Hi everyone
I hope that you are all keeping a low profile and as happy as possible.
Can I ask ?
I suspect that a few of us will be having more episodes during this stressful time.
Do you find that when you go into Afib your blood pressure and rate goes up and then drops dramatically. My last one, I have had a virus /chest infection for 4/5 weeks.My HR went to 115 my Bp 139/102 ?
I am interested why ?
Rod
Blood pressure and Heart rate will usually go up if you have an infection since the heart is working harder.
My BP definitely spiked when I thought I wasn't going to get my meds in time! 176. I went nuts and had a panic attack. I've had to change my mind set about it all and now am allowing myself to enjoy isolation with my husband and spending time together. Some things we can't control. We have to let them go.
youtu.be/nvg4nDoUehg Useful analogical description of how BP works.
Normal to have especially fluctuating BP when in AF and much worse AF when you have an infection as there is a lot more inflammation in your body.
My BP falls like a stone when in AF - other people find their BP spikes, very individual.
Best wishes CD
CD
Thanks for the response.
It has been 20 months for me in PAF and to be honest I find it very difficult. As Bob always says Afib begets Afib. But why? I have last 3 stone stopped alcohol as as as I was diagnosed no caffeine etc. But still it gets more frequent. Why do the medics not understand it? Who knows.
I await an ablation as the meds don’t work for me. All hope on that. Beginning to wonder how I can return to work (self employed podiatrist).
Rod
Hi I’ve had an episode best part of the week. My BP was up down then heart rate normal then 120 then 70. I thought yay its gone
but started again. Wasn’t till the frogs in my chest went to sleep I felt normal with out the need to check. Horrible but survived. You will too deep breathing ( how many times do you hear that ? ) but if helps I did Sudoku. Really good my brain had to work as well as my heart. Blooming AF. WASTE OF TIME eh.
Hope you have a good lock down weekend it could be a lot worse. Drink water cold in one go. Lol. Cheers to all enjoy the sun. 🐣
Sotolol
Waste of time is not how I would describe Af. I hate it with a passion totally changed my life. Not for the better😞.
I know there are worst illnesses but few as strange as this one
Rod
Agree. Like messed up for hours then bang back to normal. Then .... wait for the next one. Crazy.
Did you try the ablation?
Have you ever worked out what have it to you? There must be a common thread
No not had ablation yet. Both my cardiologist appointments have been cancelled have to wait till NHS covid free. I had tests but no outcome of results yet.
Any reason why you got this?
I was overweight drank too much and always stressed. Good candidate 😊
I have rectified all of that but the beast still hits me hard 👎
Hi I don’t drink and my BMI 18 I’m too. thin but I stress way to much. I always have. So it could be anything. People get conditions and diseases. It just the way it is. But I’ve had it 12 years so I’m used to it I suppose. My husband was on two drugs for BP he has a epigastric hernia. He stopped drinking after years lost over a stone and the GP has reduced BP. Meds and may stop altogether. . Also a smoker for 48 years stopped. Wish he’d done it years ago.
But hey he never listens to me. Hears
me but doesn’t listen. He is a lot fitter. Takes only meds for cramp. I take lots. So luck of the game. Hope you can work out how to improve your condition.
As it seems you have done all you can.
Well done I know how hard it is.
Best of luck to you let me know if it gets less time between your episodes.
👍🏻
There is some evidence that it runs in families so there maybe a genetic connection but you named the 2 main contributors - stress & alcohol & being overweight so the damage may have been done & once AF set in, established a pattern. But the good news is that if you can be converted & ablation successful, you will have a much better chance of staying in NSR.
I had to take early retirement as I was just too unreliable & not fair to muck clients around.
I am the same. I have had patients in the waiting room,had an episode,and sent them home. Unreliable. I don’t want to retire yet 🙏
Did you ever work through an episode? Is it possible when the frogs are leaping?
You probably told me but did you have an ablation?
Yes I have worked through more than a few AF episodes, it was ok until I started getting very symptomatic & pre syncope is breathless & feeling faint.
Yes I’ve had 2 ablations - 1st made things worse & ended up in Acite Cardiac Unit for 3 days a few weeks following - although I felt great for the 1st few weeks. 2nd gave me 3 AF free years but the sedation drugs exacerbated an unknown, underlying condition.
I opted for Pace & Ablate 2 years ago but since bi ventricular pacemaker was inserted I’ve had very few, quite short episodes, with almost no symptoms so AF wise pretty good these days - said with everything crossed! Because of the huge improvement I didn’t go ahead with the AV node ablation so my HR still goes up, but not to the silly levels it used to & neither does it drop - used to dip into low 40’s.
Mind you I had pericarditis when I was 29. May of contributed.
Young to get that
But I suppose as you say luck of the draw
High pulse rate and low blood pressure!!😬
Bisopropol and heart rate
Heart rate tracker anomalies 
A question about heart rate.
Exercise and heart rate
