Am I losing my mind? Memory following... - Atrial Fibrillati...

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Am I losing my mind? Memory following cardioversion

Afibflipper profile image
31 Replies

Ok I spoke to a few of you a week ago - cardioversion a week ago but it only lasted 4 days and it’s tough again! However has anyone suffered memory issues following Cv, headaches, raised BP, fast heart rate but the memory!!!!!

Forget what topic I’m talking about mid sentence, can’t find the right words I want, trined to work out a simple sum today, took 2 minutes or so to put it all together and work it out

Anyone know what I’m talking about? 😆 not me

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Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper
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31 Replies
mjames1 profile image
mjames1

If you haven't already, to be on the safe side I would report your symptoms to your doctor.

I’m no doctor but as I understand it, the old ticker’s main function is to pump blood around the body which, in turn, feeds oxygen to the brain so I guess it’s quite likely that there will be the potential for memory loss for some folk with AF. This is why drinking copious amounts of water is so important as it helps to make up for the shortfall. I’m far to polite to mention age when talking to a lady, but at 75, my memory and ability to do mathematical calculations ain’t what it used to be either.☹️

Bearing in mind a CV just re-boots the heart which only takes seconds, I doubt that is the cause but the fact that it worked for 4 days may suggest that an ablation might be a good route forward for further treatment, when is your review?

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply to

Hi there thank you - I am also thinking I started Flecainide a week ago and have been dizzy - bad headaches but I came home with one before taking that - maybe 🤔 and 2years before 60 😆 Had 2 ablations already which were disasters but maybe they’ll suggest it and I have a different consultant now

Singwell profile image
Singwell in reply to Afibflipper

I've not had a cardioversion but I'm not surprised if you got a headache. The heart is stopped and restarted - it's got to be a big deal for your body. Flecainide also causes headaches and dizziness to begin with in my experience, but it should wear off as your body adapts. It's likely the Flecainide is also giving you a higher heart rate. But I agree you should report all these symptoms to your GP and the cardiology unit if appropriate.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

I’m afraid it’s a common symptom in our house. Trying to have a conversation with the 2 of us in a similar position is somewhat limited. And often they are everyday words. We both have issues but my husband is far worse now but we have good days and bad days and usually manage to get through.

Being on anticoagulants can help as it’s thought that we AFers have a tendency to throw off micro clots in the brain which can cause transitory memory issues but that to me doesn’t explain why it’s mainly words, although thinking about it, when I have brain fog, my decision making time and problem solving deteriorate massively.

There is quite a lot of research looking at this at the moment so lets hope we can get more information as to how to prevent/treat!

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply to CDreamer

Hello again, this has been at its worse this week very noticble, the bad headaches, dizziness but I came home on CV day with a headache prior to starting Flecainide that night. The dizziness is a side effect of it so maybe it’s that Just ending a 48hr ecg this morning so don’t know if I should just stop the flec as heart rate up anyway (typical always on a weekend 😆 thankyou as always

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply to Afibflipper

Worth watching your BP as well.

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply to CDreamer

Yes I’m doing that sometimes it’s up but like last night the headache was so bad I thought it had to be sky high - nope was fine but pulse was fastI don’t advise anyone to try this but I have no headache this morning and decided to not take flec this morning (like on the patient note it says “if you forget to take your dose” then if that lasts all day and I take tonight’s dose and I get bad again I think I’ll have found one link in the chain - thank you CD’

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

I get days when I do daft things. A few weeks ago I mowed my front lawn, then a few days later went to do the back (I've had my mower for a few years and have always had the same style). Well it wouldn't work and I was bewildered, then I remembered I hadn't pushed the button to start the mower.

I went into hospital for an operation recently and when the nurse asked my name I gave my maiden one! Now I haven't mentioned or used that name for over 50 years. I find I can rarely remember the names of famous actors, I was trying to tell a friend who the actor I love is, but it was gone from my head - Sam Neil, I can remember it now after thinking for a few moments. My best friend makes things worse because she can talk about who directed films, honestly who knows that!

You think you're losing it? I think it's an age thing.

Jean

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply to jeanjeannie50

Haha Jean that gave me chuckle - recently it was a lot less noticeable unless I’m just in heightened state about it all going wrong and the new Flecainide Remember years ago they did fabric softener in refil cartons like the old milk cardboard carton - I put them in the fridge once but the limit that time was when the post was delivered and that too went in the fridge (maybe psychology points to obsession with food - any excuse to go in the fridge!

Surprised didn’t call fridge a thingamybob

Good job can still laugh at my self especially too when I signed off your message, so this is edit - I just read my own post that started this thread and read it thinking someone has the same as me - was my post 😝

Have a good day and thanks x

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire in reply to jeanjeannie50

I find I am forgetting the names of plants in my garden! As I write lists of jobs to do I have to put things like "blue spready plant" until I remember them again. For weeks I could not remember the name of my Caryopteris bushes and was not helped by thinking it began with an S! In the end I had to leaf through a catalogue to find it! My husband puts things away in places they do not belong - like a knife in the pot for rechargeable batteries.

