How to exercise/keep fit when you have Paroxysmal AF?

Hi Lanky lass, Great name by the way! It's so nice to connect with others who are going through similar things. I started having AF about 10mths ago but didn't know what it was. It's only been in the last month that it's been happening most days for about an hour and has become a problem, so I feel fairly new at all this too. My GP tells me to exercise/cycle for my arthritic knees but as any activity seems to bring on dizziness/fainting it's impossible and frustrating. Maybe they haven't found the right combination of drugs yet!

Will be interested to know how you get on with your cardiologist. I find magnesium supplement helps me sleep better and from what I read it also helps arrhythmias - so here's hoping! Hope your walk went well.

Stay in touch, Cheers Maggie

Hi Maggie, What medication are you  on? When I went into A&E,(pretty sharpish too) I had a really erratic and fast heartbeat that seemed to come from nowhere, but in addition my Blood Pressure was through the roof, probably due more to anxiety as in my 64 years, (just), I have never really had anything wrong with me. I suppose the ECG showed the irregular heartbeat and the BP monitor showed unusually high BP. Apparently high BP can be a trigger for AF but so can alcohol, chocolate, family genes etc. I was given Bisoprolol to slow the heart and in turn lower the BP and warfarin to thin the blood and dispel any clots. The first few days were a real worry and the palpitations felt really loud, I could almost hear the 'knocking' sound in my chest. It seems to have settled quite a lot now although night time is the worst. I went for a walk today, about two and a half miles mainly on the flat, I was really pleased that I only felt breathless climbing over where the motorway bridges linked the fields, (I was not scaling the bridges!!!). My friend, (who is only 55) was diagnosed with AF last September, her GP did not put her on betablockers or warfarin, instead she has asprin and another tablet, (perhaps she did not have high BP like I did), she, like yourself, goes into AF at odd times, once she was just reading a book on a hotel balcony and it happened. Now that I am on medication I am not sure that I will get 'bouts' of AF as I seem to be 'in AF' all the time, I am keeping my fingers crossed that it can now be controlled. Some people have posted that certain things have helped, someone said that vitamin D helped them although I have read that in fact it can cause AF, others have enthused over bananas, they are high in potassium which helps the heart and you have just said that magnesium helps. I suppose that none of these can do any harm and the body is a marvellous machine which can respond to all sorts of things. Anyway, keep posting. Cheers, 

Hi Lankylass,

I'm on Bisoprolol 7.5mg, Digoxin 125mcg, aspirin 100mg, Atorvastatin 40mg. I think everyone's AF is so different that no two people seem to be on the same cocktail. When I have an episode of AF my BP swings wildly between say 210/100 and 85/50 over a few minutes, I think this may cause the awful symptoms I get. Yes palpitations can be very disconcerting/frightening, so I imagine your sleep is affected by yours? I wondered whether anyone had suggested cardioversion to you as they seem to use that on people with permanent AF to get them back into sinus rhythm, maybe your cardiologist will.Yes I heard about the Vitamin D and have started taking supplements of it - I'll give anything a go - well almost!! I guess you have to be sensible and not take anything to excess but most of the pills we are taking cause side effects so I feel I have nothing to lose.

Keep well, cheers Maggie

Hi Maggie, Wow, that's a cocktail and a half eh? I wonder with all that medication that you are still having episodes of AF, I was under the impression that the beta blocker would slow the heart down and keep a steady rhythm, (also regulate the BP). I am fairly new to this game, 18 days since my initial episode, I am sure that when I see my cardiologist, (a Mr Gray, who works at the Royal Oldham Hospital), he will brooch alternative procedures with me. I seem to be in permanent AF, I can fee it now as I write this, it doesn't really bother me much at the moment when I am busy, just when I am settling down to sleep, or to have a doze, then I can not only hear it but feel it. I have heard that the cardioversion where the heart is shocked back into rhythm can work for a while but quite often the heart goes back into AF. I really don't fancy the catheter ablation, (is that how you say it) a friend had that at a BUPA hospital and was on complete bed rest for weeks, it was supposed to be a 'simple' procedure but a few of us at the time think it went wrong and she ended up with an infection and loads of other problems, so no thanks. My cousin has had AF, although a slow irregular heartbeat, he is in New Zealand, and is 70. but a very 'young' 70, he drives a but to and from a residentail home to take 'the old people' to and fro, ha ha., Anyway, he has been given a pacemaker and is fine, feels great, so I suppose that is another option, wonder if you have been offered that one?? Well, I am just going for a little walk, had one yesterday, (just had a conversation with Jesse, she is also a newbie on this site) and told her that I did quite well not getting breathless. Hope you have a good day and perhaps a nice glass of Rioja later!!!

