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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shefland 05/12/2014

Yesterday for no apparent reason as always I went into afib, just like turning on a light switch, been NSR since October, well my heart rate was 188, not fun, but this time I did not panic, sat down took a metroprolol and within 15 minutes I was fine. This was the first time I came out of it without going to the er. I have had 11 cardioconversions and 2 ablations, I hear others go into and go out of it on there own, Afib is a journey I do not like, it really helps to read this site and hear others experiences. After this long long winter in Minnesota I do not want to be couped up in a hospital.

MarkJames696 05/13/2014

When was your last ablation?

shefland 05/13/2014

15 months ago

deleted_user 05/13/2014

Shefland, I feel the same, my heart started a-fib at 4 this morning after more than a month of no symptoms. After 5 hours it seems to be subsiding. I have had a Patient Monitor, a small gadget implanted in my chest. If i go into a-fib I can use a hand-held recorder which will send my ECG to my doctor's computer. It is global, I could be in China and send a recording. Now, it did not work so well, as my body rejected the implant and I had to pull it out. All four weeks I had no symptoms and nothing to send, and now my heart is all over the place. It is not fair.

yogacat 05/13/2014

Good for you shefland!!!!!!! I am so glad it worked for you!!!! It takes courage to take that little pill and wait to see if it will work.

Metoprolol will bring my HR down within 20 minutes. I usually stay in afib with a low HR for awhile longer.

Digitalis, I am hoping you have converted by now.

May you both stay in NSR for a long time!!!!!!

deleted_user 05/13/2014

Thank you Yogacat. A-fib ended in 5 hrs and I am in NSR, at least it feels like that. Just a bit tired and winded but it will pass. Marya

Orchard25 05/13/2014

Hi Shefland,

Hope you are feeliing bedtter. My Dr. hasn't given me any metroprolol to take, they gave it to me in the hospital the last time. Now I am on Sotalol since Sept. but am worried about what if I go into my bad A-Fib again - fast h.r. fast heart rate (wow 188 is very fast, mine wasn't higher than 150 and they freaked) The heart beat goes totally out of whack. When I travel, I really get scared ( a little better now since have flown we 3 roundtrips since my last A-Fib and wonder what I would do. We are moving to Florida next week and it has been hectic. I am flying on the 21st and my husband the 24th. We are moving near our oldest daughter in Viera, Fl near Cocoa Beach.

I do hope you don't have anymore attacks and stay in NSR!
Did the ablation help you? Or is your a-fib still as bad?
God bless you and hugs,,
Christine

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