Yorkshire did for me

[Peony4575]

Hi folks . Was doing ok , some bits and pieces but no AF for 19 months. Confidence a bit higher went to spend a couple of days in beautiful Yorkshire .

Travelled up first day, meal out , did risk a pudding which is rare for me but basically stuck to my no alcohol or chocolate very little sugar no spicy etc.

Second day sightseeing . This included hiking through woods up a steep hill, and visiting an abbey which involved hill and a lot of steps . That is unusual activity for me,I am active dog walking , gardening etc but don’t live near hills. Was pleased with how I coped, bit puffed and hr went up as you would expect but far from gasping . Meal out.

7am next day went into AF 187bpm with RVR. Took pip Flec for first time only effect was bone dry mouth . Went to Harrogate hospital a forty minute drive ( not me driving obv) . Can’t take beta blockers, tried Diltiziem and later Digoxin, didn’t do much for rate but went back into nsr 24 hours after it started.

Couldn’t leave because Diltiziem had dropped my bp into my boots and had to wait 8 hours then drove home.

Altogether 42 hours no sleep . Am tired and drained, miserable , confidence shot . Am frightened of having an ablation but now am frightened of not having one . Emailed cardiologist and asked her to start process .

Could the trigger have been yomping up those hills with gusto ? If it had triggered then there was no phone signal and the path wasn’t wide enough for a vehicle . I would have had to stagger down . Scary thought

Any advice re ablation ?

Thanks for help

[Ppiman]

I am coming round to thinking that "triggers" are no more than an external physical stimulus that sets off an already faulty "atrial substrate" into ectopy. An ablation is the only way medicine currently knows to fix this with a 70-80% success rate. I am on a waiting list for one.

In my case, on the "wrong day" (ever more frequent...), I can set off AF with exercise, as yours likely was, or even by "stretching" my chest area and, presumably, physically "pulling" at my heart. I have read that stretched atrial tissue is very much more prone to arrhythmia and that seems borne out in my experience. Even walking up stairs will set mine off, and I used to think that was the exercise but now rather I think it is the stretching effect on the chest from arm movement. If I walk up stairs with my arms by my sides I can get away with it. Similarly, if I don't lean over the table at breakfast, I won't get ectopics.

Whatever the cause of yours - very bad luck. I hope Yorkshire showed its glories to you before the AF set in.

Steve

[Peony4575 in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks Steve . And I am sorry yours is so hair trigger . If I hadn’t gone to Yorkshire I probably would not have had this episode but on the plus side it has booted me into going for the ablation as things will only get worse and for me the drugs don’t work and I can’t tolerate them . Have anxiety anyway but I am doing my best to reframe this into an option to save me from a worse fate. Yorkshire was glorious , especially at this time of year .

Will you be my ablation buddy and post your progress and I will mine ? Good to have someone going through it at the same time

[Ppiman in reply to Peony4575]

I would happily do that. Mine might be next June as I was told it was a year wait.

I am going to ask if I still need one as my AF has been slower (~90-125bpm) if more frequent, of late. I cope well enough. Exercise pushes it high of course (180+bpm the other day while walking forced me to rest). If it’s on its way to becoming permanent, I was wondering whether an ablation would help long term? I also have bundle block and can see a PM coming my way at some point.

Steve

[Peony4575 in reply to Ppiman]

Great Steve thanks that’s a big help . It’s got to be knackering for the heart experiencing these episodes and drugs don’t work for me or I can’t tolerate them so I feel ablation needs a shot . Don’t come off that waiting list because a lot can happen in 8 months and have that chat with your medics much nearer the time I would say . Keep me posted

[Ppiman in reply to Peony4575]

Oh no, I’ll not do that. In fact, I know pretty much what I’ll be told if I ask.

Steve

[Ernest76]

Perhaps a possible combination of caffeine alcohol and unusual exercise triggered it. Try total abstinence on alcohol and caffeine. I went into permanent af and ablation by Dr Sott Gall fixed it at Blackpool. That was 2015. I stay well but no alcohol and no caffeine.

84th year and still sailing skiing and fell walking

Hope you feel better soon.

