AFib and recent CHF

[GoPokes]

65 year male. Healthy. Run, strength training and play golf twice a week. Father had AFib diagnosed at 58. Died cardiac arrest at 62. Developed AFib about 18 months ago. On Eliquios & Diltiazem. Bad dry cough since Nov. Last few weeks shortness of breath developed Orthopnea. Trouble sleeping. Ankles swelling so into ER on 2/6/22. Had CHF. Ejection fraction down to 20%. Tried converting four times. Back home now. Off Diltiazem, on Amiodarone, Digoxin & Metoprolol plus Lasix. Planned ablation 3/2/22. Hopefully will get back to sleeping better & running again soon!

[Bingofox007]

Hi. Hopefully with your healthy body and attitude you’ll soon be back pounding the pavements. Rest up for now, let the pills have a chance and start slowly. You know all this. You sound well informed of your condition, I think that may be the case in the US, it can be a bit pot luck as to what info you get in UK. Just saying hello and this is a great support site. Welcome. Take care xx

[Bingofox007]

PS love the one flew over the cuckoos nest pic. X

[GoPokes in reply to Bingofox007]

Thanks for your uplifting reply. Still issues sleeping. Why I’m replying at 2:00 am. Not sure if meds, AFib or both.

[Desanthony]

The AFib can cause the breathlessness and trouble sleeping - it did for me at first. Eventually I found I couldn't take any beta blockers or calcium channel blockers as they made this worse. Hopefully once you have your ablation and are back in Normal Sinus Rhythm (NSR) these will go away. You could have sleep apnea but again this is not uncommon with AFib. If this does not go away then it may be worth consulting at a sleep clinic. If you are breathless laying down and waking up in the night because of breathlessness prop your head up and you may find it worth trying the nasal strips to hold your nasal passages open over night - they don't look very nice but they do help. Put your feet up when sitting in your chair to help fluid drain from your legs and never stand up for too long but move around. As for exercise do carry on but take it easy doing resistance exercises just a few at a time a few times a day - a little and often is best for everything. If you have to sit or stand for long periods at work move around a little whenever you can it's best not to stay sat or standing for too long without walking around.

All the best with your ablation. Not long to wait.

[GoPokes in reply to Desanthony]

Thanks for the great advice. Home Saturday afternoon. Actually had good nights sleep last night. Did wake around 4, sat in chair but fell back asleep (which was not happening before) and the back to bed and sleep. Energy today, just went on walk slight intermittent jog with LifeVest on! Also, finally got CPAP today and fitted. Will try tonight first time. Hopefully, the ablation will put me back in NSR as you say. My how things have changed for me in the last 2 weeks!

[etheral]

Hi,Sorry to hear about your difficulties. I was In a similar situation.When I went into a fib my EF dropped to low 20s andI went into severe CHF. Ultimately this was my resolved by Tikosyn. IF this drug works for you,an ablation and the possibility of further ablation might not be necessary. You could also stop the potentially dangerous Amioderone. Ask your EP about it Best, etheral

[GoPokes in reply to etheral]

Thanks so much for the information. I’ll get with my cardiologist on Tikosyn.

[Wanderer22]

Hi

I assume you have had an echocardiagram. I was a super keen cyclist and developed AFIB primarily through that. My heart increased in size and i was “fit”. i reduced the cycling and my heart returned to normal size and my afib almost stopped. I now cycle an electric bike ( so some cardio but heart not growing) and i strength train.for me, it keeps the afib at bay. Worth looking at exercise induced afib.

[Ppiman]

It's been a worrying time for you so let’s hope the ablation does its magic. Poor sleep and arrhythmia go hand in hand. Have you been checked for sleep apnoea? My very fit and healthy-looking friend has that and now relies on his C-PAP machine. A simple little device that helps you relax is the Dodow from France. It's not magic but is truly well worth trying as it's inexpensive enough.

Steve

[JudyMarieC in reply to Ppiman]

I've been thinking of ordering the Dodow. Do you use it?

[Ppiman in reply to JudyMarieC]

I only bought it two weeks ago and so far I’m impressed although I’ve only needed it a couple of times.

It does very little but shine a pulsing blue light at the ceiling to which you harmonise your breathing. It certainly is relaxing and after the eight or twenty minutes (two settings), I felt very sleepy. For the price, it’s worth trying, I reckon.

Steve

[JudyMarieC in reply to Ppiman]

Thank you for replying! I'm going to give it a try since I wake up almost every night and sometimes it takes an hour or 2 to get back to sleep.

[Ppiman in reply to JudyMarieC]

You have my sympathies. My wife has occasional nights like that and the next day she looks and feels utterly ragged.

