Hello everyone.I just have a question concerning weight gain and AFIB. The first of this year, i gained a significant amout of weight for no reason. And it was in Feb that my AFIB went from paroxysmal to persistent. Has anyone out there experienced this?
If so, does AV node ablation help to lose the extra weight?
Jodie
Did they put you on beta blockers? If so, that could be the reason for the weight gain, not the afib, unless you have been less active perhaps.
Jim
I didn’t put on weight with AF but was very careful to stick with a healthy diet. I’ve put on half a stone since my ablation because it’s cold and it’s June and I’m still waiting for summer to arrive and am eating carbs like a champion comfort eater. If you haven’t changed your diet it does sound like possible medication issue? Or perhaps you are getting less exercise?
Thank you. I think the exercise will help, but i have not been able to work out due to my afib symptoms.Another reason why i need to get the persistent afib fixed. I live in southern us, and its getting to be really hot here. I love walking outside in spring and fall, but need to try to workout inside. I hate this weight gain and can't seem to lose it.
Jodie
When it’s too hot to walk outside here, although for me too hot isn’t like your Texas heat, I find the Leslie Sansone walk at home videos really useful. There are loads on YouTube
There are so many reasons for weight gain. Try not to beat yourself up and remember that trying to lose weight quickly fails in 85% of cases! The body goes into starvation mode and tries to shove on weight whether you need it or not! Take it slow. Having AF made exercise more difficult and even though I’m now AF free I no longer work out energetically as I think over-exertion contributed to the AF in the first place! But I take the advice of my EP and continue to walk at a fair pace for half hour most days or move around to music indoors.
I have the same problem. I cannot lose the weight either!!! I have done every diet, believe me. It’s the beta blocker. It keeps my heart rate at 52, so my metabolism is that slow. Even when I exercise, which I do every day, weights and cardio. Nothing. Not an ounce. I also take Eliquis and Flecainide. BUT my heart is protected. Also, my cholesterol went up. Besides eating less than 100 calories a day, it’s heart healthy. That being said, you are not alone. This is awful. If you find the solution, let me know😉
I've discovered the Intermittent Eating Plan....restrict your eating to a small window (8 hours?) and forget about calorie counting. My physio recommended it to me and I feel so much healthier and lighter.
Hi Jalia. I have given this a lot of thought. A diet similar to this. I guess this would be what we call in the US a fasting diet. I have looked into this one.Jodie
Thank you, I’ve been doing it a long time. 🤷♀️ can’t budge the weight. Not even for my sons’s wedding a couple of weeks ago.
Thank you for the suggestion ❤️
It's so difficult. Could you be hypothyroid? Have you been tested? Many years ago I was discovered to have underactive thyroid and went on to lose a fair bit of weight without much effort, once I started taking Levothyroxine.
Thank you. I had that tested along with some tests by endocrinologist. Everything was ok with my thyroid. I agree with all oc you that it is prob lack of exercise. If i decide to go with AV ablation, i am told by my dr that i will be able to exercise again since i won't have fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath. Jodie
Weight loss will reduce AF burden in most cases but seldom vice versa. Drugs are the more likely culprit.
I would suggest , from experience , that betablockers are a big culprit
May want to google "beta blockers and weight gain" which will provide info and tips on how to lose weight. Sry, links are not permitted to be posted.
Though weight can affect the afib burden, it is important to control your heart rate and blood pressure with the beta blockers.
May I ask if you had the AV node ablation you previously posted about ?
A couple of things, if you slow down as a consequence of A/F ie stop during what normally would be routine exercise etc., and/or put on heart drugs then yes, you can well see weight gain as I have because the drugs lower the metabolic rate and if you're not doing any exercise as such then your input will exceed your output energy wise so revise your eating, eat healthily or, as I did, join Slimming World.
hi I have permanent AF I take apixoban and verapamil but have not had any weight gain I have always been careful about healthy eating and weight gain though I thought I would as when first diagnosed didn't exercise much as was too scared to but have slowly builte my exercise routine up always keeping an eye on heart rate though so as not to go overboard hope this helps
have you checked your BP? Sometimes in AF your BP raises and causes fluid retention. Happened to me! Get the BP under control and the fluid goes and weight back to normal. This was my experience anyway!
There are two ways the body can increase weight, I think: from added fat or fluids. Gain that is rapid will be from increased fluid in the cells ("oedema"), whereas fat is laid down more slowly. Beta-blockers have been shown to cause some weight gain, but not a great deal in the studies at least. In general, I think people exercise less when with AF and similar (I cannot do what I used to, in any way, sadly), and that will contribute to fewer calories being burned.
If I were you, I would check with your doctor but, otherwise, the calories you consume will need to be fewer than those you burn for weight to fall away. Extra exercise will help burn excess consumed calories, but nothing like as much as directly as by reducing food intake.
