Life expectancy

[olqp]

I find if you go on the internet it can be quite scary if you read about AF it can lead to heart damage and other complications.Is this a real concern or as long as we are controlling Af like I am with medications anticoagulant and keeping BP done and diabetes type 2 under control it is not necessarily a forgone conclusion we are going to end up with a stroke or heart failure

[Buffafly]

That's right 😀 Sounds like you are doing well. People sometimes quote how their grannies lived to 90 with no treatment but taking good care of yourself improves the odds considerably.

[BobD Volunteer]

AF is life changing not life threatening. There is no evidence that AF alone brings on early death provided it is controlled and other co-morbities are addressed. I suspect the Type 2 diabetes is the greater threat. Google can damage your health.

[Frances123 in reply to BobD]

I’m kicking myself not being able to remember where I heard it but a Dr. on tv a week or so ago was talking about the heart and arrhythmias and said atrial fibrillation was a fatal condition. He didn’t mention a thing about co-morbities or being controlled etc. I was mentally shouting at tv and saying “do you know how many people you are scaring the s**t out of now”. Wasn’t nice at all. X

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Frances123]

And quite wrong for the most part. Sure if you have AF and try to run a marathon you may die but that is an extreme.

[Frances123 in reply to BobD]

Marathon? What’s a marathon? Not a word that’s in my vocabulary 🤣. Mind you I’m right there running every step watching the London marathon every year on TV from the comfort of my sofa! Exhausted afterwards. x

[Hidden in reply to Frances123]

Marathons are called snickers now, I still can't get used to it

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

Hey Bob some folk do run marathons with AF and don't die and some folk die running marathons without AF and not all deaths are heart-related. Someone dies running in a marathon makes the news, someone dies doing everyday stuff, well so what? Exercise and it's benefits seems to get turned around into being some kind of self inflicted death wish often by folk who do not embrace the concept themselves.

Running a marathon is certainly a challenge but "extreme" I beg to differ. Rant over.

[Polski in reply to Hidden]

Running a marathon puts a lot of stress on our bodies. For most people that counts as extreme. If it wasn't, why would we consider it such a challenge?

[Hidden in reply to Polski]

Thanks for your insight.

[Flyer2820 in reply to BobD]

Hi BobD. I've just had an ablation on 5th November last year. It seems to have worked, but as regards running a marathon, the only thing that runs these days is my nose.

[Polly159 in reply to Frances123]

I suppose it's true to say that undiagnosed Afib (ie with no noticeable symptoms) is a risk because of the blood pooling/clotting/ stroke association. Although I don't like the symptoms at least they highlighted the problem and got me onto anticoagulants.

[olqp]

thanks Bob I'm only on one metformin for that and list reading just above pre diabetes level 48

[Hcoe]

I would worry about your type 2 diabetes and try to get off meds and reverse it. This needs a life style change. No sugar and no processed food.

[doodle68]

Hi olaqp I look at it this way, many people have AF without even knowing about it because they don't have any symptoms.

They have an increased risk of having a stroke.

We 'the diagnosed ' are medicated/monitored /some of us have modified our lifstyles so maybe we have an increased life expectancy over some people.

[Hidden]

I agree, Ive even been freaked out by being on a couple facebook a fib groups. I found the posts caused me to be more anxious. This group does not affect me in a negative way. It is educational plus friendly and I think people are free to ask questions or share thoughts without harsh judgements.

Ive shared several times here about my mother. She lived to be a healthy, active 97 yr old with permanent a fib. She couldnt feel it. It did not seem to affect her.

[Steve101 in reply to Hidden]

That’s good to hear!

[Bagrat]

If scaring people a bit works as a wake up call all well and good but I have said many times that research and statistics only give information for a given population not for the individuals that make it up. Some with AF will die tomorrow some in 30 years time and no one knows where each individual is on the bell curve so the optimists like me think they will live long and prosper. (well as long as most 75 year olds!!)

[olqp in reply to Bagrat]

Good way of thinking and my doctor told me the most trusted web site is NHS choices it gives the facts without scaring you.

[bbrt294]

I have AF over 15 years. At 75 I am doing fine. I Keep away from sugar and exercise regularly.

[Hidden]

According to this article it isn’t a black or white issue:

“Myth: Atrial fibrillation affects life expectancy.

Fact: It depends. Younger, generally healthy people who keep symptoms under control and take medications to prevent stroke typically do not have an increased risk of death from Afib. However, the underlying cause is usually the determining factor. Someone who developed atrial fibrillation after a heart attack that caused significant heart muscle damage may have a worse prognosis than someone with treatable high blood pressure and a normal heart.”

See:

everydayhealth.com/hs/atria...

[KMRobbo]

Never run a marathon, but done a half marathon in 1:41 when I was 51. However, when I was laid up with atrial flutter my HR was 140 for over 3 weeks . Even if a marathon would take me 4 hours , then that is 126 marathons for my heart non stop. ! I am still here! (although i dont recommend it) .Look after yourself with afib and that includes some element keeping fit.

Don't look after yourself even without afib authoritarian and probably you will have a shorter life.

Do what you can , but don't worry! I expect worry is life shortening!

[DK81]

AF is not just one thing. I was told by a consultant at one stage that I had "fast AF". Later on, he said that was no longer the case. I have the view that the risks associated with AF were greater when it was "fast".

