Two days ago I had a long episode (14 hours) of fast AF.Took extra nebivolol which had little effect.Towards the end of it I had this feeling like a very tight band around my chest.Has anyone else experienced this and what would be the cause? I've never had it before and it gradually improved when AF stopped.
Fast AF: Two days ago I had a long... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Fast AF
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stormcloud
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Hello stormcloud. That sound like a horrible episode. I've never experienced a feeling of a tight band round my chest when my Afib kicks in. Am pretty sure that aright band feeling round the chest is definately do thing you should be going to a&e or contacting your GP about. Hopefully others will enlighten further.Glad it eased....
Thank you for replying.It did make me feel very weak and unwell. Hope you are feeling ok.
Personally speaking, if I had those symptoms I would have gone to A&E.
Did go to A and E.See my reply to Buffafly.
BobDVolunteer
ANY chest pain etc needs investigating so if it ever happens again call emergency srevices.
Thanks Bob.It did subside after a couple of hours so probably would have gone by time paramedics arrived! I did call them 2 weeks ago when I had fast AF and presyncope and it was 2 hours before they arrived.
I know but still ring them.... Don't under play it on the phone. Because they prioritise calls..... So they might come quicker for chest pains & tight band feeling. Your alternative is to ring for a taxi to take you or someone you know. Though this isn't something a professional would advise you to do I expect. It's terrible what is happening to our NHS. Those at the top all go private so don't seem at all bothered......
I think many ordinary folk are digging into their monies for both dental and medical treatment now. Such is the result of the dire mess the NHS has been allowed to sink to.
You can't go to a private A&E round here, by the way. Are there such things in large cities?
Steve
Deepest sympathy. I (foolishly) called 111 for advice at 5am one morning and they said they were sending an ambulance. (Refused to let me drive myself like I usually do!). By 4pm I was still waiting! I could have driven to A&E by 6am, been seen/sorted and gone home well before then. It’s a shambles.
I've read that ambulance trusts have the highest sickness rates of around 8-9%. That might have been because of the pandemic, but it would explain, in part at least, the dire mess the system is in at present. My elderly friend's wife, at 93 years of age, had to sit uncomfortably for eight hours after falling a while back, then four hours more recently.
We need a different way than this. For anyone in need, it is tragic. I think it's been allowed because most people are not in need of it and so remain blissfully unaware of the tragedies happening daily to the few.
Steve
My son in law is a paramedic in Bristol. He says they’re leaving in droves because they can’t take the pressure, long hours that frequently overrun their shift, plus sitting in their ambulances outside A&E for hours and sometimes days whilst trying to offload patients.
It’s a broken system.
It's only being allowed because it's the very few, relatively, that it affects. The many are unaware of it as they don't need it. The dental system is equally broken, and there, sufficiently well-off middle class clients have decided to dig into their pockets rather than boycott, allowing dentists to survive from fewer clients and the system to become privatised by stealth. It's shocking and unacceptable in my view.
It seems to me that we are in new times. There is only one hope for change as I see it, and that is in the ballot box. Even that holds no promises, of course, but the current state of affairs is surely beyond anything that we have had before from what I have experienced and gather from staff. Brexit and the pandemic are major causes, I am sure.
Steve
Totally agree. Its in this mess because of lack of funding.... Starved of oxygen so to speak. It's purposeful & deliberate. Notice the government are pouring biliions into the tech business...... but haven't upheld their promises to the British public re our local services. My NHS dentist told me they have a four year waiting list. Even emergencies they leave you dangling for days. As for GP surgeries it's plain dangerous. Eg To meet their targets they've booked me in for an annual review with someone who isn't even medically qualified. What's the point of that? As for a GP appointment forget it!As for private treatment.... I couldn't possibly afford the £40,000 my op costs... So it's wait & see on the NHS.
Meanwhile the poor get poorer & the middle class increasingly join the ranks of becoming poorer. The rich get richer..... But even they have to use a&e in an emergency! No one mentions education, that's been quietly privatised. All schools have to be Academies..
I do hope the public have woken up to what has slipped through their fingers & vote with their feet.
I think many people are somehow willing to blame anything other than a government, or to say "they're all the same" and so on. I have no idea what a change might bring, only what the current situation is, and that is totally unacceptable.
A friend last week was given a 30 minute appointment with what he assumed was his GP. It amazed him, but he has developed swollen feet and SOB. It turned out to be an interview with a pharmacist who told him very little of use but also that he wasn't staying in the NHS one minute longer...
