Have had a few bad bouts of AF since end of May, it’s seems the hot days affect me , with me realising . Had a PET heart scan on Tues, feel very tired next 2 days , thought it was maybe reaction to the drugs .... suddenly at 3 am AF kicked off, tried usual deep breathing , valsalva manoeuvre etc & took my extra Dose of 100mg Flecaneide , still wide awake,so desperately tired 💤 . Irony , phone consult last week with my EP for my beloved, he asked how me I was doing since we’d last spoken in June.... Me , yep, the Flecaneide seems to really be helping , no attacks since June ......and here I am ......HR has come down from 155 to 120 ... SO need to sleep
#FLECANEIDE #AF
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Alessa69
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My AF got into the routine of hitting me at night or the evening after a busy day. Usually 1am was my time. In the early years I was too symptomatic with it to be able to sleep properly batting away at 150+ and very irregular with the fast AF, constant with the flutter.
It's only in the last year or so the episodes have been manageable from home or I've been able to sleep through them.
It isn't fun at all. I ended up getting up and getting a drink and sitting up for a bit to see if it would settle but ultimately in the middle of the night I felt so rough I would take a trip to ED and the only thing that would revert it would be cardioversion. Thus ruining my night's sleep and most of the day after!
You say that your heart kicked off again at 3am. If this is happening often and waking you, have you ever wondered if you could have sleep apnea? Or does it start when you get up to go to the toilet?
I hate the way ailments will always kick off again once we've spoken to a consultant saying we're well. I'd go to see my EP or have a telephone consultation and would feel full of life and energy. I've even cancelled appointments because I've felt so well. However a day of so later, like you, I'd be struck by AF again. I've often wondered why that happens.
I think I d been dozing, got up for a wee, went to curl up to sleep& that horrible feeling of rising in throat came on, checked pulse it was 150, so penny dropped straight away.... It literally came at exactly 3am.... Lesson learnt, I’d been feeling very tired all yesterday afternoon , but hadn’t checked my pulse. My EP when we spoke about it last attack 7June, had advised 50mg at outset, then 50 mg 30 mins later....... though on that day he told me to take 100mg together & call him 4 hrs later with another reading , which was then normal sinus rhythm. NO such luck this time ! HR still 120, but dropped down to 42at one point . I’m loathe to text or email him on a Saturday, guess if it doesn’t go down with next dose it’s off to A& E . An insect bite yesterday sparked a swelling , wonder if that’s related ?
I had a Rubidium PET scan of heart in London last Tuesday, felt rubbish during that too !
My darling husband is much older than me , 84. We share the same wonderful EP , last phone consult was 12 days ago for him after annA&E trip !
Good luck, hope your heart soon returns to normal sinus rhythm!!!
Something to remember when you get up in the night is to sit on the side of the bed for a few minutes before standing up (its a nuisance, I know, but necessary). It's easy for the heart to pump blood around our bodies when we're lying down. When we stand it has to work harder and that's when I think the AF can kick in. Also take some nice deep breaths.
I had to learn this the hard way, but now I never get attacks starting in the night.
Thanks lovely . Yes, I always do that . I also tried the Valsalva manoeuvre, as occasionally that has worked for me in the past , but no joy this time !
If your AF is nearly always at night (as mine is) that might point to it being vagal. If you are not already doing so, avoid eating several hours
Thank you . I’m very careful about eating late & vagal nerve issues. Interestingly, the drugs that were used to stimulate my heart for PET scan also affect the vagal nerve ..... Oretty sure that there was a connection there
Are you on Bisopropol? Renowned for slowing your heart rate down. There are pros and cons of this drug . My episodes of AF started at plus minus 2am. Could set my watch. Glad I dumped it.
If your AF continues to happen at night while sleeping or trying to sleep, please ask you EP about sleep apnea. Decreased oxygen levels in the blood from not breathing properly when asleep can trigger AF. There is a known connection between AF and sleep apnea.
Thank you , I will do that . Phone consultation with my EP yesterday indicates that an ablation is planned, as this time the rhythm was Atrial Flutter / Tachycardia ........ I mentioned sleep apnea & he said , yes that could be an issue
Yea, These episodes of AF are more popular during the night when everyone is asleep and you have this damn problem; with the question, should I go to A & E or not. Luckily pills of different types do help. Good Luck.
I must admit, I did wonder if it was a reaction to Flecainide, the drugs in PET scan ( which also stimulate vagal nerve ) and the fact that Friday was a hot day .......Episode lasted 25 hours , HR as high as 186& as low as 44 at one point ..... Exhausting ! Good thing is that I’ve slept like a log for last 2 nights, felt as though I’d been steam rollered!
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