Mary Ann:

You will feel better when your tests come out fine. We all have to go through them. Maybe you will convert to NSR during your stress test. The test isn't stressful. It's easy. You walk for about 10 minutes with increasing speed and elevation to get your heart rate up. They have an EKG hooked up. They watch how your heart recovers. If you get a nuclear stress test, they image your heart. The echo will look at how your heart works and size of chambers. No big deal. BTW, many people convert while exercising.

petey

Hang in there Mary Ann. After your tests are complete, evaluate your EP and Cardio's recommendations and if you need to seek a second opinion. Best of luck moving forward. ;)

BTW, the stress test is what is called the Bruce Protocol if you want to look it up.

Hi Mary Ann, Lots of Long Slooooowwww, Deep Breaths, you have a lot going on.

First thing, several folks here have come out of an episode by exercising. 2x I cut my small front yard with electric mower and came out of afib. Winter came and I had no grass to cut. Well, I went for a walk, as best I could, and was still fibbing when I got home.

Next, Metoprolol never kept me out of afib. Have you tried taking an arrhythmic like Rythmol when you have an episode?

Next, 2x I have had a month of very frequent episodes....days apart...that lasted longer. They were both because of meds. I took for other issues. Once the meds wore off, I went back to my monthly episodes...or oven longer twice.

My EP is only about ablations. I went to him for help to manage my episodes last yr. He has blinders on...ablation blinders.

Stress test...you wear comfy sport shoes, comfy clothes, and bring a water bottle. You will be on a tread mill with a monitor taped to you. They will start with a walk and increase the speed gradually. It has been a few yrs. since I have had one. Seems like they wanted me to reach a certain number on my heart monitor, and they wanted to see how long it took to get there. You will do what you can do.

You need to go back and read the different experiences folks have had with ablations. We have had some awesome reviews....you will know pretty much all about it.

Now, practice 3 long slowwwwww deep breaths. Afib sure is a bummer to experience when one has an episode.

I wish for you a really good EP who will help you through this stressfull time. Oh, the Echo test is nothing, it is like an EKG.

Big hug and the Best of luck!!!

Mary Ann
I was scared yes like you and guess what the stress test is not a big deal at all
I used to be on atrial fib couple hours everyday for 1 1/2 year and after my ablation 03/21/14 not even one episode THANK GOD
Find a good EP and pray to GOD for the best .

I'm sitting here reading your responses and crying because you have already made me feel so much better. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help. I'm one of those people that over thinks everything, and I'm more stressed about the results of the stress test.

Thanks again. God Bless you all.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann,

Please don't be scared of anything. You will be okay, I promise, really. Sorry that you are going to afib more frequently now.

As far as walking (exercise) when in afib, it really depends on the person. Physical activity can convert some people into NSR. It never worked for me. When in afib, I could not do anything and I would not convert with physical activity like walking.

As far as stress test, again, nothing to be scared about. Is it a nuclear stress test, meaning they inject you with a radio active dye at rest and after a good run on the treadmill. Of course, after each injection, they take colored pictures of your heart to see if your heart gets sufficient blood (at rest and after exercise) all over. It is a time consuming test, but pretty simple, painless, and effective in ruling out any blockage.

As far as ablation and the EP, well, it is important to go to an EP to see what your options are. Of course, the last option is ablation, which is the ultimate. Again, as you might have noticed, a lot of members having ablation these days. The ablation technology has come a long way and it appears to be pretty effective with very low to no risk for complication. So, ablation should not scare you either.

Now, also you can concentrate on your diet and thyroid. First, your afib can be caused by a problem in your thyroid. Please get a complete ( TSH, T4, Free T4, Free T3) thyroid blood test to make sure your afib is NOT caused by a disorder in your thyroid. Also, ask for thyroid anti-bodies test to rule out Hashimoto's. Please make sure your doctor do NOT analyze your thyroid function only by looking at the TSH. You NEED all the thyroid hormones that I listed above. Make your doctor to give you blood test for all the above since they can NOT effectively rule out thyroid problem only by looking at TSH and T4 values.

