anxiety over Afib

[Northernowl]

I guess I’m just looking for some info to put my mind at ease - I’ve had Af for 8 years (since age 35) and the stress and anxiety has been worse than the Af. How Likely am I to have a medical emergency from Af ? Could it give me a heart attack or Vfib ? I’ve had no Af since ablation but I’m starting to get quite a lot of PVC’s but I don’t know if they’re caused by my stress / anxiety. Thanks

[BobD Volunteer]

AF does not shorten lives unless you are stupid. Obvisously trying to run a marathon or do an iron man event whilst in AF could be dangerous but for most of us it should be a minor inconvenience to which we adjust. Not so the anxiety it generates in some people which is far more dangerous. Provided that rate is well controlled and the patient anticoagulated for stroke prevention where appropriate then life can go on , just with a few adjustments.

Ectopics are a nuisance I agree and to a great extent can be self generating if you allow anxiety and stress to enter. Try to stay well hydrated at all times. relax and remember the slow deep breathing hack. No more that six deep diaphragmic breaths per minute for at least five minutes. As one top EP once told me "Ectopics are a good sign, They show the heart is trying to go into AF and failing".

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to BobD]

Hi

But first Dr Gupta doesn't take to ablations. He agrees it is an unnatural procedure done to ones heart. He advocates anti-co.agulants after an ablation.

I was reading up on regurgation RV coinciding with dilation in the Left Atrium, mortality is high during valve repair or replacement. Left alone in severe cases can get worse so in my case mortality can occur.

Yes anxiety, diabetic or swelling around heart with AF adds to the state of early mortality.

Keep observant on conditions you find yourself in and act.

cheri JOY

[Hidden]

Good Afternoon Northernowl

Stress can be a trigger for Ectopic Beats, as explained in our Information Sheet here: api.heartrhythmalliance.org...

You may like to read our Mindfulness and Healthy Living with AF booklet: api.heartrhythmalliance.org... which contains advice on how to reduce stress and worry related to living with AF.

Our Patient Services Team are here if you ever want to talk things through, we are more than happy to have a chat and hopefully provide you with some support and reassurance, please feel free to call 01789 867502.

Katrina.

[mjames1]

I’m starting to get quite a lot of PVC’s but I don’t know if they’re caused by my stress / anxiety.

PVC's and ectopic beats are often idiopathic, meaning that the cause is unknown. Yes, stress/anxiety could be the cause, but not necessarily. In most cases they are benign and require no treatment, however they can also be a sign of underlying heart disease, or the canary in the coal mine for a more pesky arrhythmia such as afib. I know that my episodes of afib are often preceded by periods of ectopics.

Breathing exercises help some, but they don't help others. Stress reduction helps some, but they don't help others. Same with medications such as beta blockers. Personally I've found that either too much or too little exercise sets off my ectopics.

Overall, I wouldn't worry too much about them, but if they are getting to you, try the various suggested remedies, realizing that what works for Jack, may not work for Jill.

The great news is no afib since your ablation. Try and focus on that.

Jim

[bean_counter27]

I suspect stress and anxiety are the root cause of a lot more medical emergencies than AF. I worried more about my condition before it was diagnosed as AF. I didn't know what was happening and thought I was having heart attack. I'd agonise over whether to go to ED, in some cases walking around house in middle of the night too worried to go back to bed. That was stressful!!

Now if having an episode, I know what is and how to deal with it.

You've had AF before. Did it cause any medical emergencies for you then?

[OzJames]

I first got AF at your age 35 as well that was 30 years ago. I can assure you for most of that time I went on with my life with episodes once every 4 or 5 years. Late 2022 I got more ectopics and a couple of AF episodes. I went and got my bloods done and found I was low in Vitd3 magnesium and CoQ10. I’ve been supplementing for approx 12 months and didn’t notice any change until about the 9 month mark. Only the odd ectopic and only one AF episode in the last 12 months. I also kept training and getting on with my life. Bob’s advice is sound… deep breathing is essential for controlling stress. Learn to breathe through the nose. I purchased James Nestor’s Breath and now I’m calmer and get less stressed.

[Ppiman]

You need to be reassured by a cardiologist that your heart itself is physically sound. An echo sonogram would help or, if money is available, a stress MRI. Only, then, I feel - if stress is your bugbear - will you be convinced that the AF itself will not harm you if any clotting risks are attended to.

As a worrier myself, you have my sympathies.

Steve

[Sixtychick]

I had an ablation in September and have been getting ectopic beats, which started about 2 weeks afterwards. They haven’t been quite so bad just lately. I must say, it worried me, but everyone on here, says it’s quite normal after ablation, till your heart settles. Hopefully yours will settle soon.

[Cavalierrubie]

My anxiety is worse than my AF. This doesn’t seem to affect or give me an episode of AF. I don’t let AF worry me as l know it is not life threatening providing l am anticoagulated. I think if it’s worrying you to that extent, l would talk to your GP/Cardiologist and get thoroughly checked out. Having the reassurance that your heart is ok will put your mind at rest. Some of us need more reassurance than others, so l know how you feel and how the worry can be so debilitating. Take care.

[Banquo]

Darn mysteries of this condition, right? I'm 5 months post 2nd ablation. No AF (yay!) and have been off the meds for about 2 months. Ectopics have noticeably increased lately for me, and my heart rate has raised, both resting and how quickly it zooms up during exercises. I was an avid trail runner and have had to just slow hike, as my HR maxes out just in vigorous hikes. Slow short road runs on flat ground have my HR hitting numbers I used to only see hard trail running. I'm going to have a Holter for a while to see if we can learn anything, or if this is just part of the journey and even a "new normal." It is stressful, as we adjust to the thing as needed and seemingly have little control right? When you wake in the night and feel those flutters, It's rough, even though we know it could be worse and a hundred other things. In my case, I think there's still a lot of rogue electrical going on outside the Pulm Veins and it's making some havoc. But as has been said, the good news is those ectopics knocking at the door have not let afib in..so that's a success. In my case i feel like I'm living a bit with "afib lite" right now and lesser versions of the HR and the dizziness and palpitations... but it's better than afib. I empathize..in the end we know we just have to get in with it best we can, take symptoms as they come, and do all the lifestyle balances we can fie the best odds. I wish you best of luck and health!

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

Sounds like you should be on an anti-co.agulant but your call as you are young.

Dr Gupta recommends all those who have had ablation should take them.

In another breath he says that he does not believe that AF causes stroke or heart attacks.

I don't believe that as I was having symptoms of hyperthyroid, anxiety so hypertension I guess and AF. But I had a stroke at aged 70 years - not on any meds.

cheri JOY. 75. (NZ)

[TracyAdmin Partner]

Thank you for your message, I am sure all the members will offer you great advice based upon their own experiences. However, if you would like a chat or need some advice or reassurance, please feel free to contact our Patient Services Team on 01789 867 502.

Kind regards

TracyAdmin