I have terrible insomnia, made worse by visits to the loo these days, sadly. I tend to get off to sleep okay, but then I wake after say two hours. Often, I can get off again quickly at that point but the next wake up at, say, 3.30 or so, I’m stuck. At that point, I tend to take half a zolpidem tablet if all else fails.

The Dodow appealed to me and I think it might turn out to be the best thing I’ve tried over the years (apart from zolpidem!), although I am wondering after a few goes whether simply repeating a phrase as I breathe in and out might do the trick (such as “deeeep” [inhale] sleeeep [exhale]), i.e. without the help of the device. Before I bought it, doing that did help to stop the inner conversations I get from starting up - always about random stuff or worries, even about saying repeated phrases to help get to sleep!

Steve

[GoPokes in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks for the reply. Best of luck on insomnia. I’m going to look into Dodow.

[JudyMarieC in reply to Ppiman]

Yes, the dreaded "inner conversations" are very familiar to me. Good advice about repeating a phrase.

[GoPokes]

Will do. Great advice.

[blulla1]

This guy is also a runner. See if this makes sense for you. carrafibdietinfo.com/

[GoPokes in reply to blulla1]

Thanks. Will check this out.

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi OH NO ..put you on Metoprolol - ghastly drug. Makes one tired and breathless . still on reducing meds. Changed to Bisoprolol which is better for AF patients.

Finally arrived a balance

Diltiazem. 120mg am and 2.5 Bisoprolol at night.

ECG today at rest 123/70 hbs = 77

Great. being assessed for operation for surgical mesh removal on 3rd March 2022.

I have persistent was rapid AF. Reason Thyroid cancer diagnosed 3 days after stroke and AF diagnosed. Carotid Arteries perfect and clear.

Stroke Embollism a type of Ischaemic type Stroke.

Sounds like the concoction of meds is enormous.

Reduce the diltiazem. as 1st intro at 180mg was too high. Also taking Bisoprolol at night better.

chers JOY

[GoPokes in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

Thanks for your reply! Really appreciate. I will ask my cardio about Metoprolol. On it just a few days now but so far, so good.

[drdubb]

I learned I had AFIB at 64. I had an ablation within 9 months and a second one a year later. I take Eliquis and a tiny dose of metoprolol to prevent flutter. I have flecainide as needed. I suggest being aggressive with the ablation. Save the drugs for later in the progression. I also pushed for a CPAP machine. I only had 1 or 2 episodes a night, but I would snore and wake myself. The CPAP really helps with sleep.

[Rubymurray25]

Please do not underestimate Sleep Apnoea, mine was missed for years ( I'm normal weight ) and was the cause of my AF and associated issues according to my current EP. A simple enough test and the CPAP I was put on has saved and changed my life.

[GoPokes in reply to Rubymurray25]

Thanks. Agree. Finally got CPAP and wearing tonight first time. Will take some getting use to but can tell it will help.

[Rubymurray25 in reply to GoPokes]

I was started on nose cushions and then told I needed a full mask as I was a mouth breather. Whilst I appreciate we are all different I couldn't get on the mask so I got a chinstrap ( tried 5 difference ones ) and then was able to use the nose cushions and after 4 weeks was purring like a baby. Good luck.

[GoPokes]

Update: on CPAP last week and sleeping a bit better except awake now at 4:00 am. Seem to be tolerating Amioderone 200 mg and Metoprolol ER succinate 25mg, the two drugs have read most negative comments about on this forum. Still nagging non-productive cough since mid-November’21. I feel if I could get this under control it would help sleeping, fatigue, etc. Ablation scheduled Mar. 3. Still researching pros/cons. Did have friend in Houston that caused shortness of breath and specialist there back to open up ablated areas. This is very rare but did happen to her. Any feedback welcome on ablation. Was it worth it to you? Did your procedure help with AF symptoms, shortness of breath, cough, etc. we’re you able to go off heart meds after the procedure?

Thanks

[Avatel]

Hi GopokesWhy do some people with AF run so much? Its almost as if your pushing your body to its limits for no good reason. I had a couple of nasty AF attacks in 2020. I gave up the booze, completely de stressed, changed evething in my life except for diet as i was always a picky eater. And my AF has gone away. Im on a low dose sotalol which i am also cutting down on. I keep fit by just walking and doing light chores. I am fit and always have been, but i would never run as i think this can cause AF. I would be interested in other peoples point of view.

Anyhow best of luck

[GoPokes]

I have run (jogged) long before developed AF. I like many enjoy running very much. I walk too and do l house chores but running is great cardio vascular exercise for the heart and clears the mind, at least does for me. I don’t run long distances, about 1-2 miles now.

To your point of running causing AF I have never heard this before. My cardiologist encourages but I can’t as much now due to recent CHF. My dad never ran and developed AF late 5Os, died sudden cardiac arrest at 62.