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general symptoms of AF

Posted , 4 users are following.

dean0612
dean0612

Hi, For 6mths i have been informing my gp of constant aching allover especially my arms & legs,plus getting very hot flashes in my hands & feet. Im still getting all this to the point i had to leave my workplace very early on two occassions last week because of the severe aching. I believe it to be circulation but everytime i mention it its dismissed. The ache then goes to my chest area & can last a while,ive put this down to maybe my anxiety playing a part after the severe aching. Due to this i made an app. to see my gp, on this occassion it was a different gp he again checked my pulse in legs & said circulation is ok, but i have my pain when sitting & actually walking makes it feel better so i dont think he is checking at the right situation??? or doesnt it matter? Also i had a blood test a while ago for vit D which was ok, but this gp mentioned that my iron level was raised... even though previous gp's never told me this just said vit D ok. He asked me if i get aches & pains in general to which i practically yelled yes atlast i felt someone listening, he aslo asked if my parents have raised iron levels to which i replied no. He was honest,& said he was stumped as to why my iron is raised & said he would need to do some homework on this & call me back at a later date. Being new to all this, can AF raise iron levels, can it give you hot flashes? I feel my circulation isnt correct but yet told it is, if my legs didnt ache like they do, i know id feel so much better in myself so they are playing such a big part in my lack of quality of day to day issues. Im just getting so frustrated with this as the aches seem to be taking over & dominating each day.

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • terence68672
    terence68672 dean0612

    Posted

    Ok, can you tell me some things please? Are you an AF sufferer? Are you a heavy drinker? Are you Male/Female? Do you have a history of CHD?  Do you take statins? 

    Are you over 40? Do you take any medications of rdepression/anxiety?

    Cheers.

    • dean0612
      dean0612 terence68672

      Posted

      Hi, yes diagnosed AF a couple of months ago, (which is under control except for the evenings after my evening meal for a short while) dont drink dont smoke, im a male 42yrs old. No history of CHD, been informed that the health of my heart is structurely sound & healthy. Not taking any statins. Been told my cholestorol salts diabetes vit d all came back ok, except for the raised iron level.

      ?I do have anxiety, but only medication i take is 2.5mg Bisoprolol, 20mg Rivaroxaban, Then twice per day i take 30mg Lanszoprozal & 150mg Rinitidine for my stomach.

      Thankyou.

    • terence68672
      terence68672 dean0612

      Posted

      Hiya,

      It's a bit of a mystery isnt it. Do you have to take Rivaroxaban if you're not in Af continuously? I'm not a doctor but can that be causing the high iron? Is it plasma iron levels? If Rivaroxaban is thinning your blood too much maybe some iron is liberated? But that's a wild guess.

      Apart from that, do you take supplements-some contain iron, but it can be 'hidden' in the ingredients. Also, non hereditary hemochromatosisis not unknown.

    • dean0612
      dean0612 terence68672

      Posted

      Yes i have been told i must take Rivaroxaban each day, my gp never mentioned what particular is high just said iron levels raised??? I can certainly ask him if this could be thinning my blood too much, i dont take any supplements, but due to my stomach issues i do eat a good diet which i mentioned to my gp but he said unless im eating steak or liver every day then diet wouldnt be the reason. Non hemochromatosisis, please excuse my lack of knowledge on this, i just assumed there was hereditary. Ill look into this, thankyou.
  • peter49548
    peter49548 dean0612

    Posted

    Dean - thanks - why do you think you may have AF?- have you had an ECG which confirms this or if not has somebody told you that you have AF and if so who and why do they think you have this? The symptoms of AF are many and various and differ from person to person and indeed many people with AF have no symptoms- the ECG would be the normal starting point 
    • dean0612
      dean0612 peter49548

      Posted

      Hi, originally went to A&E with chest pains, stayed in over night to be informed that my heart was ok,(high blood pressure which was being monitored by my gp anyway)they did blood tests,ecg's chest x-ray & discharged me in the morning informing me to get my stomach looked at,as i have had issues with my stomach for quite a while,but just as a final test said they would book me for a stress test. I had the Dubotimine stress test which i went to maximum ok, but as they slowed my heart rate back down I had a panic attack & my rate went back up for a short spell of time. I was informed i tolerated it well but would recomend that i took my anxiety medication on a more frequent basis.