Also, I remember way back, you would go to afib after eating cheesecake or stuff like that. Well, concentrate on your diet too. See if you can correlate your episodes with what you eat. In another words, try to find your triggers and avoid them. Please remember, an episode can happen hours after you have eaten something (a trigger) and not right away. So, keep track of what you eat and your episodes.

I hope the above help you out and ease your fears.

I wish you best of luck in finding the answers..

Scott

Hi Mary Ann
Maybe it helps to know that in some ways we are all alike....I too am an over thinker and a worrier etc etc etc....I was terrified to do my first Stress Test and when I completed it even I had to laugh at myself for whatever I was afraid of....I was totally out of shape and quite a bit heavier and I did fine , I also had a Cardiac CT in lieu of a Cardiac Cath and I cried going into that and also did fine and lastly a few years back when my episodes were more frequent and I was a nervous wreck my husband and I would always go for a long walk , just at a normal pace and by the time we got home I would have converted back to NSR. Fear is always our worst enemy....you will get through this and you will get some answers and perhaps some offers of new treatment and then you will feel stronger and more confident.....best wishes always.
jan

I always convert by doing some kind of cardio. I feel like the longer I let the afib go (I try to keep it under 12 hours) before doing cardio the longer I will be in NSR until the next episode. I can also go into afib by doing cardio. What a pain in the ass.

Hello Mary Ann, you've already gotten some really excellent advice. I think you'll find that everyone is a little different in how they experience and in how they treat their afib, so take it all with a light touch and find what works best for you specifically. I, too, was so afraid and frustrated with having to deal with this maddening annoyance when I felt so good otherwise! (For me, exercise triggers afib, and like ScottZZ, it doesn't help to end it, but I always convert on my own. But there are many for whom it helps).

It took me 4 years to finally accept the help of an anti-anxiety med, so do whatever helps you.

Hi Mary Ann,
You took a very important step to understanding what is going on and curbing your fears by coming here. I was able to dissolve most of my fears by realizing that:

1- I am not the only one in the world who is going through this
2- no doctor is going to ask more of me than he or she thinks I can do
3- I can always ask questions ALL of the doctors I have dealt with welcome questions and answer them completely. If I have a question of a more general nature I ask it here (or many times someone else asks it!) there is always someone willing to share their experiences which will go a long way in helping you to know what to expect.
4- understanding what exactly I am afraid of, once I know where my fears are coming from and what theyre about I can target them and turn them around to my advantage! (This is a tough one but one that I have found invaluable.)

Anxiety and stress dont seem to go well with a-fib, like Yogacat said: slow deep breaths, relax and think beautiful thoughts.

Youll come through this with flying colors!

Take care
from across the pond

I second what the ATP says here, all have given very good advice, food, thyroid,exercise,anxiety etc all play a part. Each of us has to find our own way and what works for us but this group helps us so much along the way. As far as the stress test my fear is the fact that I am so out of shape will I make it thru the test? I do not worry about anything going wrong, you are surrounded by dozens of people trained to do what is needed right then and there to keep you safe if something should arise which is very doubtful. You will be fine!

Hi Mary Ann,
You have gotten lots of great advice so I can't really add anything except to say that I have been in the same place as you. The anxiety about it all has been my worst enemy. I work on that everyday. I am so happy that I went to an EP when I did and he gave me back my life. We discussed all the options and he did not push an ablation. I have not had an ablation (yet) and he manages my antiarrythmic med which has worked great for about 3 years now. I found that my EP had a very different approach than the cardiologist I had been seeing. Try to think about all these tests and the EP as a good thing. You are getting your heart thoroughly checked out and seeing an expert in arrythmias.

You are all so wonderful and have helped me so much.

My very biggest fear is that they will find a blockage or something when I do the stress test. That scares me more than anything. I have been walking, cleaning like crazy, & cutting the grass trying to prove to myself that my heart is ok. I think about it constantly. I know I have to try and relax. I'm taking so many deep breaths I'm getting dizzy. haha

If I pass the stress test, I know I will be fine.

Mary Ann

Remember the stress test is a tool used to find problems so they can correct before they become dangerous. Not different than getting a blood test. You will do great!