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Afib or something else?

AnnaMill profile image
55 Replies

Hi …. I’m new here having only been diagnosed a few days ago. I’m still coming to terms with things and gathering information so sorry if this is a daft question.

I had a fast and very irregular heartbeat come from nowhere last weekend. My heart was all over the place so after an hour I went to A&E and I few hours later, when my heart was back to normal, I was discharged with a box of blood thinners, 1.25 bisolol, and a diagnosis of Afib.

I’ve been reading all I could since then but tonight I woke up and my heart felt like it’s racing, nice and regular though. It’s only actually beating at 74bpm but it feels faster and my chest feels heavy. 74 is a bit fast for me at night so my question is, is a regular but fast heartbeat afib or is it something else? I’d understood afib was an irregular beating of the heart?

Really grateful for any information x

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AnnaMill
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55 Replies
meadfoot profile image
meadfoot

Sounds like a form of tachycardia, i am not a doctor or medically trained, only a medic could properly diagnose you via tests. I have afib and also svt. The latter is a fast rate but regular. Mine goes up to 280 beats per minute.

I would ask your doctor to refer you to an electrophysiologist, who is a cardiologist specialising in the electrics (rhythm of the heart). That way you can get a full diagnosis and the best treatment ongoing. Best wishes,

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to meadfoot

Thank you, I really appreciate your reply. A&E have referred me for a heart scan and an appointment with a cardiologist. Hopefully I’ll be a bit wiser then. Thanks again.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

Hi Anna and welcome, but sorry you had to be here.

AF is an irregular heartrate, mostly fast but can also be slow. The trouble is that when one feels AF, it means we are very sensitive to out heartbeat and so feel every palpitation and little thing.

AF sometimes starts in bed and often with a faster HR. You might want to take notice of what and where you are when AF starts. Great you have been advised to take anticoagulant as this is first line treatment to prevent stroke as we AFers are 5 times more likely to have a stroke. I’ve never had a problem taking anticoagulants but have had a lot of difficulty taking other medications such as Bisoprolol so if something doesn’t sit right with you - go back to your GP.

If you have only been seen in A&E I would suggest an appointment with a specialist cardiologist or Electrophysiologist as they are the specialists in AF heart arrythmias which are caused by an electrical misfiring within the atria of the heart. You will need to see your GP for a referral - unless you have an automatic referral from A&E but that often isn’t the case.

For information about AF - visit the AFA - loads of explanations on fact sheets and videos

heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...

Look out for Patients Day - it’s virtual again this year but I learned far more in one day when I was first diagnosed than in the previous 7 immediately after diagnosis.

Lots of helpful and very knowledgeable people here so any questions don’t hesitate to ask - although word of warning - we all have different experiences, approaches to health and opinions but we are able to differ and get on!

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to CDreamer

Thank you for all that info, I’ll check everything out. A&E did refer me to see a cardiologist and for a heart scan, I’m waiting for those appointments now. This has just come out of the blue and I am panicking a bit so maybe that was the problem. Thanks again.

Diver2 profile image
Diver2 in reply to AnnaMill

I think everyone panics with initial diagnosis of Afib. In part because your adrenaline goes off and you’re in fight it flight mode…. The quick movement when you first feel it can also help it slow down…. Weird but frequently true. Definitely see an Electrophysiologist…. The heart scan will show how strong your heart is as well as how it’s pumping the blood.

I’ve had it for over 18 years and my Nurses tell me they know people who have had it for 50 years…..

ask your doctor how high your blood pressure and for how long at the elevated rate should be before you should go the emergency room. Also how fast your pulse should be before you go to emergency room. Just follow his advice and you should be ok

Everyone has different problems initially and once the Dr figures out the best assortment of Drugs for you, you’ll have less anxiety/stress

Nerja2012 profile image
Nerja2012 in reply to CDreamer

C Dreamer. How do I find imfo on the virtual Patients Day. Thanks Nerja.

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer in reply to Nerja2012

It was advertised here a couple of days ago. Scroll back and read, it's October from memory.

Nerja2012 profile image
Nerja2012 in reply to BobD

Thanks Bob.

baba profile image
baba in reply to Nerja2012

healthunlocked.com/afassoci...