Frankly, it's going crazy before our eyes. Most have a different viewpoint I imagine, but I am shocked and in fear of it.
You will get a private ablation for much less, by the way, but I guess £20k. Far too much of course.
Steve
Thanks Steve but It's a minimaze I'm waiting for. I'm not suitable for a catheter ablation my EP was very clear about that. I just have to be patient. I'm lucky that I do have access to that op on the NHS.
So sorry to hear what happened to your friend. I think GP Surgeries aren't safe. I find myself having to do my own research and then fight my corner (politely of course) to ensure I get apprppopiate treatment. I'm not a doctor so it scares me that the weight of my own medical care largely falls on my shoulders. If I don't know then it's doubtful I'll get access to a genuine GP..... &, if I do they won't know my case.
The ‘well off’ as you put it might not be as well off as you think, just changing priorities to their health instead of a needed holiday or household repairs.
This reassignment if funds takes the pressure off the NHS for those who just can not pay for care.
I have had a NHS dentist for 15 years who has done NOTHING to my teeth other than tap and poke them. I’m currently ‘having’ to pay an unbelievable high amount to replace 4 crowns and one needs a root filling privately beaches done nothing but take my money.
Last treatment I had at that dentist they removed a molar probably caused by their neglect. 😡
So I believed the NHS has also been milked and extremely neglected.
I'm sorry if it wasn't clear but my use of the term "the well off" are not at all the same as "the rich" in society: they are those with the means to pay or, as you say, "reassign" monies to pay for private dentistry or healthcare (whether easily or with difficulty is not my point). I contrast them with the very many people in society who have no such option and, well, in terms of dentistry, at least, are struggling to get any kind of care outside of emergency treatment.
My own dentist told me candidly that sufficient people exist across the country to have allowed dentists such as his practice to go 100% private (although children are still NHS funded).
Steve
I had one NHS dentist years ago who got fed up of the NHS restrictions and moaned at having to consult them before he could do the necessary work needed on a patient, so he started private dentistry 🤷🏼♀️
That seems to be the case but my practice tells me that dentists are now refusing to sign the NHS contract as they find private work plentiful and lucrative.
I truly hope there's a revolt against this expensive change of fortunes.
Steve
in this day and age when dentist students and medical students have vast debts for their degrees, I doubt it. Gone are the days when those students got their training for free.
So true! My dentist is now turning children away. My dentist says the NHS does not provide good oral preventive care. Recently they've employed a hygienist for this purpose. I like my dentist she is trying to save my teeth on NHS care.As for funding my own medical needs. Like many I can only do this in a limited way. Like many out there not classified as poor I equally don't have the funds to make any significant inroads into expensive private care. I was brought up to believe that the NHS would provide. It's a bit late in the day to discover it's a myth of which the boundaries of what it does not provide have increased massively. Despite out massively high taxes the deterioation in health and care provision is nose diving. Where is all the money going then?
I think things have happened beyond our knowledge over these past years, government wise. It's concerning.
Steve
you may not be insured to drive yourself in A Fib
Well I’m single and live alone and the consultant in A&E said it was ok as long as I don’t have chest pain, feel lightheaded, etc, etc, etc.
My episodes can go on for a couple of days and I simply can’t spend that long stuck in the house, so I just tend to go about my daily business as usual.
Same here Dippy, I do the same
You might not know you are in Afib. It would be a difficult one for insurance companies to prove, especially if a&e said you are medically fir to drive. Afib is not notifiable. Well I don't think it is....
A feeling of tight band around your chest should not be ignored . Any chest discomfort with AF warrants attention at GP surgery or A&E. Do hope you are OK now.
Thank you.I shall do this if it happens again.Feeling better now thanks.
Agree with everyone else - I tried to ignore a ‘bear hug’ sensation and presyncope but finally phoned dr who was furious and told me to go to A&E at once - turned out to be a heart attack caused by artery spasm, not a clot but effect bad all the same. Report it now and be sure to head to A&E if you get it again even if you are booked a cardiology appointment (in the distant future 🙄).
Thank you. It wasn't painful just tight so thought it couldn't be heart attack symptom. I had a 7 day monitor fitted in hospital which was returned 2 weeks ago but GP hasn't been notified of results so don't know if it's even been looked at yet.You say I should report it now,do you mean to GP?
