8 days in

[Rachelanx50]

Hi everyone hope you are all ok and ticking away nicely. Im now on day 8 of an attack of paroxymal AF am i to assume I'm now in persistent AF???. Is there anyone else with this that has reverted back to normal rythem after 8 days????.

[Hidden]

I dont have an answer, but Im assuming you have talked to your doctor?

[Rachelanx50 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Hoski. I saw my cardiac nurse last Saturday. I asked her what if this happened she just shrugged her shoulders and said she,d let the head cardiac nurse that I'd attended having past being discharged by him after my last attack 6 months ago so am confused what to do next if anything??

[Hidden in reply to Rachelanx50]

You will get some answers here, lots of more experienced people than I. My episodes so far have only lasted 12 hr. My guess is someone should b planning a cardioversion soon. They say a fib begets a fib so stopping it sooner than later is best. Im in the US so I would be persistent with my heart doc to get better answer. Not sure how things go in other places.

[Rachelanx50 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Hokski your reply was much appreciated

[Hidden in reply to Rachelanx50]

Prayers your heart decides to quit misbehaving soon, like yesterday!! I will follow this thread to see what the seasoned a fibbers have to say. Hang in there💜

[Rachelanx50 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Hoski x

[Horse57 in reply to Hidden]

Do you have any thing to take like Flecainide take? How is your blood pressure? So sorry your going through this. 8 days is a long time? How do you feel? Lightheaded? Headache? I’m In the US and my EP would have stopped it someway days ago. Please check in with your Doctor.

[Jlaine in reply to Hidden]

I agree. They should be doing something especially if she is short of breath all the time!

[jeanjeannie50]

I've reverted back to sinus rhythm after being in AF for almost 2 months.

[Rachelanx50 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks Jean that's realy reassuring it's helped my chronic anxiety ease a little i think that may have had an input in this episode lasting longer x

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Rachelanx50]

I'd gone to the hospital for a cardioversion, they linked me up to the monitor and lo and behold I was back in sinus rhythm. I'd been there the day before when I'd gone for a pre med and was still in AF, as I had been for ages.

Sometimes just the thought that you're being looked after can ease the anxiety and stop AF. The more you dwell on AF the more it will persist and it took me a long time to get that into my head. I was diagnosed with it 14 years years ago, but believe I'd had it a long time before then. If I ever become slightly aware of my heartbeat now, I immediately start doing deep breathing and it immediately calms.

[Torvi in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I was diagnosed with AF a month ago after wearing a 7 day monitor, the Cardiologist was insistent on me taking blood thinners and statins for life , I was so anxious I thought I was going to have a heart attack.

I wouldn’t take the blood thinners or the statins, but after a week I decided to start on the blood thinners , by the third day I had the most horrendous headache , I couldn’t move , I called the Cardiologist Secretary , she checked with him and I was told to stop the blood thinners immediately.

I thought long and hard about my situation and the possibility of a stroke,

My heart was skipping every fourth best , my anxiety was destroying me, I decided on a second opinion .

I remembered reading about a Cardiologist in London who specialises in AF, I went through lots of posts here and eventually found his name .

I saw him within a week .

He had the results of my seven day monitor by the time I saw him.

He went through the results day by day with me and explained everything that happened over the seven days , I had pressed the button 20 times over the seven days but only six times showed any change in my symptoms.

I told him I felt my heart going wrong every time I pressed the button , he said “ Yes you did, but it wasn’t happening” Mh anxiety levels were so high that I thought it was happening.

He then gave me the best news ever, I don’t have AF, I was misdiagnosed.

He said I suffer ectopic beats and they are benign , he wants me to see a psychiatrist who deals with anxiety, since I saw him , I’ve had ectopics but I

am no longer tuned into my heart day and night , for now I have a lot more energy and my life has really improved.

He is the best Cardiologist I have ever seen , so kind and caring , but most of all a brilliant Doctor , he spent just over an hour explaining everything to me , he will treat my ectopics after my anxiety is looked after .

If any of you would like to see him, Professor Mark O’Neill

I saw him at 88. Harley St , it was money well spent , he didn’t even ask me to have any test repeated he was happy to look at all my previous results.

Best of luck to all.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Torvi]

Hi Torvi

What a relief that you don't have AF and thank you for the recommending your great London cardiologist. I've heard his name mentioned on this forum before.

It's just so amazing what stress and anxiety can do to us!

You've escaped the dreaded AF and I'm full of envy, but so pleased for you.

Jean

[Torvi in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you so much Jeanjeanie , I wish you well . Torvi

[Foxglo in reply to Torvi]

Thank you for the information. I am very interested to know who the psychiatrist was and how the cardiologist treated the ectopic beats?

[Torvi in reply to Foxglo]

Hello Foxglo

Dr Michael Craig . Nightingale Hospital London , he has an NHS practice but I’ve forgotten where in London.I will be seeing him for a couple of sessions to learn how to control my anxiety , I will then return to the Cardiologist to discuss treatment for ectopic beats , I have been so much better since my consultation with him , I hope it continues . Torvi

[Foxglo in reply to Torvi]

I have found a cardiology respiratory physiotherapist incredibly helpful even making a huge difference in the first session with relation techniques. Then by improving my breathing and explaining how over breathing I didn’t know I was doing affected the carbon dioxide and oxygen balance. This also helped me reduce the ectopic beats.

