Newly diagnosed Afib. How long to wait for test results ? Covid ? Reassurance anybody ?

[Ash2021]

Hi I'm a 35 year old mother of 3 and on the 31st December had a terrible shock when I woke in the night to get a glass of water and out of nowhere just fainted on the kitchen floor. When I came round my heart was pounding out of my chest. I went to A&E after 4 hours of this and an ecg confirmed a fib which went as high as 190bpm. They gave me medication which corrected it and sent me home. I felt awful for days, tired, dizzy, breathless, shaking. The doctors thought it was a reaction to the sotalol so changed it to bisoprolol, 4 days later I tested positive for covid 19. I still felt terrible with the bisoprolol so the cardiac nurse specialist told me to stop taking it and just keep it as a pill in pocket. I stopped and started having racing heart everytime I stood up 145 bpm (not afib as I have a fitbit). I didnt know if it was just the covid, my heart failing or a rebound effect from stopping the pills. I have since had a 24hr trace, echo and another ecg done but it has been 2 weeks since last test (echo) and a month since the 24hr trace and I've still not heard anything. How long is normal to wait for results ? I'm very anxious, and working myself up waiting. I was previously very healthy and have never even been to hospital before other then to have my babies. Can anybody say anything to reassure me ? Has anybody else experienced afib and covid ? I'm so scared there is something serious wrong and I wont get to see my children grow up.

[lettingoffsteam]

Oh Ash, try not to worry.Results take ages unless you are urgent so be reassured.Can you talk to your GP about your racing heart?Have you tried using the bisoprolol and does it help? I would post on the AF association page.There will.be plenty of people that can reassure you who have lived with afib for decades.You can do this!🙂

[Ash2021 in reply to lettingoffsteam]

Hi letting off steam, I've actually not taken the bisoprolol since stopping as they said only to take it if I have another episode of fast AF but as I haven't been in AF since (just sinus tachycardia) I haven't used the beta blocker. It made me feel so terrible when I was taking it, I really will only use it again if it comes back persistently. The side affects for me were that I was so tired all the time that I could hardly get out of my bed, my bpm was below 60, hands and feet going purple and yellow through poor circulation, I had tightness in my chest, nausea, blurry vision. I really dont know if some of this was covid related and the pills just took the blame but I'm not in a hurry to find out again any time soon. Thank you so much for responding to me though it's so nice to be able to talk about it all freely on here. My husband is so fed up of hearing about it all now and just wants me back to "normal" hes even accused me of being lazy as he doesn't understand how awful Ive been feeling. The first night I went in after I fainted he was actually insisting I was just having an anxiety attack and was surprised when they took me into rhesus. I realise I've made him sound awful (hes really not) I couldn't have got through this last couple of months without his help around the house and with the children but hes been struggling himself and having a hard time handling all of this. Hes recovering from covid himself and we have all the children at home, home learning. Hes also been furloughed and worries lot about the money side of things especially as I've been unable to return to work. To top it all off we lost his Dad last month (78) to covid so hes dealing with his own grief. All in all it's been a tough few months for us all. I really am venting now but thank you so much. I will look for the AF association page.

[lettingoffsteam in reply to Ash2021]

Oh Ash, you've had such a rotten time. I'm sure hubby is just overwhelmed by it all,as are you.I take propranolol which slows my heart down below 60 at rest. They also make me feel cold. The good thing is that I no longer have the palpitations .My heart would go to 115 just walking to the kitchen and after a walk it would race for about an hour. I've heard bisoprolol can have a lot of side effects.A friend of mine was on it and struggled to get out of bed. She had an ablation and so far sinus rhythm all the way and no bisoprolol. Fainting, of course, is very scary but they will check you out and find something that helps.Have you tried relaxation techniques?I do meditation and that slows down the heart naturally .I attend an online class but there are plenty of things online.

Perhaps your husband would like to talk to Cruse Bereavement Care about his Dad. I work for them and we help a lot of bereaved people.Covid has had such an impact.

Try to take it easy as much as possible and look after yourself.

[Smileyian]

Hi Ash. I was diag with Afib about your age and am 77 now. Long long history and after 40 years as an Afib patient (now had 2 ablations) please ask specific questions for me to answer. Also there is an arrhythmia alliance forum which has thousands of sufferers. Please and me anything and I will answer as a knowledgeable patient and not a doctor.

[Ash2021 in reply to Smileyian]

Hi smileyian thank you so much for responding. I will look up the arrhythmia forum. It's really great to speak to someone who was diagnosed at my age and to hear your still going strong all these years later. The doctors in A&E seemed baffled by my age and lack of underlying conditions apparently this is something you usually see in over 60s. The biggest specific question I have right now is about how long to wait for my results but as manjax has pointed out below I may be in for quite a wait yet. I would just like to know if my problem is with the electrics or if there is structurally any problems that is causing this before I know how to proceed. I will let you know if I have anymore specific questions as I find out more. Thank you for taking time out to answer me it really means a lot to know your not alone.

