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Weird, warm-like sensation

Jonathan_C profile image
34 Replies

I have written this post in my head so many times, but don't think I have written it here yet.

Quick facts about me: I am 49. I have aortic and mitral stenosis, which I believe is congenital. I have been in persistent a-fib for a little over 2 years now (after 2 ablations and 6 cardioversions). The only "a-fib" meds I am are anti-coagulants. I am just under six foot and weigh 80 kg (reasonable shape).

Every now and then I get this sensation where most of my upper body goes warm. The feeling seems to move up my body, and from my hands up my arms and into my head - its sort of like pins and needles, but not really. Most of the time when it happens I feel like I might topple over. If i am standing or walking when it happens I will hold onto something if I can. Its usually like a wave that goes over me and comes on with no warning and leaves just as quickly and after taking a few deep breaths. Its usually come and gone in 10-15 seconds.

The closest thing I can describe to it is the stress/trauma/shock that I would expect to feel if I told a deep dark secret about a close friend to someone I think would never cross paths with that friend and then walk into a party and see the two of them talking to each other.

I cannot link it to anything - sometimes it happens twice in a week, and I can go a few months without experiencing it. Whenever I have checked my heart rate during one of these episodes I don't notice anything (and I have a loop recorder and to my knowledge that hasn't picked it up), although my heart rate is usually a bit elevated afterwards because of how anxious it makes me.

This could be completely unrelated to my a-fib and (quite plausibly) linked to not having had a proper holiday for a while now. Any way, if you have thoughts I am interested.

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Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C
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34 Replies
Popepaul profile image
Popepaul

Just a guess on my part but I wonder if what you describe is actually lability of blood pressure/orthostatic hypotension. I used to experience something similar. I also think that the physical manifestation of anxiety can present itself in this manner.Regards

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C in reply toPopepaul

Looking at as a lability of blood pressure issue is making a lot of sense. I wrote a post a few weeks ago about feeling lightheaded when i stand too quickly from certain positions - and there is some similarity between that and what i describe in my original post.

mav7 profile image
mav7

Great comments by Popepaul !

Definitely discuss with your GP. Should the warmth be accompanied by tingling in your arms or hands, discuss having a MRI of your spine for possible spinal stenosis.

Are you taking any other meds besides the anticoagulants or is there anything in your diet that may be the cause ?

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C in reply tomav7

I use a nasal spray in the morning for sinuses, thats all.

I have quite a diverse and healthy/nutrient dense diet and don't have much sugar.

But what foods would normally cause this?

mav7 profile image
mav7 in reply toJonathan_C

Not sure of foods that may cause. May want to google for more info for a general idea, but not always absolute.

But most important, do discuss with your GP. And try to put your mind at ease as Popepaul mentions to relieve stress and anxiety. Best to You !

Snowgirl65 profile image
Snowgirl65 in reply toJonathan_C

My first thought was anxiety, as your symptoms would sometimes present that way in the past for me, decades ago. But your mention of nasal spray also piqued my attention. When my seasonal allergies got the best of me last autumn, and my doctor prescribed a nasal spray with steroids, my heart rate increased, it triggered a-fib and made me tingle all over. I ended up having my third ablation a couple months later. Could this be a possibility in your case?

Cliff_G profile image
Cliff_G

Hi Jonathon,

I wonder if this is an autonomic nervous system thing, switching from adrenergic drive to vagal drive or the reverse. I had something very akin to what you describe when I was trying disopyramide as a pill in the pocket for my (pre-ablation) AF. I clearly recall going into AF during a training (classroom) session and popping a disopyramide. Ten minutes later I had this lovely warm wave of relaxation and ease sweep down from my head to my lower body, and my AF episode terminated. I thought I had hit the jackpot. It happened only once more a few days later, and after 2 weeks it was clear the disopyramide was not the solution to my AF. However, I have become very aware over the years that with AF your autonomic system is constantly fighting itself.

