only had this condition over a month for the first 3 weeks it was awful it’s calmed down since with medication. But started getting a few palpitations again and then my mind goes 100 miles an hour and I think it’s happening again. It hasn’t but don’t seem to be able to calm my mind down . I have tried a few techniques but nothing working . I had an awful day yesterday with small Palpations every hour . I am used to palpations have had them for years big ones small ones, all day ones and one off ones . Over the years I have used techniques that have worked but nothing seems to be helping. Had an ECG Thursday and the doctor said it was fine . So I suppose what I am asking is . Do people still suffer with palpitations even on meditation. Also still haven’t received my cardio appointment yet will be following this up on Monday . Sorry for long post
exhausted : only had this condition... - Atrial Fibrillati...
exhausted
Yes of course. AF is a mongrel condition and it can take quite some time to sort out the best treatment to improve quality of life. As we keep saying the anxiety is the problem. AF won't directly kill you unless you are stupid enough to try and run a marathon whilst in an event. Do try the slow deep breathng using stomach (diaphragm not shoulders) and less than six breaths a minute for at least five minutes..
Hi, it seems that what you are saying is that you have had palpitations for many years but they didn’t have a name so you coped even though you didn’t like them. Now you have been diagnosed with AF you feel anxious because you relate them to AF. It seems to be very difficult to treat ectopic beats and random palpitations so I wouldn’t expect your present AF medication to help with that unfortunately.
Don’t be tough on yourself, it’s quite normal for anxiety to weave itself in there with AF, with palpitations and in particular with feeling reasonably ok, when the threat of things going wrong again can make us hypersensitive to every heart beat. I survived without a care with a congenital hole in the heart and only felt anxious, palpitations and panic attacks following successful surgery. I’ve got a degree in this stuff, and can only assure you that if you keep using those coping strategies - breathing, meditation, walks or whatever you enjoy - then the anxiety will pass.
Just read your bio - yes AF is very scary when you’re first diagnosed! I found it helpful to book a private consultation with an EP so I had 40 mins to discuss everything and got buckets of reassurance and a plan for the way ahead!
Yes , definitely. It's even more likely if you had palpitations for various common reasons in the years before. And people with AFib can have more palpitations that don't turn into a AFib event too.If you also suffer from Anxiety or have hypersensitivity palpitations are common. It's your autonomic nervous system overdoing it's reaction to some sort of stimuli and then taking a while to react normally.
It is very tiring though when your body reacts like that because it uses a lot of energy and you get swings in things like cortisol or adrenaline that are very quick , and unharmful, but make you feel like you are in permanent "fight or flight".
Of course, now that you have been diagnosed with Afib as well and need treatment, like anyone with a newly diagnosed heart condition your mind runs away with itself and you instantly worry is it the Afib. That added anxiety reaction , or Stressor, increases the " fight or flight" reaction and makes your palpitations last longer as your body copes with a feeling of anxiety. It can be like a vicious circle.
You are already trying to relax and using techniques you had learned like breathing and CBT to try to help the problem , which is a good thing.
It may not feel like it's working because you may still be feeling over anxious about your condition and feeling that it won't.
You will be more sensitive to it taking longer to work for you and your mind will be fighting against your relaxation feeding doubts that it won't do any good.
You can add some CBT mantras in with your techniques.
Remind yourself, This can work but it will only help if I stop letting those worries in.
Do your deliberate breathing in a comfy space with legs raised.
Sipping cold water before you start relaxation techniques and if it continues can help if the palpitations are autonomic or caused by " fight or flight".
Even if it seems to take time for palpitations to decrease if symptoms aren't getting worse just keep resting and breathing repeating to yourself that relaxation takes time.
Distraction techniques can also reduce palpitations made worse by anxious thoughts.
Things include , doing your breathing but having a soft hair band on your wrist and flicking it.
Occupying your mind with a task like looking around your room , try and find objects in different groups like 5 things that are blue , five round things, five natural things etc.
Or sing a favourite song out loud or in your head.
If that doesn't work , try imagining a bubble bouncing gently on some water seeing it move as you sit , eyes closed and using breathing techniques.
If the palpitations keep happening start writing a diary in a book, write how long it lasted , what you did or ate beforehand, had you drank enough in the day , was there a physical or mental stress trigger ( stress triggers aren't just bad things they can be good and fun activities that just cause you more activity than you brain or body can cope with at that moment).
Doing this you may discover a pattern of physical or mental triggers causing the palpitations which you can avoid or learn to adapt the activity if it's essential and pace things more slowly.
This information is also useful because you can take your book to doctors appointments, and more easily write a summary to remind you of what to say when you see the doctor. They find the fact that you have notes really useful in diagnosing you too.
Make sure you are drinking the recommended amount of fluids each day and eating light nutrient rich smaller portions meals. Dehydration and vitamin insufficiency are common causes of palpitations, particularly in very cold or very hot weather or if you take regular medication.
If you feel the palpitations happen too often and it is affecting your mental health or ability to do everyday things do go to speak to your GP or ring your cardiac helpline at the local hospital to get it checked out properly.
You may need a change in medication or dose , you may need advice on pacing yourself.
A full check up will help establish if the palpitations are solely physical or linked to recurring anxious thoughts and will help to give you the right treatment to control them again. Do contact your local Cardiology Dept. tell them you are having increased symptoms and you are still waiting for your appointment date ( which in itself could be causing you stress) ask if they can give you a date now , chase up your date or see if there is a cancellation you would be happy to attend. This tactic usually ensures you get an appointment within a much shorter time.
Take care , Bee
Great advice Bee
Reading through your reply to Anxious37 I had to smile as your image of a bubble bouncing on water reminded me of the ones that appeared in 'The Prisoner' series from the 1960s. (The younger members of this site will probably wonder what I am on about 
It's funny but we live quite close to Portmeirion and I brought my girls up watching old classics ( they are probably the only people under 30 whom quote it). We've got photos when they were very young from a day when we visited the Village with a giant gym ball which we bounced about everywhere until we went down on the beach and kept pretending to escape from it. Half of the other visitors were very confused!
Brilliant post Bee, I'm going to have a go at a few of these techniques myself, thank you.
as Bob said breathe and focus on using your nose when you inhale. I read a great book by James Nestor called 'Breath' and when i get ectopics i'm back to the slow breathing. I use this method when i walk and exercise and it helps to steady my heart rate.
Absolutely James, that is what I do whenever I am physically active, I try to focus on my slow nasal breathing. That helps keep my heart rate low. Slow nasal breathing allowed me to increase my exercise dramatically. Swimming is one of my favorites to work on my breathing.
I've had palpitations for years. Last week at my annual check up he nurse took my pulse manually and commented on them but when I said I rarely notice them, she wasn't worried.
Have you tried totally eliminating gluten from your diet? I think that would help.
I am already gluten free
1 month Ablation recovery diary
Palpitations worse after ablation 
Af and tummy upsets - are they related?
Tachycardia 
Afib stressed out :(
