Permanent AF

[RedPanda0312]

Hi, I was diagnosed with Paroxysmal AF in 2019 after I had a Stroke which the AF was the cause. I have been on Atenol 25mg and Tildiam which has largely kept me in NSR. I went in to AF in late December and it's not gone away, it's erratic and all over the place ranging from 35 to 160, my resting heart rate is on average between 60-80bpm, I get out of breath very easily, I just don't seem to have any support or a plan or understand when I should worry, can anyone help please.

[MummyLuv]

hi there, have you seen an EP? If not then ask your GP to refer you.

You are only in permanent afib when you and your doctor agree there will be no further treatment interventions, I am picking up you would like to seek help so if you don’t convert naturally which could still happen then you are in persistent afib.

An EP will likely start with a cardioversion to see if they can get you back in NSR, they may also offer a catheter ablation. Good luck as there are very likely treatment paths available for you as you are symptomatic

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to MummyLuv]

GHi

Caution here.

Cardioversion, Ablation ot Anti-arrhymic meds all cant't be used on a structually abnormal hert which I have. Severe dilation of the left atrium caused by AF and/or the stroke.

1st the cardiologist makes a call meds or above.

The CCB does acts as a safe anti-arrhythmic med.

Drs just up the meds the cardio has prescribed. With me upping dose or lowering it or changing it for rapid heart rate did not work.

So an EP is not the first line of consult as a cardio will make a call.

CCN Diltiazem finally suits me and leaves my heart in control - being 100 or less in heart rate.

This meant the other two ops could go ahead, J& Johnson mesh and kit removal - 1 and Right Shoulder repair.

My thyroidectomy plus was done within 4 months so I had 2 anaesthetists and 2 Doctors.

Same with mesh removal. But the hospital was Northshore which is a teaching/educational hospital.

1 of each at the private ACC hospital for right shoulder.

EP specialist is called on when the irregularity and into sinus beat is required.

My specialist is dismissing ever obtaining a regularity of my heart.

cheri JOY.

[Buffafly]

Contact your GP who will probably refer you to a cardiologist initially. They can book a cardioversion or prescribe more effective medication. Your GP could raise your dose but as your hr slows so much and your resting hr is normal that probably wouldn’t be a good idea. Best wishes ❤️‍🩹

[Blearyeyed]

Even if you contacted your GP in December, contact them again tell them you have AF your cardiac symptoms are getting worse and you need to get an urgent appointment to be checked and get some immediate advice or treatment.Ask them to at least organise a phone appointment with the GP on the day so they can assess how quickly you need to come in or if they should ring through to the local hospital to be seen there

( if you need to be assessed in a hospital you want either your GP or the triage person on 111 to ring through to the hospital to say you are coming to make sure you do not end up with an excessive wait in AandE. You go to the reception tell them the doctor called through and even in busy times get fast tracked through within 30 minutes-1 hour. If you aren't seen within 30 minutes you speak to the receptionist and remind them you had already been triaged by a GP who'd rang through for you to be seen asap)

If your symptoms are continuing and getting worse and can't get through to your GP at all, call 111 for the right attention and the fast tracking at the hospital. It certainly sounds like you are having active arrhythmias or AFib which are not responding to your standard treatment or medication and do need more assistance , or at least an ECG and maybe some change to your medication or doses.

Let us know how you get on. Hope it improves soon, take care , Bee

[DevonHubby1]

Wife had a similar experience. First point of contact is GP who should try altering dose or type of med to get heart rate under control. If that doesn't work they should nake an urgent referral to cardiology. In my wife's case the cardiology dept was taking 6 months to respond so we paid for a private consult which happened pretty quickly and got moved to a different drug which did control the top of the heart rate range....it also greased the wheels into the NHS cardiology department.

Wife is in permanent AF these days, cardioversions failed, but meds are keeping her HR within a safe range and being permanent she's adjusted to it.

[Ppiman]

Health wise, your heart will surely cope. AF feels much worse than it is because of the natural anxiety response it creates.

Are you saying that you have seen your family doctor since this started?

The heart rate measurement when in AF is often all over the place. It’s best to keep the rate below 100bpm most of the time using extra beta blockers or whatever your doctor prescribes. The breathlessness happens, if you’re like me, when you exert yourself and the rate shoots up.

Next stop: GP.

Steve

[RussJun55]

Assume you're also taking some anti coagulation med?

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

Yes like you diagnosed stroke with rapid and persistent AF

But struggled with Metoprolol 186 rapid H/R with pauses at night 47bpm.

At 2 years 3 months under a heart specialist I was introdced to Diltiazem a CCB Calcium Channel Blocker.

Yes, private and a very highly rated specialist. I have never looked back.

And from September started having low blood pressure so no 1.25 Bisoprolol. Feel heaps better.

I have no symptoms apart from stopping to replenish blood flow whilst walking.

I am almost 76. Female, on PRADAXA 110 x twice day.

On the 4th day during a carotid artery scan a shadow showed on my thyroid.

So the AF caused was from Thyroid Papillary cancer.

Now regime is 100mg Synthroid early morning . 5-? am

1 hr plus my 120mg DiltiazemCD.

10am PRADAXA 110mg

--

10pm PRADAXA 110mg

That's me.

I'm not anxious (BBs) as I feel I'm very lucky that the hospital did a carotid arteries scan.

Thyroidectomy plus 12 lymph nodes out (2 affected) with dissection of right bed.

I had a embolic ischaemic stroke. Carotid arteries were clean.

cheri JOY. 75 (NZ)