Length of time between AF episodes

[Gaz4545]

Hi .. just wondering how long you experience AF between episodes? I can go several weeks without an episode, however when I do get one it can stay for three /four days altho my heart rate is about 112 bpm . Does you A/F effect you and in what way? … thanks .. I am on Bisoprolol and blood thinners …

[CDreamer]

Affects everyone very differently at very different times of their lives - dependent upon factors such as lifestyle, work, home life, exercise - or not, what you eat along with you own individual physiology.

I don’t see how comparing intervals between episodes will inform your management of AF?

If it is purely curiosity - in 2005-2011 - a year or more between episodes, then a few months, then it was weeks, finally almost daily by 2013. Now after the gamut of treatments - sometimes weeks, months or years but I do have a pacemaker. My last bout lasted 24 seconds a few days ago and I wasn’t aware of it, I am often VERY aware of it.

[John3333333 in reply to CDreamer]

'I don’t see how comparing intervals between episodes will inform your management of AF?'

Calm down, CDreamer. The OP is just asking a question on a forum. It is not like they are wasting a busy cardiologist's time, is it?

[CDreamer in reply to John3333333]

Not me that needs calm. It was an honest answer.

[John3333333 in reply to CDreamer]

You're so right. It is me that needs to calm down. I will take a little extra bisoprolol tonight.

[Gaz4545 in reply to CDreamer]

Hi .. thanks for the reply . Yes all I am doing is comparing as I don’t know how other people feel or cope with AF . I know I am not alone although you sometimes feel it alone if you get my drift ? .. hence my post

[TillyBoss in reply to Gaz4545]

Everyone is different gaz is what I've picked up from forum. Mine seems to be silent a fib. Most of the time not aware of it... and then comes the early morning horror. 4am this morning shortness of breath and palpitations... I think I've tracked it to parmesan the night before. Over a week nothing and then reality strikes. Vagal manoeuvres usually sort this out but a lot of sleep missed as I'm afraid to nod off for fear of not waking up!! But I always do.

[Gaz4545 in reply to TillyBoss]

Hi if I can ask what are Vagal moves ? Thanks for your reply .. interesting about the cheese …

[TillyBoss in reply to TillyBoss]

Yeah, ageg cheese.... also large meals. You can Google vagal or vagus manoeuvre.... they run from putting your face into ice cold water to coughing. The one I prefer is pinching my nose and forcing down on my stomach for about 20 secs. Described as forcing a bowel movement but I would Google it for a proper description from a reliable site.

[Gaz4545 in reply to TillyBoss]

Thanks for your reply .. I will check Google .. just over my 4 day episode of AF .. so nice to feel my normal self ! Because of the length of times between episodes it hits you hard when your next one comes … no cheese for me ! … keep smiling!

[Newafib]

AF seems to be different in every individual. I am get my episode of AF like clockwork every 14 days. Lasts for around 5 hours. Now on Sotalol. so hr never goes above 90bpm during the AF, but feels as if the heart is jumping around my chest.

[Gaz4545 in reply to Newafib]

Exactly the same here .. weird feeling and it does knock you back in normal life style. We have to grin and bare it .. at least with your reply I know I am not alone .. thanks for replying

[Janith in reply to Newafib]

Same here but suddenly it is happening more often … l too am on Sotalol … l will ask my cardiologist if the dose needs altering … l have an appointment in a few weeks. May l ask, what is your dosage? Thank you.

[Gaz4545 in reply to Janith]

Hi Janith .. I am on 7.5mg of Bisoprolol… Hope this helps you

[Newafib in reply to Janith]

I am currently on 40 mg twice a day of Sotalol. I was originally only on 5mg of Bisoprolol, but the cardiologist decided to change to the calcium blocker type of beta blockers.

[Gaz4545 in reply to Newafib]

Interesting info .. thanks for your reply .

[BobD Volunteer]

AF is a momgrel condition which affects us all quite differently. For example many people here would kill for a rate like yours as 200+ is not uncommon, whilst others have event on a daily basis.