I don't know if this makes any sense, it doesn't to me 🤣

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C in reply toCliff_G

I have never heard of that it and it may just, without making any sense, explain a lot! thanks

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C in reply toCliff_G

I am going over these responses again, and again, thanks ...

"Ten minutes later I had this lovely warm wave of relaxation and ease sweep down from my head to my lower body" .... what i have referred to is not lovely in this way!

I did a little reading on about the autonomic system, which helps

JaneFinn profile image
JaneFinn

Hey Jonathan, that sounds like a weird and disturbing thing to experience. You describe it brilliantly - when you gave your example of how you might feel (the friends/deep dark secret thing) I actually could imagine exactly what you’re describing! Good one to remember for when you talk to your doctor about it. (Which I think you def should do.)

Sorry I can’t help cast any light on it. As a woman I do actually recognise having very similar sensations to that, but my GP said it was hormones, due to peri menopause, and that def won’t be relevant to you!

It might be worth having your blood sugars checked - I know someone who had similar but much longer lasting sensations, and the GP advised him to buy a glucose monitor to test if his blood sugar levels had changed when it happened. (He did, and found they had plummeted each time.) I’m not saying this could be it for you, but again it’s an avenue the GP might want to explore.

Have you actually activated your loop recorder when you have this sensation? If not, I would recommend you do next time, and not make the same mistake as me! I assumed my loop recorder would pick up anything if there was anything to find. But the cardio technician told me it depended on the parameters they’d set it to, and that it’s always best to activate it any time I have an unexplained medical event/experience - even if it doesn’t feel like it is cardiac, just in case anything is detected on the recording.

Really hope you can get to the bottom of this. Do let us know what comes of it, won’t you? Jx

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer

Sounds like when I was on hormones for prostate cancer.

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C in reply toBobD

Took my full bloods recently and currently all clear on that front, fortunately.

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly

What’s in the nasal spray?

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C in reply toBuffafly

Omnair is the brand - Ciclesonide is the active ingredient. I would be very very very surprised if that is a contributing factor.

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C

omnair

saulger profile image
saulger

I had the same sensation and even fainted a couple of times. The feeling of a whoosh from the feet to the head (or maybe the opposite direction). It was happening when I was in AFib and was converting to NSR, caused by a pause in the heartbeat (several seconds long) before NSR kicked in.

Cha275rL profile image
Cha275rL in reply tosaulger

Agreed, I used to get that too, and that’s the reason I was given.

Botolph profile image
Botolph in reply toCha275rL

Yes I can relate to that feeling and the reason for it. Fortunately it was recorded on a 24hour monitor and it was found the pause in my heart was seven seconds and it was recommended I have a pacemaker. Since having one fitted 10 weeks ago I still experience PAFib episodes but not the whooshing.

saulger profile image
saulger in reply toBotolph

When I was in Tokyo, while sleeping in the hospital bed, just before my mini-maze, they monitored an eight second pause, and none since. Wishing you good health.

opal11uk profile image
opal11uk

Hi Jonathan, yes I can relate!!! This happened to me after I had, what they called, a successful ablation. It was horrible, this very warm sensation from my feet to head and then total white out, not black out, everything went white and I couldn't see anything other than white. Reported back to cardiologist, he said these were the same as blackouts and meant my heart was dipping way too low, he was anxious that if I had such an 'attack' outside the home or on the stairs etc, this could lead to injury so he recommended a Pacemaker and thankfully this stopped the whiteouts completely. I have PAF so not the same as your condition and this happened some 8 years ago. I hope you manage to get this sorted out because it is very frightening x good luck x

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C

Sometimes I wonder whether to post stuff here or suffer in silence, and then when i do post i get such awesome help. Thanks everyone.

reinaway profile image
reinaway in reply toJonathan_C

🥰 I can definitely relate to this feeling and the weakness it produces. Like others have said I used to get it when converting back to NSR after an AFib episode. It was getting much worse with each attack so as they diagnosed Tachy/Brady syndrome where my heart would go in a couple of beats from 60 to 180 and back and produce angina as well, they offered Pace and Ablate procedure which I have had done and it has solved all the problems. My husband had similar symptoms to you and the fitted a pacemaker and it has helped him enormously. It was low blood pressure with him and standing up too quickly. Hope you get answer soon.

fibnum profile image
fibnum

I am being a little out of line here, but it is true: Something like that used to happen to me when I first started spending time with my now wife. Just thinking about her could do it.

