Anxiety and AF

[Rachelanx50]

Hi everyone. I havnt posted for a while now as i have been quite well , however having been diagnosed 3 years ago with paf I'm having my 3rd attack at the moment, started early hours Thursday morning. I've been checked out with my cardio nurse and basically told to get on with it lol easier said than done. My problem is I suffer from chronic anxiety and lot's of the symptoms match that of AF. Im experiencing arms aching neck and shoulders is this typical with a prolonged episode of AF or anxiety tension ??. Does anyone else suffer muscle weakness in the upper body area??. My heart rate is currently hovering around 100bpm. I currently take diltiazem.

[BobD Volunteer]

All sounds pretty normal to me and you are lucky the diltiazem is keeping your HR so low. Try to see the positive of that and relax. I know it isn't easy but it woould help you if you can.

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Rachel

I wouldn't worry about a heart rate of 100, as I guess you know 60-100 is considered acceptable. It sounds as though your anxiety could be feeding your AF and keeping it going. Drop that and you could soon be with a normal rate again, really try to take your mind off of it, go shopping, visit friends or family (not ones that stress you). Do anything that's enjoyable, but don't sit fretting - it's taken me a long time to get that into my head, but now 14 years later I can assure you it works.

I would guess that your body aches are anxiety tension, but at my age 68 my body often aches after doing the slightest thing, so aches for me are normal, as they are for most people growing older.

Please let us know on this thread when you're back in normal rhythm.

Wishing you well,

Jean

[Rachelanx50 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks for your reply bob and Jean. I think the anxiety makes my AF symptoms worse and vice versa , can't win. Just think i must try to relax around the situation. Thank god for people like you both and this site.

[KathFrances in reply to Rachelanx50]

I find it helps to distract myself - I watch a film or TV programme on iplayer or read a book so I get involved in a story and don't constantly focus on the AF.

[AIW58]

AF is horrible and does make you anxious. If you over breath, which people often do,when anxious and stressed you lower your carbon dioxide levels and that can affect muscles and make the chest feel tight. I tried various methods to relax when I have an episode. Diaphragmatic breathing (making your tummy rise) One cycle is to breath in for a count of 3 hold for 4 out for 5. Yoga helps too in understanding how to control your breathing.

On another site I found when first searching for help I read about entrainment (?spelling) listening to a regular heart beat. The idea is that your body/heart gets into tune with that. It certainly relaxed me and I think it helped.

I don't know if the link still works it was on Travis Van Slooten page. I sent it to a friend and she couldn't open it. You can just Google heart beat.

heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...

hope it didn't last too long.

Amanda