Asymptomatic AFIB

[Dixidude39]

I didn't know I had it until I got a call from a PA in the Veteran's Admin. Hospital. "Has your cardiologist ever told you that you have AFIB?" I quickly switched to another electro-cardiologist. I'm in AFIB 20%, but never feel it.

[Maggimunro]

Hi Dixidude

Both my brothers were diagnosed with asymptomatic Afib during visits to the doc for a routine health check for one and a hand problem for the other.

Both were in their 70’s when diagnosed and hadn’t a clue they had a problem. They are both tall, skinny athletic types. Interestingly the bro in the USA has only ever been offered medication, whilst bro in France had his first ablation a couple of months ago and is back walking in the Pyrenees already. .

I on the other hand had been symptomatic for 20 years before finally being diagnosed with PAF.

The world of Afib is very strange indeed.

[Auriculaire in reply to Maggimunro]

Could this be due to being female ?

[Maggimunro in reply to Auriculaire]

Good heavens, why do you think being female would make me more symptomatic than my brothers? Maybe there is something here for me to learn.

[Auriculaire in reply to Maggimunro]

Not more symptomatic. Less likely to have symptoms treated seriously by doctors?

[Maggimunro in reply to Auriculaire]

You have a point

[cbaum]

Me too. But I had a maze procedure done because my heart had to be opened to repair a leaky mitral valve and the surgeon said while he was in there he was going to do everything he possibly could. The maze procedure is intended to correct AFiB. I never had a symptoms of the leaky valve either.

[KMRobbo]

I was asymptomatic afib also. First noticed something when running and had a few seconds fluttery feeling near the end of a run and noticed my hr went from 160 to 195 on my Garmin trace. Thought "funny" and forgot it. Two months later for a similar fluttery feeling for a few seconds after a late evening meal. Been working late and it was 21:30 when I sat down to check my emails after the meal. As my Garmin was plugged I to my computer I slipped it on. 165 bpm sat still. Went to bed . In the morning still 165 . So I enquired on 111 and they sent an ambulance. I have been running at 243bpm and I could not tell apart from the Garmin. I was no even noticibly running slower ! Unfortunately my afib progressed and after 20 months I Went into high rate afib 140 to 195 resting and it would not stop until I was cardioverted by flecainide Infusion in the hospital CCU. I was a bit knackered after 8 days in high rate, but still no other symptoms. I have since had an ablation and got rid of the afib .

[Dixidude39]

KMR, I am "fortunate" to have a non-defilibrating pacemaker embedded in my chest because of another heart issue where my beats per minute tanked at 30-35. There's a name for then condition, but I forget. In between cardio visits, I can transmit my data via a Medtronic device over my telephone. Do all who have AFIB also have a pacemaker?