Hope everyone is doing good. Just would like to hear from people in this forum on what they do if they are in AF. Good refresher for old timers and beneficial sharing for AF newbies. Do share your tips and thoughts.
What do you do when you are in AF. - Atrial Fibrillati...
What do you do when you are in AF.
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SpritzerAce
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Well you've just reminded me of what once put me back into normal rhythm and that's a glass of wine and as I've been in AF for several weeks I'm just trying that now and will let you know if it works. Over the years I've seen so many things suggested on this forum and without fail have tried them all without any luck. After my third ablation I discovered that the valsalva manoeuvre worked, but it was short lived. Dr Sanjay Gupta has recently suggested that, for many people, lying flat with your legs up a wall can bring the heart back into sinus rhythm.
Jean
The drink didn't stop my AF, or help in any way. I may try another one later, it's so disappointing. Tomorrow it will be 4 weeks of constant AF, fed up with it!!!
I can't imagine how hard it must be for you at the moment especially in the recent heatwave. My cardiologist explained last week how a lot of folk are in permanent AF & just get on with life. After 10hours+ I'm totally wiped out for few days after. Hope you get sorted soon
I think the longer you have constant AF the body becomes more accustomed to it. Afraid I can't lead a normal life at the moment, I'm fine if I just sit still, but move too fast, or try to do anything that requires a little energy and it makes me feel breathless and ill. Hopefully, I'll have a cardioversion soon.
I hope you do - I'm sure you will let us know. Yes, cardiologist said folk get used to being in AF but, reading how you are at the moment I can't imagine how poorly you must be feeling
I’m so sorry to hear this, Jean Jeannie 😕 Sending love and hugs and hopes that you self-convert out of the blue, really really soon ❤️
Hope you convert to normal rhythm soon. Sending love your way.
JeanJeannie, hope you are feeling better. You are always so kind and helpful to us all. I hope your AFIB has stopped and gone away for good!!! Someone has got to find a cure for this monster. Thinking of you.
How on earth do you cope with that? It must be awful. I have read on this forum about people who are sometimes in permanent AF, and the thought of that fills me with horror. Do you try to continue with your life as normal? I do hope everything gets back to normal soon.
Very often people in permanent AF don't even realise until their GP tells them why they are feeling a bit tired/breathless. It's not the same as being in PAF for a long time apparently, not sure why.
What rate are you in Jean ? Did you go to A&E initially ?
I went to my GP's surgery the day after the AF started. My AF starts at a really high rate, makes me feel sick, dizzy and faint, but I was determined I was not going to go back down the being admitted to hospital routine. I waited 24hrs until it had dropped substantially and then went for an ECG at my docs surgery the next morning. I've just searched high and low for the copy of that ECG, but it has disappeared as all bits of paper we try to keep do! I think my heart rate had dropped to around 130 by then.
I'm now under the care of AF nurses at my local hospital, who will assist with the cardioversion and I see them every week for an ECG (going again this Friday). My heart rate at the moment has dropped substantially and now flits at rest to between 75 and 110.
At least you are kept in the loop and being monitored closely. Good to hear that your rate has dropped.
Like you , my rate starts very fast and I find it quite alarming even after all these years. The trouble is that if I contact the surgery they are always adamant that I go to A&E and paramedics put the fear of God in me by mentioning heart attack etc if I appear reluctant ....
However , good news for me (At the mo anyhow ) is that I haven't had an episode for over 12 months and no longer hypertensive so pill popping has been reduced !😁
Oh, you lucky person. I had made almost 7 months AF free before this attack now.
Yes, I still find it alarming when my heart takes off so fast. In between, when hearts behave, you forget just how scary it is
I'm glad that I'm being well looked after by my AF nurses. On the day of a cardioversion the team are absolutely fantastic, they're all chatting and laughing and it's made a most stress free event. I did say last time in January that I would write in to their boss with praise, but didn't, but will this time if it's the same.
Hi Jalia....I had my first AF on the 5th April and it was sparked by drinking a bottle of Baileys in 90 mins...Thankfully im assuming it has not come back but having my appointment with the Cardiologist tomorrow and i was wondering if it was ever mentioned to completely take you of the pills as you have not had it for so long???
Hi Highbur8, this is something I intend to discuss with my EP when I finally get an appt with him .
I'm expecting him to agree to winding down as I can keep a close watch on my rhythm/rate...(.an experienced AF er of over 26 years ) and have a Kardia device . However I do get bouts of regular fast rates ..atrial/sinus tachycardia so that may come into the equation.
