Atrial Fibrillation is back!

[NeilStrid]

After 2 months of normal sinus rhythm following a cardioversion in November, my AF has returned today.

I took a car full of waste to the recycling centre which included 2 large bags of garden clippings so my heart rate was pumping a bit after carting them from the car to the skip. However, when I got home I could still feel a raised heart beat so did a test using my Kardia Mobile device - and to my dismay it came back with "Possible Atrial Fibrillation".

I feel so down right now.

I have a follow up with the cardiologist in 11 days time and was SO looking forward to telling him all was good.

[Yumz199725]

Maybe get in touch and let him know x

[NeilStrid in reply to Yumz199725]

My appointment is for the 24th of this month, so depending on how I'm felling I'll see if I can wait until then.

[SaxmanAD]

Soz to hear your news bro. I'd drop your consultant a message to let them know. Can you please Keep us updated of what happens next & I hope you get a plan in place soon.🤞

[NeilStrid in reply to SaxmanAD]

Will do 👍

[Yellow26]

hello

Was it your first cardioversion ?

I was given it twice, so ask for it again, I had it twice but it came back and I’ve had it for over 12 years now, I’m on medication for rest of my life but coping with it. Good luck .

[Mavuk1 in reply to Yellow26]

I’ve had 2 too ! 😔. I’m Permanent. Learning to live with it . Has your progressive got worse ? 🤔

[Yellow26 in reply to Mavuk1]

I find coping with it can be very difficult sometimes, take palpitations now and again but finding it easier to control my breathing. I know how much I can push myself but get very frustrated when I should be doing more, I’m leading a normal life as I can which I’m happy about and having not seen a cardiologist for over 4 years now.

[NeilStrid in reply to Yellow26]

Yes, it was my first. I had persistent AF since December 22 (and intermittent for a couple of years before that - which was never caught by GP as it only occurred for a few hours ever few weeks).

[Stucoo]

I feel your pain. I had a cardioversion at the beginning of December and went back into AF this week. What medication are you on?

[NeilStrid in reply to Stucoo]

I'm currently on Verapamil, plus Lisinopril & Doxazosin for BP, and Apixaban for blood thinning.

I was on Bisoprolol from April 22 until around June last year but that did not agree with me at all (At one point they doubled the dose thinking it wasn't working enough, and I could barely function)

[scentedgardener]

I understand how you are feeling. I'm in a similar position. My AF episodes gradually got longer, and lasted longer, going from about 6 hrs once every 6 weeks, to 3 days every fortnight, then 7 to 10 day episodes until it was persistent. During the period of time when it was beginning to become persistent I discovered that it was likely caused by my overactive thyroid, and once I had connected the dots, (no doctor ever did), and started treatment I went back to NSR, what a blessed relief. I thought I had said goodbye to AF but sadly I've had a couple of short episodes recently, very disappointing.You said that you'd done a recycling run and your heart was pumping a bit, have you thought that cold air could possibly have affected you? I'm not doing recycling trips but I do have to go outside in the cold to fetch coal in for my fire and the combination of cold air and exertion can trigger it for me.

Good luck, I know it's disappointing, but it's very positive that you had 2 months free after a cardioversion.

[NeilStrid in reply to scentedgardener]

Your experience sounds very similar to mine.

My AF episodes would ALWAYS start in the evening (usually between 9pm & 1am). This could be when I was sat relaxed watching TV etc. or after I had gone to bed. It would ALWAYS be accompanied by frequent urination - I'd empty my bladder and within 20 minutes I was absolutely bursting again! As this was at night, I wouldn't get to sleep until around 3-4am if I was lucky. By the morning it was back to normal, but I was left totally dehydrated and feeling terrible through the lack of sleep. The frequency was usually anywhere between 3 to 6 weeks at a time - and every time I went to the GP everything was absolutely normal (I even had a 24hr monitor once that didn't catch it).

After it was eventually picked up during an early morning diabetic screening (first time any professional had witnessed it) my GP put me on Bisoprolol which didn't help at all and in fact made me feel much worse generally.

Then in December 2022 it started one Sunday evening and never stopped - although not as acute as the nightly episodes (no 20 min toilet visits!)