Nerja2012 profile image
Nerja2012 in reply to baba

Thanks baba

TracyAdmin profile image
TracyAdminPartner

Welcome to the Forum AnnaMill - I am sure all the Members will welcome you and offer you some great advice, if you would like a general overview of Atrial Fibrillation, the medications you've been prescribed etc - please visit the A F Association website heartrhythmalliance.org/afa... - alternatively, please contact the Patient Services Team for support. Kind regards, Tracy

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to TracyAdmin

Thanks Tracy x

REITIRED profile image
REITIRED

I am newly diagnosed with Afib as well. It is very concerning as I had very few health issues in the past 71 years of life. I had an unusually long stomach virus which after being completely dehydrated, had an Afib episode...went to ER...then to cardiologist. Now on Eliquis and Multaq (antiarrythmic). My anxiety level is through the roof which does not help with the palpitations. I see the dr. again Aug 12....and intend to ask a few more questions as I was kind of in a state of shock last time I saw him. I hope you are finding out all about your situation....there are no wrong questions to ask. Keep posting as to how things are going!

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to REITIRED

Hi … thanks for sharing your story. Interestingly, I’ve had two episodes of this and both occurred after a long work day when I’d skipped lunch and had very little to drink. I wasn’t expecting a diagnosis like this either. It certainly knocks you for six! I’m awaiting an appointment with a cardiologist, I’ll let you know how things go. I’ll look out for your updates too.

Ducky2003 profile image
Ducky2003 in reply to AnnaMill

Dehydration can be a trigger so always try and stay hydrated.😊

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to Ducky2003

Thank you. I’m never without my Chilly Bottle now! 😊

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C

A-fib is irregular. When you are in afib your hear rate is irregular. It beats fast, it beats slow, it beats to its own tune and often with no reason (fast when it should be slow, slow when you need it be fast).

A-fib also occurs irregularly.

It can also mess with your head.

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to Jonathan_C

Thanks Jonathan. Take care and best wishes

Mabal profile image
Mabal

Morning AnnaMillI was diagnosed in May with persistent AF, prior to that I had some episodes of what I thought was palpitations with anxiety which I now know I was probably in AF then as well. Now I’m in AF all the time, I hate it although now feeling loads better, I was very symptomatic, now have the occasional symptoms I started on 5mg Bisoprolol now taking 10mg, Apixaban, also been prescribed Digoxin.

I’ve had a echocardiogram, seeing cardiologist beginning of Sept.

I do lots of breathing/relaxing sessions, mindfulness, can’t rush around and have learnt to pace myself. I wear a watch that’s monitors my HR it’s normally around 80-99 now, although can dip quite low or dip quite high at times.

Best wishes

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to Mabal

Thanks for sharing your experience, Mabal. It’s been really helpful seeing how others recently diagnosed are coping. Take care and good luck with everything. Anna

Alphakiwi profile image
Alphakiwi

Aflutter is like afib but has an even rhythm. That is what i have. I wake at night with a pounding in my lower chest and neck. Happens when relaxed all of a sudden during the day. After a while it may change to afib with uneven rhythm.It wears one down eventually. Need to keep in touch with electrocardiologist.

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to Alphakiwi

I’ll definitely do that and thank you. Sending you best wishes.

tunybgur profile image
tunybgur

Hi Annamill,

Welcome to the forum, I'm sure you'll find it helpful and reassuring.

The first thing to say is that AF is very common and most of us fellow sufferers continue a completely normal life, there are many effective treatments to keep us that way.

You need to establish whether your AF is paroxysmal (episodes come and go) or permanent, this normally involves wearing a monitor for a while, although yours sounds as if it's paroxysmal.

It is important to seek help and get treatment because if your heart is in AF for a very long time it can become more intractable.

I've had AF for several years and have been kept in Sinus Rhythm (normal heartbeat) for the last 5 years by taking a drug called Flecainide, but there are many treatments and everybody is different, it just takes a bit of time to find what works for you.

Sometimes you can discover your AF triggers and it's enough to just avoid them. Common triggers are caffeine, alcohol, stress, certain drugs, being overweight etc.

One of mine was common cold and flu remedies containing phenylephrine hydrochloride, and of course good old stress, too much adrenaline should be avoided, so try not to worry too much.

Good luck

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to tunybgur

Thanks for that, all good advice. I’ve already altered my diet a bit and doing my best to calm down …. though that’s a bit more challenging! I appreciate you taking the tine to reply. Thanks again and best wishes.

robster68 profile image
robster68

I too am not medically trained but I agree it does sound like Tachycardia. I have AF which is quite erratic when it goes into an episode and does necessarily occur at a higher heart rate.

