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Recent AF diagnosis, some advice please?

Posted , 6 users are following.

susan55853
susan55853

hi, my first time on here. I was taken into A&E last week with heart rate at 155 (lasted 4 hours). Had carotid artery massage (painful) but eventually heart rate came down. I have never been ill, am 49 and no health issues. This flutter has happened a few times before...pretty scary when I'm driving. Told never to have caffeine again or spirits. Have an appointment with Cardiologist next week, just wondering if I'll have to take medication? Or do you think as long as I cut out caffeine that will be enough? I'm stressing a bit! Any advice Appreciated.

0 likes, 20 replies

20 Replies

  • popeye62
    popeye62 susan55853

    Posted

    Hi Susan Nigel here, I had a episode of af in August thought I was dying, went on warfarin bisopradol, and fleckenide daily made me feel worse twice weekly visits to hospital for bloods inr you will get to hate that word. Anyhow went to my cardiologists last Thursday heart back to normal , taken off all my meds he thinks it was a one off episode same as you I regarded myself as fit upto August. Not sure if I will ever have another episodes or I cured for life I listened to all the advice medical and from this forum. Hopefully yours may be just a blip I've made a lot of changes ie diet drinking also kicked the fags into touch. Just need to lose my weight I've gained since not smoking. So the best of luck I'm still staying on this forum because you never know and the people are sound
    • susan55853
      susan55853 popeye62

      Posted

      Thanks Nigel, that's really helpful info. So I'm now prepared for possible prescription. Definitely have a stone to lose and walking my poor dogs more than usual. Treating it as a wake up call for a healthier lifestyle! Stay healthy!
    • susan55853
      susan55853 popeye62

      Posted

      Thanks Nigel, that's really helpful info. So I'm now prepared for possible prescription. Definitely have a stone to lose and walking my poor dogs more than usual. Treating it as a wake up call for a healthier lifestyle! Stay healthy!
    • popeye62
      popeye62 susan55853

      Posted

      That's exactly the way I looked at it my dogs lost weight I've put it on lol, must admit it took abit of excepting the life changes but slowly getting there all the best Susan, any more questions and I can help just ask 
  • mazieboo22
    mazieboo22 susan55853

    Posted

    Hi Susan I had my first episode 7 years ago I woke up with it, went to work and as thecdayvwentbon I got an awful headache and my heart was beating out of my chest at 170 bpm. Doc sent me to a & e after an ECG it went off after a blood test was taken out of my arm and that was it until lady November I again woke up with it and went to docs he gave me bisprolol which after an hour put it back to normal. I always get flutters and missed beats and recently had echo scan as well as a 24 hour ECG so now need to go back and warfarin seems likely. I have lost two stone walking my dogs, brought my blood sugar and blood pressure down but this is hanging over me so need to get it sorted. I hope yours is a one off xx
    • susan55853
      susan55853 mazieboo22

      Posted

      Thanks for that advice. What a great forum this is, really useful info and constructive comments...I'm already less stressed as have a rough idea of what to expect when I see Consultant. Sue 😀
  • Carneuny
    Carneuny susan55853

    Posted

    Hi Susan

    Like you I had led a pretty healthy life, only in hospital for cartilidge removal in right knee, usual spate of A & E visits due to DIY malfunctions ( lol ) and some digestive issues in my mid thirties. I was admitted to hospital with atrial flutter which while being treated upgraded to atrial fibrillation and a heart rate of 160 bpm. - I was 65 at the time. I was kept in hospital for 6 days while all cardiac systems were checked out ( and shown to be 'A' OK) and put on warfarin and bisoprolol immediately. About 6 months after diagnosis I linked the onset of AF with digestive issues; bloating, burping, intestinal gurgling and diahorrea. I got checked out for IBS and Coeliac Disease - all clear so I consulted a Nutritionist and she advised going gluten free and put me onto the FODMAPS diet. (suggest you Google them both). Now some 4 years later - while still on medication - I have improved my diet and now cannot recall my last AF event.

    It is important not to get stressed, it is important to try and improve your lifestyle, perhaps by a combination of exercise, diet and medication and also try and listen to your body - its trying to communicate with you. Let it ! When you read posts on here you will realise that whilst it is a common condition, it manifests itself in different ways in all of us - and - accordingly it responds differently to different remedies. Caffeine/ spirits and alcohol don't affect me; wheat based stuff does, oats are right out, all nuts are out, I could go on and on BUT so long as I respect my gut and feed it what it wants to remain healhty .... I stay AF free. Its a bit of a journey, and whilst we all share our experiences and try and help each other - it is nevertheless a very individual journey which may not necessarily be very speedy.

    Good luck and if you have any questions just ask me - or anyone else - about our experiences.

