New to this. Had my first episode about 6 weeks ago but could have been AF for weeks as no symptoms. Had cardio version put on bisoprolol, apixaban and ramipril. Since then I have had 3 episodes; 2 lasting a couple of hours and this 3rd one is still going on past 5hrs. Decided to take my evening tablets and sit it out.
I have been on this forum for about a week and what I have realised is everyone’s experience is different.
My question is what to do when I have an episode with no symptoms. Should I carry on as normal or put my feet up? Bpm on an Apple Watch ranges from 100 to 160s when in AF.
Thanks
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Harry66
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Generally AF is considered a chronic condition not an accident or emergency. So should be treated by your doctor or cardiologist. If what they have done so far is not controlling your AF then you need to sk to speak to a specialist in arrhythmias.
That said if you have any chest pain or fainting /dizziness then call emergency services.
Afib should be controlled, or over time heart damage can result. In order to do this you need a home/away plan, because without one, you may have to constantly keep going to the A&E, which no one likes to do.
My first plan was to use rate control drugs when I had an episode. I took "x"mg of the drug, every "y" hours until my rate came down to a safe rate of 100 bpm, or below. Then I went about my daily business until I naturally converted.
Later, when my episodes became more frequent and longer, I went to a home rhythm plan. Here, I was given an arrhythmic drug called Flecainide to take on a daily basis. This helped prevent episodes from happening, but when they occasionally did happen, I was given instructions on how to take extra Flecainide to get me out of the episode. This is called Pill-in-Pocket (PIP).
You might want to start with a rate control plan, but if these episodes keep continuing like they have, you would probably want to move to a Rhythm Plan.
The best person to see about all this would be an electrophysiologist (ep) or a well versed cardiologist.
Bottom line again, is you always want your afib to be controlled. You want your rate controlled a much as possible and ideally, you don't want to be in afib any longer than necessary, because the heart can start to remodel.
Thanks for your words. Where I am at is waiting to take my meds morning and evening and seeing what happens. Would be good to take another pill and be able to come out of it but that is not for me to decide. As you say I will speak to my GP, specialist or AF Nurse specialist.
I would bypass your GP unless the he/she is the exception that proves the rule.
Hello Harry, it always helps if you could add your country to your bio only because treatments tend to vary because they are delivered differently around the world. If you are from the UK, then you will be aware of delays for NHS treatment and long delays in seeing specialists. I’m not medically trained but generally if someone is offered a cardioversion (CV) it generally means they were originally diagnosed with persistent AF ie, in AF 24/7. If this was your situation, (and you might not know) the fact that AF now comes and goes ie Paroxysmal AF then that suggests that you might respond well to treatment such an ablation but this should be discussed with an Electrophysiologist, a cardiologist who specialises in treating arrhythmias. Assuming you treatment so far was arranged with a specialist, the chances are that this may include a follow up appointment to check progress and discuss ongoing treatment options.
Check out the AF Association website because there is a lot of information there that will increase your understanding of AF and how to manage it but a direct response to your question is to endeavour to carry on as normal in terms normal activities but importantly to adopt a healthy life style if necessary……
oh dear poor you and welcome to this forum. We all were newbies once, it’s a very confusing time not knowing what to do for the best.
I’d go back see your doctor and mention flecainade as I found once my drug levels were sorted out y life became more consistent.( the ablation later was the game changer for me). You need to get a drug balance to help keep it at bay….
Go see doc, could you possibly pay to see a cardio?
Hi there, Harry. Welcome to this pretty wonderful forum! Bad luck on the AF. It's one of those things that can feel much worse than it is and can even bring on an anxiety attack with a feeling of impending doom at times, as if a heart attack is around the corner. It never is.
Symptomless permanent AF is what an elderly friend mostly has, and, apart from his warfarin, he does nothing and lives normally. Treatment for AF is generally purely for symptoms, I gather, so it is those that determine the medical course of action in the majority of people, I would think. I suspect, like me, many people are told to increase their dose of beta blocker, or similar, when they feel the need.
The ramipril you've been given is likely for high blood pressure, as that is a common "cause" of AF, or at least often goes hand-in-hand with it, when the actual cause is unknown. I was given a similar drug, losartan, even though my BP is normal as it apparently protects the heart over time.
Harry, you need to advise your doctor/his staff about your episodes after the cardioversion. Possibly need medication change for better control. But continue on the medicaton/dosage as prescribed.
AF can be silent without symptoms so continue to monitor your heart rate/blood pressure.
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