I've had afib since January and the first 3 or 4 months was total hell on earth . I felt life was over but recently although I'm in and out of a fib almost every day I've found I can function far more easily when having an a fib attack ...and even though my heart is beating irregular it doesn't seem to.render me pinned to.my chair scared to move ...is it that I've become used to the attacks and less fearful or does the body adjust .
Any thought's?
Hi - probably both you are not as fearful because at the onset many people believe that life is over and then you learn that life goes on and so you also have to and very gradually adjust.
Many people also report what you say - that living in fear of maybe having an episode is much more difficult to live with than when episodes are daily or when you are in persistent AF because the body adjusts and very often people are not as symptomatic. Paroxysmal AF - when it comes and goes - is often much more symptomatic and disabling.
I’ve had Afib since 2004. As time goes on you become more comfortable living through the bad times knowing they’ll pass. You also learn how to adapt to the reduction n abilities and the athletic ability. I swam three mile each day before I developed AFib and now I can’t go out if it’s over 80 degrees. But I don’t have the health anxieties I had in the first few years.
I agree about the heat. This week has been very hot and I don't feel well when I stay outside too long. I find with my Afib episodes heart rate is 140 bpm I can't walk or exercise in any form. I noticed some people mention they walk they feel better not so with me....
I've had four hours of persistent AF since 2011 currently in AF since February I believe you do get used to it in mind and body. I am currently awaiting my third ablation which has worked well previously
I am curious what you heart rate is when you are in Afib.
Without beta blockers my resting heart rate is around 120 with a max at 183. With 5mg beta blockers it goes down to 78 resting and max 150
Can you share the name of your beta blocker ?
I am similar with a resting HR between 75-85, 95+ when under stress. Visit to urologist last week and it was 106. I take .50 mg metoprolol and Eliquis for blood thinner.
5mg Bisoprolol I know this drug has had some bad comments but it works for me
Hi Mitcham. I also hear that Bisoprolol is given bad reviews. I am on 5mg per day. Why do you think this it? Cheers
My elderly friend has had permanent afib for very many years and hardly knows he has it. It does seem that it gets easier to live with. I had an ablation for flutter in 2019 and now still get bouts of tachycardia and very brief attacks of "fibrillation-like activity" which take me by surprise but I can manage them well, even though they tire me out completely.
Steve
As I keep saying, knowledge is power and once you understand that you are not about to pop your clogs and that the sun will come out soon then the anxiety levels drop and the symptoms can be coped with more easily.
It is said that permanent AF is best as there are no violent swings and the body soon accepts the new normal and becomes asymptomatic.
Yes I can empathise with you, but in my case I suppose I have adjusted to it and when an episode occurs I try to relax and and have found that knowing it will eventually pass I am not so bothered. Being uptight makes things worse, I have had a fib for about 18 years now and I have other health issues but the best piece of advice given to me by a Doctor was, you don’t die of Afib, My age is 81 so you may be as lucky as me with an upbeat attitude.
What is your heart rate when you are in Afib mine was very high so I would end up going to emergency for cardioversion.
I really don’t know, I occasionally take a reading which seems normal, however I have had an extremely bad episode, I was so scared I did not move out of bed, could not breath and was in agony. I was berated for not calling an ambulance I have had a few bad episodes, since having a new pacemaker inserted three months ago, I have felt really good regarding the Afib.
Did you have an ablation for Afib before they inserted pacemaker. What meds are you taking now?Thanks.
No I have never had an ablation, in fact I have not seen a consultant since 20004. I was going to be seen by a consultant but covid got in the way and i broke my hip which has put a stop to things. At present I feel really good about the Afib just hope I am not speaking to soon.My medication is warfarin, Ramipril I take others but not specifically for the heart.
I feel that I cope with Afib because I am more relaxed about it, attitude makes a big difference.
I also have diabetes, and arthritis , I do get tired easily and can get a bit breathless at times.
My doctor told me I am in permanent Afib and it shows up on an ecg, when I broke my hip the ambulance kept stopping because they thought I was having a heart problem not realising it is normal to me,
I was totally unconcerned!
Hello again, just realised I forgot to say I also take sotalol for my a fib, had a few slight alarms recently but managed to breath through them. Must remember not to tempt fate!
