PAF and anxiety

[Pingu778]

My anxiety is a lot better (but still there!!) after therapy and meds, but I still get an anxious chest feeling when I feel like my heart may go into AF. So far it seems to happen about once a month towards the end of the month. Why is it so worrying for me!! I have been able to sleep and go to work when it happens and my pip usually keeps my heart rate down to help me function!! Echo shows no heart issues and a healthy heart so that’s good but I can’t shake the anxiety of when it might happen or how it could make me feel!! I’m also annoyed with myself as my weight loss has stalled because I’ve been eating too much yet I know I need to lose the weight for my health!!!

[BobD Volunteer]

Way back along when I was on the BHF committee setting up the arrhythmia nurse project I made the point that AF generates anxiety and along with the medical help people also need mental help. Nothing has changed and you are not unsual. Don't beat yourself up please.

[Pingu778 in reply to BobD]

Thank you. It’s still early days for me and I can’t work out my triggers!! I can’t decide if anxiety brought on AF or the other way around. It’s so good to hear from experienced people about AF.

[Bagrat]

Abnormal feelings in important organs generate anxiety to alert us to the issue. Similarly pain serves a purpose unless it doesn't. Chronic pain does not alert us to injury and no longer serves a person well especially if the system needs a "hard reboot" i.e the nervous system has become hypersensitive to pain.

We know that heart flutters etc and AF are in the main not life threatening but we become hypersensitive to the slightest change and anxiety fuels this awareness.

It is worth asking yourself "what happened last time I got this feeling".

Answer may well be " I felt very anxious"

Then what... " the feeling went away"

Hooray you did it, it happened and it went away and that is down to you.

Sometimes choosing to accept this is normal for you, in itself helps you feel better.

[Snowgirl65 in reply to Bagrat]

Well said!

[Pingu778 in reply to Bagrat]

I agree and am trying my best to accept my new normal x

[mjames1]

I'm sure you will get some good tips how to deal with the anxiety and worry, but I'll just say it's completely normal and comes with the afib territory.

As to losing weight, I find self control a hard act to perform, so what works best with me is something structured and based on science. It could be something like intermittent fasting, weight watchers or similar, or simply counting calories. There's a really good ap that relies on counting calories, called MyFitnessPal. You can put in your current weight and weight goals and then it helps you achieve them along with a community of like minded folks.

Jim

[Pingu778 in reply to mjames1]

Thanks I’ve been calories counting using that app!! Need to stick to it. It’s sad anxiety comes with AF though x

[mjames1 in reply to Pingu778]

I used it years ago to track my sodium. If I remember correctly, there was a nice community like this, you could participate in, most using the app to lose weight. If you haven't already, maybe get involved in their online community for further motivation and if may even help with the AF anxiety, once you get more control over your weight goals. Lately, I've been walking 10-15 minutes after meals. In my case, more for digestive and blood sugar reasons, but it can also be beneficial to weight loss as well as your mood. If you can't go outside, just walking around the house at a leisurely pace can work, instead of just lying around after a meal.

Jim

[Hidden]

I completely relate to what you say, and you've received some brilliant advice already. I suspect I have some 'health anxiety' myself, which was off the scale over the past year since a random episode of amnesia a year ago (Transient Global Amnesia) and the onset of AFib. Having AFib hanging over me all the time, it felt like, made me hyper aware of every little thing that my heart might be doing.

I've been working very hard on bringing the anxiety down and have used a number of strategies which have helped me tremendously, including a weighted blanket, meditation and deep breathing to name a few. The breathing has been great and I got a little device called a Komuso Design Necklace which has been a big help but you don't have to have a device to do the deep breathing. There's also some fantastic apps on iPhone or Android - I use one called Breathwrk. The CBT you've received can really help with your thinking and I believe that breathing exercises are the best tool to work with your body. When you are anxious your nervous system becomes unregulated and breathing can bring you back into regulation.

As BobD says, anxiety is something that comes with this condition so you have a brilliant opportunity to develop some great new skills that will serve you in many ways.

Best wishes, Helen

[Pingu778 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you! I’m having CBT and will look into the other things you suggest. Just having people that understand makes a big difference x

[Tellingfibs]

I am sorry to hear you feel so anxious. I too am an anxious person and many years ago, I was having panic attacks and found myself frequently in an ‘anxiety state’. I picked up on Bagrat’s comment about asking yourself about your feelings because when I was coming out of an anxiety state once, I was so relieved that I wanted to find a way of reassuring myself……. so I wrote myself a letter. In it I listed all the feelings and concerns I could expect to have whilst feeling bad, then I described how each one escalated and then lessened, and I rounded off the letter by explaining how I felt now the anxiety had eased. I finished the letter with the words “ You may feel ALL these symptoms or only SOME of them, but they will ALWAYS abate and you will smile at this letter “. I still have the letter and have had reason to read it many times, but it always reminded me that the feelings of anxiety would pass. Perhaps you could do something similar. Of course, years ago, there were not yet any forums like this one to reassure with such understanding !

[Pingu778 in reply to Tellingfibs]

Thanks I’ll give it a shot x

[Singwell]

As Bob says, anxiety is part of the journey for so many of us so dint beat yourself up about it. The anxiety is your response to having had a negative experience (or several in the case if AF), and in that sense is perfectly natural because our systems are hard wired to look out for us, so anxiety kicks in. Plus, as Bagrat says, there's a complex system if neurons in your heart - we have a 'heart brain' like we have a 'gut brain' and it sends messages to the main brain when it's in distress. So these responses are logged by the brain and body and become anxiety. The bugger is - you get it even when you're not getting the AF. Been there, and still go there so I absolutely feel for you. Helen's advice here is good. I'm going to add a book that I've used - recommended to me on this forum - that helped me deal better with my anxiety so that I feel I've got my life back. It's called Unwinding Anxiety written by neuropsychologist Dr Judson Brewer and has lots of practical exercises in it. There's also an app I think.

[Pingu778 in reply to Singwell]

Thanks I’ll look into the book x

[Hidden]

Good Morning Pingu778, you may like to take a look at our booklet on Mindfulness & Healthy Living with AF, for some pointers and tips heartrhythmalliance.org/afa... . Alternatively, if you would like some further advice or support please feel free to contact our Patient Services Team [e-mail]

[Pingu778 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks I’ve downloaded some x

[pusillanimous]

I have suffered from anxiety all my life, and nothing helps. Diagnosis with AF just results in further anxiety and a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. It is something I have made myself put up with, medication helps, psychology doesn't, but as the feeling occurs soon after I awake, I find breakfast helps and I do find it improves as the day wears on and by bedtime has completely vanished !!!!

[Pingu778 in reply to pusillanimous]

It’s a horrible feeling isn’t it x

[Jetcat]

You can’t do everything at once pingu.? While your anxiety is high it will be hard to stick to certain things.

Concentrate on trying to manage your anxiety and fears but remember our AF is not guna kill us.

Yes it is a pain the butt, and yes it messes with your head but you will be fine. I got into a rite state with myself a few years ago with it. I read up as much info on AF as I could etc and educated myself on the subject the best I could.

the folk on this site have been amazing and Iv taken some of their advice and help too and I am in a lot better place now

It’s early days yet pingu,

You will be ok and still have a good life believe me.x👍

.

[Pingu778 in reply to Jetcat]

Thank you!! I will definitely read up more and educate myself. I know my heart is ok so far so that’s reassuring x

[Jetcat in reply to Pingu778]

You’ll be ok. More you learn better it is.👍x