Here we go again!!

[Pingu778]

So tonight I’ve gone into another episode of AF. My first was in September and so far it’s been about one a month but this time it’s only been 3 weeks. I have health anxiety and have been having CBT for that along with meds (which I needed to get by) I’m only on Bisoprolol so far and am going to call my GP tomorrow to see what else I can have. Had an echo which was good and cardiologist has signed me over to GP. I’m 43 and it worries me so much I’ll go into permanent AF. I don’t know how I’d manage my teaching job and my son with ASD if I did. I know it’s probably going to happen but I thought I’d hit a few years yet. I am overweight so am trying to lose weight but nothing seems to work!! I’m sorry to rant but I’m scared and anxious and just want to stop feeling crappy!! X

[jeanjeannie50]

Oh Pingu, if only you realised how much losing weight would help with your heart! Please, please just reduce fat and sugar from your life as best you can, this will really help. Try to walk more, it will really help without you having to diet. Go on you can do it. X

[BobD Volunteer]

Diets never work. Life style does. Weight loss has been shown to greatly reduce AF burden so make it a priority. Chin up.

[mjames1]

Sounds like you may be a good candidate for an anti-arrhythmic medication like daily Flecainide. If you qualify, it could significantly reduce the frequency of your afib episodes.You would want to go back to your cardiologist about this, or better still an ep, Flecainide is usually not prescribed on the gp level.

As mentioned, losing weight can significantly reduce your afib burden. If you're having trouble on your own, seek the help of a registered dietician and look at a walking based exercise program. Also make sure your low thyroid issue is being addressed properly. Lastly, beta blockers can sometimes cause weight gain, so speak to your doctor if they are really necessary. Along this line, reevaluate any other medications that could cause weight gain.

There is also the option of having an ablation.

You're young, still far from permanent afib and have several options. Also, afib treatments are improving all the time with newer technologies like pulse field ablation just now coming out of trial. It's normal to be scared and anxious about afib, but many have been in your shoes and have turned things around. No reason that shouldn't be you in the near future.

Jim

[Singwell]

Whilst you have health anxiety and your son's condition to worry about - and manage - I imagine it'll be hard to lose weight so don't blame yourself. Being heavy hasnt given you AF!As others have said, changing the food you eat is the key - not eating less, but differently. If you DO want to lose weight the Michael Moseley Blood Sugar fast eating plan is good and is a 2 month programme. It's well researched and has good results. Friends who were pre diabetic did well on it. Otherwise I'd recommend the Doctor's Kitchen recipes by Dr Rupy Ajula. Check him out. He has a book called the 3-2-1 I think : 3 key ingredients, portions for 2, one pan or roasting dish. Loads of lovely food!

Rather than heading for diets, get yourself better informed about nutrition. It may also help with the anxiety.

You're too young to be fobbed off with a few beta blockers- chase your GP and cardiologist. There's another forum member here called PigleyWigley, also female, and a similar age to you. Check put her posts and how she helped herself with lifestyle changes.

[Hylda2]

It’s frightening and although it might be the end of life as we know it, it’s not the end of the world. I am currently wearing a monitor to see if I need a pacer but have happily spent my time looking after two great-grandchildren whilst my granddaughter spent her night delivering babies. Our great granddaughter has special needs and at 9 is non verbal etc. But I managed it. I lost two stone on the LCHF diet and have kept it off so far. You can do it too x

[Ppiman]

Have you asked for a sleep apnoea test as 50% of AF sufferers seem to have this and it's a known cause? Genetics, high BMI, high blood pressure and diabetes seem to be the other main things associated with AF.

Reducing weight is never easy at all so I don't envy you, but it might be worth relating that my wife's late aunt used to run the most successful diet club in our area by a mile, and she had one single simple mantra: eat what you enjoy but eat a little less each day because calories in must be made to be fewer than calories out for weight to reduce. And her method worked brilliantly for hundreds of local people. She disliked any "fad" or "special diet" and felt that exercise, whilst important for the health in general, was an inefficient way to lose weight. Her method was so successful because it was truly simple and meant that life stayed comfortable. which she felt was the key to success.

As for anxiety - if you find an answer, let me know. Mine is related to health, like yours, and made worse by my awful insomnia.

Steve

[secondtry]

Use AF as a driver/godsend to push you into a healthier future.

Food choices are complicated but unless you have a medical condition one thing you do know is you need to change the current menu and also accept you have to persevere one small step each month on a trial and error basis.