Looking for comparisons is at best pointless. Your personal AF is all tha matters.

[Gaz4545 in reply to BobD]

Respect your reply. My HR goes at odd times to 120 .. I didnt realise 200 + is what some suffer .. I am lucky in that respect .. thanks for your reply

[Rosemarie61 in reply to Gaz4545]

287 my personal best

[Jalia]

Presumably you are asking purely out of interest as we are all so different. Here's my tuppence worth then......I have gone as long as 3/4 years on a couple of occasions, commonly 6/12 months & very occasionally 3 months. My episodes are almost always persistent requiring intervention, usually DCCV. Rates at lowest 130/140 then anything up to 200+bpm. I take Warfarin.

[Gaz4545 in reply to Jalia]

wow! Thinking I am so lucky !! Best wishes and thanks for your reply

[Buzby62]

Hi, copied from my Bio:-

Apple Watch AF alert Nov 2020

AF captured at GP Surgery Dec 2020

PAF diagnosed Feb 2021

Apixaban 2 x 5mg March 2021

Bisoprolol 1.25mg March 2021 mornings

Increased to 2 x 1.25mg June 2022 mornings and evenings

Episodes every 3 to 5 weeks lasting 12 to 24 hours

Symptoms relatively mild at rest but more noticeable during any exertion

More symptomatic when suffering a virus or infections

Cryoablation PVI, 7th December 2023 (Sedation)

Blanking period episode of AF (maybe ectopics) day 6 for ~16hrs

Best wishes

[Gaz4545 in reply to Buzby62]

Wow … best wishes .. I have got off lightly ! Thanks for the reply

[Buffafly]

I get AF every summer because my heart can’t cope with heat, otherwise it tends to be when I am unwell or overtired, so the gaps are random. My HR varies between 80 bpm and 150. On 80 I can potter about but 150 is a call to rest for a bit! When I have persistent AF (over a week) I get quite poorly with upset digestion, swollen ankles, shortness of breath because my heart gets tired.

If you are wondering how your AF compares in severity to others and whether it is reasonable to make a fuss then the answer is that if you feel your AF is affecting your Quality of Life then you are entitled to make a fuss even if a medic tells you you don’t have much to worry about! Best wishes ❤️‍🩹

[RepublicofFlaxpool in reply to Buffafly]

Good point. I told my Cardiologist off (in front of a Medical Student, for educational reasons) when he trivialised my PAF. [On reflection , he may have been pulling my leg 🤔] My HR goes from 45bpm to 140 and I get lightheaded and SOB when walking. I feel like sh:t and the whole day is wasted.

[Desertflowerchild in reply to RepublicofFlaxpool]

"The whole day is wasted." Yes, I hate that. I usually lose two days: the night/day I am in afib and can't get restorative sleep, my normal exercise, or do my normal work and the next day recovering from my heart's useless exersion. I hate the waste of time, especially because at the same time afib is wasting my time, it is reminding me that my time here is limited.

[Sixtyslidogirl]

It is interesting to me as well as I am in relatively early days of AF, so useful even to understand how episodes have changed over time. I had lots of ‘palpitations’ during menopause, which calmed down as I got over it but the had episodes of AF

Feb 2020 - 20 hours

Sept 2022 - 5 hours

2023

April 20 hours

May 10 hours

Oct 10 hours

Nov - 40s

Jan - ? - a few beats

Feb -? A few beats.

I do a lot of sport and wear a frontier x so can see rogue beats on the trace - the question marks are because I’m not sure what the trace showed. I am on apixaban, waiting for an ablation. I am 63.

[Gaz4545 in reply to Sixtyslidogirl]

Awww ok thanks for your reply. I was just interested in other people’s situations as you often feel alone on these symptoms. Thanks for sharing …

[bean_counter27]

Varies. Can be days, weeks or months between episodes. Currently it's been 2 months since last episode, my record is 3 - 4 months. Covid coincided with a bad run of episodes when I had Covid and in the months following. Cardiologist said that was quite common. This highlights the role of external factors on you having AF. You think you're doing well with avoiding triggers, being healthy etc and it gets trumped by getting a "bug"!