Thank you for the information please let me know how you get on dealing with the ectopic beats as I occasionally still get the odd one.

[Torvi in reply to Foxglo]

Hello Foxglo

I will update as soon as I see the Cardiologist.

Torvi

[Foxglo in reply to Torvi]

Thank you

[Jlaine in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Omg

[Hidden]

Yes, this is persistent AF, but that is only an arbitrary definition based on it lasting more than 7 days.

You need to see the arrhythmia nurse soon to get on the list for cardioversion which will have to be delayed now for 4 weeks of anticoagulation.

You may revert to sinus rhythm spontaneously during this period but you can't count on it.

[jonjub]

Hi - my first afib incident 18 years ago lasted nine days, resisting all attempts by the hospital clinicians to 'cure' the attack and then apparently on it's own reverted back to NSR. I was then, to my knowledge, afib free for nine years.

[Hidden in reply to jonjub]

Jon,Interesting that you were a fib free for 9 yr, any idea what triggered its return? This wk at my regular heart doc followup, I asked him if there is any predictability re a fib return as it has been one yr of no a fib. for me... my longest yet. He said usually a bodily stress like illness, pneumonia, surgery etc. I guess Im lucky as I got thru 2 surgeries last fall with no a fib. A fib is so elusive

[jonjub in reply to Hidden]

Hi Hoski. Nothing i can pinpoint. So far i have always been asleep and woken in af. I would hazard a guess though that far too much deep, rich, aromatic red wine (no, i don't miss it, honest!) and a tad too much stress were major contributors. Heavy meals could also have been a factor. After the last incident, December 2015, i stopped drinking alcohol and coffee and since then i am only aware of one minimal event which may have been caused by a poor sitting posture (pressure on the tummy).

[Nugger in reply to Hidden]

My first one was 98 & had 3 more since 2015 which required cardioversions

[Rachelanx50]

Im new to all this oyster it's all double Dutch to me but I'm trying to read more about it. My cardiac nurse discharged me the last time I had an attack i will probberbly have to contact them. Iv never been on blood thinners as they said I was only a 1 on the stroke risk scale I'm 51 with no other health issues but i dont know if this prolonged attack changes things???

[Hidden in reply to Rachelanx50]

The anticoagulants would normally only be given in your situation prior to the cardioversion. They may also want to repeat your echocardiogram.

If you aren't going to revert spontaneously, then the sooner you have the cardioversion then the greater the chance of sustained success. In some areas the waiting time can be several months.

You may be given rate and/or rhythm control medication before and after the procedure.

[Rachelanx50]

Thanks so much Jon this makes me feel a lot easier with my anxiety like i said to Jean i feel this is a contributory factor

[jonjub in reply to Rachelanx50]

Perhaps anxiety has a strong influence on afib. Afib certainly contributes to anxiety!

[cmundo1972]

Hi my first afib onset started 9th April this year and didn’t go away. After 7 days I was convinced I was stuck with it. On day 9 I converted back to sinus rhythm! I really don’t know why it went on so long but thank god I converted back. I’m 47 in good health always exercise. On Bisoprolol until I see consultant for treatment plan but I was asking exactly same question as you. Good luck and hopefully resolved soon x

[Rachelanx50]

Thanks cmundo. Its reasurring to know that a may still revert back I'll keep you informed

[cmundo1972 in reply to Rachelanx50]

Yes please do I’ll be interested to know. Try and keep calm listen to some hypnotherapy on internet

[Rachelanx50]

Hi again Hoski. My sister sister had her second attack having had her first one over 10 years ago this second one came at the same time as her husband and daughter were diagnosed with cancer so i believe stress plays a big part, but of course it may not be the case for some people

[Hidden in reply to Rachelanx50]

I believe that stress is involved as my last a fib in 4/18 was when my hubby was getting checked out for chest pain. Thankfully he is fine

[Rachelanx50]

I stongly believe stress plays a big part. I've decided to take up yoga and meditation wont know if it will help but no harm in trying. God bless

[Florence-Nightingale]

Hi Rachelanx50 I suffer from PAF and have had bouts that have lasted three weeks and then reverted back to NSR. What I have found is that the time between having attacks is getting shorter so I expect it will become perminant in time. I hate it due to the extreme tiredness it causes, but guess we have to live with it and pray they will find a cure at sometime .

[Rachelanx50 in reply to Florence-Nightingale]

Morning Florence. Thanks for your reply I'm still hopefull that i will revert back on my own fingers crossed. Trying to stay positive and trying to ward off these horrible attacks.

[Deacon-L]

Hi Rachel, I am sorry to hear that your AF has lasted this long after no episodes for 6 months. I noted that there was no obvious trigger but you always wake at night with it.

