I've just been diagnosed with AF. I can feel my heart beating and at different rhythms.
I've started on blood thinners.
Been referred to a Cardiologist who I'm seeing on Thursday, but I find the whole thing really frightening.
I'm sure that's making me worse as I'm worried about it constantly.
Is there anything I can do to try to relax and tell myself that I will be fine?
Thanks
Dave
Hello Kwaka, sorry to hear of your diagnosis. there is more information on Atrial Fibrilation on the BHF site here bhf.org.uk/heart-health/con.... It is frightening and I fully understand your apprehension, positives are you have it diagnosed and you have a cardiologist appointment soon. I would advise make a list of questions as while you are n the appointment things tend to be forgotten, I have lost count of the number of questions I meant to ask, this way you will gather loads more useful information for you and for your medication and treatment.
Hopefully one of the BHF nurses or a member will come along shortly with some more information/personal experiences.
Hi Kwaka, building in relaxation is important we all have different switches that enable our mind to relax.
Although I use relaxation techniques I found the total body guided relaxation audio files on Youtube a help and then I developed my own - personally don't like the self hypnosis guides. Used muscle group approach starting with back, moving to the large muscle groups and by the time I had reached the torso I had my breathing in full control.
So use the relaxation tools to control the breathing and that will improve your management of anxiety.
This can be done at any time and in position.
Thanks both for your wise words. Feels worse today so will try some techniques to relax.
Hi Dave - I can definitely understand why you're feeling worried. We often don't really think about how regularly our hearts normally beat, so when they go out of rhythm it can be really frightening for people. It's great that you've got a cardiology appointment so quickly and that you're not waiting too long to find out what the next steps are.
Medications to help slow down and re-regulate your heart rhythm are quite common, and sometimes we carry out procedures to try and revert the heart back to a normal rhythm. One of the most common and first line treatments is cardioversion, which you read a little more about here: bhf.org.uk/heart-health/tre...
I hope this helps. If you'd like to chat to one of our helpline nurses you can call 0300 330 3300 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
Take care, Chris
Thanks Chris really appreciate the reply and support number. I don't want to bother the doctors as they've said it's not life threatening, but that doesn't stop my head thinking it is constantly! 
Hi, I have also been put on blood thinners and beta blockers have cardioversion treatment on 29th Nov and then having another echo after 6/8 weeks as have leaking valve
Hiya Dave,
Good luck on getting results you are after today ☺
Thank you. Appt is at 4... can't come soon enough!
Hi there , I was also diagnosed recently with AF and fully appreciate how frightening it is - I sincerely hope you get the answers you want from your appointment with the Consultant - when I turned up for mine I was given an Echo Cardiogram and told the results would be sent to my Consultant and he would call me in to discuss them - 4 weeks later my results ended up with my GP. I went to see him and was told that the hospital had advised no further appointments were required - I had AF and I was to continue with the medication I was given at A&E when I had been rushed in with a dangerously high heart beat. To say I felt let down and isolated doesn't even come close - so I found my way here to this site, - and I am so glad I did - I have had more good and sound advice since coming on here than I have had from anywhere else.
As I said I hope you got the answers you were looking for, and I hope too that you are feeling much better - but whatever happened please know that you are NOT alone, this site and the people on it are marvellous - all the best.
Babs x
The same thing happened to me there is a post on here about it. I have pushed to see a cardiologist I am not prepared to just go away and take tablets, especially ones that make me feel worse. Dig your heels in and get some answers.
I can see my own situation re AF in all the above posts. GP has put me on bisoprolol and edoxoban but refuses my request to be referred to a cardiologist. I now have greatly increased anxiety and started to have frequent panic attacks. As I live alone I have had to call an ambulance and been taken to hospital with rapid AF four times this year. I can’t understand why I am not being referred as it could be very reassuring. I am 78 and otherwise in reasonable health.
Hi I can completely sympathise with your predicament. My first experience of A.F. was around 20 years ago when I was hospitalised & discharged with betablockers (seem to recall Sotalol & Atenolol) which I didn't respond well to at all. Eventually due to being so stressed & near to having a nervous breakdown over the worry & obsession with my heart fluttering, missing beats etc I made a private appt. with a cardiologist who put me on Flecainide which I tolerated much better and was on this for 12 years but then advised to come off it by another cardiologist as he said prolongued use of this drug could also damage the heart etc. So for a while I was free of treatment but still getting the usual palpitations, ectopics etc. Recently I have had three A.F. episodes, one of which meant paramedics took me to hospital & I was subequently discharged with -yes - you've guessed it - Bisoprolol 2.5mg & Edoxaban 60mg. My heart rate plummeted to high forties low fifties so contacted my G.P. and Bisoprolol was reduced to 1.25mg BUT my resting heart rate still hovers around 49-55bpm. My main problem which I have endured all of my life is STRESS and this is with me every minute of every day which makes everything much worse. My nerves have now totally gone to pieces, I am and always have been acutely aware of my heart all of the time, constantly scared of more A.F. and thus making everything 1000 times worse. I just hope that I can climb out of this mess & far quicker than I did all those years ago as my life was in tatters for very many months. I do hope your problems are resolved quickly for you-the only comfort I can offer is that whenever you visit hospital you always see so many folk who are in a much worse predicament than you are so somehow we must all learn to appreciate life. Finally I will mention that deep breathing exercises can be helpful as can what I call 'distraction therapy' (becoming absorbed in doing something even a jigsaw or reading a book). This site is excellent in so many ways for help, support & advice-best wishes for a quick solution!