Episodes used to be 12 - 14 hours. Now often 3 - 4 hours but could be <1 hour or ~8 - 12 hours (rough recollection).

I believe they are often shorter now as I manage my AF better e.g. medicated (Flecainide & Metoprolol), take magnesium, Vitamins D3 & K2 daily, eat a banana most days for potassium, try avoid what I believe are triggers e.g. don't drink alcohol, stop taking Gaviscon for GERD, and I eat healthier (lower cholesterol & added sugar).

I can generally feel it when I'm in AF - fluttering and elevated HR relative to whatever I'm doing. AF doesn't appear to stop me from doing whatever I want i.e. doesn't cause breathlessness or any other significant symptoms - but I don't do anything excessive normally anyway. So I'd describe my AF as low burden at this stage.

My CHA2DS2-VASc Score = 0 so no anticoagulants. I split open my shin today and I didn't check it until I noticed the cuff of my jeans literally soaked in blood. I was shocked and I stopped work, showered, cleaned it up, elevated my leg and eventually dressed it before getting back to work after bleeding settled. It made me wonder what impact being on anticoagulants would have had i.e. a trip to ED?

[Gaz4545 in reply to bean_counter27]

Thanks for your reply. Very much appreciated.. your length of space between episodes and symptoms compare to mine .. altho my episodes last 3-4 days gradually fading away … until the next time…thanks again

[Gladstone001]

Some great responses here. Very interesting to read. Thanks.

[Janey1955]

mine is like clockwork every 2.5 weeks for about 20 hours maybe my heart reaches about 100. As a condition it becomes more frequent. 10 years ago when I started it was every six months. We are lucky that our hearts don’t reach those higher figures -fingers crossed it continues

Jane

[Gaz4545 in reply to Janey1955]

Thanks for your reply Jane … indeed, after reading some replies we are so lucky !

[secondtry]

Suggest you keep a daily diary to summarise and provide your trusted medic with a reliable record if your memory is anything like mine in a rushed consultant's room.

[Gaz4545 in reply to secondtry]

Good idea .. thanks for your reply.

[Ppiman]

You can go weeks, and I can go months and, luckily, so far, episodes only last for hours. When one arrives, always unexpected but always preceded by increasing ectopic runs, it feels like heavy palpitations, which are, otherwise, a daily event for me.

Apart from my first episode in the early weeks after my atrial flutter ablation in 2019 and within days of stopping bisoprolol, it hasn't been too bad with a rate mostly from 85-120. My pulse has twice been 150-180 and that did send my anxiety too high for comfort. Treatment-wise, I take a daily bisoprolol tablet (1.25mg) and apixaban.

Steve

[Gaz4545 in reply to Ppiman]

Hi … thanks for your reply.. I take 7.5mg of Bisoprolol and also Apixaban… thanks for your details.. we share the same !!

[Vonnegut]

Since I’ve been taking Flecainide 100mg twice daily I have not had an episode for over a year now. Of course, we are all different but it has worked for me.

[Pianoplayer85]

I take Dronedarone for PAF and I usually have an episode every 1 or 2 weeks which last on average about 10 to 20 hours when my hear rate fluctuates between 80 and 130. I have a pacemaker which is set at 61 which stops it going lower but not higher.

[Auriculaire]

The frequency of my afib has gradually increased since 2020 . The shortest time between episodes has been a day and the longest 13 weeks. Normally my episodes last 8-12 hours though I did have one of 22 hrs in Dec when I had a virus and had 3 episodes in 4 days . My heart rate does not usually go above 150 according to the Kardia. I can do things but at a slower pace than normal but usually just rest till I revert to NSR.