After 48 years, it's not so much the case.

I hope your situation is not a serious problem.

Fibnum

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C in reply tofibnum

Its not a lekker (as we say in South Africa) feeling I am talking about - that feeling you talk about is because you feel lekker liefde vir jou skattebol ;)

youtube.com/watch?v=GcNGC9G...

fibnum profile image
fibnum in reply toJonathan_C

I am sorry yours is onaangenaam instead!

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C in reply tofibnum

I had an experience yesterday that reminded me of your comment - and if you take that feeling you describe, but some how make it feel no so nice (lekker) its very very close to the sensations i described in the original post of this thread.

fibnum profile image
fibnum in reply toJonathan_C

I don't mean to make light of your concern. I'm sorry I have no helpful insight to offer.

I hope it is not indicative of a health issue for you.

Fibnum

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C in reply tofibnum

Not all. There is no need for you to apologise.

I, and it looks like others on this forum too, experience sensations that are very difficult to describe - and your description provides something for us to relate to.

More importantly, I am happy that after 48 years of marriage that feeling is still there, even if "not so much" ;)

lizzieloo2 profile image
lizzieloo2

If it wasn't for the normal heart rate and length of attack, I would say t sounds exactly like a vaso-vagal episode. I used to get these when I was standing for a long time (ie I was a soldier in a play at school) or when I was in a hot restaurant full of people and I would get this hot feeling going up from my feet to my head, my heart would pound and I would have to lay down until eventually I would literally break out in a cold sweat and my heart would go back to normal. I asked my EP if this was related to my AF and he said no but I'm not convinced

Cavalierrubie profile image
Cavalierrubie

Sounds hormonal in lots of respects. Men can have hot flushes as well if their hormones are out of sync. Also could be a sudden fluctuation in blood pressure or dehydration, or a host of many things. Hope you get to the bottom of it eventually.

Debjimmay profile image
Debjimmay

Hi Jonathan

I get that feeling that you describe and I think I’ve narrowed it down to an adrenaline rush that happens suddenly if I think something is wrong with me. The first time it happened it scared the heck out of me because I didn’t know what was going on. I tried to explain to the doctor what it felt like, but I just didn’t have the words. You described it perfectly! I’m noticing now when I get these, it’s usually because I feel like I might be going into Afib or i’m suddenly worried that something like a heart attack or something is going wrong with me. I’ve even thought, maybe it’s the beginning of a panic attack?

I hope this helps in some small way to know that you’re not alone. It would help even more if we could figure out what it’s from or what it is.

Deb

Jonathan_C profile image
Jonathan_C in reply toDebjimmay

It does help. I can probably tie most occurrences to stress or anxiety.

I have a feeling the answer lies in some combination of stress, lability of blood pressure/orthostatic hypotension and pause in heart rate.

kdra profile image
kdra

I get that feeling when my heat is going back into sinus rhythm. I’m paroxsimal. Perhaps your heart is trying to return to SR even though you are in persistent/permanent Afib?

PleasantPink2 profile image
PleasantPink2

I also had a few events as you described with the transient sensation changes not related to any activity. When I mentioned it to my EP cardio he said it was most likely BP as I was weaning off a Beta Blocker at the time. Let me suggest you check your BP routinely for a few days and then try to catch a reading when you have this sensation. And of course mention it to your doctor although that is reassuring you have a Loop recorder in which should catch any cardiac arrythmias.

If it helps to know my EP cardio was not concerned due to the transient nature and no additional symptoms. So between that & you having the recorder I wouldn't be overly concerned but I know when it's happening it's hard to ignore. Hope you get to the root of the events.

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