hi. Can anyone here give me some advice and hopefully some reassurance please. I’ve had AF since being diagnosed August 2022. First episode on the night coming home from a very strenuous and incident filled 2 week motor home ‘holiday’ in Scotland. Our first and probably our last. Not very restful! I had been working non stop before that in the NHS and in other areas ( I work in mental health) through the pandemic and knew I was stressed. The AF episode lasted a couple of hours. Paramedics called but I fell asleep waiting and when I woke up my heart had settled again. Long story shortened I saw my GP who said I had high cholesterol already and had lots of tests resulting in AF diagnosis with mitral regurgitation. I’ve had a number of episodes since I think brought on by stress but also MSG (in Chinese restaurant food) alcohol (only one glass but now I’ve unfortunately stopped completely). Also had recent spine surgery and a disc replaced in my neck. Anyway all holidays/outings cancelled for most of this year although a couple of weekends away in this country. Now I would like to go away again abroad. What would your advice be on travelling by plane for a foreign holiday? I want to be able to relax and enjoy it and to not worry about AF. I have pill in the pocket Flecainide and Bisoprolol. I take Flecainide Edoxaban atoravaststin and losartan daily. Please can others let me know of their experiences of travelling by plane and going on holiday. Thank you.
paroxysmal AF and flying : hi. Can... - Atrial Fibrillati...
paroxysmal AF and flying
No problems at all flying. I’ve flown when in AF - the only thing you can do is sit back, do some slow breathing, stay very well hydrated. I also nowadays on the advice of an EP who occasionally replies to questions eat a salty snack - I’ve converted to NSR several time fairly quickly afterwards.
THE most stressful part is not the flying but negotiating the airport so allow yourself plenty of time and if you feel you need it, ask for support. AirPort staff will often take walking wounded a much shorter route than hiking all over airports but you do need to book this when booking your flight. I found this very helpful but if you travel budget airlines this may not be an option.
I’ve had AF in boats, planed, cars and trains and the most important thing is to stay calm and carry on. I’ve flown short haul (3hours or less) and long haul (10 hours).
My proviso would be if you always feel very symptomatic with very high heart rate which requires medical attention then flying may not be for you but if you are considering travelling I am assuming this is not a problem for you so go and enjoy!
Well done on identifying MSG and alcohol - they were major triggers for me.
Thank you so much for your reply CD Dreamer. Youve given me alot of good information which has helped me feeling more confident about booking a much needed holiday. I’m feeling excited now to start looking for one. Yes I can understand what you mean about managing stress and exertion to try to keep out of AF or manage the symptoms if I go into an episode. I’ll keep it in mind when we go to the airport etc. Can I ask another question please?. I don’t drink alot of caffeinated coffee but do enjoy it occasionally. I’ve not necessarily noticed a link to AF for me but have seen it as a link on websites etc. What’s your experience, and others on here, of drinking caffeinated drinks predominately coffee. I’m not a high energy drink person. Thank you.
You ask a very pertinent and interesting and very debatable question. My experience is that a coffee made with good, freshly ground and not ‘stewed’ coffee occasionally was beneficial. A coffee made with dehydrated coffee or from a jug on a hot plate left stewing for heaven knows how long - straight into AF. I spoke to my nutritionist about this - who happened to have a special interest in coffee and without boring you - it all depends upon the quality of the coffee, how it was grown and processed because it seems that it is the chemicals used for growing and processing that tend to cause the problems.
I’ve read endless medical studies about caffeine and AF, all contradictory, there is literally a new one each week - this week caffeine will be a trigger, next week not - which leads me to believe that it is more about the chemicals.
I drink one cup of good coffee - with full fat milk - in the morning with no problems. The fat content in milk in coffee is really important to help your body digest properly.
Chocolate - same rules apply. I avoid all other caffeinated drinks - except coke cola when I was very sea sick recently on a cruise caught out in 3 named storms! Not exactly the holiday I was hoping for either!.
Hope that helps.
