So there I was thinking the lifestyle changes I’ve been making since my last AF episode in June are paying off, as I’ve not had an episode since and then….. bang, everything kicked off just after midnight today and here I am, over 16 hours later with it still going on😡
I’ve tried breathing exercises, cold water, both on me and in me, going for a walk, valsava manoeuvres… The cat even tried to help by ambushing me on the way back from my walk - normally that scares the life out of me as I’m usually miles away thinking about other things and so would have been useful but, of course, today I saw her coming!🙄 At least the bisoprolol is keeping the rate from getting as crazily high as it has previously but it’s not much help in getting things back in rhythm!
Never mind, onwards and upwards as they say. I hope my fellow forum members have had a better day!
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Threecats
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'Been there done that' Threecats... , on occasions like that I am consoled by the fact so far the AF beast has gone away just as it came. Maybe you can sleep it off, that sometimes works for me..
But you have been free of AF since June! That to me is a positive, you (and all of us) will have set-backs. I would like to encourage you to maintain your "assault" on not succumbing to this gutter-level condition.
Not better today. I was doing OK 'til about 5 hours ago, then it started up with tachycardia about 135. It usually lasts 2 hours or less, but it's still going now. At least it's down to 77, but wildly arrhythmic. My ablation was 3-1/2 years ago, and I've been getting episodes about once a month most of the time since then. So this isn't unusual, except that it's usually not tachycardia, just arrhythmia. Hoping it will convert soon.
Hard not to feel indignant sometimes isn't it? And 16 hours is a long haul. AF free June to November sounds good to me! Whatever you're doing, keep it up.
Ha ha, you're right there Singwell, particularly after cutting some of my favourite things out of my diet, too - I'd kill for a cup of proper tea😀Never mind, it could be a lot worse!
Take heart 💓. You might find you can slowly reintroduce some of your favourite foods. I can drink two teas a day with no harm. Don't drink caffeinated coffee though and no alcohol now for over a year. 🎈
I was just talking about my tea! I had made it to a month and was thinking of having a caffeinated cup Sunday morning until AF visited Saturday night. 😠 🤣My sister just told me Barry’s makes a decent decaf 🤞
Oh, I'm sorry about that Ablation7, the disappointment!! No Barry's round here but I have found a real decaf coffee that passes muster and for which they use Co2 rather than chemicals to strip out the caffeine. I still dream about a proper cup of tea though 😂
I’ve tried endless brands of decaffeinated tea & coffee: Grumpy Mule decaf coffee (decaffeinated without using chemicals) is indistinguishable from caffeinated coffee. Tetley decaffeinated tea is almost as good as the real thing. Just in case anyone is interested Big Drop Pine Trail Pale Ale is alcohol & gluten free and tastes absolutely superb. But alcohol free wine is all undrinkable - I’d rather have nice grape juice.
Thanks Sings , liking the sound of Grumpy Mule, that will suit me well first thing in the morning, I reckon 😀 Mind you, the Pale Ale sounds even better....although maybe not first thing in the morning😂
Thank you Carolx, yes, I must say I do feel pretty drained today and you're right about the headache too! I'm sorry to hear you've had them lifelong, that must be tough for you. Whether they're short episodes or not, they're still challenging to deal with.
You're right there Barb, although I'd been redecorating my hall this past week and pushing myself to get it done, even though I was feeling tired, so I think that didn't help. As soon as I finished, off it went!
Hmm. Yes, I managed eight months without a session once, and then it started again. And then it carries on at intervals for quite a while, and eventually settles down again. I hope yours stops very soon, and doesn't then follow my (lack of) pattern.
Thanks for sharing that momist. What a blissful 8 months that must have been! This AF business is a strange one, for sure. That is the thing I find so hard to get my head around to be honest, the seemingly random nature of episodes.
Thanks for the tip, Megams, I did try chilled water from the fridge but didn't think of ice cubes - have now got some ready in the freezer for next time.... although hoping I won't need them!
Hi Megams I find the cold water helps some times, I tried it again last night and although it didn't terminate the episode which went on all night my HR went down a bit and I was able to sleep. I gulp the water down as fast as I can . I was so relieved the episode only lasted 12 hours and not the 20 I have had of late.
At least you have been free nearly 5 months! Mine kicked off again on Friday after only 7 1/2 weeks which seems to be the average now since the beginning of last year. I had to wait till I converted in my sleep so not sure how long I was in afib. Hope you are feeling better. I always feel wiped out the day after and even today am not feeling like doing much.
I'm sorry to hear that Auriculaire, what a pain for you. I am feeling better, thank you, although, like you, feeling knocked out today. I hope you're feeling better soon, too.