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply to Auriculaire

It’s so frustrating isn’t it 🙃

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly in reply to Auriculaire

😂😂🤣😅 Not just me then! I have a ‘purple shiny berry plant’. Names come and go…… When I had my first really bad episode of AF I was sent home from hospital still in AF. As it was near Christmas I was writing cards and realised to my horror I couldn’t remember the name of my best friend at work. Thinking back to my symptoms at the time I am sure I had a small stroke but it wasn’t picked up.

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire in reply to Buffafly

I have that plant too! I think it's called Callicarpa.

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly in reply to Auriculaire

O thank you! Been driving me mad since I couldn’t tell the gardener what it was 🙄

Megams profile image
Megams

~Can absolutely identify with you Afibflipper - words get stuck, jumbled + forgotten - noticed this after open heart surgery 1988 but they had pamphlet explaining this & how this would eventually resolve with time.Kept daily journal then to monitor progress.

Applied the same method with recent cryo-ablation (8th Feb) for which they CV'd me during procedure as went into a/fib again.

When I woke up found I was stuck for one word - so dam frustrating but this website has helped restore my confidence that as others say is "part of our condition".

Hope you get the answers you require soon~

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply to Megams

Thanks Megams this site does make you feel less alone to know things aren’t just you, everyone is so helpful. Enjoy your weekend

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

Oh you've made me laugh by you reading your own post and thinking it was from someone with the same as you.

Don't worry my friend, you are not alone, I'm with you.

Jean

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply to jeanjeannie50

I aim to amuse on this fine morning 😆

Ppiman profile image
Ppiman

I can't really relate but my memory is poor. I rely on the fact that it always has been ropey and that as I get older it won't improve. My GP suggested that it was my levels of anxiety which make my mind more like a superhighway, not allowing the memory to work well. I suspect he's onto something there.

Are you an anxious type of person with a racing mind? If so (and it is common with heart arrhythmias, I gather), this might be the cause. Another thing that can lead to weird issues is electrolyte imbalance, something that diuretic medicines can bring on.

Steve

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply to Ppiman

The racing is not anxiety I’m pretty calm right now think I wore myself out couple weeks ago before I had CV and doing relaxation techs anyway (thinking this morning may be the Flecainide so will have to wait till see EP in a week or so but thank you for your help

ETHEL103 profile image
ETHEL103

Hi my own cv only lasted 2 hours then I had multiple pacs then back into a fib.But felt totally fine after.

LordGabriel profile image
LordGabriel

I can’t remember if I applied conditioner in the shower or sprayed my deodorant when getting dried…. but I can remember things that happened from years ago, minutiae from those days but not 5 mins ago!!

Czech_Mate profile image
Czech_Mate

I can add my penny's worth for what it's worth (a penny I suppose, but we mustn't ignore the effects of inflation).Recently I carefully prepared to take the dog for a walk, collecting together all necessary items: lead, poo bags, dog's toy, whistle...

Now, when I was at work we were encouraged to savour those "Ah-ha moments", when a brilliant idea hits you. On this day I was hit by an "er-her" moment when, at the corner of our street, I realized that a vital ingredient to the success of the operation (the dog) was missing.

I returned home to find her sitting outside the front door with the saddest look in her big brown eyes.

ps I'm on warfarin and due for my first cardio version. Is there any hope for me?😉

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer in reply to Czech_Mate

Love it. Drove off for dinner once without my wife. I was sure I heard her get in back! No as forgiving as the dog though.

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply to BobD

😂you still married then 😂 bet you paid attention next time - did you enjoy the dinner before you realised she wasn’t there 😝

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer in reply to Afibflipper

The other couple we were taking thought it hilarious. Got to the end of the lane before I realised.

Czech_Mate profile image
Czech_Mate in reply to BobD

Yes, dogs are more forgiving.One evening I went to get something from the garage and didn't see the dog go in after me so I shut her in there overnight.

When I let her out in the morning she was so thankful and pleased to see me.

Now if that had been my wife...🤫

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply to Czech_Mate

Of course but a game I used to play when my kids were young would suit most of us on here - word game called Boggle as that’s what we’ve become Boggled - good luck with the cardioversion

Trigeminyblue profile image
Trigeminyblue

Having read the replies to your post, I just couldn't stop laughing and it has changed my day from being a concerned about my memory day to a cheerful upbeat day. Thankyou people for your very honest and laugh out loud comments. 🤣👍

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply to Trigeminyblue

Think if we can all cheer someone up even by laughing at ourselves it’s good medicine. People on here have been great however you feel, afraid, down & worried or sharing success - glad you’re enjoying your day 🤗

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