Well it's been 3 weeks today since my ablation and all going ok. I did wake up in fast AF( 187bpm) a couple of days after my procedure but lasted only 6 hrs or so and I was surprisingly calm with BobDs help as per!! Other than that, physically I'm ok, lots of Pacs which drive me mad. Had a few AF readings at 50bpm on my Kardia and interestingly my Arrythmia nurse says it's not AF but I have flattened Pwaves so it's hard for the Kardia to differentiate. Why can't I be normal in any respect!!🙄
One thing I am really struggling with is my mental health. I'm terrified of going back into AF. I've had 6 years of it now and don't think I will be able to have another ablation. The Pacs are driving me crazy as it feels like I'm going into AF even though I'm not. I'm living alone so that really doesn't help. 90% of me is rational but 10% is totally crazy. I've kept busy, even tried mindfulness and yoga 😮but the fear is constant. My lovely GP has sent me some Sertroline 50mg but I'm scared to take them as it can alter your Heart rate and cause arrhythmias. I just can't see a way to stop worrying.. I've done well in in only taking my Kardia twice daily now but if I get an unclassified it sends me crazed!
Sorry if this sounds negative and ungrateful , I'm so desperate to be well again. A new EP is ringing me on Saturday to see how I am after the ablation so I need to calm myself before he rings otherwise he may commit me!!
It really is good news my ticker is behaving quite well so sorry for the bleating🐐 xxxx
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booboo73
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Crazily not dying what send the panic button it's realising the ablation hasn't worked again and going through cardioversions and hospital and pace&ablate.
I just want to to be able to go into my garden right now and do a few bits but the gremlins in my brain are saying What if I bend and it triggers something ect.... I need to clean my chickens out but the gremlin keeps telling me I will collapse in a pile of chicken poo !!!
I will definitely look at your YouTube chaps. Thanks Buddji. Xxx
Geelong Thubten is a friend and he has had AF in the past and alsorts of other things....mainly through a wild life when he was young.I haven t seen him for yrs but keep up with his stuff on u tube.
He does a good lecture with a neuroscientist and it fascinates me.
If we could only find out more about our Sympathetic nervous system and the action of Cortisol on stress in our body we may be able to calm our hearts.
Mine is mainly past stressors and putting my body under strain trying to be perfect.
Trouble is...when you reach panic mode and cortisol levels get stuck...we go into fight/flight mode and then heart kicks off.....listen to the neoroscientist...its thought provoking.
Poor chickens, and poor you should you collapse in there with them! Conjures up a funny picture I can tell you! The garden will wait and you are going to be doing all sorts of good to insect life that may be hibernating in over grown and dead foliage. As for the chickens maybe you could call on a friend to help you. Not having cleaned out chickens in about goodness, 50 years I would be round in a thrice to help if I lived near.
Aww thank you for the offer!! I did once have issues in the pen with AF ... I was so faint I had to sit in the floor gloriously in poo so I think I'm extra nervy about the chooks!! But... I braved it, could not stand the thought of them not done and I was fine, put my phone on my bra just in case!!
Well you got that done and were fine. Sometimes getting these things done is better as we only worry about them otherwise which can be worse. Try and work out how you can do jobs without bending, reaching and lifting too much - there usually is a way and don't do too much, do a little job and rest. I had to laugh at some of the things my other half came up with after she had major abdominal surgery - she said the worst thing is that you are well rested and feel great when you are sitting still and just see so many things you feel you could and should do - after all you now have the time during recovery and nothing else to do because she had cooked and frozen meals to last about 2 weeks and done a full and thorough house clean before she went into hospital - not that I am unable to do all these things and do do them. I think she used this as a detraction.
Take care of yourself and leave the chook shed a little longer between cleans - it probably won't hurt.
Thank you !! I was as bad cleaning and preparing before my ablation !! I went to the chick with lettuce today.. one of the little s***s escaped, so I was trying to chase it back in the pen with a brush in my nightie ... What a sight!! Xxx
Oh bless you. I can understand a little of how you feel. Just hang in there and try and keep calm. Hard at the best of times but when you live on your own and in this current Covid climate nigh on impossible. keep doing the Yoga breathing and take things easy.