Hello CDreamer. Lots of really good insights and information. Chocolate is one of my indulgences but I keep it to good quality dark chocolate but have noticed a little flutter if I over indulge! I’ll try to see it as a positive in keeping my weight under control! Enjoy your next trip away.
How does the milk in coffee help.? Personally fresh ground black organic coffee works best forme using either French Press or drip consumed without sitting on a hot plate.Fortunately this does not affect my afib. Cheers to all the coffee lovers out there! Etheral
You weren't crossing the Bay of Biscay 8th to 10th Nov by any chance?
A few days later, we took safe haven in Falmouth so crossed on 11th when it was at least safe, but rolling in 20m waves was not pleasant!
We crossed 8th to 9th on P&O Iona. I was thrown right across a bathroom at 3am. Badly bruised ribs and ended up in hospital for 17 days. But the good outcome of this is I'm going to end up with surgery to replace a leaking mitral valve which the cardiologist thinks might be causing the persistent AF I've had for the last 7 years. The surgeon in Morriston hospital is going to do anything else that might need doing and which could involve pace and ablate, triple bypass, and "anything that might go wrong in the next 30 years".I've been waiting since Oct 2022 just to get an "urgent" appointment.
Mind you, my ribs still hurt!!
Ooh wow. That sounds very sore and frightening too when you fell. Good you are now getting the treatment you need though. I’ve also got a leaking mitral valve. Thats regurgitation is it? That’s what I’ve got. I’ve read that can cause the AF I think. The regurgitation is mild to moderate. I found out about both last August. It sounds like your cardiologist is supporting you although you’ve waited a long time for it. Good luck and good healing.
OMG! Our ship had 2 broken hips and broken wrist and lots of cuts and bruises. I suppose you could say it had a silver lining in the end for you but not pleasant.
We didn’t get to our destinations but we did get immediate refunds, cash in the bank, no arguments. I have to say rather put me off cruises in November but should have known better trying to cross in November.
We were on the way back to Southampton. Hurricane Force 12 with huge waves. Even by the following night's dinner the crockery was taking a serious bashing and definitely no attempt at a Baked Alaska Parade.
I am currently in Nepal and have recently done the 10 h journey from uk. I also have the paroxysmal af and frankly the only problem is working out when to take your meds which is complicated by the change of time that one goes through. Otherwise tiring but no worse than anybody else. I’d did though stress a lot when I was refused entry into India due to an incorrect visa!!! Hope the new one is ok!!
thank you for your reply Cordoba1. It’s interesting you are in Nepal. Has the high altitude affected you? We have previously been to India, golden triangle and south India in Kerala. We would like to be able to return and go North. We would like to go next to Amritsar and up to Simla. I had been thinking that long haul flights weren’t going to be for me now. Since reading the posts on this site I can see that with sensible precautions and planning it’s perfectly possible. Thank you again for taking the time to reply. Enjoy your trip to Nepal.
You do not need to fly to go on holiday! Trains are far simpler and not as harmful for the environment.
Unfortunately not too many trans Atlantic/Pacific trains.
But surely there are lots of wonderful places you could visit without crossing oceans!
There are of course many places to visit without crossing oceans by planes. I will visit some of them by car and train when I decide to do so. I am asking the forum about flying having been recently diagnosed with AF rather than have an environmental ethical discussion. If you have the time to use the train or the funds to go by cruise ship that’s great. Or indeed have made the decision not to use planes I respect that decision. However my question was asking how to travel by plane to USA/India etc. I thank you for your opinions. Enjoy your travelling.
Sadly, my travelling days are over as I acquired chronic fatigue at around the same time as the paroxysmal AF but I am 79 now and had 74 healthy active years before they struck. I find Flecainide keeps my heart in order though it comes with added fatigue as a side effect for me but perhaps it would work for you.
I am also on Flecainide but thankfully don’t feel the fatigue you experience. I am not on too high a dose so that may be the reason. I am in my 60s so hope to have many more years of travel ahead. Flecainide has certainly helped manage the AF and I have PIP which has helped too when needed. Thank you for your replies.