Yes, I do. It’s not so much the tightness but the combination of that and feeling very unwell that raises a red flag. Women tend to have different MI symptoms to men which is why they have ‘silent’ heart attacks which don’t get attention when they happen. I don’t mean to alarm you but it’s worth knowing. I hope the monitor shows something useful ❤️🩹
I will report it to GP tomorrow but it's probably a bit late now as this happened Friday night/ Saturday morning. What treatment did you have when you went to A and E?
Too late to do anything but they should be aware. I had an angiogram and prescribed Diltiazem to calm the spasms as they didn’t find a clot.
Does ECG show a silent heart attack if it's not happening at the time?
That’s how they know you’ve had one without realising. At the time you have a blood test (assuming the MI isn’t obvious) and markers in the blood give a clue. If they’re much higher than normal and then go up more after a few hours it’s taken that there’s a serious problem.
Well, yesterday evening had another episode of fast AF with the tight band around chest sensation.Dialled 999 and ambulance arrived quite quickly this time.Just as we arrived at the hospital the AF stopped and my heart rate dropped from 170 to 80! Ambulance crew couldn't believe it. Taken in to Aand E and blood taken and an x-ray done then monitored for 2 hours and more blood taken then another 2 hour wait for results. .Troponin level slightly raised but not enough for concern so then discharged .Doctor is advising GP to arrange an echocardiogram and maybe an angiogram also a referral to EP who I've seen twice in 9 years.I asked what I should do if it happens again and was told to come back if it continues for a long time.Thank you for taking the time to reply and answer my questions.
My poor daughter has been at the hospital all night with me.Luckily she doesn't have to work today.
Women do not experience heart attacks like men and the others are right, you should have gone to A&E.
Be aware that we ladies can have different heart attack symptoms to what’s generally described. They’ve now added “upper abdominal pain” to the list when I was last in there. Apparently a lot of people (particularly women) can mistake a heart attack for indigestion.
unfortunately I’ve had exactly that many times. Very uncomfortable isn’t it. Hope you feel better soon x. The last two episodes went on for about 5 weeks and although I went to a & e nothing was done although they said they would send for me for a cardioversion, but it had eased before the appointment came. I did take extra bisoprolol but it seemed not to help and ached and hurt feeling like I couldn’t expand my chest and couldn’t take a deep breath. I feel for you as scary
Yes it is scary.I did go to A and E, see my reply to Buffafly.Got home at 4.30 am and 6 am it started again.Told to take extra beta blocker, which does nothing apart from lowering BP too much and come back if you have chest pain which continues for a long time!
morning . I often had chest tightness when I had my first episode of persistent AF . I was 52 then ( 6 years ago ) and was in it for 6 months pre first cardioversion . Saw private cardiologists etc and did report my symptoms but they weren’t at all concerned !!!
I often felt like I would keel over and die at this point !!
It's a very uncomfortable feeling and not one I' m used to as heart rate is usually well controlled.Don't know why the sudden change and hope it's not here to stay. Are you feeling alright now?
luckily , I have been in and out of lovely sinus rhythm the last 6 years , following a few more cardioversions and 2 ablations . When I do go into AF , it has always been persistent and even with rate control I get chest pain / tightness , and find that my exercise tolerance is very poor . Hence , awaiting ablation no 3 !
For a start you should not let 14 hours of AF go without seeking advice, taking another tablet is not the answer here, as proved to be the case.
As for the tight band around chest, I, and most people would realise that this could be more serious than AF, it may not, but it also may be, All medics tell us that with AF if chest pain tightness, or feeling faint, to seek help, I hope that you have since sought advice.
Hi there, I am under a top Professor EP in the UK and he tells me to sit out episodes unless I feel particularly unwell, breathless or have chest pain, fainting etc. My episodes are very symptomatic with high heart rate and go on for an average of 30 hours before reverting to NSR. I am on sotalol and anticoagulant. I have been told to take an extra sotalol. I don't get this inconsistency of advice from medics. BobD says afib is neither an accident nor an emergency unless you experience the symptoms I have listed above.
If you don't mind me asking please who gave you your advice? Thanks
Both my GP and also the hospital when i was admited by ambulance 4 months ago, as my heart rate remained high for over an hour, and they insisted i get to hospital as at that stage was not on any preventative meds, anti coagulants etc. In hospital they reiterated that untless H.R. returns to normal within a couple of hours i should seek further help. As if left the longer left, are more risks of the heart forming a clot, with the way the electrics from the top valves are out of cync with the bottom chamber. I wouldnt dream of letting it continue for the hours that they seem happy for your to remain in AFib. But if you are happy with that then I hope all goes well for your heart, as when this occurs, the BP also is irratic for everyone.