Any chance you might have undiagnosed sleep apnoea? I always wake at night with it and had a spell when it was caused by sleep apnoea when I had a badly fitting cpap mask, hence I was stopping breathing and my heart was having to work extra hard as I jolted awake a then going into AF.

If you don’t have sleep apnoea but do snore, it might be worth sharing that with your Doctor.

After 6 months AF free, it must be confusing for you suddenly kicking back into it.

All the best !

[Rachelanx50 in reply to Deacon-L]

Morning Deacon. It may be sleep apnoea as i had it five years ago when i was very overweight but it corrected itself after losing 11 stone. My cardiolagist does think it may have returned so I'm waiting for an appointment at the sleep clinic. Probably won't be anytime soon knowing the royal stoke hospital.

[Deacon-L in reply to Rachelanx50]

There is a strong link with sleep apnoea and AF. It would be a good idea to go to your GP with your current AF and ask him/her to advise the hospital of your new situation with more persistent AF and they should prioritise you in the queue.

My experience was that when I was treated for sleep apnoea (with effective cpap) I had far fewer episodes of PAF and felt much less tired during the day.

Hope that helps.

Your doctor will be well aware of the linkage between sleep apnoea and AF.

Fingers crossed for a good outcome !🤞

[Rachelanx50 in reply to Deacon-L]

Thanks deacon yes it does help. I really appreciate your advise and try to get in to see my GP Tuesday.

[Ianc2 in reply to Rachelanx50]

Totally impressed - you lost 11 stone. Any tips for the rest of us?

[Rachelanx50 in reply to Ianc2]

Morning Lanc2 I was realy in bad shape i weighed 26 stone and smoked 30 cigs a day. I just woke one day and decided to eat a healthy calorie controlled diet 1,600 calls a day i walked 2 miles a day to begin with each week walking more and more then when i got used to this regime i packed in smoking with the help of a vape machine. Funnily enough I had no heart problems then it beggars belief lol

[momist]

I think that this thread reveals the *very* strong link between AF and anxiety. I have always blamed my stress for the very first attack of AF I had. Since then, heavy fatty meals and alcohol have both played a part, and stress as well, but living a calm life without over indulgences seems to keep the attacks at bay.

I hope you get sorted out soon Rachelanx50

[Rachelanx50]

Thanks momist. I totaly agree with you.

[BobL123]

I think that I've always had persistent A-fib. However when I began taking an anti rhythmic medicine and was converted I held normal sinus rhythm for 30 days before slipping back into AFib. 2 days later I went back into normal sinus rhythm. However as a word of warning the benefit from my anti-arrhythmic medicine has now subsided. Therefore I am on to my next treatment schedule. For me that means ablation and so far I'm struggling through the recovery process. Hope the best for you and myself.

[Rachelanx50 in reply to BobL123]

I hope the best for you too. God bless

[dedeottie]

At my worst,, I was having AF for 7 days then 2 days in sinus rhythm. That cycle would then repeat endlessly. I was very symptomatic, so at this point I went to an EP privately as I had been on the NHS waiting list for 8months. A combination of ablation and flecsnide , has given me 6 AF free years so far. Long may it continue. X

[allserene]

I am a flutterer rather than an afibber. I have had 1 event only, but if /when it happens again, I will insist on electric conversion within hours, because they gave me a drip of cardizem AND a metopropol beta blocker AT THE SAME TIME, and it gave me FIVE times five second gaps. They call em gaps, I call em flat lines... My Doc says I have had the bejaysus scared out of me and he is right. Gimme a jolt next time !

[CornPoppy]

Poor you I am the same. I have been in Afib for almost a year and never in sinus rhythm. I have had a cardio version which didn't help and have been waiting for a few months to see a Cardiologist, maybe to have an AVnode. I have taken myself off most of my medication and feel better for it. I am on apixaban only. I feel sure that Magnesium and crategus, hawthorn, helps and I wondered if anyone else has tried these. My Af seems to stay at P.114/125 and I manage has anyone tried this. Sorry I can't help you any further

[Lee-J]

Don’t panic! You can do many weeks of persistent and it can still suddenly revert to SR. If it gets too much for you get cardioverted. Maybe you need a change of drug or consider ablation. How long have you had arrhythmias? If it’s a long time and drugs aren’t controlling it any longer then ablation may be worth a try. If you keep having cardioversions it will make the arrhythmias worse so, whilst they say don’t leave persistent longer than 2days , it’s not good to have repeated cardioversions! Try alternative drugs first before jumping in to anything else if you haven’t already done so. Keep in touch and hope you get some relief very soon. This condition is like an internal war going on and you need peace! Good luck

[Rachelanx50 in reply to Lee-J]

Thanks for your reply Lee. I've decided to go see my GP on tuesday i think i do need a change in medication. Im currently taking diltiazem iv had better ones in the past.

[Oranges1937]

Hi, I have had 5 episodes in the past 12 months. The shortest was 12 hrs and the longest 14 days so it is still possible that it could go back to normal -fingers crossed😊

[Rachelanx50 in reply to Oranges1937]

Thanks oranges that's reassuring