I have been free of AF for the last 3 years after my second ablation and during that time I was able to exercise and felt energised and motivated. I lost weight, was going to the gym 3-4 times per week score and felt well. I still took Apixaban during this time.
However my persistent AF returned in September and I am back on Sotalol with a cardioversion planned for next week. However, I find I have lost all motivation to exercise and as a result have put on a few pounds. If it wasn't for my dog I don't believe I would do much walking at all.
I have suffered with AF for 8 years and been on differing drugs, had 2 ablations and multiple cardioversions. My fear is that they will say there isn't anymore that they can do for me and I will have to live like this.
Can anyone relate? How have others in persistent AF coped. I'm 55 by the way.
Regards,
Stuart
Written by
Stucoo
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I can relate totally to how you feel right now. I've had AF for 19 years and during that time was admitted to hospital many times.
I had two ablations which didn't do a lot for me, then a third one on 6th July 2016 which put me back into normal sinus rhythm, however attacks of AF persisted, they were dreadful and I'd find myself going for cardioversions (how I loved having them). They always worked for me and I was always so grateful to those that helped with the procedures.
Then in 2019 I had a cardioversion early in the year and then needed another on October, a few weeks later I went back into constant AF and was then told I wouldn't be offered any more, I was devastated! Anyway after a while in constant AF my heart righted itself a bit and I'm now in a rate that flits between 60-90bpm, so always in AF and I'm ok with that. I can do most things but do get a few days here and there where I feel I'm too tired to do anything.
I don't often check what my heart rate is now. I've found that the less attention I give it the better I am. I've also cut out all artificial additives from my diet and only eat a little red meat, now it's mostly chicken, fish and meat free. I also supplement with Magnesium Glycinate, vitamin D3, K2, C , B and Taurine.
Magnesium and vitamin C are recommended for AF by UK cardiologist Dr Sanjay Gupta of York Cardiology. You can find his helpful talks on YouTube.
Oh I'm sorry , and you lack of motivation at the moment is totally understandable, you are fed up the AF has returned and a bit anxious about the future.Sometimes , this sort of worry does make us feel to deflated to keep up the exercise , and at the moment if your feeling a bit depressed about it all for ING yourself to do exercises you don't feel like will only stress you in other ways.
As you say. Thank goodness for your pooch , because as long as you are keeping generally active and having doing some dog walking you will still be helping your health and you are better sticking to less strenuous, low impact physical activity until after your Cardioversion.
Yes. you've put on a few pounds but it's not out of control and helping your mental health and stress right now is a priority right now. Try eating lighter , smaller portions and don't start any new supplements or new complimentary medicines or things until after your procedure to keep things well managed.
Keep your fluid intake up , relax , breath , have a good stretch so you don't get stiff.
Things will easily be reversed again after you've got the Cardioversion out of the way.
You've been here before , so you know , no matter what the outcome of the Cardioversion you are able to adapt and survive it , and you know once the procedure is done you get your motivation back to get back to exercising again. Just build yourself back up slowly again.
Don't give up hope and try to distract yourself from negative thoughts about it for as you know Stress can slow down your recovery and make aFib harder to manage.
Take care and I have my fingers crossed for you , Bee
I can relate to how you feel as its exactly how I felt when I was diagnosed with persistent AF. However once I had seen my Cardio - I had to go privately because there wasn't a cardiologist at my local hospital and they actually didn't manage to recruit one for 14 months (!) He told me that I was fine to do resistance exercise and continue to use the treadmill in the gym so long as I was comfortable. Went back to the gym and used the treadmill for 20 - 30 mins at every gym session and also used the static bicycles for about the same amount of time and did my usual light weight routine and also went for walks as it was a lovely summer that year and we live by the sea so really enjoyed myself. As long as you are managing to walk your best friend at least you are keeping active - thing is now we are having such ghastly weather you have to dodge heavy showers and it looks like it is going to be the same over Easter. Just keep doing what you are doing and watch what you eat - difficult over Easter I know. Hope your cardioversion is successful and keeps you in NSR for a long time. In the future try and get on a Phase III heart rehab course if you have one in your area or ask at your local gym if they do any rehab courses that you could join so that you can keep your self fit and active. Even with my permanent AF I go to the gym at least 4 times a week - sometimes every day walk a neighbours dog when needed and don't let AF stop me doing the things I want to do.