    John

     

    • susan55853
      susan55853 Carneuny

      Posted

      Hi John, thanks for the comment it's so helpful. I'm going to look into Foodmap diet and it seems the general consensus is to look to improve lifestyle and up the exercise!! Much appreciated 😀
  • anna_45444
    anna_45444 susan55853

    Posted

    HI Susan , I was atherwise fir and healthy when I woke one morning with my heart racing at 160 bpm irregular , I was taken to hospital where it settled downafter a few hours, this was in 2000 I thought that might be the end of it, I was wrong it came and went over the years .  Eventually I was given medication and had problems for years, I then had a reveal device inserted under my skin near my heart in 2009, it proved AF I was then given an Ablation, Life was great for 4.5 years and no problems.  At the begining of this year 2014 the Af came back it took me until sept 2014 to prove this with a 7 day tape .  I had another Ablation on the 15th sept 2014, this time I was kept on Bisoprolol and omeprazole and was great for the first 3 weeks then I started getting tachycardia again although in sinus rythm , sadly its been 8 weeks now since my opp and for the last 5 days my heart is missing beats going tachycardia and making me feel terrible again. They say it takes 12 weeks to settle but I am not convince its worked this time
    • derek76
      derek76 anna_45444

      Posted

      What was the reasoning for prescribing omeprazole for AF?
    • susan55853
      susan55853 anna_45444

      Posted

      Hi Anna. I saw Cardiologist last week and I'm to have an ablation, hopefully before Christmas. He didn't prescribe medication which I was pleased about as I hear the side effects of some can be pretty awful. I'm feeling better for cutting out caffeine and reducing alcohol to 1 glass of red wine a week. I'm a novice at this but I see people have had different experiences with ablation so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed. I haven't had an 'episode' for 3 weeks now but hesitant to drive long distances, keeping local, as when heart starts racing whilst driving it's pretty dangerous. Good luck to you and hope things settle quickly for you.
    • derek76
      derek76 susan55853

      Posted

      Why do some have cardioversion and others ablation? Does it depend on the type of AF that you have?
    • anna_45444
      anna_45444 derek76

      Posted

      Hi derek they gave me the omeprazole as I started to get acid reflux pretty bad and was being sick every night , not that its helped as I have just had a test for helibactor pylori (a nasty bug in the tummy)and its come back positive , they can only treat this with 3 different antibiotics and I am allergic to them so I am stuffed and trying to find a natural eradication of the bug.  My AF is Paroxysmal AF so it comes on at any given time and stops normally on it own.  The tend to use cardioversion to stop the AF its not a cure but most of the time will put people back into sinus rythm, until it kicks off again , there are 3 types of AF

      Paroxysmal AF – (PAF) episodes that stop within 7 days without treatment;

      Persistent AF – episodes lasting longer than 7 days, or less when treated;

      Permanent or longstanding persistent AF – continuous AF which has occurred for more than one year

      So because mine is (paf) and I dont tollerate the tablets well and I find they dont help it , they gave me the ablation , hope this helps

    • anna_45444
      anna_45444 susan55853

      Posted

      Hi Susan I haven t had caffeine for 14 years ,  I now drink de caff tea , never de caff coffee as that has as much caffine in as normal tea .  I dont have alcohol , and I cant have chocolate or drinking chocolate as it contains so much caffine , I have to stick to white chocolate if any.  I too like you haven t driven long distances, or anywhere on my own if I can help it .  If you are not careful it starts to control your life , it did me.  I wont go abroad for fear of it happening whilst I am away and ending up in a hospital in another country.

      When I had the first Ablation it was like a magic wand had been waved over me I felt great for nearly 5 years , sadly its back and I am having problems again , mostly witht he tachycardia and the missed beats are constant now , I have just been to the hospital and have a 7 day tape on now to see whats going on .

      But I am sure you will be fine and feel great after your ablation , Believe me if they said I need another ablation I would be there like a shot if its stops this and I can get some sleep , I cant sleep and I cant eat as its making me so sick. keep me posted and if I can help you through this I will

    • anna_45444
      anna_45444 susan55853

      Posted

      Also susan I meant to say not all the medication has bad side affects ,  Bisoprolol is quite widly used . My first opp I didn t need meds after , but this one they made me continue taking the bisoprolol as it can be bumpy for the first few weeks while the heart is settling down
    • susan55853
      susan55853 derek76

      Posted

      I have no idea what cardioversion is, my Cardio only spoke about ablation, he wants to try this rather than put me on meds.
    • derek76
      derek76 anna_45444

      Posted

      I have been taking omeprazole for GERD/acid reflux for about ten years. Prior to that I had not been helped much by the other PPI's. I had triple therapy before starting omeprazole. The triple ttherapy gave me months of stomach trouble.

      I developed AF after having my aortic valve replaced in May 2012. The second cardioversion put me back into sinus rhythm and I thought that was it for good. Last November I had a colonoscopy and the probe stimulated my vagus nerve and put me back in AF. I have been back in sinus rhythm since another cardoversion in March. 

    • derek76
      derek76 susan55853

      Posted

      Cardioversion is where they sedate you and shock your heart. It stops and starts again hopefully back in sinus rhythm.
    • anna_45444
      anna_45444 derek76

      Posted

      My AF is due to my pulmonary veins well the second one anyway , its just quivering and sending all kinds of beats out , But saying that I had a colonoscopy just before all my AF started in 2000
    • derek76
      derek76 anna_45444

      Posted

      The cardiologist told me that stimulation of the vagus nerve often causes AF. Cardioversion also a stimulates of the vagus nerve to put you back in sinus rhythm.

      When they were doing  the colonoscopy and I was slightly sedated but felt ok watching it on the screen. On the other screen I see my BP dropping to 40/29 and heart rate 30. I think are they going to do something about this? They suddenly panic and start pumping drugs into me. after a few hours in bed on a monitor things seemed back to normal. At the first real exertion after that I felt a rapid erratic heatbeat and knew that my AF was back.

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