First of all best of health and best of luck tackling your heart rate in year 2023,thanks all for being there to help .
Question one:is there any guide as to how to exercise,I am on sotalol, cardizem and struggle to find the level of exercise,used to exercise/hike all my life-my hobbies
Two:any insight into traveling with af,encouragement and words of warning both wellcome
Three: I still get sometimes deeply into self pity mood,for example when I got email from company in Nepal I hiked Everest base camp with, it threw me into major selfpity period.Any good books addressing this issue,
Thanks all jerrycheck
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55zuzanka61
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1 - Yes. Exercise in moderation and slowly increase it each week. It's not a race so listen to your body and build up gradually.
2 - No worries about travelling or flying with afib. I don't have any. Make sure you take extra meds in case of flight delays etc. Some counties will want a doctor's note saying they are prescribed for your use. Dubai for example is very strict.
3 - Self-pity mood getting to base camp on Everest????? Come on - you don't need a book to get over that one. You did it - I didn't. I was going to but backed out. You should be patting yourself on the back for that achievement - the memory will stay with you forever.
You know I was full of self pity one day after having a very small cancer spot on my leg removed. A friend was driving me home and I was full of 'poor me', then I looked out of the car window and saw a young man sat on a bench. He had lost both legs from the knee down and wore what I would call running blades. Shame at my self pity swept over me.
Regarding AF, the way I stop my self pity is to think of all the far worse things I could have had, like cancer, motor neurone, Parkinsons etc. Would you swop with people who have those things, or stick with AF? I also have my sight, hearing, all limbs, voice etc. To everyone I look perfectly normal for a 72 year old.
I know that AF is a hateful condition that causes a lot of stress, especially when we are particularly suffering from an abnormally high heart rate, but don't you think we are lucky not to have a condition that is far worse?
Re your question about exercise, I would say build up gradually on the days when you are not feeling too tired and never push yourself. It must have been a blow to you when you received information from the Everest travel company. I thought that when I retired I'd join a local rambling club, long walks have always been my main source of pleasure, but when I thought of it I was too afraid I'd have an AF attack and spoil the walk for other people.
What I can do now is join organised walks in my local town they used to be called 'Walking for health' and I believe either the local council or NHS used to arrange these - all stopped now, but the groups still continue doing the same walks. See if you can find out if there is something similar in the area where you live.
Re travel abroad, I've never let my AF stop me from going anywhere and always mention that I have it when arranging travel insurance. How about trying a coach trip as a start, just to see how you get on, they don't usually involve using a lot of energy. I've just noticed that you are in the U.S. so hope that you have walking groups over there. I was suggesting you visit the D-Day landing beaches in France by coach, but of course that's probably a bit too far to travel, so have deleted that info.
We are always here to do our best to lift you should you need it.
I think walking is a good plan. Make a point of doing a short walk for outside time every day. Planning a longer walk with others is a good idea, I also do interval walking on some days. Walk.slowly for 2 mins, walk faster for 2 mins, hurry or jog for 30-90 seconds, stand still. Ideally the intervals should be the same but I find 30-60 mins stimulating enough if jogging. The standing still is important and you can entertain yourself by tracking your HR as it goes down. You shouldn't hang out at more than 120 at our age anyway.
Yes, you can travel. Just avoid early start plus long haul if you can. No alcohol, stay hydrated and don't eat crap 😉. I also find its important to walk up and down occasionally- not be sedentary. Better for us anyway.
Self pity? Consider that you're grieving. It's allowed. I remember telling my husband I felt I'd been sentenced to a living death - Self Pity Queen or what?? Do small things, cheer yourself on with every success. This feeling will change and life will be different, but it can still be good.
Exercise is based on your ability to sustain that level.
The national cardiac specialist asked please give me an example of your strenuous level. I said walking up my road and down to 4 square across our SH10 road.
Returning is worse. Worse still carrying items.
He thought I went with a carer but I do it by myself.
He was happy with that. We do need to push ourselves a little.
Travel. I decided I needed a rental car or to go on a small group tour.
Down Periods. It is normal but look forward and positively. A trip etc.
I am lucky to be alive as a stroke with AF 4 days later during a carotid artery scan a shadow on my thyroid. Yes papillary thyroid cancer. All out 4 monthe later and I am coming up to 3rd neck scan early February.
I dismissed having RAI Radio Active Iodine and suppression. I was low risk.
But reading yours I am thankful that I have a 'bad' ribcage and my heart is pushed more to left so I dont feel my raoid persistent heart rate but controlled. And on 23rd December I noticed a change so took my BP and heart rate am. It was 67! So I have subsituted my CCB Diltiazem with Bisoprolol.
I continue not to drink alcohol and keep to a low fat diet.
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Happy New Year all. 
Happy New Year and Potassium/AFib
My 2018 and Happy New Year!
