cured ! lol

[swansong75]

Hi all. Apologies as I dont post much but do get some great info from the group. Just wanted to share something to see if it helps anyone and see if anyone has had similar experience. Ive just come out of 17 days continual afib and this is the fourth episode ive had in 4 years. They all last over 10 days and Ive just realised that they stop as soon as I take a brisk walk ! I walked 3 mile yesterday at a steady pace of around 3.5 mph and when I got home I was back in normal rythym. Checked my diaries to find that this was the case in my previous 3 episodes. Cant believe I didnt notice this trend. Maybe it might work for someone else, good luck everyone .

[jeanjeannie50]

That's interesting swansong75. I've often wondered whether the constant thump of feet hitting the ground could put us back into sinus rhythm. Was your walk on the flat, hilly or perhaps both?

Jean

[swansong75 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

It was fairly flat but a couple of moderate climbs. Could be the relaxation of getting out and forgetting about the heart for an hour too!

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to swansong75]

Right we'll all be trying that from now on. I once arranged to meet a friend for a long walk and annoyingly an AF attack struck early that morning. I still went to where we were going to meet and thought when I got there I'd have to apologise and say I couldn't do it, but no, I went on the very hilly coastal walk and forgot all about my AF it just disappeared.

Jean

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to swansong75]

I think it's healing being out in the countryside.

[BobD Volunteer]

Lucky for you. I used to think years ago when I first had AF that if I raised my heart rate by frantic exercise to the point it was already at then when I slowed down it would return to normal.

[Vince1001]

Thanks swansong75, that echos my own observations. My Afib is adrenergic caused by anxiety/stress that can be converted to NSR if I walk along a 1/2 mile stretch of road up a slight incline. In general, I get an episode every week and this method has about an 80% success rate in conversion.

[ThinLizzy1]

Driving on long journeys would often drop mine into normal rhythm I wonder if it’s a taking your mind off it thing

[secondtry]

Brilliant that you have identified that solution. I walk briskly early morning and afternoon every day on a track with ponds, fauna & flora. Total distance 2 miles. I do this not to stop AF (as in remission for many years) but to hopefully stop it coming back. The best bit is that it has no known side effects (except trainers don't last long 🤑) and helps more than just AF if you add on other exercises into the routine e.g. long distance focus for the eyes after too much computer screen & breathing just through your nose.

[Singwell]

Sounds like a plan Interested to know what rates when you start out with the AF. I might try this though mine usually come early evening. Sometimes before sometimes after supper.

[KMRobbo]

A few months after being diagnosed Afib, and on my third afib attack , I decided to go running to see if it would stop my afib and 8 to 10 mins of running did put me back to NSR. This was my way to get out of afib for 18 months . Unfortunately on the 13th episode it stopped working as my AFib had progressed, and I was in high rate AFIB for 8 days until being cardioverted by flecainide infusion. Good while it lasted. A PVI cryoablation stopped the AFib for the last 4 years.

[Slidingdoors99]

Great advice and we’ll worth a try! Thank you! 🤙

[JaneFinn]

Interesting thought, swansong, thank you I’m so glad if you’ve found something that works for you!

Do you know how fast your AF heart rate goes? I‘m just wondering if there’s a maximum heart rate where a brisk walk is wise to do... I usually struggle going from chair to bathroom in fast AF- but I do try to walk round the house/backyard in an attempt to distract my heart back into rhythm! Jx

[swansong75 in reply to JaneFinn]

Hi,it's so erratic at first between 60 and 160 so I usually take an extra 2.5 mg of bisoprolol and this slows it after a few hours. After 4 or 5 days it slows nicely with bursts of rapid beats and missed beats and to be honest it doesn't stop me carrying out my normal life and routines.

[Tomred]

sorry to put a buffer on this ,but looking at my diary of episodes this past 4 walks ive had put me into afib , but maybe if id have continued walking a while longer it may have taken me out of it.

[swansong75 in reply to Tomred]

One thing about afib, everyone has different experiences mate 😄

[Tomred in reply to swansong75]

yeah i know, glad you are having success

[splashrollandplod]

Interesting and I have heard of this before. In contrast I have (‘had’, fingers crossed) exercise induced AF - first 10 episodes all triggered by running/cycling. I managed it for a while by keeping my HR down to 220-age whist exercising but it progressed. I am now 6 months since ablation and AF appears to have gone, ectopics rare but am still only doing moderate exercise. I plan gradually increasing intensity and duration and using Kardia 6L to see what impact is. So maybe for some it’s exercise induced and for others exercise stops it. Maybe all to do with the Vagus nerve - does it give the brain a bum steer on HR requirement? Or is it Adrenalin or something? Can the feedback/steer be moderated or one day programmed? Can blockers be used to control?

Chaos theory is reigning in my head.

On exercise I think its probable that optimum is brisk walking plus something like 2 x 10 minutes of flat out intensity a week. But where’s the fun in that, we are tempted by a) couch potato or b) self delusional competitive sport.

[ETHEL103]

That's brilliant but doesn't work for me unfortunately.

[Gertsen]

It used to work for me. Now it does sometimes but not others.

[dedeottie]

After 15 years of trying everything suggested to either stop me going into AF or to stop while I’m in it I have concluded that simply being alive puts me in AF! I have tried and sustained all lifestyle changes. BMI 21 , blood pressure is on low side, don’t smoke or drink and my diet is mostly healthy and fairly plant based. I am currently in AF at 100 bpm and have been for the last 12 hours. My last episode was 5 days ago. Currently on a 6 month waiting list for a second ablation this time under GA. I’m just hoping that I get it before my AF has got too bad for it to work. Keep trying techniques though folks, just because they havnt worked for me doesn’t mean they won’t for you. X

[dedeottie in reply to dedeottie]

Sorry It should have read 140 bpm