Stress test and Afib

Anyone with experience on a stress test with afib?When afib starts I can't breath.

I've had several treadmill stress tests over the years.

Just wondering if anyone has had an episode during stress rest.

[mjames1]

I went into afib right after my nuclear exercise stress test in the warm down. Short episode. Passed test enough to qualify me for Flecainide. No one seemed concerned, except me.

Jim

[CDreamer in reply to mjames1]

Is it normal to have a stress test in US before prescribing Flec? Would everyone get it or only if there were other indications?

[Hidden in reply to CDreamer]

It's normal to have a stress test every 2 to 5 years according to good cardiologist here. All of my cardiologist over the years have scheduled me such along with echocardiogram and full ekg rather than just a 30 second strip.They say it is a very important measure.

I don't know on flec as I have afib and mobitz so anything other than metropolol is contraindicated as my ep says.

Which is why we are looking at ablation.

I'm told about 70 to 80 percent success rate.

I think in us it all depends on your insurance.

[mjames1 in reply to CDreamer]

Pretty normal but not always. It is my ep's protocol for everyone.

Jim

[CDreamer in reply to mjames1]

Thanks, in 15 years of AF, 5 years taking Flec it’s never been mentioned and in our UK NICE guidelines for NHS it’s used only for Angina & suspected CVD.

I wonder and worry about the comment - depends on insurance which means there is great inequality of healthcare.

[mjames1 in reply to CDreamer]

Yes, the systems are different and I just deleted a whole bunch of stats because another topic. But to clarify, if you see a doctor whose protocol is stress exercise test before administering Flecainide, that's the policy, insurance or not.

Jim

[Hidden in reply to CDreamer]

As someone pretty well connected up to this point in both the US Healthcare and us insurance industries...I will absolutely say there is most horrible inequality in care driven mostly from the old us standards ...

[LizLancashire]

I've just had the stress test in Nuclear Medicine department to see if I can take flecainide. No result yet.

[secondtry]

I don't recall being told I had to do a stress test before taking Flecainide (well it was 10 yrs ago!)and pretty sure I had Flec intravenously in hospital on early diagnosis before any test.

I do recall having the test later (but not whilst in AF) and taking a pretty dim view as I was concerned it might cause 'more trouble' with the heart; this sentiment was reinforced when once on the treadmill the TWO supervisors pushed a disclaimer notice to sign in front of me. Consequently, I didn't go flat out to achieve the desired heart rate, only near, and the supervisors somewhat reluctantly said that was good enough.

[Qualipop]

No I haven't b ut I have had stress tests that have had to be stopped early because of my spinal pain. Just tell them to stop at the first warning sign.

[petmice]

I didn't know I had afib until after a treadmill stress test (which I failed spectacularly). 24 hours later I thought I was having a heart attack and went to the ER, where I was diagnosed with afib. I blame the stress test for setting it off as the few bouts of afib before that were short (I assumed it was my atrial flutter). A stress test can really test the body (as can a strenuous hike), and that kind of stress often sets off my afib.

[dunestar]

I had a nuclear stress test last year. I got myself in such a stew about whether I'd be able to do the treadmill part that when I stepped on the machine my heart was jumping about all over the place. I'm not sure it was afib - it didn't feel quite like my usual sensations. I did manage to do it though. It's quite a stressful experience - I suppose that's why it's called a stress test - in that you go from zero speed to high quickly and then suddenly get dumped down to zero again. Normally I would take it slowly at the beginning and the end but I guess the technicians can't hang around while we go through all that. But the good thing is they do look after you well and if you are struggling they always have the alternative of chemical stimulation.