BTW....what do you expect with drinking all that Bailey's ??!🙄
Many thanks for your response...and i totally agree with you in relation to the Baileys...my Dad had Wolfe Parkinsons White and since i was cleared of that i had the perception my heart is Ok...I have not had 1 drink since my AF episode back in April and no repear of it.Im hoping tomorrow the cardiologist will tell me i dont need to take anymore beta blockers or anti coags but I will do whatever he says....My query really is has anyone ever been told to not take MEDS anymore for AF??
How long did your AF episode last ?
3 days and cardioverted on the 3rd morning...
I would think it unlikely you could stop your meds at this stage. It's not long since your episode. Also I would not be in a hurry to stop the anticoagulant but your doc will advise.
Hi Jalia...Just spoke to Cardiologist and based on my echo results,CT Cardio Scan calcium results and my recent ECG and my age (40) he has decided to put me on a 24Hour Holter Monitor and then if that come back as OK ....then he will take me off my medication of Bisoprolol 1.25mg and Eliquis 5mg x 2 per day....fingers crossed.My child almost chocked last Sunday and my heart went into massive palpatations during and after.. and the fact it did not go into AF he thought it was very encouraging signs.Fingers crossed...
Very pleased for you. You are young so obviously have a low Chadsvasc score to make continued anticoagulation unnecessary.
I can imagine the panic with your child choking.....this was always my biggest fear when looking after grandchildren! 😨
Wishing you well!
Hi, the only med I take is Apixaban which seems to work for me. I have persistent AF and have had AF for about 3yrs. No one has suggested I take anything else but arrhythmia nurse seemed a bit perturbed that I wasn’t on beta blockers at my last visit. I wouldn’t want to come off the Apixaban but am wary of being prescribed other drugs based on the experiences posted on this forum.
I am joining you Jean been 2 weeks now and fed up with it. I think I am getting better at not giving into the anxiety of it. I just can’t do what I want because of shortness of breath
Such an annoying intrusion on our lives isn't it!!!! Yes, the anxiety doesn't get to me either now and glad to hear you can cope with it too.
Yes I saw a really good gp on Friday who talked me through my anxiety. As long as my pulse stays below 100 I seem to cope reasonably well. Which I can do if I just sit down all day but that’s not ideal. Doing the housework etc seems to take even more effort than normal.
Hi Jean, yes it is very annoying, just as the hospital have taken me off the waiting list for a cardioversion, I’ve been in af since 3.30pm today. I know it’s anxiety that’s causing it. Hoping it will go away after a sleep, but wish I had a diazepam
Sorry to hear this jeanjeannie- I follow all your posts
Thankfully it has been 16 mo since PAF and I were dance partners. Im retired so I take it easy as I have PAF with RVR which means Im really symptomatic. I do relaxation things like controlled breathing. I try to distract my brain with music or tv. My little dog usually parks on my chest as somehow he knows. I stay hydrated. I take my PIP med Flecainide. I check my blood pressure and heart rate but not obcessively. The longest my episodes have gone is 12 hours. Normally 3-6 hours average. I call my doc when its over just as FYI.
Gmc54 in reply to
What’s PVR? Not seen that abbreviation before. 🙂
in reply to Gmc54
RVR: rapid ventricular response, means the ventricles are trying to keep up with the crazy rate the atria are doing. Makes it more dramatic and symptomatic.
Gmc54 in reply to
Thanks Hoski, how do you know you’ve got this rather than the ‘normal’ AF? I am every symptomatic with mine.
in reply to Gmc54
I only know it because my doc told me, I guess they see it on EKG when Ive been in a fib.
reinaway in reply to
Last time I was in AF I saw on my ekg that I had RVR and wondered what that was. Would this account for the pain I feel when I am in AF do you think?
in reply to reinaway
Dont know about that. Before and during my AF I feel pain in my neck and jaw. Docs havent really said why. Good question.
reinaway in reply to
The docs always tell me that the pain is not my heart and my reply to them is well why does it stop as soon as I am in NSR? 😉
in reply to reinaway
Right, mine too. My guess is that when the ventricles are trying to keep up, they arent able to pump as efficiently thus decreasing the oxygen to muscles, causing pain. I cannot explain what causes same feeling before a fib kicks in.
Hi SpritzerAce 
I have tried various things over the years to bring my episodes to an end but nothing works. For me it is all about getting through my lengthly monthly episodes (up to 15 hours) as smoothly as possible.
