One episode of AF only..will it come back?

Hi Frances, my first experience of this was about 10 years ago I woke up with a fast heartbeat and did not really think that much of if and went off to work but I had an appointment with a client and started getting a pounding headache. I had my blood pressure machine at work and took it and it was really high and my pulse was 150 bpm but regular beats. I phoned the doctors and they said to get someone to bring me in they did an ECG and I was taken to hospital. They said my blood pressure was dangerously high and they were going to either give me tablets to get it back into a normal  slower rhythm or sedate me and shock it. After they took blood out of my arm it went back to normal so they said it could be a one off and never happen again but 4 years ago it did but not the same. It came back with irregular beats and was going on for ages jumping all over the place. I saw the GP who said to take Bisoprolol and it should work in 30 mins. It took 45 but it went back into a normal slower rhythm and since then I have little bouts of it but it is PAF and I take warfarin for it each day as I am also Diabetic.

I also had one episode of AF when having an ECG during a pre op assessment. I didn’t know it was happening but the results of the ECG proved it did. I had a scan of my heart and there was nothing wrong. The GP put me on bisoprolol 5 and  Apixaban. I fought this as one person said it was down to stress but my GP insisted that whilst you can raise your pulse you can’t change the rhythm. I now look at it as preventative and have accepted that I must take my medication. To my knowledge I have never had another AF and I do not have any side effects from the medication. I am 65. A smoker. Been on the medication for 18 months. 

What age are you as age has a lot to do with it. Many people develop AF as they get older. I had a one off episode 5 years ago and not another one for nearly a year. Unfortunately they became more frequent and I have now had an ablation. I am 67 yrs. everyone is different.

About 4 yrs ago, I had a couple of "random" episodes of high and erratic heartbeat at night. Put it down to a combination of work related stress and too many late night biccies with my cuppa! Had nothing else for over a year. Then slowly started to have more and more, and more frequently. Tried to ignore it, but ended up having to go to A &E from work during a night shift. Was told I have PAF and referred to cardiology. Fast forward, and 3 ablations later, Ive managed to come off all meds and whilst Im not 100% fixed, I am better than I was and dont have as many or as severe episodes as I did. Im 54, female, non smoker and for the past 2 yrs, non drinker. I have to watch what foods i eat as all sorts of random stuff can set me off. You - hopefully - will be ok, but dont ignore the signals and keep in touch with your doctor about your condition. All the best.

Hi Frances, yes the definition of PAF suggests it can come and go, and as a matter of fact mine was way down, and just recently came back up again for about a week and now, fortunately, seems to have turned down again.  I suspect it is food related and am trying to figure out just which.

?I guess it depends how bad your one episode was, as to whether it's necessary or advisable to take those drugs to prevent.  And it can depend on your other, more general health results too.  If it was really started just for this, I think you'd want to discontinue the blood thinner first, and then the beta blocker, and discuss with your doctor whether to put yourself back on them in case of symptoms or just put them away until another episode and another doctor visit.

Hi Frances, can I counsel caution regarding coming off medication, particularly the Apixaban. I had two major episodes, April & November 2016, the second whilst trekking in the Himalayas. Got home to the UK, saw my GP who diagnosed atrial flutter, referred me to a cardiologist, did not prescribe anything at that stage. One week later I had a stroke, fortunately not life changing, but enough to leave me with a permanent visual impairment.

I was then immediately prescribed Apixaban, and bisoprolol as an "as and when required". Had an ablation in June, no episodes since then, in fact none since the one in late 2016. No one would now persuade me to stop taking the Apixaban, albeit that the risk of a stroke was very low, and probably still is. Have been on it since Dec 2016, and fortunately don't suffer any significant side effects. I'm male, 68, very fit, not overweight, no stress, non-smoker, light drinker.

Agree with everyone that says you need to manage your stomach as well, which I now do, having found dairy products cause palpitations and irregular rhythmn. Significant improvement on a non-diary diet.

Good luck Frances