Af feeling passing out

[Grannie1948]

Hello all. Yesterday I had a very short dizzy spell that caused me anxiety. I've been doing very well on meds and worked outside mowing alot of day. Went to ER to get checked and was mildly dehydrated and in AFIB again with high BP. Just scared, any words of wisdom?

[Hidden]

Who knows why a fib visits us unannounced. It is possible your working alot plus dehydration piled up on you. Dizziness, a fib, high BP all feed the anxiety fire which in turn ramps up the a fib. I get the same feelings and makes me anxious too. Im on meds and have been very blessed that Ive not had any a fib for two years. The first 2 years after my diagnosis were not fun at all

[3138REDROSE in reply to Hidden]

I’d like to know YOUR medications Hoski as I’ve had two years of trial and error .lots of error and am on Rivaroxaban, Verapimil. (causing acute constipation) and Perindopil.,—Still staggering ,dizzy and tired .

[Hidden in reply to 3138REDROSE]

Currently Im taking xarelto( rivaroxaban) , Metoprolol 25 mg twice daily and Flecainide 50 mg twice daily. Flecainide doesnt bother me at all. I remember when I started the metoprolol( a betablocker) it too me a month or two to get used to it. I felt a little dizzy off and on but mostly I felt tired and short of breath with exertion. Now, I can say I dont notice side effects. Im exercising 30 min daily( not hard) and trying to eat healthy... minus the apple pie I had last night!!! I dont drink alcohol, had a beer a month ago that tasted great but generally dont drink.

[Hidden in reply to 3138REDROSE]

Do you have a blood pressure cuff at home? If not, you might get a digital one, easy to use. It sounds like maybe your blood pressure could be running low. If you are not already, see if you can check your blood pressure at home, do it at various times of day. Make sure you are sitting, relaxed for 20 minutes or so. Keep a log to show your doc.

[3138REDROSE in reply to Hidden]

I Do use cuff at home and at moment 169 is low —beginning of week was 196 and 198 .Docs have had me on meds. that brought it down below 100 and I twice collapsed and spent 2/3 days in A& E hospitalised.

[Hidden in reply to 3138REDROSE]

Ouch, thats not good. I hope they get you figured out soon. Keep us posted

[3138REDROSE in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your good wishes ,- but after two and a half years I’m not very optimistic

[Hidden in reply to 3138REDROSE]

I can understand. 💜

[CDreamer]

Keep very well hydrated with water - Watermelon, apples and coconut water (as long as it pure unadulterated) and milk, if you tolerate milk, also help to re-hydrate. Ensure your electrolytes are balanced so plenty of foods with Magnesium, Potassium and Sodium. it doesn’t always stop AF it will lessen the symptoms. Dehydration is one of the big triggers for AF.

Avoid all sugary, carbonated drinks - they often contain Aspartame and Caffeine - again triggers along with many sweetners other than natural sweetners such as Stevia. All can affect your whole metabolism, raise or lower BP and don’t hydrate you.

Find a way of managing worry and stress and cope with the anxiety which AF always brings. Most of us found the first few years of AF very stressful but most of us find ways of dealing with it - just a daily walk in a green space has been shown to be really beneficial.

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Grannie

Was it a feeling like you were going to pass out, did everything become distorted and like a blackness was descending over you? Then just when you thought you would completely pass out you came out of it? That's what I used to get occasionally and I never did find out what it was all about, but I know that it's common for we AF people. I think Dr Sanjay Gupta did a recording about it quite a few years ago, will see if I can find it for you.

Jean

[Grannie1948 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you so much for reply. My meds are Eliquis 2x daily, metoprolol half tablet 2x daily, flecainide 2x daily. I also take Zoloft, Lisinopril, levothyroxine and zetia. I had massive stroke 3 months ago from AFib blood clot..didn't know I had Afib so all the heart meds are since then..been doing fine, no side effects, no damage from stroke. Always had anxiety. Since flecainide I've been out of AFib, but dizzy episode put me back. I don't feel badly in AFib, don't really notice it. I live in Texas. Thank you for replies!!!