I guess I am lucky in that I am retired and live alone so no demands are made on me, I can just sit it out.
First I do those jobs I have to do, taking homemade bread and soup from the freezer for an easy meal, setting up my Kardia and IPad to keep track of my heart rate and to confirm when I am out of P-AF, filling a glass with cold water and ice . Then I settle down to relax completely and do my breathing exercises usually while listening to radio 4. I lay on the floor or on my bed.
I have to get up at intervals to take my dog out always a hazardous proceedure in case I meet anyone and a conversation is required,my legs turn to jelly and I am breathless so speech of any length is out of the question.
Oh joy when it is over and life is normal again
Keep the tips and words of encouragement coming. Thanks for all the advise. For me personally, I usually weather it out at home although I have been to A&E twice during the earlier days. My longest episode was slightly under 22 hours and normally it can be between a few seconds to three to four hours. When I am in AF I will try to calm myself down (NOT easy as I get too stressed out and anxious easily), do the breathing exercise, lie down and try to get some sleep. Will meditate or try listening to soothing music. And to take the stress away I will usually go to this forum. Somehow it will always make me feel better, knowing that I am not alone and others do experience and understand what I am going through. I am lucky as my husband will usually keep me company whenever I have an episode and he will work from home. Sometimes my best friends will come over - I find that good too as talking to them will distract my focus on my condition and when I am too ‘ill’ to talk they will understand. Having a Kardia helps too. It will tell me about my HR readings and when I am ‘normal’ again. I do check from time to time but not obsessively. ♥️
Agree - no matter how many years/episodes we experience each time the stress can be difficult to deal with
Not sure, I havent heard that expression. We live in the country, so only ones that we have parking issues with are the barn cats. They prefer the hood of my car
😂😂😂 ooops. I meant chest!!! I will fix it, lol. Thanks for catching that, I needed a good laugh and will ensure my doggie doesnt park on my cheat😂
I do agree with you. Sometimes it works sometimes not for the next episodes.
Always
Wow I would have just gone back home but fair play to you for not letting it beat you
Since my ablation the AF episodes which started about two years later usually lasted for four hours at the most. I have AF with RVR so anything I do has to be s l o w......Last time I had an episode I sort of set my timer for four hours. Still in AF so I went to bed. Next morning, still in AF, with rate going up and down. I got through the weekend in slow mode but Monday morning I felt faint whenever I got up so went to A&E. As I was sort of able to cope over the weekend I wondered if that was what permanent AF would feel like. I have never tried any methods to try to convert apart from going to bed and hoping the relaxation will do the trick. I try to avoid A&E but chest pain or faintness are my signals to go as my old GP told me I would be losing my little grey cells if I ignored the AF then 😬
Well, lets see; When it first starts HR starts at 140, I head to the bathroom and stick my head into the shower with very cold water, being sure to get the back of my neck and entire head soaked. If that dosent work, I head out to the pool and jump into the chilled water. That helps temporarly. If its still with me, I will start talking, on the phone, to the dog, to my hubby. Next I will try having a beer. ( I dont do wine because the high sugar level) If it still runs rampid in my chest, I will find any distraction I can, tv, dog, singing, or making a list of thing to get done. Then I will try making Pudding Shots (Baileys, or butterscotch schnaps) and set them in the freezer for when company comes over. If none of this works, and I cant ignore it any more (usually about 170+) I may take 2 diltiazem and ignore some more. Mine will last anywhere from 4-26 hours. Majority of the time, I really just try to ignore it and push through it. Breathing gets difficult and sometimes it hurts so I will sit for a bit. It definitely gets old.
Mine can last up to 24 hours and I do not feel well so I just go to bed with my kindle and read and try to sleep it off. Try deep breathing and all the other things I have heard about to stop it, but haven’t found anything yet that works for me. So t s just a case of riding it out.
Very good question and interesting to see what other people do.
Had my ablation nearly 2 years ago when I was in permanent AF. I still drop in and out of it but not so badly and only when triggered by stress/heat/ doing too much so I try very hard to pace myself. Had Chronic Fatigue 35 years ago and so my mitochondria were damaged at that time and so I am not surprised that the AF comes back with too much exercise. I do the deep breathing, thinking beautiful thoughts, lying down with my feet up, if the AF is too intrusive but otherwise I try to carry on. This forum is brilliant and is so helpful and supportive. Unless you have AF I don’t think you can understand. Thank you everyone.