Great that they've got you on an anti-coagulant/thinner and that you have a specialist appointment.

Meds, if you get prescribed anymore, sometimes take a little bit of adjustment so bare with it if that is the case.

I wish you all the best.

Rob

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to robster68

Thanks Rob, that’s much appreciated. Best wishes to you too 😊

secondtry profile image
secondtry

Take a deep breath as all the tests and new information to take on requires a lot of anyone. But always hold onto the fact that making lifestyle changes (mentioned frequently here) not only reduces AF but improves your quality of life in other areas. After 7 years virtually AF free (not pill free as on Flecainide), I feel absolutely fine.

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to secondtry

That’s good to hear! I’ve been really heartened by all the positive responses I’ve had and I’ve already made some changes to my diet based on everyone’s recommendations. Thanks for taking the time to reply. Best wishes to you 😊

neil73 profile image
neil73

Hi Anna,

My AF came on the same a couple of years ago (I'm still trying to work out what caused it - drinking (it was after New Years Eve), overworking, illness? I'll never know.

However, AF can be fast or slow. Sounds like you had fast AF but it is now controlled by the drugs but you may still be in AF.

I had to have a cardioversion to come out of it and, touch wood, I was fine afterwards.

Keep talking to your medical team and, if you aren't, push to see a cardiologist (mine was brilliant and sorted me straight away but the GP just seemed to tinker).

I hope you are feeling better soon.

Neil

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to neil73

Thanks Neil, that’s much appreciated. Best wishes to you. Anna

Ppiman profile image
Ppiman

It's easy to become super-aware of the heart once it's had any kind of problem and anxiety is often worse than the condition itself. That's what I have found, making it difficult to untangle what is what.

I had atrial flutter in 2019 and an ablation solved it, but I still get short bursts of sudden fibrillation-like activity with tachycardia even now, and these leave me feeling weak and anxious. It's weird. In your case, 74bpm is far from fast and the feeling you describe seems to me to be either palpitations or - possibly - the fibrillation. This doesn't have to cause tachycardia, which is defined as a sustained beat of >100bpm. My friend has permanent fibrillation, is now nearly 88, and never gets tachycardia. He is really well for his age.

My guess is that you are fine and that anxiety might be making it seem worse than it is. Has your GP suggested that you'll be given an echo-cardiogram at some point? That will reassure you that all is well and that you can rest easily.

Steve

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to Ppiman

Thanks Steve. I was diagnosed in A&E and I’m waiting now for a follow up appointment for a heart scan.

I am an anxious person. It seems to play a part in most things so I wouldn’t imagine this will be any different! The responses I’ve had to my post have already made me feel much better. Thanks again and best wishes to you. I’ve taken onboard everything you’ve said.

Ppiman profile image
Ppiman in reply to AnnaMill

What a lovely reply. Best of luck with the scan. It will almost certainly not show much at all but that is also reassuring.

Often with arrhythmias, and especially if they cause a persistent fast heart rate, some mild weakening of the heart shows up. Cardiologists unfortunately refer to this as “heart failure”. It isn’t what it seems though, and is reversible! It’s just their technical term for a heart that isn’t pumping as efficiently as it might. Sorting out the arrhythmia and any associated tachycardia usually restores normality,

Steve

doubledeck profile image
doubledeck in reply to Ppiman

thanks for that Ppiman, I was horrified to hear this was heart failure but glad you explained the terminology.

KMRobbo profile image
KMRobbo

I am not medically trained but have had AFib (diagnosed sept 2015) and also A flutter (2018) in the recent past. I currently do not have either.As regards your pulse, If your heart beat is regular then it most probably is not AFib. You do not mention what your pulse normally is nor how you measured the 74 beats per minute.

I find that the best way to measure your pulse and your rhythm without any medical devices, is to use your first two fingers (not thumb), feel your left side of your neck 1 inch below the rear corner of your jaw, if the pulse is regular it is probably not afib. Do this in a resting position as any exertion can affect your heart rate. Please also note that one missed beat is also not afib if the rest are regularly spaced . Everyone has the odd missed beat but people not worrying about their heart dont notice!

