AFIB after pulmonary embolism

[Amurray77]

I had A fib as the presenting symptom of my PE. Now I have PAF. I get it every two to three months. Did anyone else’s a fib get caused by a PE? Might it go away?

[rosyG]

I’m not a doctor but if these things were diagnosed at the same time it’s more likely that your AF caused a clot which then travelled to your lung. Even if it’s thought your PE cane first you may have had some asymptomatic AF first. Address all the vascular things- cholesterol. HighBP. Weight etc and make sure your diet is really healthy with potassium/ magnesium rich foods. My episodes have dropped to yearly after these measures so well worth a try. Good luck

[BobD Volunteer]

To get AF you need to either have a pre-disposition for it or cause it by damage to your heart for example by over exercise. I suspect that the PE was a trigger rather than a cause so it is unlikely to just dissapear I'm afraid. Since AF is normally progressive , life style changes are important to either halt this progression or at least slow it down. You can find reference by using the search box top right.

[Nafi]

I had e exactly the same . Felt very unwell just after Christmas and went to GP. Sent to hospital where af was diagnosed. Kept in 5 days sent home still feeling awful. This happened twice more until I saw a different doctor in a&e who sent me for ct scan on lungs and there it was a massive embolism in both lungs . He wasn't surprised, said he had seen this several times before. I was very lucky that he was on duty that day or as he said outcome could have been very different! So on rivaroxaban probably forever as they never found source of clot but they say the strain on my heart coping with my lungs caused the af .... what amazes me is there is no follow up checks on your lungs after diagnosis only given the meds .

[Amurray77 in reply to Nafi]

I had a follow up CTA three months later and the clot was gone. I also had visitors with a pulmonologist every three months for the first year. I had an infarct, but I’m very lucky. No breathing problems at all. Feel just like I did before the clot, except for the a fib. I’m awaiting my second ablation.