I have been having AF off and on for the last three years. Over this last year it has increased in frequency. I am having it at least once a week, it usually lasts between 2 to 4 hours.I usually auto convert on my own, thank god.I have an iwatch which has been really helpful in keeping tabs on my EKG and heart rate.
It’s been amazing to me how low my resting heart rate is 43-65 sleeping or just sitting in a chair. No wonder I feel dizzy and tired. Recently I’ve been exercising everyday to get my pulse up which has helped. Currently, I’m taking no medications only PIP Cardizem 30mg
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400mmGirl
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Hi 400mmGirl,I would recommend you speak to your GP and ask to be referred to an Electrophysicst.
Researching and informing yourself on Bradycardia (slow heart rate) and other heart rhythms may help you make a list of your personal experience(s), as I know, when I first was referred, I had not thought the health issues I was experiencing may be connected with my heart. I hope this helps. In my case my slowing heart rate was the eventual causing of AF and I fluctuated between Bradycardia and AF. I now have a Pacemaker.
My heart feels all over the place, but very faintly. Have even been in an EP appointment and had to explain to him I was in AF. Where upon he grabbed my wrist and had to agree!!
How do you know you are in full AF when your heart rate is only 75
My resting heart was particularly low. Regularly clocked in the low to mid 30's the lowest I've seen it was 31 and that's awake watching the telly. Have had an ablation 7 weeks ago for afib and resting heart rate is now around 60. It was at 32 when I lay on the operating table before the procedure.
Funny thing is I feel worse now at 60 than i ever did in the low 30's. 🤷♂️
I have similar HR range and have found by trial and error what works for me. I feel much better if I am active (no pushing myself too far) so I go to bed tired but not dead tired. It is a balancing act to find that happy medium of feeling well from the exercise but not making yourself too tired later that my HR drops too far in the evening/ night giving AF a chance to kick in.
My heart rate is approx 45-50 in the day and drops to 37-39 at night. I’ve always had a low heart rate as I used to be a runner but it has dropped more since I’ve been on bisoprolol, I’m on lowest dose due to my low heart rate and I’m having an ablation on Friday which hopefully will help with this and the AFib
I think it's about finding what is right for you and that isn't easy. Being fairly fit when the AF started I had a low heart rate which escalated, it now drops to around 37 at night. I had an ablation for the PAF in 2019 which gave me back my life but I do still suffer extreme fatigue now and then, although the ablation has stopped the dizziness and shortness of breath. I was on Bisoprolol and changed to Metoprolol which has helped and take only half in the morning and half evening to spread the dose. It's a bit of a catch 22 situation..sometimes I feel so tired I can't do much but have found if I don't exercise it's worse. I have tried to take out any stress from my life and find yoga helps especially breathing techniques.
Thank you for your response. I’ve also taken away a lot of my stress too, have started lifting weights for about 2 weeks, stopped drinking wine 🍷 for 2 weeks which I’m going to continue in the future. All this has made me feel less exhausted. But still having A-Fib at least once a week 😞
I was just putting the PAF down to hormones in the beginning but it steadily got worse. I would definitely get specialist advice as I understand the earlier the treatment the more effective it is. Amiodarone was the only drug that seemed to control my PAF before the ablation. Good luck and hope you get it sorted, this forum is great for a bit reassurance and advice.
Hi, if your Cardizem is the extended release kind (or even if not after 2 hours) it will keep your heart rate lower after you revert. Although 30mg seems surprisingly small - I thought 60mg was as low as diltiazem could go. I take 180mg regularly.
Hi there, if your symptoms have changed and become more frequent, you should contact your doctor for advice. Please keep a note of how often, activities and long long the episodes last - the more history you have to present to them the better.
Thank you, I have been keeping track with my iwatch and I have an App called heartwatch it shows your pulse during your sleeping cycle and all through the day. I did talk to my doctors nurse yesterday and they increased my Cardizem which is PIP to 60 mg if I have an episode of a fib.
Hi.I have AF (although now 5 months post ablation and keeping fingers crossed) and have a low heart rate of low forties when sleeping or resting. My EP isn't concerned about it at all but it's probably a good idea to speak to your own Doctor/Cardiologist ( if possible) for reassurance if nothing else.
I’ve always had a low heart rate. It’s generally between 42 - 54. At night drops to 38 (from holter monitor reading 2 years ago). I feel fine and the cardiologists never seem concerned as long as I feel ok.
