I was just recently diagnosed with AFIB. I went to lay down and the heart just started banging in my chest like a bunch of marbles let loose. Went to the emergency room and after a cardioversion and 30 hours of monitoring the cardiologist released me. This came totally out of the blue....I am slim, extremely active, and follow a pescatarian diet (have for 10+ years). The only issue I had before this was slightly high blood pressure. Even my family doctor doesn't understand how this happened. On a side note heart issues run on both sides of my family.
I am now on Amiodarone (200mg once daily) and Eliquis (5mg twice daily). I still feel the heart skipping a few times every few days. I am stressed now about this. I am 62 and concerned that this will become progressively worse. I have read the other threads but still wonder if there is some light at the end of this tunnel. I am planning to retire next year and move to a warmer, sunnier climate hoping that will help my condition and mood. Any suggestions on combating the stress? I am seeing my cardiologist again in 3 weeks.
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EllaHill62
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Hi Ella & welcome. We were all in your place at some time so we do understand that this can be a difficult condition to adjust to.
Manage Anxiety is the biggest challenge and these are the most successful strategies:-
Breath work - LSD breathing = Long Slow Deep as over breathing or shallow breathing will exacerbate anxiety & AF.
Any strategy such as Yoga, Mindfulness, Tai Chi , Meditation or even Pilates which has breath work at it’s focus.
CBT = Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - challenges the ‘worry’ thoughts - plenty online but best to see a qualified practitioner. It’s short term & very specific - not long term therapy.
EFT or Tapping - ditto to above
Singing, chanting.
Distraction- I found Audio books excellent distraction - especially going to sleep at night as I had Titinus where I could hear my rapid, irregular HR which stressed me so that helped sleep a lot. PS get the most boring book possible.
Information - inform yourself as knowledge is potential power. Start with visiting the AFA website and read, read, read AND/OR sign up for AFA Virtual Patient Day.
Sure others will jump in but know I’ve had AF since 2007 - still here! Many others have lived with this condition, including some very eminent cardiologists, politicians, elite athletes & sporting stars - all have adapted, some have had successful treatments to banish AF - I won’t use the word ‘cure’.
Hello Ella and welcome to the forum. Most of us have been where you are now so hopefully, you will get a lot of help and support to assist you in coming to terms with your new and unwelcome condition. Firstly, most of us are not medically trained so we cannot advise on medication or treatment but that doesn’t prevent from sharing experiences which ought to help at this early stage of a journey you would rather not take. Being a super sleuth, 😉 I’m guessing you are from the States so your medical system is very different to the UK. This is only meant as an observation but from what we hear, treatment for those with good insurance cover tends to be significantly quicker than it is here in the UK for those of us who use the NHS. Generally that can be a good thing as long as you don’t get railroaded into a treatment plan that you are not entirely comfortable with.
Regarding your family doctor (we call them GP’s) apparent surprise, that in itself is a bit surprising unless of course he is unaware, but if AF exists with close family members, it’s not unusual for it to be passed on. If this applies to you then this might explain why you have it. High blood pressure is a known cause together with involvement with extreme sports but from what you say, your lifestyle seem text book stuff so maybe you just need to blame the family😉😳😉. Could also be useful to have your thyroid function checked too as this can cause AF and it should be checked anyway if you are on amiodarone for very long.
I’m assuming that your cardioversion was successful and with the help of amiodarone, you are now in normal sinus rhythm ie your heart is beating regularly and fairly normally. You refer to missed beats which are not unusual. Everyone has these, but once diagnosed, most of us become more sensitive to any changes in heart beat. If you are in normal rhythm, it’s likely that your cardiologist will discuss having an ablation which tends to be the normal route taken after a successful cardioversion. As mentioned, this process tends to be quicker in the States than here and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Most specialists (on both sides of the pond) tend to agree that ablation treatment is more successful the earlier it is carried out but you need to do your own research to make sure you are comfortable with this treatment. To help you, click on the following link and find out as much as you can so that you can have an informed discussion with your Cardiologist in 3 weeks. Hope this helps……
Hi Ella, my thoughts re stress. Maybe get your AF stabilised (i.e. no more episodes) before the stress of retiring (such a change can be stressful) & moving (definitely stressful). For anxiety, I found slower business & steady lifestyle changes good and don't ignore what works for you on the spiritual side; for me that was God & Nature.