I have put on some weight since increasing my bisoprolol this year and with my arrhythmias worsening, I have exercised less since my palpitations go through the roof at times. My wife is a good cook and enjoys preparing the most wonderful food, and, sadly, I have a love of puddings, enjoy a drink with our dinner and a bit of chocolate in the evenings watching TV. Well, that's not a good combination, but goodness it's a hard habit to break. In fact, just typing makes stop to think. What I am doing, though, is working - slowly. And that is that I have reduced my portions, not massively, but across all meals. My wife's aunt used to run a local dieting club. It was so successful it put the big ones out of business. Her mantra was to keep eating the same foods you enjoy, but eat less of them. I think it was the best advice. Slow but sure was her second mantra.
Extra weight makes for a bigger heart, and increases the blood pressure, both of which are known and direct causes of the dreaded cardiovascular diseases that are the scourge of modern life. I know that I owe it to myself to go back to my old weight and maybe half a stone less even than that.
Steve
I completely agree Steve. I think sometimes we think we do not eat much, but if you actually count your daily calorie intake it can be quite s shock. I know this from personal ecperience. Also, you have to exercise really hard to burn enough calories to loose weight.
Spot on. I bought an Apple Watch for its ECG function but it also shows calories burned from exercise. Oh my! Mind you, walking instead of driving does burn them. I read, too, that people who live in houses with stairs burn far more than those who live in a bungalow. Now that was interesting.
Steve
Hello Jodie, your post attracted my attention, and it confirms how different AF and meds affect people in particular ways. While I was suffering AF (for 12 years) and side effects of multiple meds which did not allow me to exercise at all I lost about 8 Kilos. Perhaps it was the scarcity of sleep for many years? Exhausted I opted to have the AV node ablation, so I don’t take any more meds for AF
I’m having good rest and no symptoms of AF even though it is not cured. Bu take a lot of care trying not to put weight on again…by the way, I have been on a strict vegan diet…and low sodium, of course, for many years.
All the best
I have gained a bit as well over time. Just don't have the endurance that I had before. No running etc. I don't think walking helps unless you walk maybe 4 hours per day. Age and diet probably don't help. If I ate a lettuce leaf for dinner I would only very slowly reduce. Mine is paroxysmal so I can do more when in NSR
I don't have much endurance either which doesn't help. I fractured my femur a year before I was diagnosed with afib so I was forced to more sedentary living than before. Then the pandemic thay forced me inside and my back issues continue to hamper walking. But I didn't see the weight gain (10 pounds the first year diagnosed) until the flecainide. I have drastically cut back on food intake but your suggestion of a lettuce leaf for dinner just might be what I need. As it is my lunch usually consists of an apple with peanut butter. Thanks for your post.
Hi Jodie,I would suggest the medication could be the culprit for putting on weight.
I'm not tall and am naturally slim, all my family are the same. But when I started taking Verapamil I put on half a stone which is a lot for my build.
My GP said it wouldn't be because of the Verapamil and it was down to calories in vs calories used. I hadn't altered my diet but I was doing less so it made sense although I didn't like it.
However, my cardiologist changed my medication to Bisoprolol, which is a beta blocker and they are said to make you put weight on, but in my case I have quickly lost the half stone back to my normal weight.
Another example of how different we all are!
Wow nice!
beta blockers slow things down including your exercise tolerance .!! So it could be this.
I wonder the same thing. The first year on Flecainide I gained 10 pounds. Since then--about 3 years-- I have steadily gained another 12 pounds. I really watch what I eat and it's far less that before. I try cutting back even more and instead of loosing a pound or two, I gain weight. What frustrates me is that most of my clothes are too small now and I don't like my appearance. I have back issues which makes walking difficult. When I ask my various drs. if any of my medications are the cause, they just say that as you get older your metabolism slows down. I still believe the flecainide has played a roll since I gained the first 10 pounds that first year. My afib is under control so I guess I shouldn't complain but I just wish I could shed some of this baggage.
I feel exactly the same. I can't get into my "skinny" clothes any longer and even if i can get into the rest of my clothes, they don't look good on me any longer. If i find sonethingvthat works for me, I'll let you know.Jodie
my weight soared on bisoprolol beta blocker as well. What Apple Watch is recommended but also the most straightforward.
Hi, its likely to be eating too much , lack of exercise and/or water retention. Water retention your docs can check out, everything else is down to your lifestyle, more veg less meat and processed foods etc. Diets are generally only a short term fix it does need a lifestyle change. best of luck
Thanks! Yes, lifestyle change and more exercise. Particularly latter because I’m not a meat- eater and have a lot of fish. Do like my pastries and desserts!!
Afib once and done?
Wine and afib 
Weight Gain
Does losing weight help if you're normal weight?
Living in Afib