I generally just try to rest and take my mind off it, or else go to be and try to sleep. Sleeping slightly sat up seems to help. The last few occasions have been early in the day, so going to bed has not been an option. One cured itself by me sitting watching the tennis at Wimbledon. (I like the ladies game, the men's is generally too hard and fast for me to enjoy. I like a good long rally.) Further ones have entailed watching TV as well. As a hand tool woodworker (hobby), I enjoy re-runs of "The Repair Shop", and lots of YouTube videos of woodworking. An old musical film works as well.
When i had Paroxysmal AF episodes I would always aim to get home and go to bed to sleep. When I woke up many hours later I would normally be in NSR.
I now have migrated to Permanent AF, (via persistent AF). It's called asymptomatic as I can't feel it most of the time. I do have symptoms but which of those symptoms can be attributed to which of my ailments is debatable. My resting heart rate is between 70 and 110 per minute
I have shortness of breath sometimes, but I've had asthma for over 45years so that's not surprising. I don't normally get short of breath going up and down stairs at home but if I have to go up more than one flight of stairs I get out of breath, and my legs ache. My legs ache probably as a result of lack of exercise. I wear just below the knee compression socks as I have lymphoedema in my lower legs.
I don't get out of breath when doing voluntary work at my local library, or when pushing a trolley round the dawdlers around a supermarket.
I don't suppose it helps thst I'm overweight and tall, 18 stones and 6' 7", though doctors have never told me to lose weight. I have little appetite for food, especially as I developed food intolerances due to chronic urticaria which was triggered by a beta blocker.
The last time I had a faster heart rate I was in hospital having my appendix out. When they woke me up it was around 190bpm. After two days of bed rest it was down to 80bpm, and I was discharged along with Bisoprolol which was fine for 7weeks, after which the painful rashes came, and are still with me every day 21 months later. My only medication related to AF is Warfarin. Such is life.
I've only had AF for a month but already been in and out of hospital several times. Basically if I move I get palpitations so I've no idea how people live with it. Last week I played golf and ended up in A&E. Cardioversion is another 2 months away. Blood pressure is fine but pulse jumps all over the place.
Various things have tried - very little has worked. The general list is:
Try and go for a poo and bear down
Massage my carotid artery in the neck
Clamp my nose and mouth shut and try and blow out
Sex
Tablets (max dose 12.5mg Bisoprolol and 250mg Flecanide in one day)
Cardioversion (Chemical)
Cardioversion (Electrical)
Swear a lot
Gentle Excercise (before this year I'd have ended up collapsing)
Drink lots of fluids
Sleep
Get cannulated in ED (I reverted once cos of this)
Have a sneezing fit
Search for the TV remote whilst complaining and sighing loudly, resort to an app on your phone instead and get frustrated it won't log in.
Hope this helps
😂😂
I shall leave it to imagination as to what has worked and what hasn't 
Hi I have AF I go on with my life exercise do everything and do not worry about it.
Well dear, we should all only speak from our own experience so here goes...
I had ECGs, 24 hour halters, ran my pulse in tests up to 190bpm, beta blockers (horrible), warfarin, heart-rate reducing medication... and none of them worked one bit. Then, 6 years ago, in China, I had a four hour ablation, wide awake, right up to the extremes of my pain threshold. Cost was $10,000. It worked. The surgeon told me a) to reduce my medication over 3 months to to zero b) to start getting exercise to make the most important muscle, the heart, strong. (My exercise of choice was and is, swimming.) c) to switch to a protein-rich plant-based diet. The first and only doctor who ever advised me on anything dietary, simply stating the obvious: "At a cellular level, you are made up of what you eat. Don't eat dead flesh, and avoid sugars".
I'm 70 now, don't have AF, take zero medication and have built up to swimming 1km per day, 4-5 times a week, getting the heart up to 130+bpm. My focus is sharp, I'm fit, I've lost 11 kilos and last week returned from an 8-country, 16-city, 5-week trip, swimming at every opportunity.
My conclusion? Any AF doctor who advises nothing about exercise and nothing about efficacious eating habits but rather tells you just to take rest and tons of pills, should absolutely be avoided.
As I said, just my experience...
Go well 😉
Since having my first and only PVI ablation (in Aug. 2018) I no longer experience AF episodes. My heart has been beating steadily since the cryoablation, with zero ectopic beats (at least none that I'm aware of).
Prior to my ablation I was having an AF episode about every 7-10 days, despite being very careful about what I ate and drank. I had always been very symptomatic while in AF, with rapid ventricular rate (RVR), dizziness and weakness. My AF episodes would typically last between 12 and 18 hours. My quality of life was greatly impacted by PAF and I absolutely hated the situation.
