Is this Afib ?

[Summerlily]

I have had many Afib episodes.My hb is very fast , irregular or both

This time it feels a bit different

All is okay when sitting but as soon as I stand up my heart races and I feel very unwell

Is this just an Afib variation or something different ?

[Popepaul]

It sounds like POTS. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

[jeanjeannie50]

I agree with Popepaul it does sound very much like POTS. Search for York Cardiology Pots and listen to what Cardiologist Sanjay Gupta has to say about it.

Jean

[Buzby62]

If episodes are different to your usual (we’re all different) then my advice would be to see a doctor. We can all self manage our usuals but any change should be checked out in my opinion before guessing a diagnosis. Something as simple as a virus can give you a different experience with AF episodes.

Best wishes

[Blearyeyed]

It could be POTs or something called Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia. But it could also be Orthostatic Hypotension or Hypertension. It all depends if it's happening all the time when you stand and if you also get other symptoms like dizziness , near fainting , blood pooling in the legs ( your feet and ankles get more red/ purple as you stand), palpitations , breathlessness, vertigo etc.IST can cause tachycardia most of the time but it can be worse when changing position or doing physical activity.

POTs is different , it is usually a steep increase of 30 beats or more in heart rate without a change or a slight drop in blood pressure on standing within a minute , then a sharp decrease of 30 beats or more within a minute if sitting down . Or if your heart rate is already high a constant high of 100-120 beats or more throughout ten minutes of standing . You usually feel normal when you are sitting with legs raised.

If you are currently having aFib it can also feel worse on standing for some people.

Basically, if things feel different than normal and this orthostatic change is new you should get an appointment with the GP to discuss it, or if you are signed up with a cardiologist ring and ask for a call back about your new cardiac symptoms as soon as you can. It could just be a new turn in your aFib episodes but your GP needs to assess that too to see if your treatment plan needs changing.

These things need testing for by a cardiologist with experience of treating POTs and IST really as they often miss the telly tale signs by only checking your blood pressure changes instead of your heart rate.

If it isn't anything that needs treating straight away they will need to give you a Holter monitor test at home over a number of days and possibly sitting and standing tests or a tilt table test if the symptoms aren't connected to your aFib.

In the meantime , to prevent the risk of falling or fainting , it's a good idea to have a bottle of water on hand at all times and have a good big drink from it before standing up and sitting down. When you stand pause for a minute and have another big drink before you walk off. Before you sit down you drink again then drink after you sit. In the morning , you drink while sitting up in bed , wait five minutes , put you legs over the bed and drink again in the seated position , stand for a minute and drink again before walking off.

If you are doing any physical activity , especially involving bending up or down do it slower and drink before you bend then after you stand.

Choose to move more slowly from one position to another , and also to turn your head or look up and down more slowly.

If your symptoms are orthostatic this helps reduce your risks of dizziness and slows down the overshooting of your heart rate in these circumstances.

If you want to learn more about POTs the best resource is POTs UK , or if it's possible that you have POTs , IST or other Orthostatic issues look up Dysautonomia International. I wouldn't say , as a POTs and Dysautonomia sufferer that there are any completely reliable videos on the internet at present except for presentations that may be available from the founding doctors of these groups or the POTs organisation in the US.

Dysautonomia International has a list of recommended Consultants from many international countries so you may find one that is near to you in France to be referred to for assessment.

Basically, they are all quite hard to diagnose especially as most doctors and Cardiologists don't have much knowledge or experience in dealing with them so you may need to be patient before getting answers.

Hope you find some answers soon.

In the meantime , if you don't keep one already , keep a daily diary noting what you do , what you eat , stress and when symptoms occur. You may see that there is a pattern to when these things occur and certain triggers which will help you adjust your activity to help reduce the episodes you are getting.

Take care , Bee

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

With such little information I cannot help or support you.

What meds are you taking? For what? What type of AF diagnosis do you have?

What is your high heart rate?

cheri JOY. 75. (NZ)