Perhaps it's because I am medicated. BobD hasn't responded as yet, he is a bit of an expert on this
Hi
A tightening in your chest with rapid H/R with AF needs a change in
meds.
I understand nev..... is a BB which stops adrenaline enter your heart. It does a little of H/R control but mostly it regulates your BP blood pressure.
CCB another blocker called Calcium Channel Blocker which in stopping Calcium from entering heart and relaxes the muscles etc.
In my case I was not controlled in my H/Rate until my private heart specialist whoI was referred to because of his level of care. I was told by my Chemist that her husband was diagnosed with Heart Apnea causing AF by this Heart Spec. He also works for the hospital.
CCB Diltiazem brought my H/R Day down to 51 within 2 hours. Within 4 days with consultation this 1/2 dose was reduced to 120mg from 180mg. Taken at AM.
I still kept the BB Bisoprolol reduced to 2.5mg. Taken at night.
Offer your specialist the way you are feeling.
It sounds as though the rapid H/Rate needs immediate CONTROL. Ask the Specialist if a low dose of CCB could be tried.
Rapid Heart Rate makes any exertion difficult. Poor Heart - I experienced over sweating, fatigue etc.
Can you go privately or go to A&E. But when I did not know about CONTROL or CCBs. I was 1 year 3 mths with H/R Day avge of 186, then changed by the Public Specialist from Metoprolol to Bisoprolol, a 24hr monitor but still not controlled as H/R down to 156.
Now on CCB AM 120mg and 2.5mg Bisoprolol BB PM.
Controlled .. 123./69. and 62-69 H/R
But it has taken a year to lower H/R from 80-92 to 63-69 H/R.
My H/R at night has always maintained 47 avge through any med changes. Tried to
drop Bisoprolol or even 1.5 but BP went up too high.
Your Dr probably won't put you on CCB.
Take care, JOY 74. (NZ)
Thanks for your reply Joy. I am glad that you were offered a solution after such a long time with rapid heart rate.Have been to A and E and told to ask GP for referral to consultant.Think I will have to wait a long time.
Hi
If you can afford get referral from Dr to PRIVATE Heart Specialist.
That will make it cheaper.
cheri JOY
No cheaper in UK.
Hi
Shop around on best consultants. They look after you better. The Cemists husband went to same private specialist and he was found to have Sleep Apnea.
cheri JOY
it is very likely CAS. Get investigated immediately and with the waiting time with NHS it might be a year before you have a diagnosis. Best wishes.
Thank you.
This isn’t the same circumstance and I am not trying to downplay the banding feeling. Just thought I would mention that after I had my MiniMaze last year I developed that banding for about a month. A lot of people do experience that after a MiniMaze. It was inflammation that caused it. When the inflammation subsided so did the banding. I don’t know if that could be what is happening since the rapid rate. It might be inflaming your heart. Again not downplaying it and it should be pursued to find out cause.
You could be right as it's obviously connected to the fast AF as I've only experienced it when this is happening.
Hi stormcloud, Yes I know exactly how you must have felt. Two weeks ago my husband has to call an ambulance for me. I had the usual AF symptoms alongside bad pre-syncope. BUT I also had a very strange feeling of what I thought was an indigestion type of pain all around my chest. Also felt like I had an out of body experience, feeling very weird.
They sent a rapid response paramedic and ten minutes later an ambulance turned up. I was told I was in Fast AF and was carted off to hospital on ‘blues and twos’ in hospital they said my heart rate was over 220 beats a minute. Hooked up to monitor and stayed overnight.
I have never had this tight/pressure feeling before and will be very wary of it again., I can’t fault the paramedics who told me that the ‘strange’ feeling was when my heart rate dropped suddenly from 200 to 80 beats.
I hope you’re feeling better now 😊😊
Did they give you any medication for fast heart rate? I have been in a couple of times now and all they have done is blood tests and monitoring until heart rate returns to normal.
Hi Stormcloud this is exactly what happened to me and what I am told will happen if I present at A &E unless of course you have additional symptoms than fast afib. In fact when I was first diagnosed I was hooked up to bleeping monitors and the cardiologist immediately demanded the monitors to be removed saying "he wasn't worried about that" (meaning fast heart rate). He was actually of the opinion that monitors makes you more anxious which in turn aggravates the afib
Think you meant this for Steve? 😊
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