My afib episodes suddenly increased from every 3 or so months to every 7- 10 days and would take longer to revert to nsr. In between I could tell my heart wasn’t happy. I’m convinced it’s because every time I attended a&e they increased my bisoprolol prescription. I think it slowed my heart rate too much which triggered my afib. I’m now back on 1.2mg - down from 5mg - 9 weeks without an episode and my heart feels happier. 🤞
My cardiologist and GP reassured me about my low heart rate (because I felt fine with no symptoms prior to higher dose of bisoprolol) as it was a concern for me.
Hi, my night time hr is between 40 and 50. Daytime, 50-60. The rate has been lowered by medication as I have atrial tachycardia. If you’re worried then talk to the doctor.
I don't see that as remarkably low. My heart rate is the same (and I'm 72!). I would not worry about it. I agree with the suggestion that you see an EP.
I can’t believe how many people have such low HR’s and feel fine. Thank you all for making me feel less stressed about my low HR. I feel fine when I’m sitting in a chair or sleeping it’s just when that a fib kicks in 🥺
Before my dx My HR never got above 70 even exercising! I could walk for 20 minutes and on stopping for less than 5 mins it’d be 50 which for years was my resting HR. It often goes under that and on exercise now spikes into 100+ range. What are your AfIB symptoms as I can’t seem to explain mine clearly to the cardiac electrophysiologist who says I have paroxysmal AFIB but reckons the symptoms I describe aren’t!
I used to suffer with hypotension...my bp was 80 to 90 over 50-60...i used to pass out and was often dizzy...I think my heart rate has always been low...except when in AF
Same, that’s how I got dx, dizzy spells for a year, fainted twice (preceded by hours of palps/high HR) and yet rest of the time low HR/BP! I have “mild” mitral valve stenosis so they should have suspected AF but didn’t until I suggested was it POTs? Amazing they let you suffer for so long
Hahaha … 58 too. I have no faith in doctors anymore as they’ve lost the art of “listening” to patients’ symptoms. They need a machine to confirm dx! That can take years when you have intermittent aFIB!!
Went to emergency room, hr was would go 180 to 30s continuously all night. Morning comes, no change dr says we are discharging you. Nurse comes in a bit later and says don't go home. They've done nothing for you. I told them i refused to be discharged..I was admitted to hospital and for a week my hr went 180 -30's... finally it normalized and they practically threw me out. Ablation was scheduled within 3 weeks of discharge.
I have been having dreadful hot flushes which start in my chest spread up into my neck and arms . I am well past hot flush age so they had been worrying me. I never connected them with my AF because the episodes of AF I normally have involve chest pain and heart rates of between 100 and 180 and floor me. Am I becoming persistent with the AF I wonder. At least I now know what they are.
Hello 400mmGirl. You sound exactly the same as me. In fact I posted on here a few weeks ago asking how low my pulse rate should go before seeing a GP regarding the low rate. I was reassured on here that a resting rate during sleeping of 45 is not normally a problem. Whilst sitting reading it also goes down to 52-55. I also sometimes have a little “brain fog” but normally I’m ok with it. My AF is very similar to you normally around weekly for a couple of hours. I’m on Rivaroxiban 20mg I’m surprised you are not on a anticoagulant. I’m also on 10mg Amlodipine. Hope you are ok and staying safe best wishes
My cardiologist told me that there is a theory that states you only get a certain number of heart beats per lifetime so the slower your heart rate is, the better. My RHR is low 50s and can drop to mid 40s during the night. Neither my cardiologist nor my EP are concerned about this. It typically goes up to 70 to 80 when I take the dogs for a walk. If yours is slow but you feel OK, my advice is don't worry about it.
Hello, I'm another with a slow heart rate - been that way all my life. Even when I had Afib it didn't increase, just became very irregular. I'm now on Flecainide which seems to be controlling the Afib very well. Don't worry too much and welcome to the slow heart rate club!
Maybe your cardizem is too high a dose .... I do not understand "why" so many rush to get ablation. I was told I need ablation by a few doctors. After 2 years I am now fine. Had spine aligned and go regularly to chiro.
Changed diet to 90% veg.
Take Triple Calm Magnes. in AM and Mag Taurate in PM.
Small Hiatal Hernia that I have will cause palpitations if I over eat or move a certain way. But I can live with that rather than getting ablation.
I pray many do more research before rushing into ablation.
My heart tests are fine. And still a cardio wanted to do an ablation.
That’s awesome JoWilmer. Maybe I’ll try some of the Triple Calm Magnesium and Magnesium Taurate. Can you tell me what name brands of Magnesium you take?
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Does anyone have AF episodes with a heart rate less than 120 bpm?
medication to slow down heart rate whilst in AF
Low dose of bisoprolol has decreased my heart rate to 55 when in N.S.R. but now back in A.F. and heart rate high as ever.
