Fear or Panic as a trigger

[Japaholic]

so, this happened the other day, a rather large earthquake. This was different. Normally we get a warning to our mobile phones, you have a few seconds and then the shaking starts.

I’ve been in 100’s of quakes in Japan, once we had 50 quakes in one weekend.

however this was different. There was no warning, then an almighty bang which sounded like a plane had crashed into our building, and a large lurch to the left, after 5 seconds the alarm went off, warning us of a much larger quake coming.

We dive under the desks in the office, nothing happened. But while under the desk my AF kicks in.

I have to admit that initially the sequence of events had me worried.

Never really considered fear/panic as a trigger but it did set me off for sure.

what do you think?

[Hidden]

That must have been pretty scary! I'm 67 yrs old and never experienced an earthquake (yet!). But yes, certainly a sudden burst of high adrenaline could certainly trigger AFib.

I hope things have settled down and you're feeling better.

[Japaholic in reply to Hidden]

You don’t want to experience it, made me jump. It’s not always shaky shaky. This one was like an aircraft it in the side of a building just one massive jolt.

[Hidden in reply to Japaholic]

Ugh, that sounds terrifying!

[mjames1]

The adrenaline response to this kind of event is a known afib trigger. Glad you're OK and hope you feel better soon.

Jim

[Japaholic in reply to mjames1]

in all honesty, I nearly shit my pants

[Bagrat]

Some people also triggered by sudden change in position ( like diving under a desk??)

[Japaholic in reply to Bagrat]

That’s possible too I guess. I felt it was more directly connected to the earthquake, which was a weird kind of earthquake. Is there a normal kind of earthquake? I guess the more shaky shaky type

[jeanjeannie50]

Oh Jap so sorry to hear that the earthquake triggered your AF. If I wake in the night and think I've heard a noise my heart will start racing. How long did your AF bout last. I wonder if it's slightly different and more a palpitations event because of fear? What do you think? I wonder if other people had racing hearts too but ignored it as they're not so tuned into their heart rates as we AF sufferers are.

Jean

[Japaholic in reply to jeanjeannie50]

my wife mentioned this that I’m hypersensitive to my heart so that’s quite possible. There was another lady who stayed under the desk a lot longer than I did.

[CDreamer]

Errr……I think so! On the other hand I have experienced a shock as also tipping me back into NSR so can work both ways.

It is good to hear from you and so sorry you are back in AF but hope it flips back into NSR very soon for you. I’m not sure how I would cope with earthquakes, I have been on near an epicentre of one on the Bala fault line which shook all the cabinets and broke crockery in the house but thankfully the building stayed solid.

Glad you are safe - go well.

[Japaholic in reply to CDreamer]

my doctor recently changed my medicine giving me one extra tablet as the medicine I was on wasn’t working as well. I’m still having runs of PAC but no for episodes for about six weeks which is a result.

I don’t mean to be antisocial, just when I come here to this forum, I get more focused on my heart health and AF most of the time I try and forget it.

[secondtry]

My take...most likely that the Vagus Nerve message from the brain triggered that episode, hopefully it was very temporary.

I would turn that experience into a positive and recognise it has usefully highlighted that you need to reduce further your mental stress levels. Take action today to make tomorrow easier 🤞🙏😀.

[Japaholic in reply to secondtry]

Thank you for your kind words, I will bear that in mind

[Camelia23]

I hope you have recovered from this experience. I didn't realise just how many earthquakes there were as we usually only hear about the large, more destructive ones.

[Letofeyd in reply to Camelia23]

Funnily enough, last month I was in Tokyo having surgery for AF with Dr Ohtsuka at Newheart Watanabe Institute. I was sat at my table in hospital and suddenly there was a bang and a jolt, like a lorry hitting the building, then everything started shaking.I happened to be talking to my hubby on a video call at the time and he could see the room shaking!

It was an earthquake that lasted about 20/30 seconds.

The nurses came in to warn me but nobody batted an eyelid otherwise because they are common in Japan - unless it is a big one, of course.

[Japaholic in reply to Letofeyd]

I didn’t know there were any other Japanese patients here I thought I was the only one. Greetings from Ehime prefecture.

[Letofeyd in reply to Japaholic]

Greetings! But I am not Japanese. I am English. I travelled particularly to see Dr Ohtsuka.🌸

[Japaholic in reply to Letofeyd]

I’m english too but lived in Japan 20+ years on and off

[Letofeyd in reply to Japaholic]

There are a few Tokyo patients on here. Saul Gerstenhaber, for instance, is a Dr O patient. That is how I found out aboutthe procedure.

When did you have yours?

[Japaholic in reply to Letofeyd]

2015, by an EP called Dr Kubo

[Letofeyd in reply to Japaholic]

Ah, so you had a catheter ablation or something, not the same as the WOLF Ohtsuka Procedure. EPs cannot perform the WOP.

[Singwell]

Definitely. You're body will be flooded with adrenaline and cortisol which in turn triggers the AF. Presumably you are safe though?

[Japaholic in reply to Singwell]

yes, reasonably safe. I’ve been in bigger earthquakes, but this was a different type. I didn’t realise there were different types of earthquakes until I moved here. I also heard that the Eskimo Inuit people have 50 words for snow

[bean_counter27]

"During times of stress, your body releases stress hormones that can increase your blood pressure and trigger an AFib episode. Stress can arise from many aspects of your daily life. The two main types of stress, physical and emotional, have varying effects on your body.

Physical stress includes sleep deprivation, sickness, injury, and dehydration. Emotional stress occurs when you experience negative emotions including sadness, anger, and fear."

[Japaholic in reply to bean_counter27]

That’s very interesting. What’s the source of that quote?

[bean_counter27 in reply to Japaholic]

Heart Rhythm Consultatnts heartrhythmdoc.comGoogle part of quote. You should find it straight away

[Ppiman]

How frightening. I was in Athens, many years ago, during a similar earthquake which began in the middle of the night. Awful!

Your AF might have been a coincidence but I find that my own palpitations (PACs and PVCs) are triggered by my emotional state. Confrontation, for example, brings them on so easily that I now avoid that where I possibly can. Those are a known trigger for AF so that might be what happened to you, too?

Steve

[Japaholic in reply to Ppiman]

there is a lot of truth in that that’s one of the reasons I took up meditation. It has made me karma, but I’m still quite an emotional person overall

[Ppiman in reply to Japaholic]

I find it hard to do but it is very worthwhile. Some people can achieve a calm mind far more easily I have seen. I struggle with sleep, too, whereas most people don't, except occasionally or with a known cause.

Life can be tough for emotional types!

Steve

[Desanthony]

Of course fear and panic could trigger AF. Hope verything - including your heart has settled down now.

[Japaholic in reply to Desanthony]

there are almost daily earthquakes in Japan somewhere, but pants are very long thin country which goes from equivalent of Finland to southern Spain

[Jajarunner]

No blooming well surprised. Sounds terrifying 😱. Hope you feel better soon

[Japaholic in reply to Jajarunner]

I’m all good thank you. Thanks for the kind words.

[Letofeyd]

Scary! Your AF could have been triggered by the adrenaline or the sudden postural change, I suppose.I was in Tokyo having AF surgery in January and experienced something similar while in hospital.

I was on a video call to my hubby and there was a bang and a jolt, then the shaking. It was 27th January. Intensity 4.

Other than a nurse coming in to tell me everything was fine, nobody batted an eyelid.

It was after my surgery, so no AF for me, thank goodness.🍀

[Japaholic]

I wanted to apologize for not checking in sooner, I will address this tomorrow all being well.