Newly diagnosed with A Fib and worried!

Thank you Bea. Yes I'm the same, when I think about the AFib i get anxiety symptoms. I dont know if its possible that my anxiety and overproducing adrenaline for 18mths started the AFib off? I've never had anxiety before...I'm putting it down to the menopause. Im on betablockers now so that should help, but no bloodthinners as docs figuring out what to do, which worries me!

Oh and whats the fodmap diet? My stomachs been haywire for 2 yrs...bloated and over sensitive

Julie if you look on some of the threads about the vagal nerve that connects the heart ,stomach, brain it makes so much sense I googled it too learnt so much and the fodmap diet is amazing , most ppl who have afib tend to have stomach problems too I hope this helps , Bea

Hi Mazieboo , I thought it was when you slept on your heart side it caused it and for the last 2 years iv slept on my right side 😐 It's great to learn new things to help cope with this awful thing , thank you x

Hi Bea, i was told it was a strain for the heart sleeping on your right side and each time I was awoken with AF it has been when I have been on my right hand side but it is interesting to see what other links and common symptoms we all get. There is definitely a link with digestive problems due to the Vagus nerve that connects both and any upset to that area seems to trigger AF.

Hi Mazie, i used to sleep on back or left side but it triggers the palps now so i sleep on back or right side, propped up on a few pillows. Yes Ive read about the connection between stomach and heart via the vagus nerve.... I suppose i feel in limbo cos i know ive got the AFs but dont know yet if it lone AF or if theres any disease there. Thank you for your support

Hi Julie, when it first used to happen that awful fluttering where you think your heart is not going to carry on beating it scares you so much that the anxiety kicks in and you panic which does not help. I have had mine since 2006 and have to carry what the doctor termed as a "pocket tablet" so if within 15 minutes I am not back in sinus rhythm I have to get help. I spend a lot of time on my own too and that is scary but we all have phones to reach someone and if you panic about it you realise you are not living your life, just wondering when it is going to happen next and that is not good for you. I am now on warfarin I as I am diabetic and they two things put me at risk so taking the blood thinning medication should prevent any nasty clots forming when it does happen. I think you will find many of us on here when we first had it happen felt the same as you but as time goes on you just live with it as others have said. I hope when you get your proper diagnosis you will feel more at ease.

Thanks so much Maziboo. I dont like to bother people in the night and actually yesterday i was feeling very unsteady in the morning (possibly getting used to betablockers?) and was thinking about going to A&E. I spoke to my mum who said not to, its not an emergency, and my dad came and picked me up and gave me a lecture for thinking of wasting A&E time! Ive only been to A&E once in my life. They dont understand that until i know the extent of the AFib , im gonna worry when i feel weird especially as no one would notice for ages!

Once you have seen someone I am sure you will feel better about it. Anxiety can cause a lot of stress so difficult to attribute what is stress related and what is AF related. I remember feeling exactly the same Julie, especially in the night when rational thoughts go out of your mind when it scares you. I always take water to bed and the colder the better so sometimes if it starts up I take a few sips and it goes off it seems to trigger back into a proper rhythm. Compared to how I felt when I first got the symptoms and was told what it was, I look upon it as a blip that comes and goes and carry on doing more now than I ever did and I think less about it as I am so busy which is good to take your mind of dwelling on it although I know it is always there due to the feeling I get it is unmissable but I shrug it off and carry on with whatever I am doing.

Hi again Sandie I was wondering how you were getting on with the fodmap diet I think it's great and hopefully the Moore weight I get of the better il feel , iv had a few non starting afibs but am feeling lots better than I was 🤗

Thank you Sandi...it gives me hope that it can be managed. Guess I just need to know that it's not down to any disease of the heart, maybe then i wont stress so much!

And I will look up this Fodmap diet now!

Once you know it's not a disease of the heart and more an electrical malfunction you'll be able to relax a bit. It does get easier but I think how it feels physically when it happens is what freaks most people out. I wish sometimes I was one of those A Fib people like my dad who don't even know their in A Fib. They feel nothing. Oh I wish lol.

Go to the one at Stanford hospital under the digestive health center nutrition services. I trust this one the most.

Sandiishealthy - that is a good point about some people not knowing they are in AF.    AF and being on all the tabs has turned me into a weak wreck and I know instantly when it flips  but the good thing is I don't panic and get anxious when I get the AF  I remain perfectly calm because I want it to correct and save myself a trip to A&E.    Lots of people have AF but it affects us all differently.  But agree it is just the electrics and  with careful managment of the fuse when it blows you do get used to it.   Or do I mean learn to live with it!!! 

Julie - It varies for all but I have had AF since 2011 and have had about 15 hospitalisations and lots of self managed episodes.    I had an echo and scan the other day in prep for ablation and all above episodes have been happening in a 'structurally sound heart' so please don't panic and make adjustments where you know it will help. 

Yes it's a horrible feeling and then for me the panic ensues and living on my own, I find it hard with no support. Ive been on betablockers for a week but feel a bit dizzy, unsteady on feet, so I've not been shopping in days. I was walking 10miles a week before xmas, now I feel I should wait to hear more before I exercise. So then im not getting any feel good chemicals either :-(

Thanks Kate, my main problem is stress reaction...now Im on betablockers hopefully i shouldnt get the adrenaline dump on the heart, maybe things will settle. Sorry to hear you've had a rough ride with it.

Although you don't say what dose you are on I would ring GP get an appoitnment or at least ask to speak to them and tell them you are unstready on your feet.    I get this with drugs too.  I find I can take lower doses of some drugs than others  - beta blockers in particular.  I take just 1.25 a day (half the losest dose tablet)    Drugs do take a bit of getting used to but you shouldn't have gone from 10 miles to nil.     I live on my own I do understand but even when I feel terrible and can hardly put one foot in front the other I make myself walk  in the fresh air a short distance  - sometimes I have felt horrendous but I have ALWAYS got back home safely.  Sometimes my pace is very slow because I have such weakness but I need the walk to get the toxins released.   It makes such a difference.  

Im taking 3x40 mg propranalol (for 7 days), hopefully my doc should be ringing with update on where to go from here and I'll mention the dizziness, thanks for your advice and yes I will make sure I get out to the shop tomorrow...need milk lol

I used to be on propranalol but cannot remember the dose now.  I'm not on bisopropol.     Def sound like it might be worth talking to GP about taking less and see if you get your legs back.    But rest assured I know the feeling. Good Luck. 

Thanks so much Kate, will speak to doc, need exercise!