Anyone here who’s afib and still doing heavy in the gym. Do you have any special program that certainly not trigger bouts of afib while working out? I was diagnosed early 2018, and underwent ablations for flutter and afib at the same time. I was fine for 2 years, and, unfortunately afib and flutter came back.
I’m exactly one month status post op 2nd ablation for flutter and afib. And thinking to resume gym life soon. I used to compete for Physique bodybuilding, but I guess I need to slow down. I just turned 44.
Robbie
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Thanks Jo, keep safe, CoVid19 is for real. I’m a paramedic, people are getting sick, downside is, as a front liner , I don’t know who’s who, so we currently treating everyone who’s calling emergency as covid19 patient.
Unfortunately all gyms are closed now so can't go but I still have a treadmill and bike in the garage and weights to use at home. It is a shame you can't go to a cardio rehab class but they will be closed for the forseeable future. I went and although I found the first classes a bit light for me as other than my AFib I am fine and very fit. It is good to stick the course when eventually you work up to doing what I would term proper gym work - I do circuits with probably 15 mins on either a rower, bike or stepper (this is to help with knee mobility after a total knee replacement last August). I do less, say up to an hour (used to do 2 hours every other day) but go every day - well up until last Monday. I use a heart monitor with chest strap and watch type read out and keep my pulse below 130. The equation to use for your maximum pulse rate is 220, minus - your age and minus 30% if you are on heart rate meds.When you go back to the gym work up slowly. Lifting heavy weights is very likely to bring on your AF. You do need to slow down and just keep yourself fit and healthy. You have done body building and enjoyed it the same as I have done lots of things in my 76 years, I used to be a Royal Air Force Physical Training Instructor, qualified tennis coach, cricket coach, swimming coach, football coach, semi-professional footballer before joining up, referee and teach all sorts of silly games and high jinx and then became a Parachute Jumping Instructor for 30 years so know how you feel but it may be that you have to move on to doing something different now but what you have done is amazing and unlike lots of people who only dreamed of it you did it and did it well. There comes a time in life when we just have to move on to other things whether it is because of health matters or age.
I have had 3 cardioversions all successful for varying amounts of time third one still working at the moment. Waiting for ablation which should be sometime next month but am presuming it won't even be this year now?
I'm fascinated by this formula "The equation to use for your maximum pulse rate is 220, minus - your age and minus 30% if you are on heart rate meds". As a cardiac rehab instructor I've never seen or heard of it.
For meds which affect the heart rate we use the Borg scale (perceived exertion) because heart rate so unreliable .
I'd like to read more about that 30% formula if you know where you found it
As I said we use the Borg scale of perceived exertion as I understood that drugs, such as betablockers, affected the heart rate too much to use heart rate.
Incidentally, I have found my HR monitor cannot cope with Afib at all. It can be up to 20 beats wrong either way. It's a top range Garmin. My husband's Polar HRM does a better job.
I wear a fitbit normally but that doesn't give a good reading when exercising. Infact when I moving so fast - well relatively fast then it doesn't give a reading at all whereas the chest strap type does. Usually totally different from the read out on the machine if I am using one. No idea what make mine is will have to look. It is fairly commonly used at gym's around the UK I think.
I am in afib right now but have been lifting some weights as it does not effect me any more than going up a flight of stairs----I do not push myself to hard but hoping to stay some what fit
Moot point as all the gyms in our state were shut down by order of the governor.
I am almost 5 months post ablation. I did not start working out until about a month after and I started slow. I have not had any issues with AF, but I have not gone over 75% of my target heart rate which is 125 bpm for more than 20 minutes I any session. (220 minus age gives max target heart rate; exercise target range should be 55 to 85% of max HR). As of right now, I do not plan to go for the 85%. I am also careful doing any exercises or weight lifting where I am in a bent over position. My heart beat seems to stumble in this position. My work outs are longer, but much less intense than before my AF diagnosis. I am by no means been a professional athlete. I just have always followed a protocol where I would exercise at least 3 or 4 days a week for health. Hope this helps. I am a female in the US.
The secret is to work up very slowly and not push yourself its all about moderation in everything until you find your new normal range - it could be very similar to your old normal but it may not be quite so good. I suppose if Af has meant you couldn't do a lot then it would be better than it had for a long time. If you can exercise and hold a conversation then that's good. I remember someone saying to me that you should sing but with my voice I don't think other gym users would want that! I find I cannot lift heavy weights now - I used to be able to but after my first Cv which lasted just short of a year my Af came back when I lifted a heavy box of books. I shouldn't have done it but I couldn't wait for my wife to come downstairs and help me.
I think a great deal depends upon your own particular experience of AF. I am 67, weight training 2xpw (before covid) plus pilates and yoga. I deadlift and squat 60kg and have never ever had an episode brought on by lifting or exercise. I don't do much HIIT or cardio.
Others have a different pattern. If I am feeling an "aura" (ie that there may be something afoot but nothing measurable as yet) I take additional Flecainide and don't lift.
If you didn't have episodes brought on by exercise before, I can't see why you should now. Heal properly and take it slow, measure, record and build up slowly.
Good luck and thank you for what you are doing for us all.
Hello you there am from India am 42 the first episode of Afib happened in the year 2009 and second in 2015 I am on sotalol 40 BD from 2009 onwards..I have normal heart structure with trivial mitral regurgitation....I have been working out from 1997 and still I am ..yes I can't go beyond my threshold level but am happy with the current progress....
3 things I will advise
1.Antipsychotic drugs or psychotherapy including music that makes you more energetic work wonders for me
2.Don't think about it much rather keep yourself busy and know your limits in day to day life including stay away from caffeine and alcohol.
3.Listen to your body..sometimes do take a break
Lastly I must say every body is not the same each body has it's different way of acting towards any illness.You know what suits you better ....go for it and don't ever stop lifting if possible start from basics again ...but don't stop your lifts cheers mate
P.S I take lamotrigine 100 and serlift 100 because my psychiatrist told me that brain has got to do a lot with this activities....sympathetic and parasympathetic activities...read it you will know...believe me bro you can do it too
Thank you for sharing your afib story. I never had an episode of afib while lifting, however, it was atrial flutter tried to dragged me down and consequently it turned out , the atrial flutter triggered my afib bouts. I guess you are right, regardless we are all totally different when it comes to trigger and the capacity of our hearts to handle such pressure brought by exercise. I should slow down, and take it easy. Diet on the other hand would probably help to control any afib episode .
By the way I worked as a Cardiac Rehabilitation expert currently into Hospital Administration...I was asked to keep fleccanide as a pill in pocket approach which I do but by God's grace I had never taken it
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