Not sure if the cold was possibly a factor, as it's never affected me at all during this winter. I do wonder though, if the heavy lifting of the 2 heavy bulk bags full of garden cuttings may have been the trigger.

[scentedgardener in reply to NeilStrid]

My episodes were almost always at night, sometimes waking me. Always began with a burning in my throat similar to but different from acid reflux. I rarely had a high heart rate, only mid eighties, when it is normally mid fifties. I also had pain all up my right arm, through my shoulder, up my neck and into my jaw. I felt like I had an elephant sitting on my chest, but it was downwards not across, chest would swell by 4 inches, and I was breathless. As you can imagine with those symptoms I had multiple trips to A&E, very boring.When my thyroid got really out of whack and I went to persistent I didn't get a lot of those symptoms, but it was pretty horrible.

I'm curious to know if they have checked your thyroid levels? My TSH is very suppressed but has been for about 12 years, but I didn't get the severe AF problems until T3 and T4 rose.

As I said the GPs didn't work it out, nor a variety of A&E doctors, nor 3 different cardiologists, yet AF is a known side effect of an overactive thyroid.

[Riverusk]

I have read that people can have second and third cardioversions work

[NeilStrid in reply to Riverusk]

I hope so.

[Coco51]

So sorry to hear this. I can understand how you feel down. But I think it's quite common as the heart remodels when in persisistent AF and it just likes to fibrillate. I had 2 cardioversions. One lasted 3 months the other a few hours! But managing ok now with medications after 2 ablations.Have you tried magnesium taurate supplements? Definitely helps me. Magnesium is good for heart rhythm, many people are deficient, and it's something GPs don't test for. Yest if you go to A&E with AF they often give a Magnesium drip.

[NeilStrid in reply to Coco51]

Thanks, I'll look into the supplements.

[Bloodredroses in reply to NeilStrid]

google Magnesium for afib . Find right type for you . Take at night . Helped my afib a lot buy best quality high dose ( check with heart specialists for drug interactions first )

[Dogsareangels]

hello Neil

That must be frustrating for you I’ve been diagnosed with AF as well I think for two years now am I supposed to see a cardiologist I feel so tired all the time and I’m not feeling well at all

It would be good to bounce off support if you would like to

Hope to hear from you

Lee

[NeilStrid in reply to Dogsareangels]

Hi Lee.

Thankfully, my return of AF has not affected me as bad as it was previously - probably being due to the 240mg Verapamil I'm taking.

Saw the cardiologist in January and he said it wouldn't be worth having another cardioversion (which surprised me as I've hear people having up to 3, with some saying the 2nd or 3rd one maintained a normal sinus).

I'm now waiting for an ablation and have an appointment at the hospital that will carry it out in May. Not sure how long after that the procedure will be, but the cardioversion was very short notice (2 days) after I had a prep appointment.

What medication are you on? After my AF was finally acknowledged by my GP (I was having intermittent AF events every 3-4 weeks, lasting around 8hrs & always late evening and gone by the morning - so was never witnessed at the GP surgery) she put me on Bisoprolol.... and what followed was months & months of miserable fatigue before they discovered that the Bisoprolol was making me infinitely worse! At one point they thought it wasn't working ENOUGH so doubled the dose - after which I could barely get dressed in the morning and was almost collapsing with exhaustion going to the toilet!!

[Dogsareangels]

Morning , thank you for replying to me sorry I’ve not been back on here until now

I’m concerned as I do not have a cardiologist I’m taking atenolol daily that’s it

You have been through a lot and I really appreciate that you have taken time to give me your thoughts I’m thinking I was diagnosed with AF two years ago when I saw my consultant for gender treatment telling me that AF had been caused due to taking Risperidone

I’m upset to a point as I had no knowledge that this could happen

Should I ask my dr about seeing a cardiologist

I have recently had twinges as things are very stressful at the moment I do find that I have less energy than ever before I’ve always been fit walking and cycling but after risperidone not only AF but it caused weight gain as well

It would be good to keep in touch as any advice is greatly appreciated

Thank you

Lee