[Hidden]

I refer to Franklin d Roosevelt "the only thing to fear is fear itself" . In 1972, in Belfast, I was grazed in the shoulder by a snipers bullet aged 21,I was bloody close to death that day.,makes you realise its a fine dividing line. Keep fit eat well and enjoy life you could be a lot worse off.

[allserene]

Yes "the Internet" can scare the bejaybers out of you. 3 examples: In 1998 I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.. Some research had me in a wheelchair within 6 months and my doctor asked if I had surrendered my driving licence. Instead, I bought a new motorbike and toured Europe over the Alps and down to Nice... I have hot shins but that is all... I have ridden big fast bikes right up to 2019. In March I am visiting England where I drive a LOT in my my rental car. LESSON: MS comes in many forms with varied severity and is not necessarily progressive. 22 years later, mine hardly registers in normal times although Trump's election in 2016 set off 6 weeks of awful burning in my head and scalp. Example2: In 2017 I was diagnosed with MALIGNANT Prostate Cancer. "The internet" says it's the 2nd biggest killer of men and the radiation for it will leave me in diapers and doubly incontinent for life.... Well, I had 5 one hour sessions of Cyber knife in 2017, and now I am 100% cured, a PSA of 0.7, with zero side effects.. Now Atrial Flutter which hit in April 2019. I stopped ALL medication for ANYTHING last Autumn and I didn't have a stroke as predicted as a certainty by this forum, and there is no re-occurrence and I feel fine. I go on the high roof to sweep my own chimney and load 3 tons of top soil in 90f temps no problem... Summary: Don't believe the internet without MUCH research and listening to people like me ... OOPS ! I am posting this on "The Internet" and you are reading it there....lol.. Ps I am 72

[Hidden in reply to allserene]

You are amazing! And you made me laugh out loud. Thanks for sharing your fascinating story. If you could bottle up some of your determination and grit, I would b first in line to buy some!!! We are our own worst enemies too many times. Thankyou⭐️

[DK81 in reply to allserene]

I declined to take anti-coagulant medication when I had AF, after weighing up the pros and cons, and continued with normal activities, but had a stroke. I have done pretty well as far as recovery is concerned. Paying attention to what other people have experienced is useful for acquiring knowledge, but not for predicting what may happen in the future.

[allserene in reply to DK81]

If I had afib regularly I would take eliquis despite the cost... However My 'Flutter".. may occur once a year or never.. My plan therefore is to always have Eliquis and metoprolol to hand, and to start taking eliquis immediately if an event occurs... My thinking is that a clot takes time to form, and Eliquis is effective immediately and doesn't need time to build up like Warfarin. My first event was 10 days running at 150pulse before I even saw the doctor, and I would recognize it immediately and take eliquis at once... If anyone has any evidence of clots being formed within a few hours of an event, please let me know, but I working with the theory that people who build up clots have been running an episode UNTREATED for many days or weeks or months, and not 3 or 4 hours..

[DK81 in reply to allserene]

I have read numerous posts on this site, and never come across any recommendation for your approach. It would not suit me anyway, as I have never had events; the only way of self-detecting AF is through measuring my heart rate. My view is that clots do take time to form, but how long must depend on the circumstances. Finally, Eliquis does need time to build up, because its effect decays over a period of hours, so that subsequent doses enhance, rather than replace, earlier doses.

[allserene in reply to DK81]

I agree that Eliquis isn't a "one and done" , and If I had an isolated event, even one for only 3 hours, I would take Eliquis for 7 to do 10 days (2 per day) just on the off chance that a clot could form in 3 hours from nothing, even though I can't imagine it would...... I can't imagine it, but I would do it as I have the supplies.. I am seeing my EP tomorrow and I will run this question by him. It was he who called me in August to say stop taking Eliquis, and when I reported that on this forum, I was assailed by droves of "angels of death" saying I would certainly have a stroke and he should be struck off etc. My EP is very senior and works at the known boundaries of Ablation work... I can certainly tell instantly when my heart revs up to 150 beats, and I only use my BP meter to confirm what I already know.. I acknowledge that there are varieties of AFib that are not as obvious as that, and they are 'silent', and need constant anti-coags. If I have say, 1 flutter in 5 years, I dont want to, or need to, be taking eliquis for all that time when there are no indication that a clot might form and I am in a position to reliably identify an event and deal with it instantly......

[bennie06 in reply to allserene]

I would be very interested in the advice that your EP has regarding stopping Eliquis. Thanx.

[allserene in reply to bennie06]

Hi Bennie..Saw my EP 30 mins ago. He stopped my Eliquis in August (his idea)..Told him about my 2 mini episodes of 3 hours each caused by coming off beta blocker metoprolol twice.......(Rebound effect)....He told me I only need to take a anti-coag if I have an episode lasting more than 5 hours...and in that case I should take eliquis for a month and then stop... He is confident I dont have "silent" afib/flutter and I am fully aware of an event... There, I paid $50 for that advice today ... and it is my present to you.. FREE ! ps It only applies to people like me who are confident they dont have silent Afib/ flutter.. I have THREE blood pressure monitors with Afib indicator lights...

[bennie06 in reply to allserene]

Thank you for sharing, will certainly investigate further.

Good Luck.

[Tapanac]

I think you can go on the internet to look up a headache for example and end up believing you are imminently dying with a massive brain tumour!

Try not to worry, if you are on all the correct medication I believe (although I'm not a doctor of course) that AF is frightening and a change of quality of life, but not life threatening.

Best wishes