AF With Heart Twinges

[Barny12]

Hi all,

Been on the AF forum a while but this is my first post here.

I've had paroxysmal afib now for 5 years. Exercise has always resulted in AF afterwards, but over the last couple of years when I'm exerting myself, even slightly, I get twinges or what feel like spasms in my heart. This is often followed by a bout of afib a couple of hours later. It last happened on Friday 3rd Nov when I was carrying a case up a flight of stairs - I had afib that evening and I keep popping in and out of rhythm since then, mostly in the evenings.

I've had an echocardiogram which showed a dilated left atrium but nothing out of the ordinary for AF, numerous Holter monitors, a stress test, and have recently been diagnosed with flutter as well as AFib. But no-one seems to know what this twinge is - and each time I get it my fitness levels decline further. I was a runner and cyclist before this started: now I am struggling to walk on the slightest incline and haven't been able to cycle even on the flat for many months. Everyone seems to say exercise is fine for Afib but in my case it is just making my exercise ability decline rapidly.

I am awaiting an ablation in the next year but would like to know if these symptoms ring a bell with anyone else as it is making my life really miserable.

[Wanderinglady]

Hi Barny12, I have Afib and Microvascular Disorder (MVD). It’s difficult to work out which symptoms are related to which condition. It’s possible that you have MVD as well, heart ‘twinges’ on exertion are one of the symptoms as the heart is unable to supply sufficient oxygen for it to pump efficiently. The best test for MVD is a provocation angiogram. Not every hospital has the facilities to offer this. I was fortunate in that the dr. Who did my angio has a particular interest in MVD and thought to test for it. Look at the BHF website and INOCA website for more info. I hope you get some answers soon.

[Barny12 in reply to Wanderinglady]

Thanks, I'll look into this.