      ?Then a few weeks later when my results were with my gp, he informed me i have AF,which i wasnt expecting at all. Since being on medication i genuinley feel worse more often than before, im really confused as i just thought id be on my anxiety medication (propanolol 5mg) each day instead of the as & when needed .

      ?But the aches & pains ive had for some while yet they were always being dismissed.

  • peter49548
    peter49548 dean0612

    Posted

    Dean - just seen your reply to Terence which crossed with my  email- assume you are currently in persistent AF and have been for a while? - do you know how long? are they wanting to get you back into NSR by electro or chemical cardioversion or has this been tried and failed? - looks like you are on anticoagulants and beta blockers for the stroke risk and to control heart rate while in AF but are they suggesting to do anything re rhythm- if not do you want them to?
    • dean0612
      dean0612 peter49548

      Posted

      Hi, no im paroxysmal AF. been diagnosed only a few months ago, at the moment they are happy to just let my medication work nothing else has been mentioned.
  • peter49548
    peter49548 dean0612

    Posted

    Dean - do you take propanolol and bisoprolol?- are these not both beta blockers? - are you sure the propanolol is for anxiety? Also as Terence said do you know why you are on an anticoagulant if you are not in persisttent AF - do you think you are in AF now?

    Cheers

    • dean0612
      dean0612 peter49548

      Posted

      Hi, i originally took propanolol for anxiety, after my stress test they mentioned they will refer me to have this on a more frequent basis. But when i saw my gp for my results he said i have AF & stopped my propanolol & put me on Bisoprolol.  I am on my anticoagulant medication for stroke prevention do to the AF i was told.

      Im not in AF now,& over the past few weeks ive had quite a few gp appointments & when theyve checked they said im not in AF (at the moment).

      ?The only real time i feel my palpitations but mainly missed beats is after my main evening meal for a short spell of time then im ok again. Its everything else, like the aches pains hot flashes & dizzyness that make me feel unwell to be honest. Ive had a couple of short episodes during the day but mainly the evening.

  • peter49548
    peter49548 dean0612

    Posted

    As you say sounds like you have been diagnosed - amongst other things- with paroysmal AF - ie AF which is intermittent and that most of the time you are in normal sinus rhythm and when you do go into AF you self convert back into NSR - is that right?
    • dean0612
      dean0612 peter49548

      Posted

      yes thats correct, but after my gp mentioned iron levels raised to be honest its got me quite concerned. Ive had many blood tests the last several months & iron been ok, plus the previous two gp's never informed me of this,in my last blood test it was the last gp who read the same results so im not sure if he being over precautious or they missed it. But having to wait until he can think whats wrong just seems a little strange.

      ?since early this evening & almost every evening my arms & hands feel uncomfortably hot, my legs really ache when im sitting but i dont know if this is all connected or something different?

  • peter49548
    peter49548 dean0612

    Posted

    As far as I am aware you can only have symptoms of AF when you are actually in AF and from what you say I think the vast majority of the time you are not? Dont know about any connection between AF and iron levels - stress and anxiety generally are of course regarded as one of the triggers for AF and if you have AF you may well also be stressed and anxious either relating to what you do when you are in AF or the risk of falling into it when in NSR - I know I am and from my experence which currently includes 10 weeks in persistent AF for the first time and unfortunately a failed cardioversion just today - I can confirm this and I also get many symptoms some of which i am sure are panic / stress related 
    • dean0612
      dean0612 peter49548

      Posted

      Hi, im sorry to hear it was not successful for you today & really appreciate you taking the time to help me.

      ?I have become very anxious of late,im finding the smallest of things are being blown out of proportion so maybe for the aches & pains & the severe heat im experiencing could be related to anxiety/stress... i just seem to be getting bad news after bad news so would certainly explaina few things. As for the raised iron, i am hoping a simple reason for this can be sorted soon. As previously mentioned one question i will certainly ask is about my rivararoxaban.

      Thankyou for your time, & i wish you the very best.

  • linda51222
    linda51222 dean0612

    Posted

    Hi Dean,

    sounds very much like you either have Fibromyalgia ( for which there is no blood test they diagnose it by looking at pressure points that are painful) or Rhuematoid condition,I have PAF but also suffer with all the things you have mentioned and was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. RA is often more painful when you are resting and eased when you move around, I am no doctor but sounds like your GP needs to think outside the box a bit,

    By the way Rivaroxaban does not thin your blood it just stops it from clotting, I thought it was a blood thinner but Cardiologist corrected me.

    Hope you get some help soon.

    L.

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