Thanks I will try!! I've thought a lot about it today and trying to work out how to cope with my anxiety.. I think the Pacs are causing me to panic but I think I will always have them so will just have to get used to it. The breathing definatily helps. Thx xxxx
Do whatever it takes to get things off your chest. Diversions are good, but not necessarily easy given the current climate. You know you will always get a sympathetic ear here.......all sounds good though Sarah, doesn’t it!
Yes pretty good so far so I should be so happy. I feel bad for bleating but thought i was losing the plot earlier...not slept and worrying. I'm having a lot of gurgling and vibrating sensations but I can live with anything as long as I can keep out if A&e. I'm so sick of it as we all are on here, Thank God we have eachother eh!! Xxxx
Sounding good Sarah , and anxiety is all part of the afib crap we all endure.I saw a thing a while ago about vics vapour rub, if your feeling panicky rub it on your adams apple area and inhale, it takes your mind off it and distracts enough to move away from the awful pit of stomach feelings I find.
Deep breathing using the nose helped me too in the past, anything is worth a go what takes your mind of stuff.
Often said unless you've had afib you can't understand how wired into the heartbeat, adrenaline feelings etc we become , itl settle, still very early days, but progress is looking good 👍
Thanks Ian... i have applied the vapour rub, been in medicine drawer about 60 years so we shall see what happens haha. I love the smell. The breathing definatily helps. I think when I speak to the EP on Saturday it may calm me... Hmm hopefully haha xxxx
Anything is worth a try to distract you from the anxiety, even if it sounds daft haha, and I am sure it will help speaking to the EP, I think it's knowing you get reassuring words from a professional that helps, does me anyway at times , I'm the same, sometimes just need to be told I'm OK to feel OK . Your doing great though, very early days, and just try think of now, today, not tomorrow or before, that helps me focus sometimes, I get "what if" syndrome. Your definitely doing well compared to what you've had to go through lately. Sending you a hug 🤗. X
Me you both, just think in smaller boxes, I got some cannabis oil recommended by someone and I've got to say it's an immense help, just don't get the rasta version 😬😂
I use a Vick Inhaler Nasal Stick. I find it calming and helpful with my breathing if I'm a bit heartbeat unstable. Then I do my deep breathing exercises. Breathe in healing energy and breathe out the fear. Good luck with your recovery.💖
Hi boohoo. Sorry to hear about your anxiety. As Ian said cbd oil is superb for anxiety. I used to use it through a vapourizer for my muscular issues and it calms you right down. Just keep it with you and whenever you start to feel anxious have a few tugs and Id be very suprised if it didn’t help. You do find yourself chuffing on it quite often to be fair 🤣🤣 but it’s brilliant honestly. I can see why people would use it for anxiety. You can also buy it and use it with a pippette and put it under your tongue daily but personally I preferred to use it through a vapourizer. Absolutely harmless as well. Like Ian says just make sure you buy the right stuff or, although you’ll probably have more fun, you’ll be away with the fairies for a while 🤣🤣
I have taken Sertraline 100 mgs for ten years, for my formerly crippling anxiety, and before that Paroxetine and Venlafaxine for 12 years. Sertraline has not at any point had any effect on my QT interval or my AFib generally. Serial Kardia strips will allow your GP/EP to detect any prolongation of the QT. Suggest you contact the arrhythmia nurse again about the Sertraline.
