Exercise or not

[Camelia23]

I felt afib or irregular heartbeat start at about 423 am today but I slept and woke about 630 am with af still there. I tried deep breathing but about 830 I took my pip, flecainide 50mg prescribed four and a half years ago by cardiologist. I saw him 6 months after I was diagnosed. My question is: is it ok to exercise such as a walk or should I rest? I say irregular heart beat as when I saw gp recently for another matter he said that when I saw irregular heartbeat icon on bp monitor it didn't necessarily mean af. I didn't ask further questions as I was anxious about the other matter. I'm 79 weight fine. I think some of you will suggest a kardia or some such device. So, it's two subjects today!

[Buffafly]

A BP monitor shows shaky HB for ectopics too. I would do what you feel like. Personally I’d rest during AF if possible especially in heat which my heart hates….

[Camelia23 in reply to Buffafly]

Thanks Buffafly, think the heat and anxiety set it off yesterday

[BobD Volunteer]

Drink LOTS of water this weather (at least 2 litres per day) and relax. Excercise by all means but if you can't walk and talk at the same time slow down. Don't get a kardia if there is the slightest chance you will get hooked on useing it. OCD is one more thing you don't need.

[Camelia23 in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob, I shall drink more water. I drink quite a lot but it's more like 1 and 1/2 litres. I won't buy a kardia as I MAY get obsessed!

[Decaf_Andy]

I exercise in AF regularly. In fact, after a night of AF, getting moving often takes me back to sinus. I checked with Cardiologist and he said it was fine, after all many people live normal lives in permanent AF.

[Camelia23 in reply to Decaf_Andy]

Thanks, Andy. Unless it's very hot I usually try to walk. This morning I'm meeting 4 friends at 9am to walk in country park. Being rather opinionated including myself there's plenty of talk goes on.

[Nan1]

When I get AF I try to get out for a walk if possible. Although it’s not the most pleasant walk if nearly always clears the AF.

[Camelia23 in reply to Nan1]

Thanks, Nan1. Will keep your comment in mind

[Ossie7]

Morning , when my AF starts the first thing I do is take the dog for a walk as in the past this could revert me back to sinus . Nowadays sadly when it starts it usually means it ‘s not going anywhere and is persistent from the start . Hence I’m not on a PIP but regular antiarrythmics / + beta blockers .

I have an Apple Watch which I find very useful and reliable at showing my fluctuating heart rate when in AF . I don’t need it to tell me when I’m in AF as I feel so dreadful . I don’t feel I’m obsessed by it either as it’s a watch plus a an exercise monitor / motivator .

[Camelia23 in reply to Ossie7]

Thanks, Ossie. Sorry you feel so dreadful in Af. When I was diagnosed September 2019 I felt quite down but once I got used to meds, Apixaban and bisoprolol I felt hopeful. I've never been much overweight but I decided to walk more and become fitter. I realised I probably had had af a year or so earlier. However in recent months I've become more anxious about af and am trying to relax with walking yoga mostly

[Camelia23 in reply to Camelia23]

That should read, walking and yoga

[secondtry]

In this heat, I would rest rather than exercise. In the past I have got a slow heart beat up on Youtube and meditated on that. In normal weather I have also gone for steady regular half mile walk. If you have vagally mediated PAF like me gulping down a cold drink from the fridge may stop it. Caveat a cold drink gulped down can also start AF if in NSR, I've learnt the hard way on that too!

[Camelia23 in reply to secondtry]

Thanks, secondtry. I like the idea of the heartbeat 💓 on YouTube. If I'm not feeling the heat I can do shortish walk as you do.

[Vonnegut]

I too am 79 years old and female, never overweight etc but the Kardia is very helpful in recording AF episodes and you need 100mg as a PIP according to the EP I saw privately who first prescribed it for me. I then took 50mg am and pm but after breakthrough episodes now take 100mg am and pm and an extra lot on the extremely rare occasions when I get an episode like with covid!

[Camelia23 in reply to Vonnegut]

Thanks for replying. Amazing you can take that amount of flecainide. I read the side effects. One is that it can cause arrhythmia! How can that be? I saw cardiologist for about 12 minutes in 2020 as I may have mentioned but I will try to see one again despite the long waiting list. I think I need reassuring.

[Vonnegut in reply to Camelia23]

The maximum that can be taken daily is 300mg according to the info in the packet which also gives the side effects and I get a couple of those that one in a hundred people do! But I hardly ever have episodes of AF and only for very short periods and don’t take anticoagulants with the nasty side effects they have as not really at risk of stroke!

[Decaf_Andy in reply to Vonnegut]

Just a short comment here Vonnegut, I think you should talk to a medical professional about your stroke risk and consider anticoagulants. As a 79 year old female with paroxysmal AF, you are at considerable stroke risk. I’ll be going onto anticoagulants when I hit 65, my understanding is that most people have few or no issues with taking them.

[Vonnegut in reply to Decaf_Andy]

I thought I’d replied already so doing it again - I was told by the EP who prescribed the Flecainide for me, that unless my AF episodes lasted over ten hours or so with a high heart rate, I was not at risk of stroke and my extremely rare episodes never last anything like that (and I don’t intend to live forever!)

I did have unpleasant side effects from the different anticoagulants I tried and put up with the side effects of flecainide as it keeps my heart in order!

[Decaf_Andy in reply to Vonnegut]

Interesting, I’d never before heard that risk assessment. Good to know!

[Vonnegut in reply to Decaf_Andy]

Well I’ve never been overweight and had had many years of healthy living! In fact the EP didn’t believe I had it until I’d acquired a Kardia (and a smart phone) at his suggestion, and sent him a reading of an AF episode. It’s changed my life in many ways!

[Camelia23 in reply to Vonnegut]

Thanks, Vonnegut. That's useful

[Amiera5]

I purchased a KardiaMobile and am so happy I did! Since my AFIB was not constant the doc couldn’t catch it with a holter monitor. Sometimes I think I might be in AFIB but it’s only been a very rapid heart rate but still in sinus rhythm. It differentiates between tachycardia and AFIB. In my case, it was well worth purchasing.

[Camelia23 in reply to Amiera5]

Thanks, Ameira

[fibnum]

Try to figure out whether sleep apnea is causing the nighttime episodes. It can for me. I had to find a sleeping position that kept my airways open.

[Camelia23 in reply to fibnum]

Thanks fibnum. My fitbit shows blood oxygen saturation levels during sleep. These can fluctuate but high variations can be linked to breathing issues: quote. Mine are usually low. Husband and I sleep in separate bedrooms, partly because his snoring woke me up. However if my fitbit isn't so accurate there's no one to say: hey you're snoring loudly!

[Xian1]

I find slow to moderate exercise helps resolve bouts of afib for me. I monitor for afib and pulse rate with apple watch. Walking to get up to pulse rate around 100 seems to help. I often wake up with afib according to apple watch and think it may be related to sleep apnea, even though I use a CPAP.

[Camelia23 in reply to Xian1]

Thanks Xian. I might try the walking to get up to 100 pulse rate

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi Camelia

As I understand my EP who asked me how I exert myself.

When I say by walking up the road and sometimes further down to the 4square for grocery items and high elevation en route back.

He replied "good" as he points out that like every other muscle it needs exertion to keep it strong.

Your ? answered by saying yes in AF (I have persistent AF) in moderation. Stop if you need to.

cheri JOY. 74. (NZ)

[Camelia23 in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

Thanks. I will exert myself in moderation!