I was asymtomatic in AFib but could not really count a pulse as I was typically 165bpm resting and so random it was not possible.

Please also be aware it is possible your raised pulse at 74 is owing to you worrying about your recently diagnosed Afib, and this is a normal human stress response of fear, which does no good as you are not in a " flight or fight " situation with a wolf. Nevertheless your body will be reacting to the fear, and producing adrenaline which will make your heart speed up and can cause palpitations if you get too worried.

So the best thing is not to worry! Difficult I know but possible.

You have already taken the big step in going to hospital and getting diagnosed, and being given anti coagulants and a rate control drug in bisoprolol that will stop your heart rate going too high if you have an afib recurrence.

And by not worrying does not mean not researching about afib , knowledge is generally power.

HOWEVER Should you find something concerning in your reseach DONT worry about it , Just post a question on here and see if anyone can help, or contact your GP.

The bad thing about Dr Google is a lot of things have similar symptoms, so just because it has symptom X which may sound similar to your symptom does not mean you have that medical problem.

The follow up at your hospital will determine any possible issues.

Also be aware AFib is a lot of things, it is not standard, everyones is different, and it can be caused by diffferent things.

There are common triggers that the hospital may already have mentioned, alcohol, caffeine, sacharrine and other artificial sweeteners, dehydration, excessive exercise for example.

I never found any triggers! I suspect cumulative stress and resultant tiredness may have contributed ( back to the worrying) but if so it was not consistent.

However it is useful to consider what you ate/ drank or your situation if you have any more episodes.

Best wishes.

Ps there are no daft questions!

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to KMRobbo

Thank you, that’s really good and helpful advice.

I measure my pulse the same way you do. I got up because I felt my heart was racing, though at a steady 74 it clearly wasn’t. I am a worrier though and I was thinking I was having another episode and the bisoprolol was blocking it but I expect it was anxiety making me aware of my heartbeat.

The more I can find out, the happier I’ll be. I’m sure I’ll calm down a bit then. It’s been a blessing finding this forum, so much help and positivity.

Thanks again. I really appreciate your advice.

Best wishes to you 😊

Leggylady profile image
Leggylady in reply to KMRobbo

Hi there! I’ve just read your reply toAnnaMill and note your comment about one missed beat not being AF if all the others are evenly spaced. Do you know if this also applies to two or three missed beats in - say a minute? I’ve been having episodes like that each day for the last week, so would be interested to learn more. Thank you!

KMRobbo profile image
KMRobbo in reply to Leggylady

First of all I am not medically trained.However I have had afib, I have had an ablation, but I do get ectopics. Ectopics are PACs or PVCs :Premature atrial contractions or premature ventricular contactions . I dont know what I have. I really only noticed them several months after my successful cryoablation. I was very heart sensitive post afib, i could hear my heartbeat as I developed that " skill" (curse) listening for afib kicking off!.

I have done my best to reduce this over the last 2.5 years. I am pretty good at ignoring them now , but it gets more difficult when the frequency is consistently greater than one every 15 to 20 seconds . Ie 3 to 4 per minute. Mine are quite random i can have two "missed" beats out of 4 , then the next missed beat could be 29 beats later. Of course "missed" beats are not missed; they are extra beats whose source is not the sinus node. They appear to be missed as the extra beat empties the heart, so next sinus beat has nothing to pump, so you cant feel a pulse from it. I understand this "empty" beat is also the source of the "fluttery" feeling in the upper chest/ throat that can accompany the extra beat, that is so irritating. It is quite important to realise this from a worrying perspective: you are not missing beats or blood flow. Your heart is not stopping, it is actually extra pumps. The other thing I believe most strongly from my personal experience is that worrying about ectopics makes them worse. When you are worrying about them you are going into "flight or fight" mode and your body is producing adrenaline, but you are not fighting a wolf nor running from it and you can do neither with your own heart. All the adrenaline keeps you awake and this makes you more tired which makes everything worse. Its a viscious circle. Now I had not noticed my ectopics until months after my 3 month post ablation meeting with my EP, so the next time i saw myEp was 12 months after that . By that time it was clear my ectopics came and went, sometimes had none for several weeks, they did not seem to do me any harm, so i was not worried. I did mention them to my EP but he was not concerned. Certainly he did not want to do further investigations.

