Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group

Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.

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Heart, Blood & Circulation
/ Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group

It happened again....

prm2770
prm2770
Spur of the moment trip this weekend to our favorite winery. Took my parents and my wife on a three hour tour to get there. Checked into the hotel then started the 20 min drive to the vineyard. I was driving and about half way there started to feel the uneasy not quite right feeling that I have been getting for the past 2 months. Lost all appetite and didn't get to sample any of the wines. Made for a fairly miserable evening. The new symptoms were chills and cold spots in the middle of my chest and back and cold fingers. The depression/anxiety kicked in and I had to fight back tears while I was apologizing for ruining everybody's time. I felt ok after about 2 hours. The episodes are shorter now and I'm sure that i was NSR as I did take my pulse and all felt normal. These episodes really suck though.

4 days until I see my new ep. God I hope he has some ideas how to get me through this. I'm really thinking, though, maybe it's all in my head...

- Phillip
yogacat
yogacat
Cyber hugs ((((((((Marya))))))

How about a warm/hot shower, some stretches and deep breathing. Know we all care and hope you convert Soon

Do you have something uplifting to read? More long slowwww deep breaths...the exhale needs to be longer and slower.
tvanslooten
tvanslooten
@Philip - Sorry to hear your trip to the winery didn't go so well. I'd be crying too if that happened to me. As others have said, it doesn't sound like you were in afib but who knows. You might want to get a basic heart rate monitor when you go on trips like that just to confirm if you are in NSR or not when those episodes happen. Either way, I hope you get it figured out!

@Tom - I'm shocked you're not able to get a prescription for Ativan! I've seen two different general doctors and they both prescribed it like they were giving away candy. Neither one hesitated. I think if I were you I would see a totally different general doctor. Just tell him or her that you have a lot of anxiety and have difficulty sleeping because of your afib. Tell them you've heard of many other people in this situation being prescribed a low dose of Ativan to be taken "as needed" and you would like to do the same to see if it helps. I'd be shocked if you were denied.

Travis
deleted_user
deleted_user
Thank you Yogacat, your response helped me to get through. I did convert sometime during the night. I do all the breathing but it is difficult when your heart is all over the place. Still worth doing. I am waiting for a call from my doctor and hope to drive to CT later. Hugs, Marya
Surfrat
Surfrat
Marya: So glad to hear things settled down for you. I hope they stay that way. Travis: Well, I don't want to beat this issue to death which I 'kinda have been. But it's all true. Just the luck of the draw when it comes to PCPs etc. Maybe I should start to see a Veterinarian. i might get lucky. :( Cahbew: Indeed it is very funny how the mind can work. If we simply have something (certain meds. etc.) in our possession it can help repel scary feelings about an issue.