Lots of homework to do ☹️ but I have been essentially AF free for 8 yrs 😀.
Unfortunately, the condition can become progressively worse, but there is no way to predict the rate this will occur. AF becomes increasingly prevalent the older you get but properly managed it isn't life-threatening. The best that can be done imo is to try to slow it down and keep the heart as healthy as possible to avoid secondary complications. If you are newly diagnosed there will inevitably be a lot of trail and error involved initially. It's important to find a really good cardiologist and GP to work with. I recommend a book called The Afib Cure which is published in the US. It isn't a "cure" (there isn't one), but it gives a lot of very good advice. It's written by a cardiologist. If you are lucky you may be able to put the condition into remission or slow it down.
Welcome to the Forum ! It can often be a daunting experience to receive news of a new health condition, I am sure there are many questions you would like to ask? If you need any supportive advice our patient services team will be happy to help : info@afa.org.uk or visit our website heartrhythmalliance.org/afa.... Tracy
Check the side effects of your medication. If I'm not mistaken, a rapid heart rate is one of the side effects listed for Amiodaron. Speak to your doctor about making a change. I was given meds to fight high cholesterol that caused my heart to bang like it was going to jump out of my chest. I changed meds and it stopped. May not be causing your problem but may be worth looking into. Hope you improve. Heart trouble is very scary.
Hi EllaHill62 - I was diagnosed with Afib last October and had to come to terms with being on Bisoprolol probably for the rest of my life. My Cardiologist was both relaxed and empathetic and helped me with my initial worries. Afib seems to be caused by any number of issues. I found Caffeine an issue but the big issue appears to be stress. I had a difficult (but very sweet) Mother in law, daughter (recently through a divorce) and ran my own business. My Mother in law passed away last year, my daughter is in a much better relationship and I've retired - stress levels dramatically reduced! I've always kept fit but in addition I now do Yoga and Mindfulness (also have found some success with Magnesium supplements). I don't appear to have had a major episode with the racing heart (170 bpm)for a while and the random (ectopic) beats have certainly improved. So.....it's not the end of the road by any means. I would recommend simply trying to find any triggers and would certainly take up You/Mindfulness - anything to help your body 'chill' a bit! This might not work for you but it seems to have done so for me!
Thanks so much. My cardiologist (who has been great) said my problem was probably triggered thru stress, low potassium and dehydration (!). The meds have given me some indigestion, which I'm trying to control with diet. I have increased my water intake and added bananas to my diet (I hate them!). I've had several stress issues (2 pets died within 10 months, my boss died of a stroke earlier this year, a close friend was diagnosed with cancer, work is becoming more difficult and unpredictable) so I am looking forward to retirement in 8 months. Everyone on the forum has been very helpful and I will be using this forum to help me navigate this new "frontier". Thanks and good luck to you.
Yes, we have been there. It might not be your style, but I found that knowledge about AF was the key to not being so anxious. Read all you can on here, then come back tomorrow for more. Eventually, you should find 1) It won't kill you (at least not directly - don't go mountaineering though!). 2) You can cope with it. 3) There are both medication and surgical (ablation) options. 4) There is no certain cure. 5) In my opinion, there are no triggers or base causes to be worth looking for.
Good luck with your journey, and remember that there are many very elderly people who have had this for many, many years and then die of something else.
Thanks momist. Unfortunately, I love to hike, especially in the Rockies and Saguaro National Forest and have climbed mountains in both. My cardiologist has politely (but strongly) hinted that I should not longer do this, but hiking on flat or hilly terrain is fine. Sigh....
Hiking is fine, but climbing could become a disaster very quickly if you went into AF half way up a rock face and lost both strength and concentration. I had to give up sailing my one man dinghy for a similar reason. I never was one for racing round the buoys with a rescue boat to hand, but rather playing with the waves and going places solo. I have had a few scares, even without AF to contend with. The thought of not being able to rescue myself now terrifies me.
Hi , if you’re low in potassium, 100% coconut water has 500 mg of potassium per glass as well as magnesium. It’s great and also good for dehydration. You can get it at any supermarket. (Well, that is in Australia). I have a couple of glasses a day and it has really helped my a fib.
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