AF for me. So many different triggers for so many people.
Sex also brings intense excitement and excitement has been identified as a trigger for AF. I wish I could be less tense when having sex but I can't help it.
Kevin. I am curious how you knew that "2-3 min in" your blood pressure was raised significantly, did you stop and take your blood pressure or were you hooked up to your home BP machine. Either way it made me smile....good luck lol . Roy
Not much exercise may be 15 minutes brisk walking every day that is all. It comes down to normal within seconds but I am thinking when it is as high as 200 during 10-15 minutes of sex it may be high enough to trigger AF r worse (stroke).
I knew that high intensity training HIT in brief bursts can cause heart attacks. I was less aware of the risk of stroke, as experienced by Andrew Marr, one of the BBC's top presenters. I wonder if so called Tantric sex would be a better choice for you.
I am not medically trained but hsve had AF since 2015. Also just
recently I have been doing quite a lot of blood pressure measuring owing to fluctuations I have seen on my home omron bp monitor which became apparent . Not during sex but in general.
I have seen my GP about it.
My resting heart rate can move from 160 plus/ 100 plus to 95/75 in 30 minutes . My GP has advised that this is actually within a normal range. She also advised me not to measure it so much and dwell on it, which I was happy to do when advised swings were not so unusual.
The first point I want to make is that BP measurements are RESTING measurements. What you are measuring is certainly not your resting heart rate! Consequently you would expect a much higher rate than resting in any event for the sex reason and the exertion reason, even if only a few minutes in. I doubt there is an expected NHS (uk) blood pressure for being " on the job".( it would be entertaing to ask). There may be some guidelines for expected blood pressure readings for exercise treadmill stress tests if you wished to enquire from your medics.
The second point is I am well known to suffer "White coat syndrome", this is where going for a blood pressure check raises your blood pressure . With me it is do stupid that I get white coat measuring myself. 90% of the time my first measurement is 20 above what it is second reading.
Finally you are worried about your situation. This will put your BP up also before you start off, especially if you are expecting this activity to cause an increase. It is anxiety. How much, I do not know but if it's 20 for the anxiety and 20 for the exertion you have explained a lot of your increase.
Your main issue is that you are having is the A Fib and you are asking why? Or even Why me? You are putting pressure on yourself with the experiment, which will cause the BP increase. I am not saying sex is nothing to do with your afib ,but just you are not helping the BP readings be low.
You need a talk with your GP.
Just incidentally, i have never checked my BP during sex , however I have to admit during my early days with AFIB I was doing it with a heart rate monitor to see if had anything to do with the AFIB starting! So we are not so different in our approach.
This was a one time experiment as I was having sex I was hooked up to BP machine as I wanted t know why on earth I am getting these attacks (5 times since 2009) like SVT (fast heart rate) and a few months ago AF (fast and irregular) attack ONLY when having sex during sexual activities and now I know. That is because my BP rises to the ceiling.
I should like to thank you for ruining a perfectly good walk this morning. Off I went this morning, through the cemetery (always a good start), across the fields, through the manor drive, along the tree lined avenue of conker trees with the cricket field on the left. A little bit chilly but I was maintaining a good pace and enjoying being in the green stuff.
Then along came images of you and your antics trying to take your blood pressure, leads in all directions, Push the button, Push the button ,etc.
What with you and JeanJeanie and her spectral nun 'This day thy soul is required of thee', I was completely distracted , nearly fell in a stream and had to go into a local coffee shop to recover. I await the next instalment with trepidation.
There has been BP measurements on thread mills and exercise in general however, when it comes to the topic of sex everything is taboo to discuss to some people? In fact there has been research on sex and blood pressure too on 161 males and females and the BP rose in all cases to an average of 160 systolic. As I said I can climb mountains but it is only during sexual activities when I have had 5 SVT/AF attacks since 2009 and I wanted to know why. And thought I share it on this forum and seek advice or comment. Didn't realize I will ruin mornings lol!!!!
I don't think when it comes to sex we have a lot of choices as who to team up with lol. It has to be selected individuals like wife or girlfriend and we can have any of those only one (or one at a time!!). Lol three times a day!!!!. I am not in my teens anymore.
Hi Kevin...i have a picture in my head of you "2 to 3 mins in" saying to your partner " stop dear while i check my blood pressure" lol. Your partner must be very understanding lol. I know if i said that my partner would have hit me over the head with the bloody machine lol. Roy
Seriously though I was hoping for someone (from medical profession or someone from personal experience or who may have read about it somewhere) that if a rise of systolic blood pressure to about 180 to 200 during sexual activity is normal and if it is not normal then is it dangerous enough to stop sex altogether? (like causing heart attacks or stroke). It is going up only for a few minutes and coming down to normal within seconds after the activity is over.
Well if and when you find out real snswers, let us know. Until then we will just use our imaginations... see shat you unwittingly started with us crazy people?
As you know I have thought deeply about your research project and the care you are taking to advance medical science. Perhaps you may wish to consider involving your partner more closely to enable her to understand your search for more information. As BOBD has said it is all about improving the quality of life and I am concerned that you may be sub consciously worrying about not providing equal opportunities for your wife to take a more active part in this Experiment.
May I suggest that you buy her a Blood pressure monitor for her own personal use. I am sure she would be delighted to have one as a birthday gift. I think it would be much more acceptable than jewellery or day out and you will be able to have many happy hours together gathering evidence for your GP.
Kevin...have you considered involving others in your research. It would be interesting to monitor your blood pressure with other people willing to join your experimental team. On a personal basis put me down for twice a week lol. Good luck lol very interesting research .
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