Just anticoagulants as any form of beta blocker, calcium channel blocker or any rate or rhythm medication made me feel worse than the AF - with breathlessness and fatigue. I have low rate permanent AF now as missed out on an ablation due to Covid lockdowns and after Covid had to have all tests again and it was found that my heart had remodelled itself so any further attempts to keep it in NSR would be short lived. Having said that 3 Cardioversions had kept me in NSR for 3 out of 4 years and I had just slipped back into NSR after the last cardioversion which had kept me in NSR for 15 months. I still go to the gym at least 4 times a week take my neighbours dog for a walk when they are in work 2 days a week - we walk miles when the weather is good as he is a young energetic dog.
Sorry the afib is back, I know how discouraging that can be. But to put it in perspective, being afib free for three years after your second ablation is not all that bad as ablations often aren't forever. So, I see no reason why you would not be offered a third catheter ablation and the sooner the better.
Alternatively, you could try something more aggressive, like a surgical ablation. That would either be a mini maze or hybrid procedure.
Meanwhile, have they tried something more aggressive than Soltalol to keep you in rhythm, for example Flecainide?
Hi, I have started on Flecainide in conjunction with Bisoprolol in preparation for my cardioversion. I was on Flecainide when I was first diagnosed and experienced tingling in the extremities so came off it. I'm waiting to see if I get the same side effect.
Hi there, I’m in a similar situation I was having PAF no in permanent AF taking flack and I’d regularly and pixie bun daily as well. Yes, it has stripped me of all motivation to exercise, but what I found is once I start the motivation comes back it’s getting started every time is the key it’s a matter of will rather than anything else. I have a constant feeling of lethargy every day. I don’t know whether it’s the medication or the AF but the only way to deal with it, I phoned is to just Yourself to do it
Give your heart and your health the best chance. Brisk walking is a good one if you can manage it. The dog might even enjoy it. I walk other peoples. Try and develop a routine, say do it first thing in the morning, maybe a mile, a couple if you can manage it. Also adopt a healthy diet, no alcohol. If you want to know why, google AF and alcohol. My af is now occasional bursts of ectopics and late or early beats. I can now walk 4 of 5 miles without feeling completely knackered. It might not work for you, but you're giving your health the best chance.
You poor thing, no wonder you feel unmotivated going through all that. Hopefully the cardioversion will correct it. Have you been on amiodarone. It's a drug of last resort but it's been a godsend for me after three failed ablations and 11 cardioversions. I know I can't stay on it forever but while I await ablation number 4 it's giving me my life back.
I have been offered Amiodarone but turned it down due to the potential toxic side effects. I know everyone is different but I was worried about how it may leave me and as you say it is for short term use only.
I have been on Sotalol 180 mg twice a day for 2and a half years and it has worked well for me and maintains NSR. I walk 4 miles a day, 10 miles on a stationary bike and rowing machine and light weights daily. I hope it continues and Ihope it works for you.I am age 80.
I feel for you, Stuart! Of course, we are all different, but I’ll chime in with Jim on his question about flecainide, which kept me AFib-free and without side-effects for almost 3 years. Like you, my episodes started up again in September, and I am scheduled for a second ablation in June – this time a PFA.
hi Stuart,I'm 85 and I had suffered paf all my adult life. Maybe I'm lucky as I have always been able to cope with the ectopic heart beats and chest thumping episodes mostly after strenuous exercise or stressful situations in life. I was always active but avoided voluntary strenuous exercise apart from tennis and golf which always triggered AF anyway. My long time specialist had me on Sotolol and fleconide for years which never seemed to do me any good. I have to say though that I was never offered cardio version or ablation as it was not available when I was younger. My new GP at the time who was a retiring hospital specialist phoned my regular specialist to ask if I could try Bisoprolol fumarate instead of Sotolol.
The result was a miracle for Me. Just hours after taking this pill, which must be ten years ago now, my AF disappeared and has never returned. I still don't have a sinus rhythm but I don't feel the AF effects anymore. I am too old and infirm now to take exercise but I am still able to hobble along with my walking stick. I hope this could help others.
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