"It kicked off just after midnight". Not sure if you are on Bisopropol but when I took it I could set my watch to plus minus 2.00 am. And my episodes were twice a week and lasting between 24 and 36 hours. AF is complex. After many years I still don't fully understand parts of it. But stay positive and good luck going forward.
Thanks Magson, that does touch on a concern I have, I must say. I had my second telephone consultation with the EP a couple of weeks back and he recommended I start Bisoprolol daily, 1.25mg, rather than just using it as a PiP because of my high heart rate during episodes. I did raise the point that, as my episodes have only ever started in the small hours of the night they're presumably vagal in nature, so would it still be ok to take Bisoprolol. He was rather dismissive and said it's all AF but I'm not so sure and your experience seems to back that up. May I ask what, if anything, you take instead of Bisoprolol?
I dropped B in 2017 and was offered an ablation in late 2018. I was taking 1.25 mg but the side effects were awful. Many folks tolerate it and that's fine. Now I have a much improved quality of life and still take Rivoraxoban daily.
It depends on the reason you have AF I suspect, as to whether diet changes help. Nothing helped mine. I changed my diet considerably, exercised loads and lost a lot of weight. It still came to visit. It's now permanent. So I went from slim and fit, to a bit fatter and less fit, to very slim and fit and now (thanks to menopause and hypothyroidism) very fat and totally unfit and my AF just does it's own thing. Personally I think for me the hypothyroid link is huge. And so far NHS pathetic attempts to treat me have failed completely. I'm now trying self-treating with a private endo. It's a long and slow process, but I'm not giving up.
Permanent AF is much easier to live with, so I don't even think about it very often. The hypothyroidism has destroyed my life and I think and learn about that all the time. NHS really hasn't got a clue I'm afraid, if you don't respond to their one medication and one idea for dosing.
I’m sorry to hear about your difficulties, Fancy. It sounds like you’ve had a tough time but I’m pleased to hear you’re not giving up! Good luck to you on your journey.
Good to hear you are back in NSR. Finding the right lifestyle changes for you sometimes is quick sometimes not so, think in terms of years not months for them as a collective to prove themselves. Don't give up on them yet!
Thank you for the encouragement, Secondtry. The thought of an ablation (or several as the EP said would probably be needed) just doesn't appeal to me at all, so that's motivation enough to keep me plugging away!
well same here, no AF for 6mths but on my birthday the other day apparently my gift to myself was an episode of AF Thankfully I spent the day enjoying visits with family members coming over (of course didn't mention it to them) and my episode was relatively mild and by 4pm was back in normal rhythm. I did take a beta blocker and several doses of Calm magnesium and most importantly, did some special breath work that I really believe helps get my back into rhythm.
Oh no, what a birthday present, brit1! I’m glad you were able to “keep calm and carry on” as Bob said😊 I would be very interested in hearing about your special breath work technique if you wouldn’t mind telling me more? Always keen to find out how others deal with episodes, as I’m still quite new to this particular party!Anyway belated birthday wishes to you!
I do the Dr Andrew Weil breathing which is inhale for count of 4/ hold for count of 7 and exhale for count of 8 which is not easy to start with but you can gradually accomplish it, he is on youtube. Strangely, if I call a friend and talk for awhile I have also found it to put me back in rhythm or at least slow my heart I don't usually mention that I am in AF and sometimes I am lucky that someone happens to call me As mentioned I do take 25mg metoprolol at onset and I take the Calm magnesium powder several times during the episode (I do take magnesium glycinate or taurate twice a day regularly). I also use Hawthorn herb which is great for the heart and strengthens it so I take that every day (I take a tsp of tincture in glass of water). I eat a plant based diet high in vegetables and fruit so I get plenty of potassium daily and I stay slim. I take a long brisk walk daily to keep my heart in good shape which I feel helps it cope with episodes of fast rate. I am 83yo and other than low thyroid and this stupid AF am in good health. In fact it was because a stupid dr overdosed my thyroid meds 11yrs ago which sent me into hyperthyroid and the ER that I get AF
Thank you for sharing all that, Brit1, it's much appreciated. As I said earlier, I'm still at the beginning of the AF learning curve, so really interested in hearing how others deal with this challenging condition. Your attitude and regime is an inspiration!
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, on occasions like that I am consoled by the fact so far the AF beast has gone away just as it came. Maybe you can sleep it off, that sometimes works for me..
Thankfully I spent the day enjoying visits with family members coming over (of course didn't mention it to them) and my episode was relatively mild and by 4pm was back in normal rhythm. I did take a beta blocker and several doses of Calm magnesium and most importantly, did some special breath work that I really believe helps get my back into rhythm. 
AF and tiredness - is this normal?
Flecainide Journey Continued...
Advice wanted
