Fear or Panic as a trigger: so, this... - Atrial Fibrillati...

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Fear or Panic as a trigger

Japaholic profile image
35 Replies

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?

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Japaholic profile image
Japaholic
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35 Replies

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 profile image
Japaholic in reply to

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.

in reply toJapaholic

Ugh, that sounds terrifying!

mjames1 profile image
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 profile image
Japaholic in reply tomjames1

in all honesty, I nearly shit my pants

Bagrat profile image
Bagrat

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

Japaholic profile image
Japaholic in reply toBagrat

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 profile image
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 profile image
Japaholic in reply tojeanjeannie50

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 profile image
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 profile image
Japaholic in reply toCDreamer

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 profile image
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 profile image
Japaholic in reply tosecondtry

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

Camelia23 profile image
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 profile image
Letofeyd in reply toCamelia23

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 profile image
Japaholic in reply toLetofeyd

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

Letofeyd profile image
Letofeyd in reply toJapaholic

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

Japaholic profile image
Japaholic in reply toLetofeyd

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

Letofeyd profile image
Letofeyd in reply toJapaholic

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 profile image
Japaholic in reply toLetofeyd

2015, by an EP called Dr Kubo

Letofeyd profile image
Letofeyd in reply toJapaholic

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

Singwell profile image
Singwell

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

Japaholic profile image
Japaholic in reply toSingwell

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 profile image
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 profile image
Japaholic in reply tobean_counter27

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

bean_counter27 profile image
bean_counter27 in reply toJapaholic

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

Ppiman profile image
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 profile image
Japaholic in reply toPpiman

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 profile image
Ppiman in reply toJapaholic

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 profile image
Desanthony

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

Japaholic profile image
Japaholic in reply toDesanthony

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 profile image
Jajarunner

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

Japaholic profile image
Japaholic in reply toJajarunner

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

Letofeyd profile image
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 profile image
Japaholic

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

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