Rapid AF

[Tigersafl]

Hi all, I'm new here to this site. I was diagnosed with rapid AF around 3 years ago. I just turned 40 and went into hospital for this. I ended up having a cardioversion, and went on sotalol and eliquis. From then until now I've had 5 cardioversions, 1 ablation which didn't really work cause 3 months later I had an episode and ended up having another ablation. The other day, my heart went out of whack again, and I called the ambulance but by the time the ambulance I came I was back in a good and slow rhythm. That was the one and only time when my heart was beating really fast (180) and it was able to go back. All other episodes have been a very fast rhythm (180-200) and in AF, but needed to do the cardioversions. Its a scary feeling, and you think I would be use to it, but I am not. I trouble sleeping, resting, I feel panicked if im walking that I might have an episode. I've now stopped the blood thinners, and on 80g of sotalol a day. As well as a AF, i am in the process of perhaps having a hysterectomy (uterus) only, as I have been having a period every day for 1 and half years. Which again is causing me anxiety and stress and I'm thinking that may have an effect of my heart issues. I am also overweight, which doesnt help this situation, so I am trying to lose weight.

A couple of questions if anyone else suffers similar symptoms is: how do you control the fast rhythms? Sleeping habits any tips? I'm also anxious about flying with this condition?

Not sure what questions or answers I need, its more just a general talk and if anyone else is going through the same.

Cardiologist team have suggested to do another ablation, but I found the after process very stressful. You are unable to move to 4-6 hours, it was very restrictive and not pleasant at all.

Not sure if I will have one.

Thanks

[Goldfish7]

So sorry to hear about your problems - my 2nd ablation appears to have stopped my PAF (at least for now). I had a violent rhythm pattern in PAF and also a very fast heart beat during attacks going to around 160 - 200bpm. Not nice at all. My EP gave me Pill in Pocket medication of Flecainide and extra Bisoprolol which at least stopped me from needing to get ambulanced in to hospital every time I had an attack and would stop the PAF in 5 -7 hours. It would leave me wiped out for a couple of days to a week and do very strange things to my blood pressure that would often last for days.

I feel the same as you re. walking which is aggravated by breathlessness and heart pain that so far is unexplained - over a number of years it was thought to be the bisoprolol which was causing some of the breathlessness/heart pain on exercise but now I'm off it is still their and appears worse since my last ablation in Nov 2018. I'm quite scared when the pain breathlessness or ectopics start when walking and often feel faint which has led to me having very little exercise unless I'm with someone, and few people want to be out walking with me as I'm so slow now as I find that minimises my symptoms. Like you I'm overweight and currently undergoing investigations re. possible hysterectomy or worse - seems like its been one thing after another over the last few years.

Re sleeping habits - I really struggled when I was taking bisoprolol - up every 2 hours or more, but have been a little better since not taking it as daily meds. However, since the 2nd ablation I now get a variety of ectopic beats, periods of fast heart rate and what feels like a frequently loud thumping heart.

Things that I have tried that have helped to some degree are occasionally sleeping with a bed wedge to raise my upper body if I'm getting particularly bad heart symptoms, not eating late at night and I always go to sleep listening to an audio book that distracts me and drowns out the sound of my heart to some extent. I take magnesium supplements that I think slightly ease the symptoms.

I haven't tried flying with my condition so don't know what affect it would have - I don't know what medical insurance issues there may be.

Hope this helps and best of luck in getting the heart back under control