Felling frustrated after a wobble

[Ochg]

Good morning everyone, I hope your having a nice Sunday. I was feeling really well yesterday and as the weather was fresher decided to go for a walk to my local small supermarket. The walk has a couple of inclines but have managed these 'no bother' in the past, However yesterday I suddenly felt as though I was climbing Mt Everest, I persevered though and the feeling of faintness passed off a bit. Managed to get back home , then wobble became full blown Afib, BP in my boots 82/67 and HR all over the place, took an extra Flec as a PIP and in a couple of hours vitals came back to normal. I know we all have these episodes to deal with, and I will have to get used to it until I have my ablation. But what has really knocked me side wards again is the fact that I have been feeling so well and positive in my outlook, now I feel back to square one, scared to go out and a feeling of being well and truly 'trapped again' alone back in my little house.

I am sorry to post this moan on such a beautiful bright and glorious day, but my confidence has taken a bit of a bash again and this darn Afib devil is making feel very alone at the minute.

[SpritzerAce]

Hi there !! Sorry to hear about your episode. Hope you are feeling better now. Don’t you worry. You are not alone. We all ha e gone through the same ‘cycle’ and feeling. Well .. I have. I know how it feels like and can totally relate to that. Am actually in the same situation as you are .. no AF for the last 4 months .. feeling great (ablation scheduled for March was postponed due to COVID-19) and bammmm .. a week ago had an episode which I believe was triggered by something that I ate (though I cannot say for sure 100 per cent was the cause). Hang in there .. we all have our good and bad days. This condition is so unpredictable and it can rear its ugly head when we least expect it. Here’s wishing you better days ahead and stay positive, always. Take care.

[Ochg in reply to SpritzerAce]

Thank you so much SpritzerAce for your kind words, they have helped make me feel more positive now.

Hope you have now recovered from your recent episode and are feeling well. Fingers crossed you do not have to wait too long for your ablation.

I have just had my online groceries delivery so have some yummy things to eat , got a nice fresh salmon fillet so having that for my dinner later on, things are looking up!!

Thank you again, onwards and upwards!!!

Best wishes, Shirley

[BobD Volunteer]

Take heart, nothing is forever. Yes we all have these "down days " occasionally. (well I'm not allowed to actually as the boss shouts at me if I start feeling sorry for myself) Take a deep breath, re-group and sally forth unto the world again.

[Ochg in reply to BobD]

Thank you BobD, will do - tally ho!!xx

[jeanjeannie50]

Good morning to you too Ochg.

I'm afraid what you have described is typical of AF. Each morning when we wake up we have no idea as to the amount of energy we will have that day. I live up really steep hills, some days I can climb up them to my home with no problem (feel quite smug on those days) then another day I'll be huffing, puffing and stopping for lots of rests (a poor me feeling sets in).

So the answer is to try to assess what energy levels you have each day and either rest more if they're low or make the most of the energy when you have it.

Sorry, but that's really how it is.

As your BP was low yesterday, that may indicate that you hadn't drank enough fluids. I find I can keep my energy levels up more when walking, if I carry a small bottle of water to sip from.

Hope this helps.

Jean

[Ochg in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Hello Jean,

Come to think of it I only had a small amount of cereal for breakfast, so your are right more fuel in the tank is needed!

Mind you my BP can usually run on the lower end of normal ( 110/70), so would not take much to tip it further down.

Thank you again Jean for your reply,

Keep well and safe,

Bye bye for now

Shirley

[rosyG]

I wondered, as I read your post, if your BP had fallen as you hadn't eaten and I see jean jennie has picked on on that too- fluid intake. It might be wise to have a small snack before you set out just to ensure your blood sugar isn't low Hope you are feeling more confident today

[Ochg in reply to rosyG]

Hello rosyG,

Thank you for your reply, yes as I have mentioned to Jean I think I need to have more food and fluids before going out walking now.

I really need to try and increase my exercise levels, prior to all this Afib milarcky ( just under four months ago afib arrived ), walked 2-3 miles a day five days a week. Now can just about manage 15 mins walk round small local nature reserve ( not able to drive until I have recovered from the ablation), I think this has also impacted on my mental wellbeing. But as you all say, I need to get used to the condition more and realise I will have good and bad days. As Captain Tom said 'tomorrow will be a better day'

Thank you again for your support, it really has made me much better.

Best wishes,

Shirley

[Finvola]

Yes, unfortunately very typical of this condition and as others have said water is vital - 2 litres a day, more in hot weather. I have low BP and am constantly getting caught out with dehydration and symptoms like yours - minus the AF, thanks to Flecainide.

Don’t be disheartened by a blip and try my mantra ‘this too shall pass’. I always repeat it to myself on a less-good day and find it helps me to be positive.

[Ochg in reply to Finvola]

Hello Finvola,

Thank you for your reply, I have written down your mantra and stuck it to the fridge door, so will see it each day.

Take care, and keep well and safe.

Shirleyxx

[Buffafly]

Hi, just one thing to add to other good comments - you did cope though, didn’t you? 😀

[Ochg in reply to Buffafly]

Hello Buffafly,

Yes I suppose I did

xx

[Finvola in reply to Buffafly]

You’ve hit the nail on the head, Buffafly. Realising that we have coped is such a boost to the soul.

