Experience of AF

your friend has it right 2 hours.It can be checked it has not turned more serious with an ecg.

I am 62 yrs old and had palpitations and faintness for 11 years before I was diagnosed with AF 2yrs ago. It was only when I woke up one night with my heart rate going what seemed to be totally out of control we called out the doctor.

I was told to get to the A & E as soon as I could (my husbad took me in the car). When I got there I was put straight onto an ECG machine where my heart rate was over 200 bpm. I was given an injection in my stomache and drugs to slow my heart down and kept in hospital for a week.

Don't leave it too long next time you have AF that lasts for several hours and chest pain, call for an ambulance and get checked out with an ECG. I have been told that most Dr.s Surgery's have ECG machines now and it may be worth checking that out also. I certainly would not leave it for a week! Hope my experience has been of some help. Good Luck! [color=darkblue:539a4a23e3][/color:539a4a23e3]

Im new to forums but very interested in other peoples problems with AF, My own life has been dominated by AF since 1996, I cant remember how many times it has kicked off but when it does I seem to go into depression mode and cant be bothered with anything.Even when on holiday Ive ended up in hospital for a few hours.My present dosage is sotalol 240mg and 50mg flecainide this at the moment appears to be working but I feel so weak and tired.I was advised by my doc to visit his surgery when my heart was having a go and ive managed to get there a few times but all he says is take it easy and checks BP and pulse which in all cases has been ok,Other times I take another Flecaiide and after 4-5 hours it tends to calm down.I am 64years old and after reading quite a few replies from other people I suppose it helps to cope with AF I will have to wait and see, I hope my experience helps, I didnt realise so many people had AF and now I dont feel so alone,Theres always some body to write too, Take care and good health.

I have only just found this thread, I posted my experience under Atrial Fibrillation this has been the most

frightening experience of my life, interesting to read the 2 hr criteria! I formerly had food poisoning and it

seemed to start from there, fortunately my heart beat is less than previous posts but was still a nightmare.

Within 10 minutes of eating a simple bland diet of mainly soup I came over all hot, my head and chest went

tight and I lost strength in my upper torso including my arms, my ears whistled loudly and my co-ordination

was not good, I felt distant and on walking to the toilet I was very unsteady on my feet. I also

I didn't get anywhere with the doctors, they just said something was going on but they didn't know what!

Last week I saw a gastroenterologist for another opinion and he said my heart was beating at 120 to the

minute, he said he was lucky to catch me at the right time as taken instantly for an ECG by the time they set me up my heart had returned to normal, I now have to see a cardiologist.

Exxperienced I am 75 and normally quite active.

For some reason that was posted before I could add, I also experienced chest pain.