Flip Flop

[Deb1838]

Hi everyone apologies if this has been asked many times before.

My heart is flipping about a lot the last two days and quite bad this morning. Tried to get a reading but it’s jumping from a hr of 43 to 58 am I having an afib attack even though it is low hr.

I am on bisopolol and can my heart beat being low put me into afib.

Thank you in advance

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Deb, feeling for your pulse in your wrist will soon tell you if you're in AF as the beat spacings won't be even. What is your blood pressure reading?

Jean

[Deb1838 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Hi Jean

Thank you for answering

I have just done bp which is 140/73 pulse of 52.

This is much higher than it would normally be but I suppose some of that could be anxiety.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Deb1838]

Do you know what your pulse and BP rate are normally? I can't see that there is anything drastically wrong with either of your readings, but guess you can tell that the rhythm is out?

Yes, anxiety will certainly take your BP up. I've good evidence of that too. I moved a really heavy door that had been left for me outside my garage, to the inside, as I did it I had the most dreadful pain in my head which went away quite quickly. Later when I went to wash before going to bed I looked in the mirror and noticed a heavy crease on one side of my mouth. I was horrified and thought I'd had a stroke and after ringing an emergency number they said that was what they thought it was. Well saying the dreaded S word to me was a silly thing to do! An ambulance was called, the men couldn't see the crease by my mouth but they'd take me in to be checked. All the way to hospital my BP was so high an alarm kept going off in there.

My daughter came and could see nothing wrong with my face, though I kept pointing it out to everyone. and saying I don't normally have this crease.

Well to cut a long story short there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. It was just a case of me catching sight of my mouth at an unusual angle. So embarrassing! I can still see it now if conditions are right with the lighting, but look what anxiety did to my BP!!

Jean

[Deb1838 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Oh no, that made me laugh Jean.

I regularly take my bp and it is normally 120/ 62.

My heart seems to be calming down a bit now although I have to say I am having a relax on the bed. Decided to take it easy and see if I can encourage it to behave.

Something has definitely been happening today, fingers crossed it settles down.

[pottypete1]

I agree with Jean nothing too significant in your readings.

Having said that just the thought of AF is enough to make us anxious.

The anxiety feeds the fear which makes you even more anxious and then the adrenaline starts pumping. One thing feeds of the other and before you know where you are you are in that vicious circle.

The Bisoprolol is keeping your heart rate quite slow so it would be worth talking to your EP (if you have one) or GP to discuss alternatives.

Try to relax using relaxation music (available on YouTube) or just quiet relaxing music you may have in your collection. Take deep, slow (in for 6 - out for 6) breaths in through your nose out through your mouth.

Pete

[Deb1838 in reply to pottypete1]

Thank you Pete

I will try the breathing.

I will make an appointment as I often feel dreadful if it goes below 47.

I take 5mg and I wonder if that needs to be cut or changed.

I also want to talk to them about the consultant stopping my anticoagulant. After reading on here I really can’t understand this.

[pottypete1 in reply to Deb1838]

We are all different but for what it’s worth I used to feel awful on 1.25 mg of BIsoprolol.

Yes talk to doctor Re anticoagulants.

Pete

[Deb1838 in reply to pottypete1]

Pete

I really hate bisopolol it has made my concentration levels worse than ever.

Will make an appointment after bank holiday see if I can get it reduced.

[Deb1838]

Had more noticeable sightings of af today he for a brief time went 43 to 116. Decided to take control and have taken my spare rivoroxoban just in case.

I know I will get told off but I don’t want to have a stroke

[Deb1838]

Thank you aufgeblassen.

Hoping it is going to settle soon. It was ok through the night had some toast for breakfast and a piece of chocolate and off it went again 😩

[Polski in reply to Deb1838]

Chocolate contains caffeine which stimulates the heart. Not ideal when you are trying to avoid a bout of AF.

[Deb1838 in reply to Polski]

Thank you Polski

Yes I knew it was stupid but I still did it.

[Deb1838]

Took my Rivoxiban yesterday and today even though I was told not to take them any more, don’t want a stroke.

[barbly1]

Is it possible you are feeling skipped beats, PVCs, rather than afib with the flip flopping feeling? Whey my pulse oximeter shows numbers in the 40s, and I feel thumping in my chest it's usually because of PVCs.

[Deb1838 in reply to barbly1]

Thank you Barbly

I did wonder if this could be the case but I have never experienced so many.

Went to bed early and slept for 12 hours which is so unlike me.

Going to avoid all stimulants today and take it easy.