You may not feel so comfortable so maybe getting an ECG done to diagnose what they are would be useful? The other important thing to know about ectopics is that you have had them all you life, as has everyone else in the world. You just did not notice as you were not so heart sensitive! And they may have been less frequent. Now back to your question how many is too many? I have read on the internet that an excessive load is between 10 to 15% of all beats. So averaging 6 to 9 per minute. So 3 times what you have! I have no idea how accurate this is, but it came from what I regarded as a serious web site. The final thing I can say if they are irritating you too much, do some excercise, and a brisk walk will do. The extra demands in the heart and the extra rate seems to override the ectopics. Sometimes they go missing afterwards.

The important thing when taking your pulse is the regularity of the beat. I find it is most clear on my left side of my neck 1 inch below the rear corner of my jaw. An ectopic is an extra beat. It is not regular. However if the next missed beat is in another 12 beats time and those intervening 12 beats are regular , then it is unlikely to be afib.

Afib is chaotic. I was always fast rate and i could not even count my heart rate by my pulse.

Best wishes

Leggylady profile image
Leggylady in reply to KMRobbo

Thank you so much for your reply. It seems very much as if I’ve been having more random ectopics, rather than Afib this last week. Before meds my Afib was chaotic. This has not been anything like the same. I guess an ecg would help but getting one at the same time as the ectopics might be tricky! I too am very aware of my heart beating and have been anxious about it but am working on that. And I’ve been very tired - but of course that might be the anxiety! Thank you again, your post has been really helpful and reassuring to me. Best wishes. Lyn

KMRobbo profile image
KMRobbo in reply to Leggylady

There is a small drop in hospital near me, no beds but they do have an ecg. I have never had one there but know someone who has. They are generally lower loaded than a&e hospitals so perhaps you could look to see if any of those near you , you may be able to get in and jump the queue if you explain the random nature of your problem. Also the ecg could pick up some ectopics even if you are not noticing much load when you get there.

Leggylady profile image
Leggylady in reply to KMRobbo

Thank you - that’s a cracking idea. I’ll look into it.

Diver2 profile image
Diver2 in reply to KMRobbo

The missed beats you are describing sound like the atrial flutters that I have resulting from the three ablations I had trying to stop the Afib . One is a skipped beat every 6 or 13 beats with the other beats being evenly spaced. The second flutter is less easy to identify the spaces between missed beats. The third is every 6… 29…. And around 18. Plus or minus a couple of beats…. With evenly spaced beats in between. I’ve been told that they are more dangerous because the never go away, but I have not had that problem. I’m in sinus rhythm about 1/3 the time and alternate with the flutters about 1/2 the time and the Afib the rest of the time. The flutters are easier to live with since the heart rate is normal. In between the skips. Afib is a pain with the high blood pressure and very fast heart rate…. Very uncomfortable and have to watch parameters closely. When all types hit is excruciating and sometimes I have to go to emergency room. (4 times in 18 years)

momist profile image
momist

Hi there, and welcome the the club we all wish we'd never joined. As a newbie, you are dong the right thing reading a lot all about it.

Just a few pointers from me, don't trust any of those pulse measuring devices when you are in AF. They mostly have algorithms to filter out anything irregular, or limit their rate to between 60 - 120 bpm. Both these are wrong for AF. They also tend to use a photo device, often with little green LEDs for illumination, which detect your pulse from the fluctuations of skin colour. When you are in AF, not all beats produce enough variation if any. (They are also less sensitive on skin with high melanin.)

If you really want to monitor your own heart rate/rhythm (not everyone does), you need an electrical connection to do so, and these usually work in tandem with a smart phone. The common ones are the Kardia device or a suitable smart watch with ECG connections (e.g. Samsung, Withings, Apple Watch). The Apple watch only works with an iPhone. Lots of information on this forum about all of those.

I recommend you keep a diary of what your heart is doing, and how you feel about it. Information for your EP/Cardiologist will only help.

Finally, very few on here are medical people, so read it all as opinion!

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to momist

Thanks for all the info and advice. I didn’t know any of that, I’ve got a lot to learn that’s for sure! Take care and thanks again.

