Hello, new to forum

[dani777]

Hi. I'm new to this forum and I've come on here because doctors suspect A Fib. I am 52, and since my twenties I've had flutters (in my twenties it was only once in a while and they were almost always really mild), only since last March of this year those flutters have gotten far more violent and longer lasting, sometimes I will have flutters on and off all day and that never used to happen. Or that feeling like your heart is racing and quivering along with fluttering and that will last for around 30 seconds and scares me every time. Or it can feel like it's flip flopping. But mostly it's flutters that vary in severity and duration. I have other symptoms but I don't know if they are related to the heart or not, like feeling off balance, lightheaded sometimes, 3 day headaches, vision suddenly going funny, and numbness on my right hand. I also happen to have Ulcerative Colitis. My mother had A Fib as did my gran and my great gran. I recently had an echocardiogram and waiting results as well as holter monitor results. I did have one really bad episode whilst wearing the monitor. Hopefully they can figure out what's going on. It's causing me a lot of distress. Lack of sleep or poor sleep seems to make it worse and I often have poor sleep given I take Prednisone for my Colitis which has a side effect of insomnia. Stress also triggers flutters, although I can have a bad episode when I am not stressed. And I've tried things to try to make it stop or get better, like magnesium, cutting out caffeine, breathing exercise, diet, etc but nothing seems to work. I just want them to go away. It's like having a little devil on you that won't leave you alone x

[BobD Volunteer]

Welcome to our world. Yes it can be stressful and cause anxiety which is why I always recommend that people go to AF Association website and read all they can as knowledge is power and helps ease that anxiety. You are on the rigth track as far as the doctors are concerned and I'm sure that soon you will get a proper diagnosis but in the mean time please read and learn so you can engage with your doctors rather than just be a customer.

It isn't going to go away I'm afraid but with care and proper treatment most of us are able to live long and happy lives. You don't mention weight but this is important as has recently been noted and a BMI of less than 25 is highly desirable. Keep up the life style changes and well done so far.

[dani777 in reply to BobD]

hi. appreciate the reply but i should clarify that i don't believe I said anything to imply that i was "just a customer". i have never been the sort of person to expect everyone else to do everything for me, I have lived a life of doing things for myself and being proactive, least where I can. i have read up loads on heart palpitations, also have watched many videos on youtube about it. regarding weight, most of my life i've been lean and fit but being on steroids because of my bowel disease i have gained 50 pounds in one year, went from a UK size 12 to a UK size 18 in spite of regular exercise and not eating loads, so now I am overweight and perhaps this is part of the reason it's gotten worse. I am currently tapering down the prednisone but it has to be done slowly.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to dani777]

I am sure you will understand that since I do not know new members any reply I give is general advice and not specific.

[Hidden in reply to dani777]

Please understand dani, we are not doctors nor are we medically trained so any advice we offer “Newbies” has to be very broadly based because AF is such a mongrel condition and obviously we can only offer advice on what we are told. We know it’s often difficult for us to pick up on the issues which concern newly diagnosed patients. This is why we always direct new posters to an information source where they can pick up accurate and professionally prepared advice to help them to find the information they need to move forward. Unfortunately, some doctors do not react well or overly sympathetic to patients with AF and there may be a variety of different reasons for this. However, we know from experience that if you can demonstrate that you have acquired knowledge about the condition and the effects it is having on you, you tend to get a better rapport. This is also why we encourage people to seek a referral to see an Electrophysiologist ( a Cardiologist who specialises in arrhythmias). Because you are clearly proactive in your approach, you should soon be on a path towards obtaining a treatment plan specific to your needs....hope all goes well and please ask if you need any clarification on any of the information you find in the AF Association webpages.....

heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...

[Jalia]

Hopefully the results of your Echo and holter monitor will enable some treat ment to commence. It's 'good 'that you had an episode whilst wearing the monitor !

Are you taking anti coagulants ? I wonder what type of magnesium you're taking. I found magnesium taurate or glycinate very helpful.

[Padayn01 in reply to Jalia]

Really want to take a magnesium supplement but just so confused which one to take and trying to get my magnesium from food

[Ianp66 in reply to Padayn01]

I take "cardio vascular research Ltd" stuff from amazon, its mag taurate, not cheapest but find it works well. And also Vit D supplement which is supposed to help absorption, take one every night, and also helps sleep.

Ian.

[Padayn01 in reply to Ianp66]

Which brand on amazon is it?

[Ianp66 in reply to Padayn01]

Cardio Vascular Research Ltd is the brand, white bottle, Red letters 👍

[wilsond]

Welcome to this useful and lovely forum.I dont know how Id cope without it.When you get your results,there will be a response and an action plan come from whatever they find.This will help you to see a way forward.

AFib is a funny beast,which can be very frustrating and difficult to adapt to. Take your time to read as much as you can,on here there are several useful booklets.

Take care x

[Kaz747]

Hi Dani and welcome. The Prednisone may also have an impact if you have AF. I had pericarditis and gastritis last year so my EP prescribed it for me as well as colchicine for 3 days. He said I couldn’t be on in for long but we needed to get the inflammation under control. I hope you have a diagnosis soon so you can get the right treatment happening.

[Ppiman]

The “flutters” that you mention sound like harmless (but unpleasant) ectopic beats. I’m told that these commonly arise in the pulmonary veins and, when they do, can sometimes trigger atrial fibrillation. You seem to have had some attacks of “paroxysmal afib”. Bad luck, eh - but, if it’s any consolation, the symptoms are far more troublesome than they are dangerous. You’ll probably end up with an anticoagulant and a beta blocker as I did.

I’ve had ectopic beats since my twenties and I’m now 66. This year I’ve had atrial flutter and one bout of afib after an ablation. I have had poor sleep for many years, have an anxious nature, a hiatus hernia and IBS. So, whilst that's not quite a mirror of your health problems, there are similarities.

I put a lot of my cardiac problems down to my tiredness, and I feel convinced that my stomach problems are also a cause.

My advice is to keep telling yourself that what’s happening feels very much worse than it really is and that you won’t suffer physically (or die!) from it, however much it feels like you could at the time.

When you get the results of your halter tests and scan, do write back.

Steve