Atrial Fibrillation for three days

[SusiBoBo]

Not sure what do, this is the longest episode I have suffered. My heart rate is about 80 and my normal pulse rate is 50. I seem to remember a post which gave hints and tips on managing AF - Valsalva maneuver and yoga positions etc . Can anybody point me in the right direction to find this post. Thank you

[jeanjeannie50]

Here are my tips for stopping an AF attack all collected from the AF forumover the years:

I am a therapist in private practice for over 20yrs.One of my therapies is yoga based. Having quite an accurate knowledge of anatomy, neurology and physiology also having PAF I have found this technique helps me immensely when my heart is fluttering like crazy. Make yourself comfortable either on a bed or lying on the floor, position a pillow under you head, Raise your left arm in an extension position as if you are doing the backward crawl. Stretch as much as you can and imagine that it is stretching your heart muscle...I bend my arm and position my hand under my head palm upwards.. Stay in that position for as long as you can or until the fluttering subsides...At the same time I think of something pleasant. It does not matter what you think about as long as it is a pleasant thought for you. This stops my heart jumping about almost instantly....I also place my right hand over my heart area...Don't panic and just keep calm thinking pleasant thoughts....I do hope this helps you. Kind Regards.C

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As someone else who finds yoga breathing and some positions helpful, I would love to try (xxxx) suggestion, but lying down flat tends to make things worse for me. My most helpful position, taught me by a lovely yoga teacher, is based on a yoga forward bend. I sit up with my legs outstretched in front of me and a pillow under my knees, and then bend forward from the hips not the waist, with my arms relaxed but outstretched towards my ankles, and breath deeply and slowly. It's not so good on a full stomach and is more comfortable with your knees slightly apart, and I guess you have to be a bit flexible to find it comfortable, but it has proved to be a great help.

I agree with (xxxx) that staying calm and focusing on something pleasant is a must, and I've even fallen asleep like this as most of my episodes occur at night. All the best Liz

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Finally, like AV nodal re-entry, some people have recurrent rapid rhythms that are infrequent and easy to self-control by using various methods to increase neural slowing to the AV node (so-called, "vagal maneuvers"). Using these maneuvers, one can sometimes stop the arrhythmia. These maneuvers include:

Bearing down forcefully like you're having a bowel movement for 5-10 seconds, then slowly exhaling.in the neck while lying down for approximately 5 seconds

Placing very cold (soaked in ICE water) cloth on the face abruptly.

Coughing forcefully

Rubbing the carotid artery, important - just one side at a time!

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There's a yoga breathing exercise that has worked for me before. Lie on your back, bend your knees up so they are above your hips and your lower legs are at 90 degrees. Take a breath in for a count of 4 then breathe out for a count of at least 8. As you breathe out, bring your knees into your chest so you curl into a ball. When you think you've got all the air out of your lungs, try and breathe out more! Breathe in again for 4 and release your legs out to the starting position. Repeat several times. It helps to reset the diaphragm and focus should be on a good long out-breath.

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So, after discovering that making myself sneeze stops Afib. I have discovered another novel way to stop an attack. It involves drinking a litre bottle of water while holding my nose. It's especially effective if I experience almost panic as I can't get a breath. I don't always finish the bottle but find that's not always necessary to gain the desired effect. Works especially well if I catch an attack early. Kenny

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Please let me know if any of these tips work.

Jean

[SusiBoBo in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you very much Jean . I practised the first technique with mindfulness music and it worked after half an hour. I feel very relieved that I didn’t go into permanent AF. I’ve screen shot all the other tips for future reference. Once again thank you.

[Healthy64 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Hi I'm having these v fast af episodes at say 170 bpm but also faster at 228 and higher max about 250-270 a while ago. Now just repeats surges and bp good out at 280/ 145 or so. Finding it so hard to control but Vallsalva sometimes works if not a sudden onset and can arrest it do see modified vallsalva as it's a better by far like 45--50% more .I'm going to try the yoga techniques as sounds like has potential. I also find splash in cold water basin works but carotid massage is not pleasant at all needs medical person as it's dangerous - can drop 60 + bpm Hope you all get some relief as it's life limiting for sure

Thanks