[Peony4575 in reply to Ernest76]

Thank you Ernest am glad you are well and it cheers me to hear a positive ablation story . I have been zero alcohol and caffeine for many years so they were not the culprits in this case

[doodle68]

Aw Peony 😔 I am so sad for you . I have come to the conclusion AF doesn't need a trigger it can manage to appear on its own unaided thought it is best to avoid excesses and alcohol which might contribute to an episode.

I have been in NSR for a few months following an ablation which was delayed because of reluctance and covid restrictions. I also take flecainide.

My symptomatic paroxysmal AF suddenly progressed to persistent AF and a nightmare of constant symptoms. How i wish i had an ablation earlier, leaving it too long lowered the success rate but has been a godsent to me giving me my life back.

[Peony4575 in reply to doodle68]

Thanks for that Doodle. I am very well behaved. No alcohol or caffeine, chocolate or sweets . A very occasional pudding or piece of cake and we are talking months apart .

The day before it happened I had lovely Yorkshire sausage and mash with onion gravy, and am now wondering if there was a load of red wine in the gravy . It was a pub and no guidance as to ingredients. The yomping up and down hills was much more extreme exercise than I would normally do and my heart seemed to cope well . It was 7am the next morning it kicked off .

My last episode 19 months ago was New Year’s Day . I had over indulged with the sweet stuff and set off on a speed walk the next morning as part of my NY resolution and 20 minutes in it kicked off .

Thank you for your remarks about your ablation, really helpful. Glad it worked out well and I understand the temptation to put it off. I was offered an ablation after my second episode but wanted to try lifestyle which I have, and I think I would have been much worse if I hadn’t done lifestyle , but I have asked to go forward now

[doodle68 in reply to Peony4575]

Hi Peony I did the lifestyle thing when first diagnosed with AF 7 years ago and think it helped to delay the progression of my P-AF so doing it was well worth the effort and it made me healthier...but progress it did in the end as happens with many .

[Peony4575 in reply to doodle68]

Wise words thank you . I reached that conclusion when it happened this time shorter gap than last time . Anything else is just denial

[Buzby62]

Do you think you may have dehydrated?

I walk daily but wouldn’t think about doing it without my trusty water bottle to sip from as I go. If you get thirsty it’s too late in my opinion. More exercise means more water but can mean more nature stops too.

I had an ablation in December and glad I did, see my bio by clicking on my badge for updates.

Best wishes

[Peony4575 in reply to Buzby62]

Hi Buzby thanks for responding . No wasn’t dehydrated am very careful, exercise I think . Thank you very much I will check out your ablation posts . Very helpful

[Kinfusion]

absolute sympathy Peony. My OH had several months with no AF and then we went on holiday. A very gentle cycle ride of 5 miles on the flat followed by a glass of wine and wham bam into AF the next day .., and once sensitised his heart went into AF at the very slightest provocation throughout the holiday. Once settled down again at home though he can do those things with no negative effects. It’s an absolute ‘holiday confidence’ zapper this ailment. Like you thought it has finally pushed him into asking to be put on the waiting list for an ablation. All the very best.

[Peony4575 in reply to Kinfusion]

So sorry about your husbands experience .AF really doesn’t like change does it . We had just booked to go to Kefalonia next May. First venture abroad since before Covid , and first since AF diagnosis and you can imagine I don’t want to go . I had also booked a few days away for OH birthday at end of October and am apprehensive . I hope his ( and my) ablations go well . Keep posting about his journey . All the very best to you also

[Kinfusion in reply to Peony4575]

Hi Peony I can tell you that right now we are in the south of France. Our first venture out of the UK since Covid and since the onset of AF. We travelled by trains from Scotland and so far all is perfect. We came in September so it’s not too hot as heat seems to be an AF trigger.

[Peony4575 in reply to Kinfusion]

It takes courage in my estimation . Admire you both and hope you have a lovely time . Didn’t know about heat being a trigger , but not surprised. The extra worry for me is don’t have anything that works for rate control and you can’t leave it hammering away at 187 for too long . The episode ended five days ago and I am still feeling so tired . Everything crossed the ablation fixes everything for your husband and myself . I hope you have a lovely and trouble free holiday !