Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group

Hi there,
I was going to reply to one post I read here....then I read another and wanted to reply....then another! So, I thought I'd just put it all in an introductory post. I have looked at a few AFib support forums but this one seems to be more practical than the others.

I am in the United Kingdom and am 48 years old. I was actually first diagnosed with AFib when I was approaching 40 but Drs now accept that symptoms I have had since I was a teenager were down to AF. This included what they think might have been a TIA when I was 32 - I lost my vision whilst driving after palpitations in my chest for some time beforehand (I am grateful to still be here to tell the tale!). I did undergo significant tests at the time but it the episode remained unexplained. Since teens I have had occassional fainting - especially when getting out of bed and what I thought were palpitations. I was a sportswoman back then and although it didnt hold me back, I did notice that often I would be out of breath quicker than anyone else and it would take me longer to recover after strenuous activity.

About 10 years ago I got out of bed, felt dizzy and faint and felt the 'mammal' flapping in my chest. However, I felt worse than any time before and drove myself (eek!) to the local hospital where they wired me up. The Doctor was amazed looking at my trace and refered me to specialist where I got the diagnosis of Paroxymal AFib. Since then I have tried a few meds (flecanide & sotolol) but felt so ill on them I stopped. Since diagnosis I have been sensible and never drive if I feel an episode coming on (inconvenient buy I have a supportive husband as a taxi driver!) and have made lifestyle changes to help but the meds werent for me and I have just tolerated my AFib and the restrictions it sometimes places on you.

About a year ago my AFib, which I just put up with, got considerably worse - for no apparent reason. In Nov 08 it was so bad (fatigue, breathlessness, dizzy etc), with almost daily long episodes that I asked for an ablation (PVI), which I had on 14th Jan at QEH Birmingham. I had some complications (damaged an artery at groin entry site) and I had to stay in hospital for a week. However, I havent had an episode since the procedure. I hope this is a good sign but I have been off work at home doing very little since the procedure. I worry that once I go back to work this next week and return to my active life that my AFib will return as I expend more energy - my cardio said I have a 50% chance of having to have a 2nd procedure. He used a word to describe my veins but I cant for the life of me remember what it was!

Another point of interest is, for reasons I wont go into here, I lost contact with my brother when I was in early twenties. I was reunited with him in 2006 where he told me that he had paroxymal Afib for some years and that he had a TIA in late 30's. I know one case doesnt make AFib automatically genetic, but it seems more than a coincidence, especially us having it so young (he's only 18 months older than me).

Looking back, I have been my own worst enemy, almost in denial about sysmptoms. Had I been more open about them to medical professionals (severity, frequency & impact) then I might have been diagnosed earlier. But general practioners werent really aware of AFib then and I certainly didnt want to make a fuss.

Apart from the damaged artery, my ablation procedure was fine. Although, because I was in AFib on admission and on morning of procedure, they said they would only go ahead if they pushed a camera down my throat to check not clots present. I wasnt expecting this and it was much worse than the ablation! - nasty stuff they spray in your throat before insertion!! I was told I had a lot of burns but felt absolutley no pain or discomfort in chest and still havent.

Good lord, this has turned into War & Peace!

Kind Regards.
Posted on 02/01/09, 03:02 pm