I woke up on Feb 9 2024 at 3 am to my heart racing strangely and drove myself to the emergency room. Rate was over 140 up and down. In the parking lot I did an EKG on my Apple phone and yes - It said I was in AFIB. So I went in. Lucky I was taken care of and let go by 12 noon that day.
Since then I have been to the hospital 3 more times - one in Scotland where I had to wait 4 hours to get Sodium Chloride that brought my heart rate down within 2 hours and I was released. Foreign countries not like USA when it comes to your heart.
I do get short episodes but am able so far to stop them by eating yogurt, drinking hot tea, using ice packs on my neck, breathing techniques and just trying to relax. I am having an Ablation in early March and hope I don't end up in hospital again before that as one never knows!
I am a very active person at 73 ( nobody can believe I am that age including me) My doctor says age alone can cause your heart to do this as I avoid all known triggers. I exercise, low weight, no alcohol, little caffeine. I do know that two episodes were related to Influenza A and Covid. I think a couple to dehydration. So I drink a lot of water.
So that's my story. I enjoy hearing about others experiences.
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Floridamainecoon
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Sounds like you are coping very well. You didn’t mention electrolytes in your daily routine although you mentioned that you were given one in Scotland A&E. I like watermelon as a good source of electrolytes - mixed with pure coconut water even better. I liquidise and freeze and always have one in the fridge so if I feel AF coming on - my watermelon drink, feet up, deep breathing techniques and focus on calm heart meditation- seems to work as I self convert within a few hours.
AF is not considered an emergency in UK - UNLESS you are very symptomatic, have chest pain or feel very unwell.
Four hour wait for none urgent actually wasn’t that bad and just on the government target to be seen so they will have met their target (said TIC). Thankfully I haven’t had to go to a US ER, despite having had AF in quite a few states whilst travelling. I have just written on another thread that the last place I would want to be, unless I had an immediately life threatening emergency, is in the waiting room of A&E, or indeed in any hospital waiting room especially in winter time. Although I had occasion to visit Infectious Diseases at our regional hospital recently - which was empty, immaculately clean and all appointments on time!
You are correct that different countries have different protocols, are very differently resourced and it’s not that one is superior to the any other, just they are different. Unfortunately our NHS is now in the ER itself, having suffered from years of under resourcing and in some areas, very poor management but usually the staff are fab!
I think it makes sense to work out, if you can, what triggers AF, which can vary a lot between people. Lifestyle choices may not be the whole answer but most agree they have some influence. I have focussed on diet, breathing (incl when sleeping), exercise moderation and stress reduction.
since you said you were new here. I just wanted to mention that when we wake up in a fib many times it’s sleep apnea. I recommend you ask your cardiologist about getting checked for sleep apnea. More and more research has come out that it is a big cause of a fib. All the best to you!
If you're in fast AF (heart rate >110) it's probably not a good idea to drive. My cardiology team advised, 'If it's an emergency, you belong in an ambulance. If you feel an ambulance is unnecessary, it's not an emergency.'
Yes, the UK takes a less interventionist approach to fast AF than you're used to. I've been in English emergency rooms six or seven times with very fast AF, and they have never done anything other than put me under observation until it calmed down of its own accord. They are very good about doing bloodwork immediately to check for something more serious (heart attack; sepsis). This is not criticism of the NHS. They do the best they can under conditions that have become nearly impossible.
I have driven myself 3 times to Er. I never feel faint, dizzy, chest pain so I refuse to call the ambulance. Plus big bucks too. If I had bad symptoms I would call them. During day I would ask for a ride. But of course at 3 am everyone else is in bed. My Maine Coon is 4.5 months old and just adorable. Hungry all of the time! Finnigan is his name. I picked the name as I was just in Ireland in the fall.
Of course, another difference -- we don't get charged for ambulances in the UK (though from what I've heard from paramedics, we need to start giving out fines for the worst time-wasting calls). And yes, I am familiar with the 3am crisis and no one to call. I hope you can stay out of the ER for a while.
All of my Maine Coons have been adult rescues, between 2 and 9 years old. I only knew one of their birthdays because he was the only one with pedigree papers. They are so beautiful. Looking down at my girl's back yesterday as she ate dinner, even the markings on her coat are symmetrical (they look like an abstract painting of a Rio Carnival samba player in full regalia, tall headdress with feathers, etc.). We wish you a long and happy life with Finnigan.
It sounds like we're in an almost identical situation, age-wise and experience-wise. Except I am a 74 YO male. My diagnosisis is AFiB with Rapid Ventricular Response.
Over the past 3 years my AF/AT burden has increased from <2% to 30%. My EP has graduated me from rate control using beta blockers -- to two internal ablations -- to an external, MAZE procedure -- now to a nasty antiarrhythmic for rhythm control + the beta blockers for rate control.
Early on, upon an event occurrence I would go to the hospital emergency room for a cardioversion, and they would use intravenous drugs or shock treatment to establish sinus rhythm. Soon the ER got tired of seeing me, knowing I would be back for more attention in a couple of weeks. They discouraged me from coming back.
So now, I am expecting to continue having periodic but continuous 72 hour periods of AT/AF -- ad infinitum. My cardiologist continually advises that my condition is "non-life-threatening." The plan is to continue with the current meds and when events occur, to knock down the heart rate as much as possible using additional beta blockers.
I'm not whining, but reality for me is having a much more sedate life style and putting up with the AFiB symptoms. I used to be an avid road cyclist, so tried programming my pacemaker to get my heart rate up as needed during long and strenuous rides. But that's no match for the chronotropic incompetence that the beta blockers and antiarrhythmics bring on.
Good luck with your ablation in March. Let us know how it goes - we're pulling for you!
I hope having an ablation doesn't make things worse... In dislike taking drugs and take as low a dosage as possible. I do everything I can to keep from going into AFIB and so far I am able to stop them without another hospital visit. They don't last long. If my heart rate goes up to consistent 140's they say to go to ER. This all stinks. I am way too active with busy schedule. I hope things improve for you. So sorry for what you have to deal with.
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