Badger 2021 I was on Citalopram for anxiety when I was diagnosed with af and the cardiologist said that I needed to change to sertraline as it was less of a risk when taking Sotalol. Since then I have seen an EP privately and he wants me off them altogether so I am now down to half a 50mg tablet every other day but I can definitely say I am much more anxious 😟
That's very interesting thank you , Could i ask if the Sertraline helped your anxiety quickly and successfully? I will ask my EP on Saturday about it. Xxo
Hiya, no I found Sertraline was no comparison to Citalopram, having said that maybe it just didn't suit me. My doc said that the dose of Sertraline prescribed by the cardiologist was way lower that the dose of Citalopram I was on. Either way I was still suffering some anxieties on Sertraline, don't expect any drug can take away all worries though. Let me know how you get on please x
Make sure you make a written list of questions for the EP on Saturday. I find if I don't write them down and tick them off as they're dealt with, I forget to ask! All the best 👍
Thank you, I've already started the list. God help him!! Good advice though, with my mind fog theses days I forget everything, plus if I'm not prepared I don't listen.. I just bombard them with questions! Xx
I so understand the mental health aspect of a-fib! Every little missed beat or extra one sends you into panic -- at least for me. You sound like you're doing very well after your ablation; I spent 3 months of a-fib attacks during my "blanking period," but my particular procedure posed problems for my EC at the time. Good luck to you!
Thank you x it does help when ppl understand, It's awful isn't it. My heart rate was 38 today and have had dizziness but they said thats ok !! I think I'm feeling much more anxious because as this is my 3rd and last ablation I'm desperate for it to work . I hope you're doing ok now xxx
Thanks -- I'm seeing a new EC on Friday as I feel my present one has washed his hands of my situation, i.e. he won't give me another ablation because of the problems he had with the first (vein almost wrapped around esophagus; one too close to the diaphragm). I may need to have a robotic ablation done. Doesn't that sound scary!? Wishing you well, and let's hope we both relax some!
Booboo73 I feel for you 🥺I too suffer from anxiety and my heart goes all over the place which makes me anxious which makes my afib worse. I kept checking my heart rate on my BP machine but given that up now as it makes me eve more anxious.I have a friend who has suffered from afib for 35 years and just had her 4th ablation which seems to have worked for now as she is several months clear. There's always hope and we are all in this together ❤
Hiya, I'm just reading what you've been through it's totally exhausting having AFIm waiting for 2nd cardioversion in April
Last one lasted 3 years, but AF came back this January 2021
I think Il be possibly having an Ablation in couple of months to fix these crazy cowboys in my heart, I'm on sotolol and apaxiban, I'm still getting AF episodes nearly everyday lasts upto 5 hours a time driving me nuts, giving me heart anxiety
I'm 50yr old lady usually quite fit, this is making me frustrated don't know when next attack will be, plus pac, s I get
Sorry to whinge on but I can relate with what your going through its tough especially with mental health side
You're certainly not whinging at all, it's awful and for you to have 5 hours a day. I have Pacs frequently , they really are evil little critters.Good luck with your cardioversion and ablation, I hope it brings you some peace xxxxx
Boy do I understand what you are going through! Nobody said it would be easy, and the mental stress is probably one of the worst things about all this. Most of us feel what you are feeling! But here is the thing, things very likely will be getting better, it just takes awhile. You WILL have some bumps in the road along the way, again totally normal. Know that you are taking the steps necessary, and over time things will very likely be improving. I know first hand how difficult it is to relax with this, it is our heart, our engine, so when it acts up, our entire life is disrupted. But things can get better, and probably will get better from here on out.
Thanks, it does really help to know I'm not the only one. Friends and family keep telling me not to worry and I will be fine, I want to scream ... I think if you have never had AF or issues with your ticker nobody can understand the fear....if it was that easy to switch off and not worry I would ! I agree completely the mental stress is worse than the condition itself. I blooming hate this condition so much, but I've come to terms with the fact I will always have some degree of arrythmia and I can cope with that, it's just my head exploding that is the problem h a ha ! Xxxx
I have to smile because I SO understand what you are feeling! And it is also true that nobody who does not have afib can understand exactly what we are going through. People think that since it doesn't really kill you, well what is the big deal right? LOL. You know, while this thing is difficult, there are options that we have now which did not exist 15 years ago, and more coming down the pipe soon. This is another thing to remember....things WILL get better!
Oh I’m so glad you are recovering without any AF even though you are getting plenty of PAC’s I went through a horrible anxiety period for the first 4 to 5 months after my abalation and it don’t get any better living in your own but gentle breathing exercises and trying to focus on other things did help slightly please message me anytime you need to chat x
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