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.
I just had a miserable afib attack last night.. So I'm home from work today. For those of you who have symptoms, and only get it once in a while... I have a list of questions for you.
I seem to get afib attacks now about every six months, and when I do, they're whoppers. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. Would love to hear your experiences.
1. What is it like for you? What does it feel like? Does your heart race? Do you get cold?
2. How long do they last?
3. What do you do during an attack? Do you lie in bed? Do you try to ignore it?
4. What do you do to try to self convert?
5. What time of day do you get afib?
6. Do you have pacs or PVCs before an attack? After? For how long?
7. Have you ever gone to the emergency room because of afib? When do you decide it's time to go?
8. Have you ever had an afib attack when you're traveling? What do you do?
9. How does the threat of an afib attack coming at random affect your life? Mentally? Physically?
I seem to get afib attacks now about every six months, and when I do, they're whoppers. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. Would love to hear your experiences.
1. What is it like for you? What does it feel like? Does your heart race? Do you get cold?
2. How long do they last?
3. What do you do during an attack? Do you lie in bed? Do you try to ignore it?
4. What do you do to try to self convert?
5. What time of day do you get afib?
6. Do you have pacs or PVCs before an attack? After? For how long?
7. Have you ever gone to the emergency room because of afib? When do you decide it's time to go?
8. Have you ever had an afib attack when you're traveling? What do you do?
9. How does the threat of an afib attack coming at random affect your life? Mentally? Physically?
So now that you have the "Mask", is there any difference in anything? i.e. sleep, afib....
Hwkmn,
My grandson sleeps with a mask from the Hulk until Halloween, what's wrong with sleeping with a pilot mask for the rest of your life? lol
Scooby
1. I was on a run. I was running easily, about an 8:30 pace. Came to a fairly good downhill and about half way down had a very sudden loss of breath. I thought it was an asthma attack. I had to slow way down. The pretty good downhill lessened to a slight downhill and things became a bit more difficult. I could barely run. It would ease a bit, I'd feel like I had full oxygen again and I'd run a little faster. I was never able to find a pace that I could keep and had to walk a few times, even on downhills. I'm wearing a fitbit in part just to check to see if things aren't normal. I checked it and my pulse was running up to 182 when I felt bad and 132 when I was feeling ok. When I got home I checked the pulse on my phone, and it couldn't get a good reading because it was so irregular.
For the last few weeks I've been racing cross country races. Running as hard as I could, I couldn't get my heart rate over 160. My resting heart rate was ranging down to 36 but was usually about 40.
Right now I'm sitting down, relaxed, feeling slightly short of breath but breathing easy. Feel occasional funny feelings in my chest, like my heart is beating fast.
2. The last one that I can say was definitely afib lasted 17 hours. This one has now been going for about 2 and half hours.
3. Check my pulse. Finish my run as best I can. Do everything I normally do with breaks to catch my breath. Rest a bit more.
4. Wait.
5. Both times have been in cool weather while running on Thursdays in the evening.
6. I have no idea.
7. Last time yes just to get a diagnosis. I won't go this time unless I have some problem that leaves me unable to function. I'll get a little pissed off if I don't self convert by Sunday morning. I've got another race then. :-)
8. No. Assume it could happen though and let others know that it shouldn't be a problem. I'll just be a lot slower.
9. I just try to make sure I'm taking an anticoagulant. I take Eliquis although my cardiologist recommended that I take low dose aspirin. I didn't like his recommendation for two reasons. One was the people on here said aspirin wasn't a good choice and my own reading seemed to confirm it. Second was that I've had pulmonary embolisms once and feel that between that and afib, I need something stronger. Right now just writing this down is helping me keep my head straight. Physically, I just take what I can get. At 66, I'm just happy as can be for every day that I can get out and hike, walk or run. Even with afib, I don't plan to quit. I've reconciled myself to the idea that I'm getting old and that there's a limit on my time. Until that limit comes, I plan to get as much out of my body as I can. Next month, two cross country races and one half marathon. Flying to Seattle to visit family Thanksgiving week. Marathon the first Sunday in December. My chest is thumping pretty good right now! :-)
It is best to get your HR 100 or so when in afib if you don't convert right away. There are various beta blockers to do this.
You might also think about talking to your Dr. about a PIP antiarhymetic to convert you.
I converted Friday evening. I sent my cardiologist an email. He told me to come in and get an ECG. He went on to say that they'd discuss a treatment for it. They offered the old shock to the heart but I dissed that quickly. Then we discussed a low dose of Metoprolol which after discussing, I decided was certainly worth a try. I was given 1/2 of a 25 MG pill twice a day. I was told if my pulse went below 50 to not take any more. They measure my pulse, in afib, at 73. Two to three hours after taking my 1/2 pill, I converted. My pulse went to 40, normal for me, so I haven't had any more. I must have converted while eating dinner. I got up from the table and realized I had energy back again. Felt great. Went for a 6.5 mile walk this morning in the hills nearby, climbing about 1000 feet. my pulse skyrocketed up to about 100 while walking at about 4 miles an hour up the steeper hills. On the way down, same pace but a nice 70 bpm. I'll go for a run tomorrow. I'm trying to ease back into training. Half marathon next Sunday.
The doctor told me not to get my pulse up too high, nothing above about 150. I was told there's an increased chance that I could go into a very high heart beat and not come out of it, and that could lead to heart failure. I'm not sure what to make of it yet. I know I have to be a little more careful but I don't want to slow down too much.
The people on here are such an inspiration. Glad I came back just to read comments from the familiar names.
Take care,
Todd
1. my heart doesn't race. It doesn't beat fast. It just beats noticeably irregularly at maybe 60-70 bpm and it is pounding hard. I mean the contractility goes way up. It's pounding hard enough that I feel the pounding in my head. It keeps me awake.
2. They did not stop on their own. Twice stopped by drug and once by cardioversion. The last time was stopped by 300mg Flecainide (one time dose).
3. I lie in bed and try to go to sleep but I can't so I toss and turn. I try to ignore it but I can't.
4. I cannot self-convert - or I have been unsuccessful. First time was brand new and spent 3 days in the hospital and ended up with cardioversion which stopped it. Second time was stopped by a 50mg metoprolol pill in the pocket. Third time, the metoprolol did not work so in the ER they gave me 300mg Flecainide one time dose to stop it.
5. All 3 episodes came at night. First two times were around 3:30am - 4 am whilst sleeping soundly and was awakened by the pounding. Third time came on at quarter to midnight after sleeping 1 hour.
6. I might have had some but not immediately before an attack - there's been no apparent correlation to attacks.
7. Yes - went to the ER all 3 times. First time I had no idea what was going on. Second time I basically wanted it terminated. Third time, after being told by my doctor that it isn't an emergency, I waited about 7 hours before going in.
8. No. I did go on a week long beach trip a day's drive away from home the day after my last episode. Took the Flecainide with me and had no issues at all.
9. Not too much since the flecainide has been keeping me in NSR.