Hi Lankylass,

No a beta blocker just slows the heart rate and then your heart doesn't have to work as hard so your BP goes down too. Antiarrhythmics like Flecainide and Amiodarone control the rhythm of your heart to keep it in sinus rhythm but they generally have more side effects also. Yes from what I've heard cardioversions only seem to last a limited time for most people. Your friend had an unfortunate experience with the ablation, I think the risks are generally quite low. I've been investiagating ablations but my cardiologist said I was too old at 67 and anyway I would have to try all meds first, like antiarrhythmics.

Very interested to hear about your cousin as I too live in New Zealand - Nelson, could I ask where he lives? Pleased he's found a solution with a pacemaker, would be interested to hear more of his story. It's nice and sunny here even tho we are in the middle of winter so may try a slow, flat walk. Cheers Maggie

Hi Maggie, My cousin, (female and 71, lives in Auckland, moved from uk in 1976), she developed AF, (sporadic) a couple of years ago and is now on a beta blocker,they did put her on warfarin but she asked to come off and is now on another medication, I can find out what it is. Her husband, a little bit older, started with AF last year, in fact they found he had a very slow heartbeat, it was down to 37 bp minuts. In the end they gave him a pacemaker and he is fine, he drives the mini bus at a residential home and takes the 'old people' to their hospital appointments!! No really, they both walk miles and are great examples of being very active in later life. Neither have any repeat AF bouts now. I have been over twice and love it, up to 90 mile beach and all round North Island, would love to do South Island at some point. Just back on to the AF, I have actually been ok on my bisoprolol and warfarin, in am in AF all the time, I can feel the bumpiness especially at night. However, last night I did have a frightening episode, I thought that as I have the beta blockers my heart rate would slow down and be fine albeit bumpy. I had gone off to sleep fairly quickly at about midnight, a miracle in itself as my sleeping since this has not been good, I woke up about half one, not with a start or anything, just woke up, then my heart was really racing and banging, I must admit I was frightened and tried to calm it down by just lying still, it lasted for the best part of an hour, I  think eventually I dropped off and woke up ok but I did not really expect that because being in AF all the time I was not anticipating getting any fast heartbeat episodes. Hope that it will remain calm tonight. Been on a 3 mile walk today round Hollingworth Lake, Rochdale, not far from where the Tour de France was last week, very sunny but a bit dull now. Cheers.

Hi Susan I know that you were speaking to Maggie not me, I have spoken to Maggie about her AF and her treatment, I was asking her about her medication, I think that she wanted to know about excercise. I am interested to hear about the ablation you were given. A friend of mine had one ablation treatment at a BUPA hospital last year, I think the treatment went ok but she got an infection and was on complete bedrest for weeks. I didn't realize at the time that I too would be diagnosed with AF, (18 days ago) too. I am 64, (only just). You mention that thes ablation treatments seem to run concurrently and that they work 'a bit at a time', I am seeing my cardiologist for the first time since hospital discharge in about 7 weeks so perhaps I will be offered this treatment, or maybe the one where they 'kickstart' your heart rhythm, or indeed a pacemaker. You sound like you are taking the proverbial bull by the horns excersice wise, good for you. I missed my walk today due to a family BBQ, rats!! Everyone was having a drink in the sun, except me, I was driving!! I am going to have a beer later when the footy is on. Thanks for your help, as Jesse said in her post, all these postings are really helpful, they are not full of 'doom and gloom' as some blogs but full of useful advice like yours. Thank you.

Thanks Susan for giving time to answer my message. I am gradually realising that I can't let AF rule my life but I think for me the nausea and feeling that I'll faint are a combination of the medications and the palpitations - hard to separate the two. My heart rate doesn't go hugely fast but I think that's the rate control meds I'm on which therefore cause fatigue and breathlessness. It seems somewhat of a vicious circle! I've been refused an ablation due to my age (67!) despite being quite fit but am thinking of getting a second opinion. Sounds like ablation has helped you? I'm off for a walk now I think and will remember your words - I live in New Zealand by the way in case you think I go walking in the middle of the night!