PC associated with A-FIB?

When I was first diagnosed with prostate cancer, I had such bad anxiety I threw up multiple times and threw my heart into afib and/or tachycardia at least half a dozen times in the first month. The first time I was cardioverted in a hospital but the other times it was done with medication except for twice when it stopped on its own.

I'm not sure if this was caused by pure anxiety or Lupron, but was switched to Orgovyx as a precaution and given anti anxiety meds (Ativan) to take when I felt an episode coming on. I was also prescribed emergency heart medication (Metoprolol) in case it happened again. These worked early on except I didn't like Ativan--it walloped me for several hours and made it hard to get things done.

Fortunately, it hasn't happened again but I've also been getting good support and "settled in" to the reality of the situation. I've had a couple times where it felt like afib was going to start but I learned the valsalva maneuver and that's been enough to stay in rhythm.

Having a PC diagnosis is VERY stressful and anxiety definitely has physical manifestations.

Some of our PCa meds can cause a prolonged QT interval — not sure if that counts as aFib.

Thanks "scottbeammeup".
We're the same but different - like most things PC.
I've had several, maybe dozens, of A-fib episodes. Some before Lupron and some during. All but two were totally invisible to me; very strange. I've had a "loop monitor" for almost 2-years now and it picked up many at all hours of day/night that I never felt. But then one, when I was stressed again, literally put me on the ground one day. Thought I was gonna die. So Cardio Doc (who is super and specializes in Electrocardiology) then did an ablation (common treatment for A-fib) and all has been well since. But I still and will carry Metropolol with me. Thanks for sharing and hope others with PC don't add this to their lists. Enough already!

I have considered an ablation but, at least for now, my episodes are few and far between. Before the run of episodes at the start of my prostate cancer "journey" I had maybe one episode of afib every two years. My cardiologist said if they become frequent then an ablation would be appropriate but if they stay rare then medication is enough for now. Thanks for the info!

Yes. First time I ever had something like a-fib was when the nurse prepping me for my prostate MRI put me on the monitor 15min before my MEI. My heartbeat went crazy. Felt like it was 200bpm but the monitor registered 35mph because it was so out of sync. They sent me to my primary care the next day and he did an ekg that showed no a-fib. He referred me to a cardiologist and I had another ekg. No a-fib but she detected a little murmur. Then, I had to wear a monitor for two weeks and also do an echo-cardiogram. It showed mild mitral valve prolapse. She recommended that I go get a trans-esophageal echo-cardio gram to see it better. Well, no one said it was anxiety. It was. I’m fine now. A year have RALP. No heart issues since.

I had prostatectomy June 2023 and a-fib July 2023 after prostate surgery had ablation August 2023 been good ever since then. Did also find out in November 2023 had bad sleep apnea, now on cpac machine. Doctors said sleep apnea is number one cause of afib. Father had prostate cancer and afib. Guess it is in the genes.

I went in to have SpaceOar gel, inserted and in the last few minutes before I was scheduled to go in, the nurse during her final check, looked at my monitor, did a double take and turned pale a bit. She asked if I had afib, ah no. Well that killed my procedure, had me go to the ER and reschedule the procedure. My cardiologist said it was ok but it was too late to proceed. Before all this, I received 3 hormone shots and a side effect was messing with the heart’s electrical activity. I asked, was told no and that was that. All worked out well and I now take Elliquis for it. I think there is a connection. All the best.