Your background and experience of PAF sounds similar to mine. The stress of the job is almost unavoidable. Lots of Tranference. Iam retired now so my life is fairly stress free. My advice would be to try to reduce your AF burden as much as possible. Abstention from alcohol was a good start. Causation will be elusive but triggers may be more easily identified and where possible avoided. I believe that my triggers are dehydration, alcohol, white starchy foods, large meals and eating late in the evenings. I have addressed these factors and my burden has reduced by about 99% during the course of this year.
I think that you will be fine going flying to a holiday abroad. Stay hydrated enjoy the sun but avoid extremes of heat. I personally nolonger fly longhaul. I try to keep within 4 hours of the UK. Take sensible steps to promote your own health but do not let Afib rule your life.
Regards.
Hi Popepaul. After my reply to you i thought again of your reflection around transference. It played a significant part of how I worked with clients. But maybe I took too much. I worked past retirement age but now am in the process of also closing my private practice having stopped working with NHS and a charity in 2022. Stress I am sure played a part in AF for me. I am hoping once I completely stop early next year my AF burden will be more under control and I continue to discover my triggers. I will ensure I keep hydrated as I know I am not good at doing that too. With good wishes to you. Thank you again for your insight and happy flying!
Hello Popepaul. thank you very much for your insight and experiences. Very helpful particularly around large meals late at night and keeping hydrated. I am a dark chocolate lover but also try to keep to good quality and not too much at a time as I have noticed not AF but some flutter. I hope you continue to have good results re PAF yourself.
Hi, I don’t have any issues flying (short or long haul). I love travel and have been determined not to let PAF affect this.
My arrhythmia was diagnosed in 2019, following a heart attack and travel was curtailed for a few years after that, including the pandemic period but now I trying to make up for it.
I am fortunate my PAF is well controlled (no episodes for years) with daily medication (Flecainide) and I am generally fit and healthy. Like yourself, over time I came to understand unhelpful behaviours which might affect me and mitigate them. During a long haul flight, I ;
- stay hydrated and avoid too much alcohol but hey! I’m on holiday, so a beer or wine with a meal is usually fine.
- eat but I never over eat or eat too late. Tricky sometimes on a flight changing timezones but I manage it. Eating late and being over full is generally not good for me anyway; something I avoid.
- to try and avoid jet lag, I always adopt the time zone of my destination as soon as possible.
- get some sleep / relax in tune with my destination.
- medication. I am on twice a day medication - 12 hours apart. Normally, I set a 12 hour timer on my watch after my last dose in local time. It is then just a bit trial and error were I blend my timings to reflect my destination +/- a few hours depending on the situation. This is very much a personal approach, I am sure others may do it other ways but it works for me, so far.
Then there’s just general things.
- good travel insurance - make sure all conditions are covered.
- check destination’s law/rules on importing medication and adhere to it. As a minimum, I take my last prescription and enough meds for trip in their original dispensing packaging.
- research medical facilities at destination.
Clearly travelling is a personal choice, taking into account your personal situation and appetite for risk too. For myself, I feel I have stability and I am trying to take advantage of it. Earlier this year I was in the middle of the rain forest in Borneo for example. It was remote and clear that good medical facilities were a few days away, I knew this but ……but I wanted to visit that national park.
Best and I hope you manage to get away.
Youve give me some great suggestions. Thank you. I tend to be a person that who tries to find ways to do things so I can take them ‘on board’ (no pun intended!) when I start to fly again. Amazing. Borneo. What a trip that must have been. We went to India in 2019 and we like the diversity of USA so wanted to explore them both more. I was thinking that maybe we couldn’t go back as I have PAF now. Thanks for your insight it really is helpful and I much appreciate it. Enjoy your own travels.
Wow, there is a lot in your post!
On reading my first thoughts are reduce stress and situations where stress could arise. Work on improving your gut and all associated matters. Also make more lifestyle changes as often discussed here.
Lastly one tip from my experience. If like me you have vagally mediated Lone PAF and higher than ideal anxiety, beware the potential trap on holiday.
