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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deleted_user 02/13/2008

Hello all,

Does anybody out there have a-fib that has become permanent, that is, never in normal sinus rhythm? Mine took about 10 years to progress to this state and I've not had a "p-wave" for nearly six months.

My cardiologist "went through the medicine cabinet" and nothing would keep the rhythm under control. Now 200 mg of metoprolol keeps the resting heart rate to below 100 bpm.

I observe that life in constant a-fib is still good. I seem to notice the problem less now than when the a-fib would come and go. I have to greatly reduce my exercise now, but I can still ride a bike up a steep hill (though not as far as before). I don't believe it hurts at all to count your blessings and make the best of a situation, i.e., play the cards you are dealt.

Anybody else in a similar condition, we'd love to hear from you.

Doug

deleted_user 03/27/2008

Hiya Doug - I have only just been diagnosed, but have been in permanent AFib for about 2 months. Just got out of hospital, and am awaiting a monitor for home, and am schduled to have CardioVersion in about a month (hopefully this will get me back to Sinus rhythm).

deleted_user 04/09/2008

I have just been diagnosed with this as well ,and like LisaChick am now waiting for cardioversion and will also have a monitor and be put on Warfarin for life ,scared at the moment not sure what the future will hold ,my gp told me today that eventually I will have heart failure

deleted_user 04/09/2008

I too was just diagnosed in mid March but I keep being told I'm in A fib all the time, not in and out (paroxysmal). The other thing about cardioversion (which I will have on 4/28) is that 70-80% of people lapse back into A fib by the end of a year.

deleted_user 04/10/2008

I, too, have gone from paroxysmal to permanent over the course of several years. I went into permanent about a year ago after taking Cymbalta (that lasted a week! the afib never went away). I'm on warfarin and digitek, but my heart rate was never really as bad as some people get when in an episode. I, too, feel better since I don't have the anxiety of waiting for it to start and wondering when it will end. My doc says some people live very long lives with permanent fib and to not worry about it, so I just try not to.

deleted_user 04/11/2008

I've been A-fib for 2 years--swim about 2000 yards 4 times a week and compete in Master Swims- very few A-fib episodes---but taking coumadin--and the unknown of how my body will handle A-Fib in the future are the deciding factors to get an ablation now.

deleted_user 06/24/2008

I'v had permanet Afib over a year, had cardio once(worked two weeks, and also got on teekason(sp) this last about two weeks also. I'v gained about 20 pounds. I'm going tomorrow and talk to a surgon about Mini-maze.

deleted_user 06/24/2008

I'm wondering if there is a confusion in terms going on. To me, if you're in constant Afib (not off an on, which is called paroxysmal) and you're still looking at possible options to return to NSR, you're in persistent Afib, not permanent. I think permanent is when your doctors have decided there's just no hope to ever return to NSR by any means and you're now going to just live with it the rest of your life in Afib.

deleted_user 12/26/2010

I seemed to have moved in to permanent A-fib now too. Been in it for almost 3 weeks. My heart rate seems to be lower but I still don't like being in it. Anybody get the ablation here. I have heard they are doing much better in curing A-fib now then they were a few years ago. I have had A-fib for years over 12 years but since I turned 58 it is much worse. I am getting ready to do the home monitor and I'm not sure about the cardioversion. How long does it last?

NYNM 12/29/2010

I also was in permanent afib by the time it was diagnosed. I also had minimal symptoms, may have been in permanent afib for a year or 2 without knowing it.
I skipped all the drugs, went immediately to ablation (skipped the cardioversion, since it didn't seem like it would last) and have been symptom and drug free for over a year.
Good luck to you, don't worry to much. Be sure you see an electrophysiologist if you haven't.

Kvntoday 03/02/2017

Yes Doug , I have been in Perm A/fib now for 11 years , I walk a lot and eat all of the right foods and enjoy a glass of wine in the evenings with my wife .
I am taking 190mg Betaloc CR daily and Ferusemide 40mg daily plus 10 mg Statins and of course warfarin .
I also play golf 2 to 3 days a week , eat lots of fruit and fresh vegetables , there are times when I notice it for example after dinner at night or if I have more than 3 glasses of red wine or white . I am now 72 ..weigh 92.5 kg and I am 183cm tall , I used to be a very fir person running marathons and at times cycling up to 400km a week , I have barefoot skied , parachuted at 15,000 feet (With A/Fib !)
I am now Phylasophical now and I take every day as it comes .
I home you are OK and enjoying life ..

Best wishes ...Kevin ..New Zealand

wmhar 03/10/2017

Mine seems to be heading in that direction after 15 years. In the last month, went into Afib 4 times and the cardioversions aren't holding. Doc told me yesterday that I've got to live this way till we can decide if Ablation is an option.

wmhar 03/10/2017

(Addition to above post) Also, in the past, cardioversion had held for up to 3 years between events.

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