Easybeat profile image
Easybeat

Hi Anna

I remember how scared I was when I had my first trip to A&E. They have given you good meds and once you have had your scan and seen cardiologist I’m sure you will feel more settled. My afib is very occasional and over the past few years I have learned to recognise triggers for episodes.May not be the same for you but with watching out for . I had to give up red wine, didn’t drink much but it definitely could set me off. Main trigger seems to be dehydration for me so I’m careful to keep to regular top ups of fluids during day. My dr told me to go caffeine free and apart from a very occasional cup of ordinary tea I am. Over tiredness and big meals late in day especially if there is a lot of sugar involved seems to get me too.

There is some great information on the British Heart Foundation site that I found helpful.

Hope you get seen soon.

What anticoagulants were you given ?

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to Easybeat

Thank you. I know I’ve not been drinking anywhere near enough so I’ve wondered about dehydration myself and during the past 12 months, especially during lockdowns, I’ve been going to bed in the early hours of the morning and sleeping very little. I’m trying very hard to sort both those things out! I was given edoxaban as a blood thinner.

Thanks for your reply. I really appreciate it 😊

DevonHubby1 profile image
DevonHubby1

I'd suggest asking for a consult with your GP so they can explain AF to you and what the potential waits are. In my wife's case, pre Covid, it was taking 4 months to get the heart scan and the cardiologist could not progress diagnosis until that was done. We paid privately for the scan and that kick started the NHS process including being put in contact with our local AF nurse who explained so much to us.

Timeliness vary by area so our experience may be an extreme

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to DevonHubby1

Thank you, that’s very helpful. I’m waiting for an appointment but if I don’t hear in the next few days I will definitely chase things up. I’m guessing nothing is as speedy as it was wherever you live. Thanks again and best wishes to you both.

Karendeena profile image
Karendeena

Hi AnnaMill, sounds like you have atrial flutter (a fast but regular heart beat), it is possible to have both afib and flutter. Last year my first diagnosis when I was admitted to A &E was atrial flutter, the following month when I was admitted for a second time, I was told I had both afib and flutter. I paid to see an EP privately who put me on Sotalol and Apixaban, so far I am well controlled

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to Karendeena

Thank you, that certainly sounds similar to what I’ve experienced. Stay well and thank you for sharing.

4EvrVT profile image
4EvrVT

I had one incident that took place July 27, 2017 at around 5:30 PM. YES! I know the exact moment because I was driving home from work; dreading having to fly back east to my parents' memorial service and I screamed ...literally at the top of my lungs "I WANT MY DADDY BACK"!! I immediately felt something "off" .....to make a long story shorter; I did NOT go to ER or anything till the next day after doing ginger-ale, alka-seltzer and going to bed early. I work up, too, BP and heart rate was 186....took a shower and went to ER. I spent the next six days in a cardiac unit. I was told I had a heart attack; then told I had two heart attacks; then told, I did NOT have a heart attack ....then told I came in with "A-FIB" but that I converted to a normal beat on my own. I had the "roto-rooter" through the groin and doctor said "no blockage, no damage, no heart disease"...."go live your life"...then discharged me the next day with the same thing; blood thinner, something for BP, something to keep heart beating normally on top of three other meds; (for hypo-thyroid, anxiety and cholesterol). I have not had another incident and am not good at taking the blood thinners as they are so damn expensive (even buying through Canada) but like you I don't feel I know the real "scoop" on my heart health. I have repeatedly asked if I did or did not have a heart attack and never got a real answer. I am frustrated that I may be taking meds that I do not need due in part to a single incident that may have been initiated by my "super anxiety" attack. I follow this site fairly regular but so much info is confusing...so, seems I drop ten and punt as best I can.

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to 4EvrVT

Wow, what a story! I don’t have the knowledge even to offer an opinion but I read some of your other posts and I’m so sorry for your losses and for your difficulties now. Thanks for replying to my post and I send you my very best wishes.

4EvrVT profile image
4EvrVT in reply to AnnaMill

yes and today would be my Dad's 81st birthday so a hard day.

Diver2 profile image
Diver2

Afib can kick you in to producing adrenaline…. You feel like you want to run away. ( fight or flight mode). Since Afib can come and go for short periods of time , the irregular heartbeat can be gone but the adrenaline may not be gone yet….. in the firs days of Afib it can happen quite often, but will reduce frequency substantially….. good luck! But don’t worry. You’ll learn that you can live through Afib and the anxiety will become much less.

AnnaMill profile image
AnnaMill in reply to Diver2

Thanks for that, I hope so. I need to calm down I think! Very helpful reply, makes perfect sense. Thanks again 😊

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