Entire body/nervous system sensitivities with Afib?

[IsobelBrown54]

Hi,

I’m curious to find if anyone else has had similar changes in their body or nervous systems as I think I have had during recent extreme episodes of Afib.

I found that when my heart rate was very high and erratic and my blood pressure was extremely high. (I was taken by ambulance to hospital resulting in electric cardio version), my whole body seemed to be in a sort of shock. My stomach was sort of nervous and burning, I felt emotionally charged up and could easily get angry or cry. I was having hot flushes and then sweating in my hair till it dripped down my neck. The cardiologist who came to do the cardio version commented that when he turned to look at me my heart rate went even higher and he said I must be a very anxious individual, but I’M NOT. After intravenous magnesium and then intravenous beta blockers, followed by oral beta blockers made no difference at all to my extremely high BP and heart rate they did the electric shock thing. When I came round I felt this overwhelming peace and calmness. Not just in my chest, but all over. I was bathed in serenity. It was a wonderful feeling which continued for several weeks. During my present episode of Afib when my heart was racing and jumping around all over the place, I experienced the same heightened physical/nervous system sensitivity of emotions of fear, anger anxiety, stomach burning and butterflies and the hot flushes and sweats. When, although still in Afib, things slowed down a little, this heightened physical, nervous system state settled back to normal. My theory is that my agitated heart gives off chemicals that are neuro-exciters which over stimulate the rest of my nervous system. Has anyone else experienced this???

[meadfoot]

Oh yes, you are describing my experiences to a tee. The other symptoms i have is going freezing cold and shiver uncontrollably. I also have excruciating chest pain requiring IV morphine when episodes get that bad, Clearly the nervous system is all out of whack.

I feel an overwhelming desire to have everywhere tidy too, heaven knows why but it feels as though i need to be in control of something as my whole body at that time is completely out of my control. Obviously i feel far too poorly to do anything but the anxiety is overwhelming on top of the physical symptoms. I am certainly on board with all you experience, bet we are far from alone with this.

[IsobelBrown54 in reply to meadfoot]

Oh thanks for you response. Good to know it’s not just me!!! I sometimes feel these additional sensations are worse than the actual heart symptoms!

[BobD Volunteer]

Its called adrenaline! Yes nothing strange there I'm afraid. You will get used to it after a while.

Read all you can both here and on our main website as knowledge is power and the more you know the less stress it causes. The office helpline is also useful when you need to speak with a real person.

Relax and drink plenty of water.

[IsobelBrown54 in reply to BobD]

Thanks. I’ve been having episodes of Afib for 7 years now, but things seem to have ramped up recently. I wasn’t aware of heart failure being a risk with Afib, but when my GP listened to my heart with a stethoscope she said it bore no relation to the pulse at my wrist and said my heart shouldn’t be left like that or I would likely develop heart failure as the wall of my heart had already thickened a little from a scan I had 2 years ago. I had no idea that heart failure was a complication of paroxysmal Afib!!! I’m trying to see my cardiologist to re refer me to the electrophysiologist I saw about 5 years ago, who said he would do an ablation when my Afib progressed, but I may well have to wait months to see him and further months to get an ablation. I’m in Southern Ireland, by the way.

[Ppiman in reply to IsobelBrown54]

Don't you feel that the term "heart failure" is badly chosen? I know that I do. It sounds terminal and instils fear and yet can be an entirely reversible condition. The cause, as I understand it, is often poor rate control, i.e. tachycardia. Getting this, rather than NSR, restored, either by drugs or ablation, then brings the heart's ejection fraction back to within normal range.

I do realise that when arrhythmias are a consequence of another heart defect (often, or potentially, a genetic or one resulting in cardiomyopathy), then that is a different kind of heart failure and one that might not be easily reversed.

Steve

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Ppiman]

Agreed. Provided that rate is well controlled and a patient is anticoagulated where appropriate there is no reason to expect deterioration in heart function over time.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to IsobelBrown54]

Heart failure merely means that your heart is currently unable to fullfill all the demands placed on it. It is not a death sentence and if AF is controlled or terminated there is every possibility it can be reversed. See also my answer to Ppiman .

[AussieHeart]

Yes. But EPs seem clueless about this! It’s so debilitating. Chills/overheating /gut churn/internal leg wobbles/feels like heart’s regurgitating/vertigo like/head in vice/migraines/leg-type nerve pain One person here recently said she thought she was sitting on a generator, another an underground railway station. I’m really sensitive to low vibration noise like beat box doof and suped up mufflers in cars to garden leave blowers and mowers! It’s horrible and stressful

[Singwell]

Yes, yes, yes!! Delighted that someone else has described this although sorry that you feel such a disturbance during AF. I have a strong inner sense of disquiet when I'm in AF - my whole system is jittery. The minute I'm.back in NSR I feel a profound sense of peace. It's almost spiritual. Your heart has thousands of neurons that act as a semi independent system sending messages to the brain - similar to your gut brain. I think this might be why some of us feel so awful during AF. It's horrible isn't it? I had ablation almost 4 months ago now and took up the practice of chatting to my heart when it kicks off. It seems to help that sense of disturbance. (Luckily my AF seems to be on the wane following Ablation.)

So your not mad, you're not 'anxious' -its your neural system doing its job. If you were anxious you'd be anxious ABOUT the AF when not in it. I should know!! But it's not the same as what you're describing here.

