AFIB ENQUIRY

Good morning. I have been on healthunlocked for a couple of years,I have SVT, mitral valve prolapse and first degree heart block. My daughter bought me a gadget that she put on her phone which takes my pulse etc, I have lots of ectopics and take Bisoprolol which doesn,t really help, yesterday she came and after taking my heart trace it came up as suspected Afib,I could feel my heart kicking around after doing 2 hours heavy cleaning for a friend. The day before I had a 20 minute run of SVT, nowadays they seem to revert on their own but am on the ablation list. What I would like to know is whether Afib is usually a heartbeat of over a 100 or can be present anyway? My last weekly heart monitor was 2 and a half years ago but I feel I have got worse,I feel so tired and exhausted with my heart flipping around quite a lot. Thanks. My heart rate was about 60 when the monitor took it yesterday.

[Hidden]

I assume you are using a Kardia?

I’m not medically trained but as I understand it, AF results in a random, irregular heartbeat of any speed but without medication it is generally fast, in excess of 100 beats per minute. With SVT, the rate is fast but regular and shows no P wave.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou for your reply! I don,t put much on here but I recognise you all!

[CDreamer]

Hi Delnoleen - there are many gadgets around so it depends upon which App, which gadget. A pulse meter on a smart phone will not give an accurate pulse if you are in AF, neither will a BP monitor.

A monitor which you hold electrodes with your fingertips for 30 secs or more and then gives you an ECG will give you an average HR which is comparable. The most favourite gadget on this forum is a Kardia but many use an iWatch because it is wearable so will monitor 24/7 and give good data and AF alerts.

If you look back along the threads you will also see one from Admin requesting volunteers to test a new device.

When in AF your HR will be very, very irregular so with a pulse meter it will depend upon where in the cycle of your irregular pulse it focuses on so it could be 40 one second and 180 the next.

To answer your query about HR and AF - you can be in AF with a low HR - it is the irregularity of the pulse, not the rate which defines AF.

Hope that helps.

[Hidden in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks for your reply! It’s an Alivecor Kardiamobile. And I put my fingers on it . I was tired and my heart was erratic. The last time I was in hospital A &E with my heart racing at 180 I did ask if I had Afib and they said No. it seemed yesterday that I maybe getting another problem to add to my existing ones! I am on here every day for reassurance that I,m not alone.

[CDreamer in reply to Hidden]

I know it’s a very scary when our heart’s play up. Take care.

[pottypete1]

I have suffered PAF for many years. My heart rate when in sinus rhythm is circa 50bpm when in AF it sometimes exceeds 100bpm but usually it’s around 80 bpm.

Pete

[Hidden in reply to pottypete1]

Thanks! When my heart is erratic it never goes above 60 so I may not have Afib. My friends husband is 82 and he,s had it for at least 15 years, he may have had it longer they picked it up when he had a knee replacement

[pottypete1 in reply to Hidden]

You can still suffer from AF with a slow heart rate the two are not necessarily connected.

Pete

[Hidden in reply to pottypete1]

My heart rate is usually about 54 because of the Bisoprolol. I don,t know whether it’s the Bisoprolol making me feel so awful or my problems have escalated over the last 2 years.

[pottypete1 in reply to Hidden]

There is no doubt that Bisoprolol will often make you feel bad. It is a beta Blocker and as you are speculating it has the effect of slowing the heart.

I am on Flecainide a heart rhythm medication and was on Bisoprolol too as it is often prescribed at the same time.

For me my EP stopped it because I have heart block and Bradycardia (slow heart rate below 50) and the Bisoprolol was not helping.

Discuss this with your medical team if you can.

Pete

[Hidden in reply to pottypete1]

The electrophysiologist took me off it back in 2017 when this SVT really showed itself and I ended up in hospital in my country Wales,they put me on Bisoprolol. When I got back to London I saw my electro physiologist and he took me off it, that was pending my ablation. Things happened and I moved so didn,t get my ablation,but I was terrified of them going into my heart. I went back on it June 2019 via my GP, I was getting really strong palpitations and ended up in A&E a few times with SVT after a lot of stressful situations. I,ve tried to taper it off a few times but go back on because I was getting terrible withdrawal symptoms.

[pottypete1 in reply to Hidden]

Don’t be terrified of ablations. I have had 7 ( yes I am the exception).

Ablation can really be successful and you should reconsider if there is a potential to have another.

Pete

[Prince123456 in reply to Hidden]

Bisoprolol is the cheapest beta blocker on the market that’s why they trial you on that med first. If the Bisoprolol is making you lethargic like it did with me ask to be put on Nebivalol it’s a more cardio selective med it’s 4 times the price of Bisoprolol but I feel 100% better

[Frances123]

I’ve had Afib for 16/17 years and until a couple of years ago it had always been high. Not excessively, around the 118/124 mark. Then for some reason a couple of years ago it went low to late 60s to mid 70s. Diet, medication or anything else hadnt changed. Just me getting older and Afib pleasing itself as usual. As has been said, yes Afib can be slow. I too have the kardia to check with. Take care and hope you can get some answers. Maybe a call to your GP or cardiologist and let them know how you are feeling? x

[Hidden in reply to Frances123]

Actually I don,t seem to have a cardiologist my heart valve scan was cancelled in January because of the virus. I have a electrophysiologist Dr Earley at Barts. I,m not a person who goes to the doctor,I just get on with things and hope for the best.