Thanks for your inspiring post, could you also share what is your heart rate and whether you are in persistent Afib and with symptoms?
Yes I've had it since 2013 ( although I think I had it before)I used to really worry, especially since my mum died of an AF stroke 4 months before.
Once I was ( finally) given anticoagulation and told that reduced my risk to that if a non AF person I found that helped.
I was also told last year that I should think of AF and flutter as an annoyance and get on with things!
I'm on 200 ng Flecanide and Apixaban . I take Bisoprolol if I get flutter occuring. I rarely get fast heart rate in either case.
I'm now finding ,if and when ,I get AF or flutter it does not last long and is not as noticable.
I made significant changes ,left a highly stressful job, nutrition etc.
Other stress issues with elderly relatives and sons gradually resolved too.
I really believe that stress and anxiety made me experience AF and FL. More severely and more frequently.
My AF and Flutter have not got worse over time..touch wood.
Glad you are feeling a little calmer now xx
Thank you ...I would say some days are a lot better but still really grim days to but compared to the first 3 months or so it's definitely easier to cope with as the attacks although still nearly every say aren't as intense or as long which is down to the verapamil mostly and my calmer less anxious approach ...but at least how I feel now is bearable till I get my ablation around Christmas time hopefully but depends on covid numbers in hospital
Do you take flecainide once a day?I take it twice a day but find the morning dose makes me feel unwell.
Thought I might just take it in the evening. What is your heart rate when you have a Afib episode?
Thank you
HiYes sometimes morning dose used to make me feel a bit dizzy etc. I found that taking it as soon as I woke up,and staying in bed a while reading etc helped. In AF I get almost normal rate,but very erratic. In Flutter can go up to 140-50 until extra Bisoprolol kicks in . Hope that helps xx
Thank you for your reply.
As Cdreamer says both. You get more used to having it and the fact that you have had lots of episodes and are alive to tell the tale helps reduce the anxiety. Especially if the attacks follow a pattern. It just becomes a nuisance to be dealt with. Glad to hear you are coping better with it.
Heya ...some days I think I'm. Coping better and then other days are really horrid ...bit I guess this is a long journey and it's all still very new to me . But it's define try easier to cope with on the whole then the first 4 months when I really felt life was over ...although life is far from normal how I feel now is bearable until I get my ablation which I'm hoping will be Christmas time ...but depending on covid numbers in hospitals here
Ann I have messaged you several times. Please pm me.
Knowledge is power. The more you learn about our condition, the stronger we become and able to cope ... it still really upsets me when I have an occurrence; however, they last only perhaps one-half of an hour to one hour and then it just goes away. Diet is the most important facet to controlling my afib. Healthy eating, zero alcohol, exercise, lots of water ... very boring, lots of supplements such as magnesium taurine (sp?), etc.
I totally empathise! I developed AF during the appalling floods of 2019 due to worry (river runs through our property) and then Wham - global pandemic! I was depressed and terrified by turn. At one point I said to my husband "I've been sentenced to a living death". It does sound a bit drama queen looking back but it's how I felt. As others have said, the anxiety ABOUT the condition is almost worse than having it because we never know for sure when it's going to happen. We feel that life as we know it has stopped. And in a way it has, but not ended. Just changed.
Gradually I armed myself with knowledge about the condition and ways of managing attacks. I changed my meds after spending money on a good EP, adjusted my diet and began to walk 30-40 minutes every day. I cut down on my workload and began to take a long look.st myself and how I respond to and manage stress. That's ongoing.
There is life after AF and as a matter of fact in can be good. You're still here and the sun still shines, a cuppa tastes the same, you can walk barefoot in the grass...I could go on but you get the picture. Take pleasure in small things - really savour them - it helps.
And we're here too - this forum is a life saver.
Thank you sing well for those words ....this forum has been a lifesaver.for.me like many others ...and yes I savour every moment of nor being in afib. ...I have a lot of stress in my life and I'm. Learning to deal with in different ways now ...and not such a hothead anymore ! A calmer approach ! Today is a beautiful say here in Essex and at rhe moment I have no afib and I intend to enjoy every minute ...keeping it in the day ...tomorrow will be what it will be
No.
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Getting the Rhythm (the low down on AFib)