Thankyou so much for your response. It certainly helps to realise that others are in the same sort if situation. I agree that the fear and anxiety is the most debilitating aspect of this condition and probably the most ignored by health professionals. I hope you are doing well.
I’ll update on this as I started the thread 3 years ago now and it might help someone. I didn’t even know what anxiety was 3 years ago, but I now believe it was the cause of a downward spiral with my mental and cardio health. The more tests I had the more I was told the more anxious I got. The generates a terrible downward spiral of worry. I got myself in to a see a CBT counsellor and was diagnosed with Health Anxiety. It took a while but I’m through that now. I look after my mental health daily now and regularly exercise. If I get a relapse I know how to handle it with confidence and let it pass. The Headspace app has been great for me as well to help cope.
Hope that helps.
Do take a look on the AF site here on HealthUnlocked. There is a mine of info on AF and lots of support there. Check out also Dr Sanjay Gupta, York Cardiology, great info and help, he’s on Facebook and YouTube. I was diagnosed last September post planned ablation for SVT. Once you get your head around , it gets easier. Most important is your Chads score & anticoagulation.Im lucky, I’m on Rivaroxaban which works well for me& off aspirin, which has been a bonus for me. Good Luck, don’t be fobbed off, it needs to be carefully checked
Thought I'd just update on how I got on for other people.
I've been misdiagnosed by my GP and also by an A&E doctor. I don't have AF, I have an irregular heartbeat with ectopic beats. I ended up in A&E after having a panic attack, much to my embarrassment!
After seeing the cardiologist, having a 3 day monitoring tape and being monitored whilst on a treadmill and exercising, it's been discovered that my ectopic beats and irregular heartbeat clears up when I exercise. So that's good news and it should be reversible.
However my cardiologist has now suggested a 10 week intensive exercise programme! Should be finding out more this week. He says I'll be a different person in 10 weeks! <gulp>
That’s great news and another reason for not just accepting the first thing said to you.
I was misdiagnosed by the NHS after a 48hour monitor and treadmill test . I went on to see a Cardiologist privately and had a two week monitor , this showed four short episodes of AF ,the 48hr monitor only showed ectopic beats.
I am in shock and having panic attacks , I am scared to take the blood thinners . I am seeing another Cardiologist today because I have fainting sensations every day , very scary, I don’t pass out just feel the sensation. Terrified that I will have a stroke but also can’t take that first blood thinner .
It is scary, but you have to come to terms with it and relax. Dont let them give you bisoprolol beta blocker, their are plenty of alternatives
Hiya Pippa...just seen your post saying don't go on Bisoprolol...my Dr has changed my medication from Atolonol to Bisoprolol so l was already on beta blockers anyway...is there any particular reason that you don't recommend Bisoprolol?....
Hi Ramblingross
I have been on Bisoprolol for over a year and it works splendidly for me.
Ann
Hiya...l take my first one tonight..it's 2-5 mg for 2 weeks then 5 mg after that...did you have any side effects Routemaster?...
Hi Ramblingross.
Not that I noticed! I take 5 mg after breakfast but before my cup of coffee and that seems to work well!
Ann
Hiya...as coffees a stimulant that can produce a faster heart rate has anyone said to cut back on coffee?....
If l do get any noticeable beats it's usually in an evening so that's why l mentioned it to the Dr about taking it at night....might be better for me to change times of day....l can only experiment to see which suits me best....it's all we can do Ann...
Exactly! I am not a morning person so do need a cup of coffee to wake me up!! And a doctor told my husband that decaffeinated coffee is much worse for you than coffee because of the chemicals used to remove the caffeine!
Lol...what a pallaver...it's like we.re on uppers and downers....
😊😊
Diagnosed with AF a year ago and put on Apixaban, when it first started I found it was limiting my daily exercise (breathlessness) but now back at full speed. ECG showed heart was pumping well and advised to keep taking the meds to counter the ongoing AF. I hope once you get to see the consultant you will get some peace of mind and wish you well.
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