Hi , I'm new here, I'm 56 and I've been diagnosed with excercise induced AF picked up on a stress test.
I'm pretty head mashed tbh as excercise and competing is a massive part of my life, I've been put onto 2.5mg Bisoprolol which keeps my HR low, but seriously affects my sport performance, feeling way harder than it would have before for a set pace running or cycling
Also I still tend to get at rest occasionally ectopic beats, like a flutter and feeling of delayed beat, does anyone know if when i get the ectopic beats would my heart be in AF or is that something different?, on my original consult the doc didnt seem overly concerned with the delayed at rest beats.
Any help and thoughts/advice welcome , cheers
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Simoni
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You need to decide what's more important, continue with your passion and accept the consequences or stop, take stock, modify your current life style and maybe get your health back.
Until I know your preference, there seems little point in offering advice. I'm aware this may seem harsh because your current life style probably means everything to you but unless you acknowledge the harm it's doing, offering advice will be pointless.
Generally ectopics are considered harmless but many of us know how unpleasant they can be. A good few here take a magnesium supplement which can help and if you search Dr Sanjay Gupta York Magnesium on YouTube there are 2 or 3 videos there that you might find helpful, plus there will be others on ectopics. Because of the irregular nature of the heartbeat, it might be difficult to identify ectopics when in AF others here may have a different view.............
Hi there Flapjack, thanks for the reply, I think i have already sort of decided that i'm going to have to do what i do in a more sensible way, and have to tame my activities to look after myself, but its very hard to change a mindset that's been programmed for the last 40 odd years to train to go faster
Thanks for the info on ectopic beats and the links to Dr Sanjay, very interesting information, i had read about magnesium and started to take it daily, cheers
I’m 56 and struggling with a similar choice between continuing to be me or starting to modify me and become a new me? As Flapjack pointed out, not harshly but without any shrilly-shally, the choice is yours, then the quest for knowledge and support starts.
Dr Sanjay Gubta is a very worthwhile you-tube listen. Although I’m only up to Magnesium (Video 7/36) I’m getting his message that “lifestyle” is the problem and the saviour.
Give yourself time to come to terms with the beta blocker shocker! I am still trying after 10 months but I’m still angry, confused and overwhelmed by what the new me will be?
I can’t give any advice except the obvious, but I can sympathise. I know how upsetting it is when an activity very important to you is taken away. Clearly you are not pushing yourself in order to be healthy so you must have some other powerful motivation. It will take a while but I hope you can find a replacement passion. Best wishes 💜
Hi there Buffafly, thanks for the reply , its hard to have to slow down when all i've done in the past is train to go faster...I need to get my head round that then i'm sure ill find other ways of enjoying cycling and running etc without the competitive element, more social, which could be a breath of fresh air, Cheers
Hi, I just need to add something, maybe unnecessary for you but looking at other comments it may be wise. We always say ‘AF won’t kill you’ but recently have thought we should add ‘unless you try to run a marathon (or similar)’. This is because a few people have tried to continue running while in AF and died in the attempt 😬 Although some professional athletes have continued their careers after treatment it’s not wise for anyone to keep going after AF kicks in during exercise.
I actually asked this very question of my electrophysiologist this week...."If I go into afib on the bike while out cycling should I pull over and call the wife to come get me?" He said no, not necessary but it also depends on how I feel. He said I should be able to get on back home, but would likely need to reduce the intensity/speed. An abundance of caution is certainly warranted and a reduction in many cases is called for, but I also think we need to challenge our fears on how strong we can be and how 'debilitating' (or not) this condition might be for us personally.
I completely agree, as you say it depends on how you feel. I am talking about people who keep going despite feeling very ill because they are so competitive. I continue with whatever I am doing until I feel dizzy or have chest pain, that’s how I know when to stop.
In my consultation that was one of the many questions I asked, and my cardiologist said if you feel the flutter and af kicks in surely ease back but no need to stop unless you feel chest pain dizziness or other effects..I find that most times my normal rhythm is restored after a bit.. sometimes I stop to allow it....so unpredictable
Hi Simon, I had very fast Afib diagnosed with 2 admissions into A & E . I am now under an EP and on meds. They cannot find a cause for mine and I have 'lone AF'. My afib seems to have changed too and I get what I think are ectopic beats, sometimes misses a beat and then does a double beat. It feels fluttery but comes and goes sometimes for minutes, sometimes for a few hours, very sporadic and confusing. I would also like to know if others think we are in afib when this happens.....help
For me, I'm coming from a place of ectopics, then developed AF later. I know and can feel when it's just ectopics, but when they increase to the point of 20 or so per minute then I whip out the iWatch ecg and check for AF. I can pretty much predict when this is the case as the 'ectopics' (palpitations) are continuous, though it sometimes is bigeminy (premature beats on every other normal beat). But I understand that some do not feel each one as severely as I and others do.
Hi Simoni, welcome to the forum I think most of us on here remember and sympathise with that horrendous ‘head mashed’ feel when we’re first diagnosed with AF. Feeling like life as you know it has been stopped in its tracks - the sense of loss, and not knowing what the future holds and what changes it will bring.