I would say stress is one cause of eating the wrong things so don't rely on just CBT/drugs, consider other ways of de-stressing first including daily brisk walks. If your son is happier that will help, maybe he could benefit visiting a Social Care Farm one day a week - I have seen the results many times, fast and remarkable!

Best wishes.

[CDreamer]

You have had some good suggestions above but unfortunately your GP will need secondary care to advise on further treatments. Have other treatments such as anti-arrythmias, ablation etc been discussed? If not then ask for a referral back and ask to see an EP cardiologist.

Lifestyle can be a vicious downward spiral - you worry, you eat, you put on weight (Bisoprolol doesn’t help there!), you don’t sleep, you put on more weight as big correlation between poor sleep and weight gain.

It’s a spiral than needs to be reversed. Great that you are looking at CBT but that is only a part of anxiety so see if you can do some Mindfulness which is more body orientated.

One step at a time, change one thing everyday and gradually, gradually things improve.

I would just also like to point out that people in persistent AF seem to be less symptomatic than those who have episodes which come and go. Hope you find some support to enable you to make the changes you need. Best wishes

[Auriculaire]

It is very difficult to lose weight if you are hypothyroid. I know from bitter experience. Especially if you are on T4 only medication. There are many people who complain about this especially women. Unfortunately with afib you will not get a doctor to prescribe T3 meds and a lot of people are on insufficient T4 due to doctors precribing to a TSH anywhere in the normal range. T3 meds were the only thing that stopped me continuing to put on weight and I had 15 years of feeling healthy on them. When afib struck ( blamed on the T3 by the hospital cardiologist but not by my endocrinologist ) and I went back onto T4 only the weight piled back on. As CDreamer says Bisoprolol does not help either. So unlike the others here I would advise you to stop fretting about losing weight and concentrate on eating healthily without overeating. So no empty calories likes cakes ,sweets or biscuits on a regular basis . Cut back on carbs like bread , pasta , rice and spuds. If you can eat wholemeal versions. Personally I think wholewheat pasta is inedible so I eat a very small amount of normal pasta occasionally. A variety of vegetables and protein . Limit fruit especially very sweet fruit like cherries or tropical fruits. Make sure your food is really tasty and eat it slowly as it will be more satisfying, your body will give the "I'm full " signal quicker . Take a selenium supplement or eat 2 brazil nuts a day as selenium is essential for the conversion of T4 to T3. No drinks that are sweetened even with artificial sweeteners . If eating healthily and taking moderate exercise you still cannot lose weight you just have to accept it and worrying about it will not help.

[Buffafly in reply to Auriculaire]

I agree that is excellent advice. I wanted to lose a couple of kilos to help my clothes fit better but really struggled. So I looked hard at my diet and cut out sugar in my giant morning mug of coffee and ate only one slice of toast at breakfast and one at lunch instead of two. If you avoid ‘empty calories’ ie food with little nutritional value you will at least be healthier.

[Cookie24]

I’m sorry to rant but I’m scared and anxious and just want to stop feeling crappy!! X I relate to this statement - it really give one anxiety. Hang in there

[Auriculaire]

Pingu's profile mentions hypothyroidism.

[JoseT]

Please dont be so anxious. You have had very few episodes of AF and you are far away from permanent AF.

Did Bisoprolol make you more anxious? Because you could potentially change to another betablocker.

If your heart is sound you could take flecainide for years and help you to stop those episodes.

There is also new ablation technique called pulsed field ablation. It takes less than 90 minutes and is very safe. This should be a long term solution for your afib.

all the best and take care

[DawnTX]

First of all take a deep breath if you can you are not alone that’s for sure. There are so many different types of a fib affecting us all in different ways. Even if you were to have permanent there are all kinds of meds to control things. There is no cure but there is control it is a matter of your doctor figuring it out for you. In my first month or two I had medication’s changed quite a bit until he found the right fit for me. First thing he did was a blood thinner I have been on Xarelto ever since and the only bad effect I am saying is when I am a little bit klutzy and bruise. There is nothing to fear that is only going to add to your anxiety and issue because I find my anxiety causes breathlessness. It’s a bit like having an upset stomach that you have to ride it out sometimes if you have an event and it probably isn’t lasting as long as you think. Two months ago I had another procedure and three months before that I had almost constant a fib events along with being breathless, exhausted etc. it is far better to have a treated you will get a break. That being said there is no cure but with the right treatment you can live life normally

[Hidden]

I echo others here - you are young. Ablations done early and in the young are even more effective. Do not accept being handed back to GP. Request an appointment with an EP rather than “ordinary” cardiologist. And try to be healthier- you deserve better