AF and Sick Sinus sleep issues - Atrial Fibrillati...

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AF and Sick Sinus sleep issues

Serendipity1965 profile image
7 Replies

Hi all, thank you for letting me join. Diagnosed with intermittent AF in January 23. Felt it was getting more frequent so saw consultant. It was originally with high heart rate but now getting missed beats and slow heart rate (40 s) too. Consultant thinks could be sick sinus and I’ve just had a 72 hour holter test. My question is does anyone else with these conditions suffer from night terrors? I have been having these for some time but now I’m wondering if maybe they are connected with heart rate dropping too low ? Any ideas please? Been told may need pacemaker if it is SSS. Any advice gratefully received 🙂

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bean_counter27 profile image
bean_counter27

Have you started any medications for your AF? Beta blockers, which are commonly prescribed for AF tend to lower your heart rate and nightmares are a possible side effect

Icenae profile image
Icenae

i have had sick sinus diagnosed 24 years. On my 3rd pacemaker. My hr dropped to the 20's.

One of my consultants said af and sleep apnoea go together. So i have a cpap machine now. It may be worth getting it checked. I did find myself gasping awake. I feel better for the cpap and sleep through much better now.

davidbruns profile image
davidbruns in reply toIcenae

How quickly did you get used to the machine. I'm due to get one next week

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

I believe that the night terrors are related in that you are naturally concerned about your condition which many people find very difficult to deal with so we play these terrors out through nightmares and difficult dreams.

If you have SSS, this condition is unlikely to have been caused by AF as it is a malfunction of the AV node but you will not be able to be treated with medication until you have a pacemaker.

Yes the SSS would and does cause very slow HR but more importantly it can cause pauses, which the holter monitor will reveal. This maybe what you feel as ‘skipped’ beats.

I think you have a doctor who is absolutely on your case and checking all the bases.

Pacemaker implant is quite common, both my husband and I have have had pacemakers, Hubble for SSS is on his second as first discovered back in 2014. The procedure is straightforward and normally a day case under a local anaesthesia.

If your holter comes back clear, then it is on the trail of what else may be causing low HR, skipped beats and certainly screening for sleep apnea would be up there as a possible cause.

Waiting for results or even waiting for procedure is always most difficult time and when you imagination can run away with you. Pacemakers have given both my husband and I a much improved quality of life than we might have had to endure.

Hope you get some answers and treatment very soon.

babs1234 profile image
babs1234

just a thought have you been tested for sleep apnoea. I have just been diagnosed with it and my dreams/nightmare are crazy

Karendeena profile image
Karendeena

I get night terrors but don't have sick sinus as far as I know (recent holter monitor post ablation). I do think it's more to do with the drugs we take for AF. I take Sotalol and have never slept properly since I started taking it. I wake every hour after dreams, often very hot.

kliving profile image
kliving

I don't remember night terrors, day terrors, yes. Someone mentioned medication, it could be a reason for them.

You might want to ask about propafenone or flecainide, they may help with the missed beats. Propafenone works well for me currently. There is also Tikosyn, which was recommended as my next step, or Amiodarone. Neither are very nice but could work.

From my understanding of SSS is it can't be controlled with medication, a pacemaker is the next step. I haven't reached that yet, but it is on the table.

If the PACs/PVCs are causing the "skipped beats" there is a chance that an ablation can help. It was ruled out for me because I have too many things happening at once and my EP isn't confident he can excite them while under anesthesiology.

Always ask why something won't work for you.

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