Does anyone here suffer with excessive urination when having an afib episode,?
I am very symptomatic and although I take sotalol and apixaban I still get some afib episodes (usuly 1 every 4 months). When this happens I am urinating every 10 mins or so and then when I come out of afib I can sleep most if the night without getting up.
I have paroxysmal afib but my heart rate can go up to 120bpm and lasts around 33 to 36 hours. I dread it, get so anxious too.
Yes, it happens because your heart releases a hormone to reduce your blood volume to reduce stress on your system...so you urinate more. Eventually you will drink more to replace the loss of volume. Don't worry about it. Your body is very clever!
Yes, happens to me when I’m in AF. Up to the loo constantly. I believe it’s quite normal so try not to worry
Thamk you
yep, always, I’ve been in AF for last 3 hours, hoping it will stop soon, feeling shattered already
thanks, my episodes go on for more than 24 hours, exhausting. Thinking of going gor an ablation but waiting list is horrendous
you might find that rehydration therapy brings a quick end to the AF. It certainly helps me and is better than a Sotalol PiP.
Yes I suffer the same. I counted I went to the loo 13 times in the first 3/4 hour of being in AF and the next time I measured I'd passed 5 pints of urine. I always keep rehydration powders in the house and also drink lots of coconut water. My experience is that not many medical people know about this symptom.
yes I do at the start of an episode. Maybe for the first two hours or so. Keep hydrated. It’s very inconvenient though if it comes on when out and about, just got to stay somewhere near a loo until it subsides🙄
Jane
That's what I dread Jane - being out and about. Luckily my episodes start either late at night or early morning.
I have read that when the heart is disturbed it creates an enzyme that lowers the fluid load in the body and so increases urine output. But, my own experience is likely that it is increased anxiety that is doing this.
Steve
I have found that if I am overtired or very hot my ankles and feet swell and then I am very likely to go into AF, I have also had the ‘waterfall’ effect without AF. So I do think the ‘reducing fluid’ explanation is right which also makes me think that constantly replacing it is not the way to go unless your BP drops very low but replacing some electrolytes is helpful.
I'm never sure whether it's a stress response or a heart response myself. I have read that the body's reaction to any kind of cardiac issue is to help the load on the heart by reducing any water retention. The effect is likely, as Bob says, to be via sodium metabolism via the kidneys.
Steve
yep!
The enzyme is actually to reduce salt but you get the picture. It's great that this phenomena is now so widley known as when we first started this forum it came as a surprise to all of us.
Yes. It's worse at the beginning of the attack. I went into afib at 2-30 am today so have slept badly due to having to keep getting up. We are on holiday too but luckily heading home today. I will put off rehydrating properly till we get home or the journey will be a nightmare. Hoping I go back into NSR soon!
Hi, are you flying, do you get really anxious?
No we are touring on a motor bike. We don't go very far each day as we are too old for long journeys. I don't get very anxious and treat my afib as an unwelcome pest. This time it was only about 8 hours and I went back into NSR just as we were leaving our hotel this morning. I could have fallen asleep after lunch but that is horrible on the bike as you jerk awake !
Thank you for the great question Karendeena and thank you all for enlightening answers too.
That happens with me too. Sometimes after an a-fib episode, I find I lost 2 lbs. weight. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable here on the forum can give you the reasons why this is.
yes when in AFIB
It’s happened to me a good few times but not every time. as others have said it’s normal. Keep hydrated and try and get some electrolytes added just for good measure.
Yes it happens to me within about 15 min of going into AF and is very common. It's due to the release of a hormone called Atrial Natriuretic Peptide due to atrial stretch and is the body's attempt to decrease blood pressure by increasing sodium and water excretion.
I always have to poop!! Strangest thing..
afib and frequent urination
Ectopics / AF
Ablate or not?
Just out of Interest.