[Smileyian in reply to Ash2021]

The docs in A + E would not be experienced enough to diagnose you. For a reliable diagnosis, you need to consult a cardiologist who is an electrophysiologist ( EP ). I wish you all the very best outcome possible.

[Manjax]

I had 24 hour heart monitor last week and was told it would be at least 10 weeks before I get the results. I know it can be worrying waiting for results but please contact your Dr to see whether they can help you

[Ash2021 in reply to Manjax]

Thank you Manjax, I had no idea it could be such a long wait. I was expecting it to be no more then a week or two. Looks like I have a lot to learn about all this heart business.

[BC-10]

I'm 52 and have had afib since my late teens. I sympathise with you as my first attempt with Sotalol caused me to faint too. Next was Atenolol, dreadful too as I couldn't see properly. Then Flecainide which caused a worst heart arrhythmia. Then Bisoprolol which was pretty much a godsend.

I think with the Bisoprolol, you need to give it a good go. Maybe for weeks or months at the lowest dose you can get away with while controlling most of your symptoms.

I'm currently taking just 1.25 mg only twice a week. At one point I was on 20mg a day! Give it a chance as it is the best overall BB with a ratio of effects/side effects.

Covid? Strangely, I have a friend who is 62 who recently had Covid and oddly enough has developed Afib too??? Hmmm? Maybe there is a relation between nrw arrhythmias and Covid?

I know that Covid is causing certain types of ecg changes. In the US there has been a study done on patients that have presented with symptoms of heart attack.

The ecg is showing what is called a raised ST Segment which is a marker of Myocardial Infarction (heart attack).

On delving further and performing certain procedures and treatment, the cardiologists are finding zero evidence of any ischemia!!! In other words no build up of artery plaque.

So basically it looks like a heart attack, feels like a heart attack but is Covid!!!

A special instruction has been issued to check before any angioplasty is attempted.

I'm just wondering if your new Afib is going to go away on its own after your system gets less "inflamed" or whatever phenomenon occurs during this "infection".??? I hope this is going to be the case for you and my friend too.

Best wishes to you, keep at it and try not to worry too much.

[Ash2021 in reply to BC-10]

Hi BC-10 that's really interesting about the research in the US and your friend. I have not had another episode of AF since the initial one (that I'm aware of) just a fast heartrate when changing position, standing up and moving around. Strangely enough though I was prescribed antibiotics a month post covid for my chest as I was still coughing and breathless. The antibiotics has dealt with the breathlessness and cough, but unexpectedly it also seems to have really helped with my racing heart. Im only really having one episode a day now for a few minutes as opposed to everytime I move pre antibiotics. Perhaps it's just a coincedence or perhaps your right and it could just be something transient due to inflammation. I quite possibly had pneumonia and now that the inflammation from all that is dealt with my heart will calm down. I really do hope so and I hope your friend makes a full recovery also.

[Fifimyangel]

I too have had very similar problems. Out of nowhere last March my heart was racing out of control. I have a pacemaker fitted already so couldn't understand why it was happening. So doctor yesterday still no diagnosis. Waiting now to see cardiologist. Hold on in there. It is worrying but your not alone.

[Ash2021 in reply to Fifimyangel]

Thank you Fifi, I do hope you get some answers soon. The never ending waiting for answers is torturous at times. I did have the results of my echo today which was good news and no abnormalitys found. So that was a huge relief. I do feel mine may be linked to the covid, whether or not it just uncovered something that was already there, or it created it, I may never know. Did yours coincide with any type of illness ? or just came on randomly?

[Fifimyangel in reply to Ash2021]

Hi ash. Mine just started out of no where. Iv done my research and I think it could be a fracture in my pacemaker lead. Hopefully it won't be too long to wait for to see cardiologist.

[Ash2021]

Hi Peony, Thank you for letting me know about the Dr van tulleken program. I hadn't seen it before but watched it with interest and his story was so similar to mine, right down to waking in the early hours with an episode of AF. Your experience of stopping bisoprolol sounds so familiar too. It's great to know your not alone. I am really glad I've stopped it as I'm feeling so much more like myself now. I never want to feel so wiped out like that again. It honestly felt like the beta blockers were damaging my heart and like you say creating arrhythmias that were never there before. I am still having the occasional skipped/extra beats and racing heart, but it does seem to calm down quickly if I ignore it. I have today had the results of my echo and thankfully they are all normal so that's one less thing to worry about. I'm still waiting on the 24hr trace.

[Peony4575 in reply to Ash2021]

Excellent news Ash. Heart can take a few months to completely settle after the bisoprolol withdrawal but yes, feel so much better without it . Dr Van tullekin is having an ablation to sort his AF he said on another program recently because his has been recurring frequently . Hope you don’t get any more AF treat yourself gently ( as you can with children to look after) I have my fingers crossed for you x