Hello Angie. While I'll offer a warm welcome to these boards, I'm also very sorry for the circumstances that have brought you here. You'll find a wealth of information and support from the good folk here, and I hope you'll even find a few new friends here as well! I'm a couple of decades older than you, and had never even heard of Afib before my first experience with it less than 2 years ago. It's been a journey in frustration for me personally, and I wish I had more clear, concise answers. Still, coming here has been immensely helpful, and I hope it will be for you as well!

thank you very much for your reply. The worst thing right now is just the lack of knowledge, fear of it happening again and getting the meds adjusted. I hope it gets taken care of soon. Best wishes to you too!

Hi Angie, I don't have afib, but my husband does. He was diagnosed in May 2012 . Since then we have learned so much thanks to this support group. He 's 48 and other than afib in great health. We have learned how unpredictable this condition is but manageable with good care. There are so many wonderfully compassionate people in this group willing to share their experiences. We definitely know what you are going through. There are a lot of old posts that probably relate to your feelings and situation. Hang in there....You are going to be all right. Do you have a good cardiologist and ep? You'll find many welcoming people here...You are not alone. Lisa

i do have a good cardiologist and EP....i see the EP for follow up in about a month but i have been talking with his nurse on a regular basis. The only thing that bothers me the most is basically sitting around waiting for it to happen again....because i know it will and that sucks. Thanks so much for being so welcoming :)

Welcome to thix wonderful group. You're feeling exactly what I was feeling when I first found this site. No one I knew had afib and what I read on some of the medical sites was scary. I felt like I couldn't do anything but wait for the next episode with fear and dread but the members here don't live like that and they don't want anyone else to, either. I found out here that worry doesn't help and that I could live just fine with afib. I've only been to the ER once and had to spend the nite in the hospital. My doctor helped me find an ep and the two of them have me on meds that help me live "normally". I'm 64 so I'm not sure what I say can help you, but I've looked for the similarities rather than the differences on this site and have been helped by all ages, etc. Take care of yourself - there is life after afib!

Hi Angie, I had my first episode in 2011. I turned 30 yesterday so I am considered very young to have this as well so I can related to exactly how you are feeling. I feel like a sitting duck too. I recently started doing yoga and meditation everyday and that is helping me a lot with my fears and taking control of this. What meds have you tried? and how many episodes have you had? How did they convert you back to NSR?

God Bless!
Heather

Hi AngieBangie,(cute screen name) Welcome !!!!!

I lived in Lincoln yrs. ago...loved it, very cold tho! Lived up the street from Wm. Jennings Bryan Home.

I felt like a Dear in Headlights the first few days of my diagnosis....plus I was given way too much meds. It does take Time to adjust, accept and figure out 'your afib'.
You'll be OK tho!!!!!!

I have a Dear Friend who convinced me not to sit around and wait for it, but to live my life. If you stick around here, I will give you this wise reminder, cuz it is A very Wise Choice!

Glad you found us, and I Hope you have a Good Day!

hi ladybug and yogacat. Wow....I thought I was young at 36! Both times i went into afib i was converted with meds. The first time was quick....about 2 hrs. This last time it was 12 hrs. they had me scheduled for cardioversion the next morning. Originally they just gave me bystolic and told me to take an aspirin every day. After the second time they tested my thyroid and said i was hypo so they gave me synthroid, flecainide and xarelto. I was told to discontinue the bystolic since it dropped my HR into the 40's and only take it if it got above 70. I saw my GP two days ago and told him i was having episodes of elevated heart so he told me to take the bystolic again...called my EP and he said the same thing. Now my HR is around 43-52 and it just seems like i am being overmedicated. I think the EP is going to get tired of me calling lol. I am so happy I found this site :) I don't feel so alone anymore!

and Happy Birthday Ladybug! :)

See,
This is just NOT right! It is one thing for fat old men like me to be afflicted with this (my EP told me "they call this the middle aged white man's disease, and I see you qualify!" I had to laugh!), but now more and more young people. I felt I was too young at 57 to have this, I know it must be so frustrating for you and ladybug. You will get some incredible knowledge from this group. Best of luck to you, and with any decision you make on treatment (drugs vs. ablation).
Bill

Hi Angie. I remember reading something about thyroid problems can cause atrial fibrillation and that if they get your thyroid issues solved there is a good chance you won't have any more afib episodes. So maybe there is a good chance you won't be a member of this club for long:)

Best of luck.

Angie:

Welcome to or support group. The first thing is to make sure you have proper anticoagulation and stabilize your heart rate for your level of activity... I guess you know that already. Your long term strategy can be worked out based on what you decide based on an educated decision. If you choose ablation, you need to go to one of the best centers. I guess you know you are not going to die from afib, if treated, it will just feel like it. BTW, you can word search (above) old posts.

In my case, I am 64, asymptomatic, no identified cause, longstanding (2 years) and persistent... so my situation is polar opposite to you: 37 (young), symptomatic, cause identified (thyroid), new onset (you have it a short time) and paroxysmal (off and on). Theoretically, correcting your thyroid issues could stop or significantly reduce the AFIB. You need to solve the thyroid issues. You are also an ideal candidate for ablation... a successful and durable ablation.

BTW, I'm not fat like tcaepayguy claims he is. :-) I have to laugh... this is probably the only place where women tell you their age. :-)))))

petey

"our" not "or"

LOL strangely I'm not too ashamed of my age yet, mainly because I don't act it i would suppose. I joke with my friends that I still live like i am in college :) I agree with the "it won't kill you, it just feels like it will" because I certainly feel like I am dying when it happens. I have always been high anxiety as well so I don't think that helps much. I FINALLY broke down and asked my GP for something to help with the anxiety and now almost anything interacts with the meds I am taking for the Afib...oh the irony :) I talked to my EP nurse this morning and they said it would be ok for me to try taking a half of a bystolic pill each day so that would be 2.5 mg instead of 5 mg. If I could keep my HR in the mid 50's lower 60's I would feel much better than it being in the 40's (it just scares me!). I know I am just at the begining of this journey and I thank you all for being so welcoming and helpful. I was feeling really alone and I am pretty certain my friends are tired of hearing me talk about it (lol) so talking to others that know exactly how I feel is a Godsend :)

Hi Angie,
I am almost always the last to arrive cause I work bizarre and long hours. I am not a huge fan of support groups, but, THIS support group trumps all others in knowledge , support, kindness, helpfullness and advice when you want it. We are all so very individual in our a fib experience and the treatment that puts us in a good place or even a *cured* place, we are old, we are young, we are fat, we are skinny, but we all have in common the dread of what the next episode will be like and when it will occur. I had my first documented (but I dont think really the first......) a fib episode about 6 years ago and I was a freak nut bag about them for a long time , people at work joked cause I walked around with a pulse monitor on any chance I got. We all find that when we are in NSR the going is good and life is pretty easy until that next episode. For me......Flecainide 50mg twice a day has worked ALL this time with only a few episodes that are VERY symptomatic but brief, I truly believe that my magnesium and taurine are a huge part of my long visit to NSR , I am not on an anticoagulant, I have been advised not to be at this time , not opposed to being on one when the time comes. I also agree that at your age your thyroid could be the key.....at least I hope so. Keep us posted and best wishes
jan