This is a two-part issue and maybe someone can help.
Part 1: Why is it that, when I lay on my left side now (never had this before the heart-cath test) I can feel my heart working harder?
Part 2: When young people with boom boxes blaring drive by or are at stop lights, the low bass seems to make my heart feel like its pulsing. Anyone else?
Fun question but it is real. I feel the same thing as you do and I dislike them with their music and low bass, which destroy their hearing on short term run and if they want to become deaf at young age, I cannot stop them. And it costs a lot of money for the hearing aid as you know in the States.
Go back to your question. When you were young you could sleep in whatever position you want, and with age the heart structure changes. Sorry about the age thing. The heart becomes stiffer and has trouble expanding and when you are on your left side the right lungs will put all its weight on the heart which on the left side. It is just a physic and physiologic matter. On the other hand when you are on your right side, the heart can expand and beat easily since it has space to expand by pressing on the right lungs.
Now when it comes to their crappy music, the lound volume along with low bass increases your cortisol level (fight or flight physiologic response) which explains the rising heart rate.
To remedy it, sleep on the back or on the right side. When I am behind them, I put a finger in my ear the closest one to their car while driving and two fingers at the red lights. Hope it helps.
Nothing to do with Afib but fun topic to read. It entertains the members in this forum.
Goodness me its years since the boombox question was last aired. That and thunderstorms were at one time blamed for AF events. Fact is once you have AF you become very heart aware and many things can make you feel it.
Many are less symptomatic with heart issues when sleeping on their right side. Your cath test may have temporarily stirred things up. For me, lying on my back is the worst.
Jim
thank you. Yes the heart cath test did mess me up. I had gone without afib or even a flutter before for almost 8 years. Then they did the test, took me off meds, and for no reason because, though I had a 25% blockage, the flow was 100%. But being off the meds, then tried on a different med that had me in flutters every day (as well as other side-effects) was horrible. Thank God a new Cardio doc put me back where I was before all this started!
I have found that lying on my left side my heart skips Which was bad as that was my favourite side to fall asleep but after a while I have got used to right side sleeping. I think it is something to do with the location of the heart.
My heart also plays up with loud heavy beats music in fact had to walk out of a musical at a theatre recently while sitting on the front row as the beat was affecting my AF
Right now, for now, its only the deep bass boom boom that does it. It also gives me a headache while its going on. One day I was at a very long multi-intersectional stop light system and this guy behind me was cranking it so badly that my car windows were shaking! I got out of the car, walked back to his and tapped on the glass. He turned it down to hear me and I explained things and he turned it down.
.................until the light changed 🤪
My own experience is that the diaphragm muscle is easily pushed about by the intestinal organs that move around significantly with body position and can act like a form of "soundbox" thanks to the gases in the stomach and tubes. This can amplify the heart sounds. As for the boombox effect, I can only guess that you react to it (as I do!) negatively and the muscle tension this develops has a similar effect on the diaphragm.
I have read that lying on the left side isn't good for us, but I am dubious about that. In my case I can't do it for long, though, as it brings on my IBS for some reason.
Steve
It may be that lying on the left side exerts more pressure on the Vagus Nerve. Many here don't lie on the left and I use 2 pillows to stop me turning to that side in my sleep.
YES YES YES! Boom box particularly distressing. I roll over to my right as sometimes feel heart pumping lying flat on my back as well as left side.
I never lie on my left side, since I was told in hospital it may set AF off. Not worth the risk for me
Yes to both. Any really loud music seems to make my heart uncomfortable. All good fun!
I was kicked into AF the other day by the vibration of a stick blender! Had to get my partner to finish blitzing the soup!😄
Eventually, you will be less aware hopefully but you have to relax more. Yes, I can feel every little thump and bump when I am stressed, such as if I have a little pain. I just got a pacemaker, and I was aware of everything including the weight of the pacemaker. I am a left side sleeper. I even slept on that side the day I got my pacemaker. My EP came into the room and had a fit. Then he saw the way I had my pillows and he said it was ok. I have slept on my left side on my back all of my life, including during pregnancy. Trying to change now is hopeless, I think.
Remember are also healing so things are a bit sensitive right now. I had an echo done today to check on my heart failure. Ouch I swear she was chasing the lines of my leads etc. I was just super aware of what she was doing. The first week I had my pacemaker my cardiac nurse told me stop taking my heart rate. She told me that in itself is going to make me crazy. My pacemaker is monitored so if anything is going on, they will call me.
Don’t sit there thinking about your heart. A fib does with a fib wants to do when it wants to do it and worry and about it only contributes. Lol I have totally lost my mind. I talk to a fib. And I tell it exactly what I think of it and tell it it’s not going to mess my life up anymore. I hang in there you’re gonna be fine.
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