Sometimes the medics don’t explain AF causes and lifestyle issues well at all- I certainly only started to understand things once I joined this forum and also read up on the AFA website.
I was surprised when I discovered that AF can be triggered in the very athletic (as well as the less fit and healthy, like me!) There are keen sportspeople on here who have posted on the difficulties and how they find a way through - enjoying that buzz of exercising without pushing the body into AF. Hopefully some will see your post and respond.
I assume it was a temporary episode of AF (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation/ PAF) and you’re now in regular heartbeat (normal sinus rhythm/ NSR)?
Re your ectopics question - I could be wrong but I’d understood ectopics to be a brief blip within your regular NSR. When it happens, if you check your pulse you can tell if you are in AF, as it will be fully irregular/chaotic, not just some delayed/erratic beats within a broadly recognisable beat. (If I’m wrong someone can correct me!) Ectopics are not usually anything to worry about, but they can feel horribly worrying. Did you have ectopics before the diagnosis of AF and starting on bisoprolol?
I echo Flapjack’s advice. Dr Sanjay Gupta, York Cardiology, is a mine of fantastic information on all things cardiac (and more!).
Feel for you so much with the new limitations - that sense of loss has hit us all, one way or another. But take heart that it gets better. And, in my experience, understanding the condition and our own triggers, and making positive choices for health and longevity, can help us gain back a much needed feeling of control.
Hi Jane, thanks for your reply, its great to know that people understand what i'm feeling and that i'm far from being the only one this has affected.
My AF seems to only happen when i excercise sometimes its triggered by going uphill running or cycling, and may only last for a few minutes before revertingto sinus rhythm and then can be ok for the rest of the time i'm excercising., very strange,
A good thing is that it does seem to happen less on the 2.5mg Bisoprolol ive been taking, which i'm sure you know stops the HR going up too much so i guess a certain HR kicks me into AF.
Thanks for the info on Ectopics aswell one less thing to worry about now, and those videos that Flapjack mentioned Dr Sanjay are very good.
I agree with others the easy decision is to give yourself 6+ months break from the heavy training and competitions as if continued it won't be for long and on meds very frustrating with no PBs! The harder decision is what to take up instead, hint: think about something you have always wanted to do since school days and never have. It worked for me.
Hi there Secondtry, thanks for the reply, I have backed off considerably, although it goes against the grain!
However not being able to compete for the last year because of cancellation of pretty much all racing has helped in that i don't feel like i'm missing out and I am sort of coming to terms with finding other outlets that include cycling and running, but in more steady and social ways, like touring trips with a couple of overnight stops, enjoying another side of the pastime without the constant stress of training....get there when i get there kind of riding!
Steadily finding out what i can and cant do is the plan now i think
I got AFIB around your age. I exercise, too. I've had 4 ablations ... ectopic beats ... PVC's.
Mine was Lone AFIB at first hitting once every 2 months ... but progressed rapidly to 2 or 3 times a week.
Before any of the AFIB, I had silent PVC's that were picked up on a heart monitor. They were not very noticeable, so I didn't care about them.
After my 2nd AFIB ablation, I wore a heart monitor for 2 weeks and my heart was jumping all over the place. Very uncomfortable. But, to my surprise, the Cardiologist, upon analysis, said NO AFIB detected ... and although uncomfortable nothing to worry about. I would get used to them.
Well, I didn't like that, so I experimented. Finally, took 3- to 400mg of Magnesium twice a day and, to my surprise, smoothed my heart beat to complete normal. Try it and see what happens for you . . . .
If the ATRIAL Flutter or AFIB gets worse and bothers you ... then I would recommend ablation. However, get to the best EP you can find. One who does AFIB as their specialty. Fly there .... drive there .... do whatever you can do ..... My last 3 ablations were done by world-class practitioners. I flew several hours as a medical tourist to get it done ..... and done right!
If you're in the UK ... I hear they have a pretty good AFIB center in Bordeaux, France.
Your best chance of staying an athlete is by consulting with one of these EP superstars. They deal with athletes all the time ... and I don't think they put limits on their athletic performance.
I'm 67 ... walk 60+ miles a week briskly ... and do resistance band, free weights, and calisthenics in my gym. My EP said I could resume all that activity without any restrictions 1 week after my recent ablation. Said to just play it by ear ... if I'm tired cut it back.
Hi The lord is with us, thanks for the reply, very interesting, sounds like there is something in this magnesium supplementation, i also have read about sports stars having ablations with good outcomes, definately worth investigating. sounds like you are very active, good to hear, stay well , cheers
Agree 100 percent. Try 350 mill of magnesium citrate daily for 2 weeks at night b4 bed and see what happens. Use powdered form and mix with warm water, let sit 10 minutes and drink. Only need about 2oz of water and 2 tsp of powdered magnesium which is 350mg of the "Calm" brand I use. Be sure and wait 10 or more minutes to drink after mixing. It changed my life.God bless
Hi Morphus, thanks for the reply, i am taking Igennus triple magnesium complex capsules atm, mag citrate, taurate and bisglcynate, is the powdered better would you say? Cheers
I'm now 72. In my 60's when still very competitive. Cycling after a lifetime of running and playing most sports. Some to a reasonable standard. Then like you the bottom fell out of my world. You will also have read above people who years later are still active and enjoying a full life.
