cold water swimming and AF

[patience12]

Hi as posted last week my AF is back after a 3 year gap. Only 2nd time had it. Cardiologist next week. Maybe cardio version. Whisky I wait …..

….Been cold water swimming since October: all through winter no wetsuit etc. even when 4C. My question is : does anyone else swim whilst in AF? Wondering if I can carry on. Or another thing off the list with AF? Seems sad if so but interested in what others do?

Thanks

[jeanjeannie50]

I discovered a few years ago that swimming puts me into AF (was at our local pool).

A friend told me she'd started cold water swimming (in the sea). I asked if she enjoyed it, but was amazed when she said that no she hated it. It seems the other women who go are such a laugh that she does it for that.

Jean

[Omniscient1]

I love cold water swimming and do it at every opportunity. But from what you say it's not connected to your AF as you'd been doing it for a long time before it returned.

[Tako2009]

I swim in the sea throughout the year - wetsuit when it’s really cold. It doesn’t seem to affect my AF - doesn’t cause me to go into AF. And I have swum this summer while in AF - again no affect, just helped me to relax and feel at peace.

[patience12 in reply to Tako2009]

That’s good to hear. 🤞🤞 I’m told to carry on because I find it helps with seasonal and low grade feelings of depression etc … so my view is it will be damaging to stop! But I’ll see what cardiologist has to say 🤞🤞

[CheriAlli23]

Hi Patience,

I have A-Fib and have been told to stop swimming until my ablation. Unfortunately I can’t get in to see the cardiologist until Sept. (have been waiting for 6 months) as their still short on staff after Covid here in the U.S.

So frustrating but afraid to take the chance as I did have a pretty bad episode once after swimming laps.

[patience12 in reply to CheriAlli23]

Sorry to hear it is taking so long to be seen. Good luck. I am hoping I’m told to carry on swimming . Doctor in A and E asked me if AF had come on after my swim - which it hadn’t . Was several hours afterwards so he didn’t seem concerned about any connection. If anything I think a ( large) bowl of frozen blueberries may have done it. 🤷‍♀️

Still I’ll see what cardiologist says on Saturday 🤞🤞

[CheriAlli23 in reply to patience12]

it sounds like you’ll be able to swim…i’m pretty sure that my episode was brought on by the swimming.

Good Luck!