At the beginning of each AF episode I eventually began taking one or two extra 50 mg flecainide tablet(s), as a way to shorten the episode/terminate it. Sometimes it would work, but frequently it would not. Early on in the affliction having a cool shower would sometimes magically convert my heart back to NSR, but that eventually wouldn't work anymore. On the occasions I went to Emergency (A & E) suffering with a long-lasting AF episode hospital staff would typically give me extra metoprolol (I was already on 50 mg per day), but the extra metoprolol did nothing for me - it actually made me feel worse.
On one of my last visits to Emergency for an AF episode a Cardiologist was available and he arranged a diltiazem tablet for me. Within 20-30 minutes the diltiazem brought my HR down from ~150 bpm to ~85 bpm, at which point I was discharged from hospital, with a prescription for several dilatiazem 30 mg tablets in hand (should I have needed to take additional tablets while still in AF).
PAF is a Q-o-L -reducing mongrel affliction, and I would urge those who suffer with it to really consider having an ablation. I wouldn't hesitate to have another ablation should that requirement ever come up for me again.
PS. BE SURE to take an anti-coagulant if you suffer from PAF, regardless of how frequent/infrequent your episodes are. I was not prescribed an anti-coagulant by my doctor(s) - because of my "low" CHADS2 score - and I eventually suffered an ischemic stroke (as a consequence of PAF), which necessitated an emergency endovascular thrombectomy within 2 hours of stroke onset. Yes, they had to go into my brain (right middle cerebral artery) to remove the large, hard clot that was lodged there. Thankfully I did not suffer any physical deficits as a result of the stroke. I am now on an anti-coagulant for life - at this time I take apixaban.
Best wishes to all, Richard
Glad to hear about your successful cryoablation. I am seriously considering it too.
Hi everyone . I love this sight because it allows me to tell my husband he’s not going crazy. He’s had nearly three years now of AF. Right from the beginning he’s said about the exhaustion and being breathless and no one seems to take it seriously and say it’s not to do with AF, but after reading your comments it would appear it is. He’s being sent for a lung function test soon. When ever we go for consultation appointment it’s rare we actually see him but he has put off ablation until bmi is under 30 (currently 33). Get told that when they ecg him at that moment he’s in NSR, but anything over 65 is not normal for him and makes him feel so unwell. Sorry I’m blabbing on but feel sad for him and all of you as people only see the outside and as my husband often gets told ‘you look alright. So In all of your views should we be pushing our consultant re the exhaustion as an AF Issue? Thank you for reading and your time. Love concerned frustrated wife!! (Ps had 3 cardioversions, on apixiban, amiodarone, blood pressure tabs and statins) xx
My AF bouts bother me immensely- nothing I could do would convert to nsr. First had CV, then PIP Flecanide , first ablation was in heaven With no AF for seven months, second ablation for flutter with lots of ill effects- six cardio versions , nasty Amiodarone, back for third ablation seven months - cardioversion two times - now permanent flutter
Take 240mg diatelzam which keeps rate around 85-105
Too high in my opinion- my pump is strong per echo - looking to go see Dr Natale in Texas for fourth ablation but wondering if I should
Also don’t think he’s in my network of providers
well I go to my herb cabinet and take a dropperful of motherwort herb with some cayenne added and take a double dose of magnesium. Then I take my Metoprolol beta blocker (which they had me on all the time but I weaned off as I don't like the side effects and hate meds and take it as a PIP). Then I go online and look up every link to stopping AF (going to try the legs up the wall next time) pray like crazy, try to meditate and do qigong. Then I call my friends (I don't tell them I am in AF) and found that some times that stops it in which case I thank my friend! Then I go for a walk with the dog and then repeat all of the above until thank God finally it stops. Had intermittent episodes for 11yrs since a stupid dr overdosed my thyroid meds, used to go 1-2 yrs between episodes in fact last time went a year but have had a couple episodes since (last time was in June). I do take Eliquis but only half of what they put me on, when I go into AF I take a full dose
Most of my twice or so weekly episodes last 1-2 hours mainly at night with the AF unpleasantness and sometimes chest pain, hot flushes etc. I usually sit up in bed, rock back and forth, visit the loo a few times. Recently I've enlisted the help of Alexa to play me music with a fairly definite beat and that seem a to help! Can be fast or slow (from Proclaimers 500 miles to Scarlet Ribbons!) A song as the be at is definite.
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