I add myself to that list, as can you.
What have I learned. By a chance encounter I met my first Consultant Cardiologist at a choir and became friends. He said that people like us fit with a low resting heart rate do fall to AFib. Reasons still unclear.
Life is not over it's just changed.
Carry on cycling, I do. Just not competing. Avoid putting your heart too high in the red zone. Though you can still push yourself up to that level.
Find your other triggers. For me alcohol is now 2 or 3 glasses of wine a week.
Difficult to avoid these days. External stress that keeps you awake or worried. Easy to say but try and reduce its effects. Some recommend mindfulness, for me its Tai Chi and Chi Gong breathing. Good sites have appeared from posts on this site.
Try and get 7 hours quality sleep.
Avoid overeating. I know you probably don't, but smaller meals reduces body stress.
Hydrate, avoid sugars and high energy drinks.
Healthy diet. You've heard it no doubt many times. Pulses , fruit, seeds vegetables in rainbow colours. For good reasons I have reduced my calcium intake, swopped butter for olive oil.
Keep fit and active. Just don't overdo it. Arrive home breathing fast but not exhausted.
Look at the posts on this site such a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Hi Simoni, I'm an exercise fanatic too. Please do not blame yourself for causing your afib. I went down that path but there are, in my case, at least five possible causes/triggers. There is a bitmofma misunderstanding about exercise and afib. When they talk about it causing afib they are talking about several hours of vigorous exercise per day. Eyeballs out almost elite level training, not my one hour per day plodding! Obviously I don't know if that is you or not. Also, females do not show this correlation with afib and extreme exercise!
Can I suggest you read a book called the Haywire Heart which is specifically about this topic? I found it very interesting, and reassuring for my own personal case.
Hi Jajarunner thanks for the reply and your comments, I know quite a few long term cyclists and runners who have developed heart probs, and you think you are looking after yourself dont you? lol ..its hard to swallow but as long as i can carry on doing excercise to some extent, there is always a good feeling to be had out of it, just a different type to the Racing buzz, I will look for the Haywire Heart book Thanks, Cheers
I'm afraid FlapJack is right. I had a second A&E admission with fast AF a few weeks ago, and it was so scary that it really stopped me in my tracks and I had to look at my life a see what trigger factors could be eliminated.
So, after 35-years I have resigned from my job in broadcast news. When I looked at the statistics for workplace stress triggering AF, it was the most obviously therapeutic course of action. So, I've lost the job I have loved doing for three decades, but that means I am less likely to die suddenly. It wasn't a difficult choice when the moment came.
Moderating your exercise regime would seem a sensible move; giving up completely less sensible.
Hi Simoni,AF manifests itself very differently in different people. I'm a similar age to you and also enjoy cycling, although not at competitive level. I did about 4,000 miles last year and usually do a few 100 mile days.
I started showing symptoms 3 years ago and was diagnosed with paroxysmal AF last summer. I'm on no medication and am unlikely to be until I'm 65, when I'll start on a blood thinner.
I don't know what triggers my AF, but I have a bout more days than not, however I'm fortunate that it is merely annoying (fluttering and thumping), makes it a bit more difficult to sleep and reduces my cycling Wattage by about 20%.
My Oxford cardiologist sees no problem with continuing to cycle reasonably (but not competitively perhaps) hard.
I have only had a few occasions when AF has begun or continued when out on my bike. I am trying to work out if there any strategies to get back to sinus. On several occasions, if cycling in AF I have worked quite hard, then stopped and allowed my HR to recover to nearly resting rate (a few minutes). When I've started again there has been no AF and I've been fine for the rest of the day.
Do remember that everything you read hear is well-meaning but not proper, evidence-based, double-blind tested medical advice. These are individual anecdotes (as is this). Particularly when it comes to supplements and medication, listen to your doctor primarily, although if yours is unsympathetic to athletic endeavour, no harm in considering another medical opinion.
Most of the posters here suffer far more than me and have debilitating symptoms, I would be interested also to hear about others who are functionally largely unaffected by AF.
Hi Decaf Andy thanks for the reply, good to hear from a fellow cyclist, My cardiologist said i could have lived with my AF with no meds....try Meds to control it but it would limit me...or have an ablation, i decided to try the beta blockers , i didnt want to just live with it as it was becoming a pain when on the bike and i was concerned it would get worse, so wanted to control it.The bisoprolol 2,5 mg seems to be reducing it
I used to sometimes carry on and it would settle down, other times id stop and let it settle like yourself and then itd be ok, other times it would just keep kicking out so id just go home and try again another day.
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I think most of us on here remember and sympathise with that horrendous ‘head mashed’ feel when we’re first diagnosed with AF. Feeling like life as you know it has been stopped in its tracks - the sense of loss, and not knowing what the future holds and what changes it will bring. 
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