[Dawsonmackay]

Grannie, oh Grannie: I hate the sun when in Afib. As soon as the sun sees me and if it is warmer than 90 degrees, I should live in a basement because my heart rate goes up. If I don't drink water, then I'm a fool. Please stay hydrated and be very careful when working in the sun.

[madametobacco49]

I had a dizzy spell yesterday laying down as I woke from a nap--That was weird and felt funny after wards fora while too--I think anxiety plays into afib big time--Who doesnt occasionally get a little dizzy? Im working on trying not to make mountains out of mole hills,be mindful of my body but not hyperfocus. Be dilgent about eating healthy,staying hydrated,getting what exercise I an tolerate--Ive been in in stop afib months now--It isnt going to kill me--and truthfully do not let worry and let anxiety cripple you because it is worse than the afib diagnosis. This is my experience. I have went to Drs over all of it and had to be reassured but at some point i realized if im doing what I can Ive got to get on with life as best I can. I agree the dizziness is scary so im not minimizzing--It scared me-Take care. Blessings,Mmet

[Ianc2]

Try drinking 2.5 litres a day, or as my doctor told me, an extra 3pints of water a day, in addition to your normal drinks. I usually have my first pint on rising, while I prepare porridge, the second around lunchtime and third about 4 pm.

I usually stop drinking and eating at about 6.30 to give my system time to settle down, before retiring.

[hartbeast]

I also had a stroke that was my first sign of AFib, so I feel you, Grannie. I still have dizziness from time to time which the docs said could either be remains of the stroke (mine was cerebellar, so extreme dizziness was a major remaining symptom) or the AFib, the docs said. I find it helpful to drink water all day, about 2.5 liters, as lanc2 does. I add a little lime or lemon and also my magnesium bisglycinate powder, which is actually tasty (and doesn't cause diarrhea, as some other magnesium types can). I'm at about two years now, and it's finally getting a bit easier. Hang in there <3

[KathFrances]

Not drinking enough triggers my AF episodes. And Rivaroxaban made me feel dizzy and weird so I changed to Pradaxa (dabigatran) and feel fine on it, no noticeable side effects.

[marvaldebaran]

I've had paroxysmal AF ever since I got sepsis from some dental work over 2 years ago. Now, if something, and it could be anything, makes me anxious, it could trigger high BP, or AF, or, on occasion, PVCs (that beat, beat, pause pattern.) Perhaps the anxiety from the dizzy spell triggered your AF, and not vice versa. Not drinking enough, not eating enough, or sitting up or standing up too rapidly sometimes can make me a bit dizzy as well, especially as my BP intrinsically runs on the low side. And then, there's the heat and sun in my home state of Arizona that can push me into dizziness. Controlling your anxiety so you don't create, or exacerbate, cardiac problems is a highly personal matter, so keep trying possible "remedies" to see what works for you. Deep breathing does nothing for me, but setting to work on a mindless task with an exercise component, such as doing laundry, or hauling garbage, often works. Oddly enough, smothering my nose in a lavender sachet on my pillow can help, as can drinking about 2 oz of fortified wine such as port. Anxiety diminished, then cardiac issues diminished. I'm not perfect at it yet, but I've gotten so much better at it over time.

[Coco51]

I agree that dehydration is probably the culprit. And the high BP down to anxiety. I just need to look at a doctor and my BP goes up! But I have found that I used to come over a bit dizzy with the AFib when I was experiencing "pauses" in the heart rhythm. Usually just for a second or two and usually when the heart was trying to correct the AF and go back into sinus rhythm. It hasn't happened so much recently, but if it becomes frequent then a pacemaker could be recommended. Hope you are feeling better now.

[Khatpi]

Hi Grannie, me too with the dehydration and dizziness. Had to go to the ER Sunday and get an IV. Also very anxious, thought I was having .diabetic shock reaction but that wasn’t it. I have a pacemaker, after ablation in ‘16. Think I’ve learned my lesson about salty foods. hope you continue to improve. Sarah froSan Diego