Newly diagnosed with AF

[Bazwaldo]

Hi, new to this forum and newly diagnosed with AF, which shocked me, as I thought my palpitations, which come and go, where just perimenopausal related, which they reckon could be connected! Started me off on beta blockers but had a severe reaction to them so was taken of them, now on Tildiem twice a day. Since being diagnosed I am constantly checking my blood pressure, my pulse and it is doing my head in as it is stating to take over my life and I am so fed up. I get occasional dizziness as well, which stops me from doing normal day to day things.

[Snowdrops_17]

Hope you get some answers here soon Bazwaldo ❤️🙏

I posted you a link and you will find like minded people for your specific health problem 👍

Try this link please:

healthunlocked.com/afassoci...

[Bazwaldo in reply to Snowdrops_17]

Thank you

[Snowdrops_17 in reply to Bazwaldo]

You very welcomed Bazwaldo ❤️

[OAPjust]

Hi Bazwaldo, I completely sympathise with your feelings. Last October, I was diagnosed with Atrial Flutter. I too, became very obsessed with checking B.P. and couldn't think of anything else, other than my heart beats, all day & night. With Covid I felt I couldn't keep asking G.P.all my questions, new ones all the time, so I had a private consultation with a Cardiologist - it was worth every penny. Since then (and previously, I had even started experiencing PVC's, extra beats etc.,) his reassurance seemed to "heal" me, the PVC's stopped, I could sleep once more, I know I'm quite well protected, now on Rivaroxaban, no longer in my thoughts every minute of the day. It WILL improve and you WILL get used to it and no longer be obsessed by your heart beats. Take care.

[Bazwaldo in reply to OAPjust]

Thank you, i have not been able to speak to anybody yet, except for a 10 mins conversation with the consultant who rang me!!! Got my echocardiogram in February. Mine is paroxysmal AF so it only happens every now and then, but I just feel that my life is on hold and I just want to be able to get on with it. I hear my heartbeats in my ear and I start to panick, my husband has to calm me down......but I am so glad that you are feeling better in yourself, take care and stay safe

[KG70]

Hi, I can completely understand how you are feeling as I was in exactly the same place 7 months ago. Got Bisoprolol first which made me really anxious and unwell, and got changed to Diltiazem after going to a private cardiologist as couldn't get to speak to anyone on NHS due to Covid. I was constantly checking my HR and the more I did, the more anxious I got and the worse my HR got and I ended up in a vicious cycle. And worse still, I was too frightened to do any exercise, or even get off the sofa some days as my HR was in the 120's. But I eventually got brave, annoyed and frustrated with myself and my situation and I started to exercise 2 months ago. Very slow to start with as I was so out of shape from shaking on the sofa for months, but I persisted and my 0.5 mph walking on the treadmil gradually got to 1mph, then 1.3, 1.5 etc. now I do 40 mins a day on the treadmil at 2mph and break into a trot a few times for a minute or 2. And I put music on the TV on a morning and have a dance around the lounge for a good 30 -60 mins. I get a lot of ectopic heart beats, and my heart rhythm is worse than my dance moves as I am still very out of condition, but I can feel it getting better day by day. I now wish so much that I had done as much as I possibly could in the early days as my physical and mental health really suffered. I had so much anxiety it caused all kinds of horrible problems - and they in turn caused anxiety. Please please please keep yourself busy and active. Even if its just slowly walking round the block, or up and down the garden, and putting the hoover round whether it needs it or not. I didn't hoover for months as I was convinced I couldn't do it as I felt too weak and frail (I'm 50 ffs). And living in a tip made me more depressed and anxious. You will benefit from having a good plan in place to keep your health and mood up. I went into a strange depressed pessimistic state of mind and felt like I was really seriously ill and my future was ruined. I now know that's tosh and now when my heart is doing weird things I don't even freak out about it as I have learned what now counts as normal. I went to A and E many times when I would have attacks of fast AF and/or heart racing. And the nurses were really laid back about it so I learned that its actually pretty common and most events I can manage at home by keeping calm and just doing breathing exercises. You could do yourself a little timetable to set aside time to do activities and things that bring you joy or relaxation and distract you from watching your heart rate. If you don't have any hobbies, try to start new ones. I bought myself some pencils and paper as I read that being creative is good for mental health. Its very enjoyable but I'm no good at anything but drawing flowers. I also did a couple of courses on futurelearn which was great. I'm going on a bit. But you get my point. Keep busy and active and you will be fine. If you sit in a chair panicking you will end up in a right pickle and have a lot more work to do to get out of it. I'm still not coping well with my medication side effects so I'm hoping for an ablation, and my understanding is the fitter and leaner you are when you have one, the better chance you have of it being successful. So that's my aim. And perhaps if I get really fit I won't even need one, so double motivation to keep moving. Do joining the Arrhythmia Alliance forum. You will find lots of support there too. The way you are feeling now is only temporary, you will feel much more at ease with your condition as you get used to it. You are going to be fine!

[KG70 in reply to KG70]

I should have said AF Association as well as Arrhythmia Alliance

[Bazwaldo in reply to KG70]

Thank you

[Bazwaldo in reply to KG70]

Thank you so much!!! What you have said is pretty much how I have been feeling!!! I am only 51 and never smoked, drugs or anything and have always been fit and well, this was like a lightening bolt!!! And was only discovered after I ended up in a&e with palps and like you the nurses were very laid back whilst I was panicking it was horrible and frightening to say the least!!! I need to train myself to stop worrying, I keep on thinking the worst is going to happen to me, and will stop me skiing the things I love like flying away on holiday, driving, working etc !!, it’s a learning curve to say the least x

[Peony4575 in reply to Bazwaldo]

Try reading The Dare Response and Badass to help with your anxiety . Dare response also available on audio. Am finding them very helpful in changing my thinking. You can’t just stop worrying you have to have an alternative response in its place . You can get them on Amazon

[Corkel in reply to Bazwaldo]

Hi I too was diagnosed with AF in November 2019 while on holiday in Vegas. I was taken to A &E on the day we were due to fly home. They done every test possible there, which I know I would most probably not have got here. My GP had told me months previously to stop caffeine and alcohol due to bad palpitations, ECGs all came back as normal. I am too perimenopausal I’m 54.I wonder sometimes if mine is linked to this. I have only seen a cardiologist / electrophysiologist once. I couldn’t give him any of my medical records from USA because they wouldn’t release them because of insurance reasons. Now all paid they are going to send them to me. I am 1.25 bisoprolol and I take supplements too. I was doing regular yoga that I had taken up two years previously. Like you it’s always in my mind but it has got a little easier. I see my self as a young 54 year old, but this has slowed me down because I’m worried to over do it. You are not on your own and although I haven’t posted a lot, the people on the A F forum are so nice and give some great advice. Look to see a private cardiologist/EP , mine in Bristol was very reassuring. Meanwhile take care.

[Sleepybear987]

Sending you so much love! I was diagnosed wth Pericardial Effusion in August 2020 and since then I've felt like my life has been on hold. I've been trying to do day to day things but it's just so hard even though I tend to push through. I think a lot of it comes down to monitoring everything but with everything going on, it might be a thing of just going private (depending on finances). It's so scary but realise that people around you are here to help. Have a lovely weekend.