I refer to building up to going away, the travel hassle, finally getting to your destination all OK - you go into deep relaxation, first evening meal different food, possibly later than the norm with possibly an extra glass of wine & bingo AF surprises you. Reason being too quicker change from stress to relax and the Vagus Nerve (not being properly balanced) is likely the main reason. Solution: tone everything down to smooth out the peaks of stress & relaxation.
Hope something above helps.
Really interesting information and reflections secondtry. Thanks. As a psychotherapist I identified how much the vagus nerve affects our wellbeing some while ago for clients but of course doing it for ourselves is a bit more tricky. Your post has reminded me of how I could manage the AF. I have IBS and recently had spine neck surgery. I have become more aware how the vagus nerve affects IBS and now learning more about its affect on the heart and AF. The vagus nerve as I am sure you are aware travels down either side of the spine and therefore I feel mine has been severely ‘irritated’ for some time. I need to engage in more parasympathetic activities especially when leading up to holidays stressful events etc! That way I can hopefully minimise AF or avoid them when completely. Lots of food for thought. Thanks again.
you’ll be fine. Iv flown lots of times since I was diagnosed with AFIB and had the odd episode whilst in the air.!! I give myself loads of spare time when setting off so I’m never having to rush or get stressed especially at the airport etc.
keep hydrated and take it easy and just enjoy a lovely holiday, it will do you good.
And bring me a stick of rock back.?
All the best.
Ron👍
Thank you Jetcat (Ron). Yes being hydrated and less stressed are certainly things I need to keep in mind. As you say they are important in managing AF. I think a holiday will definitely do me good! And yes to the stick of rock! 😉😊
I don’t understand why our cardiologist wouldn’t give my husband flecainide he said only when he has no other options . He is going forward inthink for either another cardio version or ablation after first cardio version failed .
I have flown twice since my Paroxysmal AF Diagnosis. Both times I was stressed. I did take a 1/2 Xanax. But ultimately no AF during either trip.
In addition, I had flown 5-6 times prior to the Diagnosis (but having episodes that I did not know were AF) and neither the vacations nor the flights put me into AF. But, my first AF was in New Orleans in 2019. It was very warm and humid and I drank soda all day long rather than having any water. I woke up in AF and 8 hours later back into NSR, and other than complaining to my wife of the weird feeling we did everything that we planned to do.
I have all my PIP pills in a pill caddy and tried not to be up to late, or eat really salty food. Hope that helps a bit.
It does help AustinElliot thank you. It’s about confidence isn’t it. That even if in AF using the PIP as I have too means that I will be okay. Plenty of water, reduce stress where possible and go and enjoy ourselves! Looking forward to flying again now.
my advice is
- get to the airport early. You don’t want to rush.
- Pack only what you need.
- try and get an aisle seat to help with leg room.
- Have good head phones so you can listen to some music.
The End
I have long standing persitent Afib and have no issues flying at all. Just got back from Budapest. Just make sure your holiday insurance is up to date
I wouldn't worry about flying. I have had paroxysmal AF for several years nd have taken several flights without problem. Some while in AF, some not. I never let AF episodes bother me too much, I took the PIP and let it take its course. I wasn't going to be a slave to it (and I do appreciate that everyone is different, I'm not being arrogant). I have now been lucky enough to have had a PVI ablation (Prof. Mark O'Neill at the Cardiac Clinic in London) and have been AF free for 4 months+.
Good luck!
Thank you Sanpet. I’ve used PIP a couple of times. Looking back it was probably when I was stressed, overtired or overdone things. But it’s worked. My cardiologist suggested I could take a Bisoprolol a couple of hours before flying as a precaution. Interestingly no-one else here has mentioned that approach. Im so looking forward to flying again. Love that cranking up of the engines before takeoff!
I would echo the advice given by others. Allow plenty of time at all stages so you don't get stressed. Make sure you have plenty of water. Keep calm, practice slow breathing. I've only been on short haul flights so far, but I think I could tackle a long haul one at some stage.
It seems a sensible approach to allow plenty of time to reduce stress. Also to make sure I have plenty of water to hand. Short haul will be my first time flying. I will be looking to book something up shortly. Long haul will be my aim too. Thank you for your advice. Happy flying!
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