[ozziebob]

I have records of all my AF events, as I imagine most Forum members do.

I have found resolving a Vitamin D deficiency to be of significance in reducing the frequency, if not the duration, of my AF events.

I describe my situation in my Bio, and I have just added a PS update on the "frequency" aspect of my AF experience. I refer you to that.

bob

[AustinElliot]

Hi Gaz,

Between my first episode (which I did not know was AF) and my next one was 3 years, after an episode every 3-4 months I finally decided to see a doctor, and about 6 months later was diagnosed with AF.

After I knew what it was, the anxiety ramped up and my episodes were every month. I found what might be a trigger, Tyramine and salt and have been watching those carefully, and my last episode was 3 months ago and the one before 2 months.

My AF last about 8-12 hours and then in the past I had self converted, now I have Flecainide as a pill in the pocket. I take 180 mg Diltiazem.

Hope you can get a grasp on yours. Elliot

[Gaz4545 in reply to AustinElliot]

Great reply … thank you and appreciated.

[Desertflowerchild in reply to AustinElliot]

For me too, after it was given a name, my anxiety ramped up.

[Karendeena]

Hi, yes, your pattern is very similar to mine. Every 4 months or so historically with heart rates over 100 and episodes usually lasting around 36 hours before reverting to NSR My episodes are now coming closer together (as my EP said they would) around every 6 weeks.

I am on an antiarrhythmic, Sotalol, and apixaban.

My EP says I would benefit from an ablation as the success rate is much higher whilst still at this stage. I am scheduled to have this ablation at the end of March. Hopefully, it will work and I won't spend my time worrying when the next episode will happen

[Gaz4545 in reply to Karendeena]

Hi .. thanks for your reply .. I wish you well and hope your episode stop

[Paulalexander]

I only had 4 episodes in the first 10 or so years, then in 3 years I had another 9 or 10 but in that time I had stopped exercising and put on weight, was drinking more alcohol, had two kids and mum got very ill. I haven't had one since December 2021 so it's irregular but closely tied to my lifestyle.

I have had a few times recently where I thought it was going to happen, started back at jiu jitsu and after some hard sessions I got that feeling but it never developed, I also had to present in front of a large number of people and very nearly went into it then, I slept poorly the night before and was very stressed leading up to my presentation but thankfully it did not fully take hold.

[Gaz4545 in reply to Paulalexander]

Good to hear your AF is under control… keep smiling ! .. thanks for your reply

[Hdev]

My norm seems to be one event every 3 to 4 months,,each one lasting 7-12 hours,,,and I can never figure what triggers it,,,,but I do get out of it on my own by doubling my metoprolol and I have a pacemaker ,,,,that works for me…this has been a pattern past 5-6 years and I’m almost 77 now,,,just hoping it never gets worse,,,I go off Eliquis now and then for dental work or one day procedures/surgeries,,,,makes me nervous when I do,,,but go right back on after,,,so far,so good,,,I have 10 second cousins and so far,4 of us are afibbers!

[Gaz4545 in reply to Hdev]

Thanks for the info .. I have found out that my father suffered from AF too !

[fibnum]

For me, there are two main questions:

Are the episodes becoming more frequent, with shorter periods of NSR between?

Are the Afib episodes causing damage (e.g., enlargement) to my heart.

Also, however, it seems to me that episodes that last for several days might put you at a higher risk of damage. I don't know that.

Thus far, I have eschewed risky meds and ablation, but I may have to resort to them if the answer to one or both questions is yes.

Mine is a non-professional comment, consult your cardiologist or EP.

[Gaz4545 in reply to fibnum]

Thanks for your reply .. there is no change in the frequency of my AF .. but like us all here (I think?) we are comforted by the replies we see in here … again appreciate your comments

[Tomred]

Hi Gaz, i get a bout of AF approx every 5-7 days last approx 24-36 hours, male 63 , chads score 0, on 1.25 bisoprolol and multaq 2x400mg no anticoagulant as yet.