[purpleswimmer]

I too had a blip this weekend

Went and did too much on Saturday...15 min walk then on you supermarket where I met an old work colleague and stood and blethered for half an hour. Home shattered and out of it most of Sunday but up this morning and feeling good but off for tooth out now. Desperate to have it out but worried about the bleeding. I have perm again so have to just stick it up no ablation etv for me. Still new to this game as diagnosed January. Hope your better today. Xx

[Ochg in reply to purpleswimmer]

Morning purpleswimmer,

Sorry to hear about your blip , glad you are now feeling better.

Ouch! will be thinking of you this morning at the dentist .

Thank you for your support .

Keep well and stay safe,

Shirleyx

[reinaway]

My fib is Paroximal and I usually have about four or five episodes a year and they always seem to happen after I have been having a particularly well period and foolishly forget to not eat or do something that sets it off! I never seem to learn even after 10 years so take heart😁

[Ochg in reply to reinaway]

Good morning reinaway,

Thank you for your reply. I have only recently (2weeks ago) got a definitive diagnosis from the EP with PAF ( sudden onset of symptoms 12 weeks ago but only just got to see the EP) so still really new to all this. I went out for a 15 mins walk this morning, all on the flat, to help stretch my legs and get some fresh air and clear my head. Had a few 'flutters' when I got back home they stopped after about 20 mins. Have tried to contact the AFib nurse but no luck so left a voicemail message. ?? if I may be 'breaking through' the Flec medication, I am taking 50mg twice a day. Have been on the medication for 13 days now so perhaps I am expecting a bit too much .

Thank you again for your kindness and support, it really dose help me to 'get my head ' round this Afib milarcky!!.

Take care,

Shirleyx

[secondtry in reply to Ochg]

Just to add, you are at a very early stage. In 2014 I was at your stage. I was diagnosed and put on Flecainide 50mgs twice a day. The next month I still had 9 episodes and saw 2 cardiologists and an EP who all offered me an ablation. I didn't fancy the '70% success rate likely and probably have to do a second ablation' so I requested we try the medium dose of 100mgs Flecainide twice a day. That dose stopped it but I then backed it up with a Naturopath consultation who prescribed a Magnesium compound & Co Q10. I also made numerous lifestyle changes and currently enjoy great QOL. You will find most people here favour an ablation if offered; to balance these viewpoints I would say you still may have to take pills after an ablation and a postponement is not dodging the issue as a 5 year delay is likely to see many procedural improvements... hopefully less invasive.

[Ochg in reply to secondtry]

Hello secondtry,

Thank you for explaining this, very helpful.

I have managed to speak with my Afib nurse this afternoon. She said that she had spoke to my EP about my ongoing symptoms, apparently he dose not want to increase my Flec medication said ablation is my best option. Was advised by the nurse to contact EP secretary on a weekly basis to see if any cancellations as she compiles his waiting list. Small steps I suppose!! xx🙄

[secondtry]

Lots of good advice already. I would just add re 'I was climbing Mt Everest, I persevered though..' DON"T. My experience is the stiff upper lip is not required & risky as the contrast of pushing yourself and then relaxing into a chair afterwards has been an AF trigger. Instead keep you exertion level more even i.e. on a bad day take more breaks than you need and when you have finished the tough task don't sit down with a cuppa immediately but potter around for a half hour first. Some very small inclines I couldn't manage except very slowly with a pole on walks; family thinking I was over cautious. However, I listened to my body and didn't push it, now I can climb most hills but I no longer indulge in pushing myself to try really steep ones.

[Ochg in reply to secondtry]

Good morning secondtry,

Thank you for your kind advice- I really do think I need to heed it!!. As you can see from my reply to reinaway, I think I might be expecting a bit too much of both myself and the medication.

Fingers crossed, after I have recovered from the ablation ( hopeful I will get that done in the next six months), I will be able to get back onto a more even keel.

Thank you again for your wise words,

take care and keep safe,

best wishes,

Shirley

[Steve101]

I think there is much to be said about staying well hydrated. I also went back into AF on Friday, really hot temperatures and decided to cut back the bamboos. Sweat was dripping off me. Despite drinking lots of fluid, urine was very dark. And wham back in AF.

Hope it reverts shortly. Love this forum, its like a big family, despite the distance between us, we all care and look out for each other. That in itself is a good tonic.

Best wishes to all.

Steve

[Ochg in reply to Steve101]

Good Afternoon Steve101,

You take care now ,with all the hard work. I do hope you are feeling better today.

You are right, having this wonderful forum really is like one big extended family, a great comfort to know so many caring and supportive folk are just a click away.

Keep well.

Shirley

[bassets]

Hope you are feeling more positive now? This forum is marvelous when you're feeling down - we're all in the same fairly leaky boat!

[Ochg in reply to bassets]

Good morning bassets,

I am feeling better today thank you, much more positive after speaking to the Afib nurse yesterday, and most of all with the support and helpful advice from this forum.

Yes you are right bassets this forum community has such wonderful people, you do not feel alone and it certainly dose help knowing that so many others , as you say 'are in the same , sometimes leaky boat'!

Hope your day goes well, keep safe,

Best wishes,

Shirley😉x