[IsobelBrown54 in reply to Singwell]

Oh thank you. I find your response very comforting. I was telling my son on the phone about these sensations and he said I should find out if others experience the same and it seems some do. My GP said no other patient had described this. (She said on Friday she would have sent me to the hospital as she thought I was at riskof heart failure but they weren’t able to do cardio versions at the weekend ) - this is Southern Ireland and no hospitals in the South East offer 24/7 cardiac care. Only 9-5 Mon to Fri, so my nearest was Cork or Dublin about 2.5 hour drive away! I dont know whether I should contact my GP again as it’s now Monday?

[widgetcook]

Your sympathetic nervous system is controlled by your vagus nerve which also controls heart rate and rhythm. Your flight or fight mode.It’s all connected and amazing how it can affect everything.

I’ve started seeing an osteopath to try and get everything back in alignment as I have so many different symptoms. I was seeing a gastroenterologist and had every test under the sun before he noticed that I had a curved spine which was putting pressure on things causing gastro symptoms. The osteopath helped sort it.

[IsobelBrown54 in reply to widgetcook]

Oh poor you. I have reflux and take Omeprozol for that, but had gastric enteritis the week before this episode of Afib. That cleared up on the Friday and the Afib started on the Monday. I should have been setting off with my partner onOur camper van holiday today. I have paid for 6 nights on campsites!! I’m too scared to go!

[widgetcook in reply to IsobelBrown54]

What’s making you scared to go? I just spent the weekend in our caravan during the storm! Was amazing to watch the lightening! I’m always calmer at the caravan, something about being in a field I guess!

[IsobelBrown54 in reply to widgetcook]

I guess Im scared of my Afib accelerating and myBP getting dangerously high as it did in my last episode when intravenous beta blockers wouldn’t slow things down and I had a cardio version in Dublin hospital. On the west coast of Ireland I would be a long way from a hospital!

[widgetcook in reply to IsobelBrown54]

Can you rebook somewhere closer to a hospital just in case? Would be a shame to miss out on your holiday x

[IsobelBrown54 in reply to widgetcook]

I don’t think so. Most campsites were fully booked 2 weeks ago. We wanted to stay somewhere in County Clare, but there was no availability. I ended up booking 3 nights at a site in Co Galway and 3 nights at another in County Mayo. I’m tempted to go, but there’s a lot more exertion needed getting in and out of camper and making beds up daily etc etc. and I’m trying to rest up a bit to keep my heart rate from over accelerating. Don’t you just hate this blinking Afib!!!

[widgetcook in reply to IsobelBrown54]

It’s hard isn’t it. We keep our caravan 10mins from our house so can come and go as we please. At the end of the day a field is a field do doesn’t matter where we are!

[IsobelBrown54 in reply to widgetcook]

Ah well I’ve been in hospitalsince Monday to have another cardioversion, hopefully tomorrow.

I fasted today and then they didn’t do it!!

[widgetcook in reply to IsobelBrown54]

Oh no! At least you know you made the right decision not going away. Fingers crossed you get sorted today.

[Singwell in reply to IsobelBrown54]

I had that bug too - the stomach bug. It's doing the rounds and is called Astrovirus. My AF kicked off after 5 days of it - then oddly the virus started to get better. I don't know your exact circumstances but maybe don't feel so worried you went into AF after the virus - these things are a huge call on the body and it's not surprising that your heart responded. If you're in NSR now maybe a break will be just what you need?

[IsobelBrown54 in reply to Singwell]

No I’m in Afib and now in hospital waiting for a cardio version!

[Frodo]

What a relief to find other people experiencing these kinds of symptoms. But why do most doctors seem unaware? Without an Afib diagnosis, these symptoms, if described, are usually put down to anxiety attacks.

[IsobelBrown54 in reply to Frodo]

Exactly!!! Thank you for responding. It’s very comforting to know others experience this.

[Adalaide2020]

Hello, and yes I do suffer with anxiety, chest pain, trembling, constipation (?) Cant imagine why. My body is in a fatigued mess and once I am in sinus I'm tired for a while then feel as if I could take on anything! I cant, but feel so relieved its wonderful. I guess our bodies are in some sort of shock what with all the chemicals floating in our systems .

[Ducky2003]

Yep. Sometimes feels like I'm having a panic attack, even though I'm not panicking about anything.

[Jetcat]

Hi Isobel, Is afib new to you or have you had it any length of time.?

[IsobelBrown54 in reply to Jetcat]

Hi,I’ve had paroxysmal Afib for 8 years now, but episodes are getting more frequents with much more extreme symptoms. I’m in hospital now to have another cardioversion just 10 weeks after my first one.

[Jetcat in reply to IsobelBrown54]

I’m sure they will get you on a better road. 8 years is about same time I started with AFIB too. I think it’s only been this last 2 years though that Iv relaxed a little. I had a habit of getting really worried and frightened and extremely scared every time I was in a episode of AFIB.! and when I wasn’t in a episode I was still on edge waiting and wondering when it was going to return again. I was a complete drained scared and anxious person for a long time and I’m sure it affected my mental health. I’m better than I was and feel more settled now as I try not to let it consume me all the time.👍 I do wonder and ponder natter about what the future holds for me with progression.? Will it stay as it is or will it get worse and that’s what’s in my thoughts now and Iv got take my head away from these thoughts or I’m going to be back to square one.? I’m sure you will start to feel better in time. It took me years but I’m now in a better place than I was and you’ll do the same.👍x