I go into low heart rate often times in Afib. I think several on this site do. Doctor doesn't seem too worried. It makes me feel really tired and weak.

yes, but i wasn't in afib at that time it held steady at 36 then it was like my heart was signaled to pick it up which it did; then up up into afib. This affliction is facinating.

yes I have noticed that I have a heart rate of about 40-50 just before I go into AF too.

A resting rate of 60 is at the low end of normal. It's not uncommon for very fit people to have a resting rate between 50 and 60. But below 60 falls into the category of Bradycardia which can indicate some other underlying electrical issues with the sinus node OR may indicate nothing wrong at all. Only some tests at your doctor's office can rule out the former. In your case it appears that a slowing heart rate could possibly be a catalyst for an Afib event. Are you measuring or monitoring with a device during these events? It would be helpful to have some collected data to bring to your doctor such as pulse, blood oxygen and blood pressure at the time of these episodes.

In the early stages of my Afib my heart resting rate was in the high 50s, I was a distance runner so that was likely why it was so low. My very first episodes of atrial flutter and Afib always occurred while I was resting, usually watching television. My general physician at the time suggested that my heart rate at during rest was likely dropping into the low 50s. As a result he believed that my heart's electrical system perceived that as a problem and would attempt to increase rate by sending additional impulses which I was feeling as extra beats or hard thumps. There may have been some validity to that but it also may have been the early onset of Afib due to a changing heart. My Afib back then consisted of short episodes but within 5 years they increased and came with symptoms like yours, not related to anxiety since by then I had better come to terms with it.

I don't want to get too personal but how old are you? People under 70 are less likely to have sinus node issues but a good workup at the doctor is a good idea at any age when Afib is involved.

Also, have you ever worn a 30-day monitor? This is a great way to capture events that may not occur at the doctor's office.

Steve

"My general physician at the time suggested that my heart rate at during rest was likely dropping into the low 50s. As a result he believed that my heart's electrical system perceived that as a problem and would attempt to increase rate by sending additional impulses which I was feeling as extra beats or hard thumps."

I always suspected that (as a layman). The body accommodates and adjusts to things, external or internal. It would seem that remodeling would fit in with that theory... it's like the heart is trying to do something good.

Re: runners. I always ran and can remember I was diagnosed with bradycardia with a 58 heart rate. It was about 30 years ago. My doctor said it was a good thing and, in my mind, I thought he gave me the diagnosis to get insurance payment.

Who knows...

petey

I agree Petey. Our bodies compensate to a degree when imbalances and irregularities occur. I've always thought of remodeling as falling more into the category of bad habit learned by repetition at a cellular level, evidently the body's compensation can go good or bad. I think it would make perfect sense that our Sinoatrial Node would detect a very slow rate and act to correct it, after all it's our natural pacemaker.

Steve

yes, did all the work up stuff a couple years ago. I have tried most of the drugs out there. When I'm not in afib my restiing heart rate is stable at 60. And yes, it did seem like the heart or nevous system precieved a problem when it dropped and stayed at 36 for 10-15 seconds. Really not much Dr.s can do right now. I'm not ready to concede to ablation. I'm 51. Plus, I don't think ablation would work for me as I am getting less symtamatic as time goes on, probably indicating a substantial amount of remodeling has occurred. .

One way remodeling is indicated is by an increase in the number of Afib episodes over time. Becoming less symptomatic is a good thing but remodeling is not typically indicated by feeling better over time. Although many patients have very few symptoms even those with permanent Afib, you sound like one of the fortunate ones. I sure wish that had been the case for me over the years. My episodes increased in number and length along with feeling bad/worse more times than not. Given that your Afib is paroxysmal and your episodes are long I hope that you are properly anticoagulated, that should be a top priority.

I had my ablation a little over a year ago at age 54 but my Afib began when I was about 38. As long as you're feeling and functioning well, tolerating your meds and properly anticoagulated then there's no reason to rush to an ablation.

Steve

I think I've had afib for quite a while and waited until I was having episodes every few weeks to finally have some tests done. That was almost 2 years ago and my episodes have increased to about 2 per week. I am concerned that trying to ablate at this time may only cause problems and I will need multiple ablations with results that may not work or last that long. Something tells me not to do it and I can't get past that. I guess if it gets to the point I can't stand the symptoms, I'll go for it.

Before being diagnosed with afib my HR was 51; I am a runner. With afib I was put on diltiazem and HR is usually in 40's or 50's and occasionally 30's. My latest 7 day holter shows hr is between 39 and 140 when in afib; I am asymptomatic and never felt it so I was either sound asleep or maybe it lasted only seconds. EP has no concerns about it being so low. He did say that he would not prescribe rhythm control drugs as that would lower it even more.

opsyn

Are all of you on meds. I know that some cause low h.r. I am currently on Sotalol and my h.r. rages from 40-60. I was previously free of a-fib for 7 months. The first time I was on Diltiazem after a terrible month on Amiodoraone (tripled my TSH). I stayed on Diltiazem, also lowers h.r. but had a few break throughs of fast h.r. didn't notice any change in rythmn. Then a month ago, I want, without warning, into a full blown attack of a-fib - h.r. all over the place and 150 h.r. After two hospital stays, they took me off the Diltiazem and put me on Sotanol, which converted me overnight. Had no skipped beats at first but am getting them now, I e-mailed my Dr. but he said that wasn't unusual. ALL my heart tests (everything they could think off) came out normal. I am at a loss as to what to do. I don't want to go out, scared of a-fib and now am scared of the skipped beats. I get anxiety, they put me on Zoloft, but I feel that no-one cares. They say I am healthy, don't have any heart problems, just one of "those" things that happens and for no reason. I go back in 6 months. Anyone have the same experiences. I hope the skipped beats don't mean that I am going to go back into a-fib. When I think back, I had skipped beats for about 25 yrs. on and off, but I knew many people who had them and my Dr. wasn't concerned. Thanks guys, and hope you all feel better. Any input would be appreciated.
Christine

" I think I've had afib for quite a while and waited until I was having episodes every few weeks to finally have some tests done. That was almost 2 years ago and my episodes have increased to about 2 per week. I am concerned that trying to ablate at this time may only cause problems and I will need multiple ablations with results that may not work or last that long. Something tells me not to do it and I can't get past that. I guess if it gets to the point I can't stand the symptoms, I'll go for it."

I think you're plan is a good one, but if you are not on a prescription anticoagulant than you should have that discussion with your doctor. Stroke will make Afib seem like a walk in the park.

My ablation was performed by a highly-skilled EP. I won't candy coat the difficulty in making that decision to ablate, it's tough. When or if you are at that point you will know. For me the time was as good as it was going to get with my Afib still being Paroxysmal. I knew my odds for success weren't going to improve a year or two down the road and my symptoms were really beating me up. At no point did my doctor say it was time, he told me that I would have to tell him when I was ready. I had and have great confidence in my EP and the heart center where had the ablation, and that's huge. He told me almost 14 years earlier that he would do my ablation when or if the time came and that was in the very early days of catheter ablation. He suggested at that time that I wait, given the risks and the fact that I had an otherwise healthy heart. I couldn't have asked for a better EP, a great man with remarkable skills.

Steve