Afib query

[Myflowers2]

Would like to hear from others who have Afib. I had a Cardioversion 3 weeks ago and still have flutters . Do others get this. Also what dose of Bisoporol is most people on ?

[Buffafly]

What do you mean by ‘flutters’? And is the feeling constant or does it come and go?

[Teresa156]

As Buffafly says, it does depend on what you mean by flutters. Cardioversions are often not a permanent way to relieve symptoms of Afib.

Are you able to see what your heart is doing? I.e do you have a smartwatch? Many of us have these and they are helpful in keeping an ‘eye’ on what our heart is up to, especially when we are unsure.

Unfortunately it probably won’t help you to ask what dose of Bisoprolol people are on, as we all have differing medications for Afib and differing strengths of Bisoprolol, depending on the burden of our Afib.

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi MyFlowers2

Welcome to our forum, you'll find we're a friendly bunch of people here. We all have AFib (AF) or other heart rhythm abnormalities, most have AF though and that's who this forum is primarily for.

I've written a list of things below that I've learnt over the years that may help people control their AF to a certain extent:

Having had AF for 18 years, three ablations (where they go up through your groin to burn or freeze the inside of the heart where the rogue pulses often come from) and numerous cardioversions (electric shock to put the heart back into it's correct rhythm) my advice to everyone diagnosed with AF is the following:

1. Be Aware you are most unlikely to die from Atrial Fibrillation (AF). I used to think that the way my heart bounced around I would surely be found dead next day. Still here though!

2. Changing your diet to a more plant based one, avoiding any foods containing artificial additives, not allowing yourself to become dehydrated, cutting back on sugar, alcohol and caffeine, also losing weight (if it's needed) will all have a beneficial effect on your AF. Artificial sweeteners were a sure trigger for my attacks. How I wish I'd known all of this before having any of my ablations. Would I have listened if anyone had told me? Probably not, because I believed ablations would cure me - three didn't! They have helped some people though and my AF now is not so severe.

3. This is a hard one, but looking at gadgets that show your pulse and AF will make you anxious and anxiety feeds AF. I was obsessed with what my heart was doing for about the first ten+ years of my AF journey and my attacks were so debilitating I'd end up in a hospital ward, it has taken me a long time to take my mind off this subject and get on with living. The less I think about it, the better I feel. Now I used to feel cross with people who suggested I stop looking at my pulse rate machines, I thought that their AF couldn't be as bad as mine and they didn't understand how unwell attacks made some of us feel. I would get cross with anyone who said they could still go on holiday and carry on life as normal while in AF. They made me feel evil, by not understanding how ill I felt! In our minds AF is only as bad as we have experienced, for some attacks are mild for others they're more severe.

4. Make sure you don't slouch, or unwittingly do shallow breathing while watching tv or if you're online. If you do your heart will protest. Also avoid tight clothing around your waist or chest.

5. Try supplementing with magnesium, any type except oxide (I use glycinate from YourSupplements and also take taurine, zinc, vitamin B complex, D3, K2, CoQ10 & vitamin C). I feel fine and there's little I can't do now, despite being in constant low rate AF. Or at least I think I am, I don't check these days.

6. If over 60 I would make sure that you’re taking an anticoagulant to prevent blood clots forming and causing a stroke. Note that they do not thin the blood in any way, just stop it from clotting so quickly. You should not notice any major difference in the way you bleed.

Hope this info will help you.

Jean

[Myflowers2 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you so much for your advice it really helps. To know others are just like yourself. I have been bad since October so it's quite new and scary for me.

[Tykelady]

I am on 5mcg Bisoprolol twice a day which I was told was the highest dose I could be prescribed.

[Myflowers2 in reply to Tykelady]

That's the dose I am on. My blood pressure is so low the Diastolic is mostly in the 40's. Systolic sometimes is in the 90's.

[Auriculaire in reply to Myflowers2]

Then you need a review of your dosage. If your afib comes and goes and the episodes are infrequent then it does not make sense to take a dose of Bisoprolol that is helping to lower your blood pressure so much every day Many people ( especially women) do not tolerate Bisoprolol well and 5mg is quite a high dose. Personally I felt like a zombie on 5mg and told my GP I did not wish to live feeling like that. There are other rate lowering drugs if you still cannot tolerate Bisoprolol at the lowest dose of 1.25 mg.

[2learn]

Hi, I found when I've had cardioversions, they've worked, stopped my AF and I've had to come off bisoprolol cos it was taking my HR to 40s and made me feel unwell.

[Myflowers2 in reply to 2learn]

How many Cardioversions have you had. Spoke to doctor today he wants to leave me on Bisoporol 5 mg twice a day and stop my ramipril for a week to see if my blood pressure rises a bit.

[2learn in reply to Myflowers2]

Hi, 3 cardios, each one kept me AF free for about 14 mths and 3 ablations and when in AF I was on 5mg biso once a day not twice. Last time I saw consultant feb 23, he took me off Biso as I wasn't in AF and said if my BP went up they would put me on ramipril. My BP went up a bit to 140/90 and I went on to low dose ramipril 2.5mg once a day. My BP now around 125/ 85. I now have a pacemaker cos my HR was too low and this stops it going below 60. My GP would get me to take my BP twice a day for at least a wk, before they make a decision about BP. A one off reading says very little of use. They can put you on a day or week monitor to get more info.

[Myflowers2 in reply to 2learn]

I had a Cardioversion 3 weeks ago . Still don't feel right. Feel fluttering and not right. Is this normal. But heart rate is ok not in A F. Do you feel back to normal after a Cardioversion.

[2learn in reply to Myflowers2]

A couple of days after my cardios I felt fine except when they kept me on Biso. I've never had fluttters or palpitations, my heart just beats fast when in AF.

[Desanthony in reply to Myflowers2]

Have you seeb an Electrophysiologist (EP) I would ask to be referred to one if I were you.