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Afraid to sleep. Most episodes happen at night. What can I do?
Heart Rhythm Conditions | Last Active: Oct 1 7:56am | Replies (41)Comment receiving replies
Hi there.
Happened to me, too! A Fib needing cardioversion in hospital 4 times - all in the middle of the night over the past year.
Cardiologist ordered sleep study - I have sleep apnea and started on a CPAP machine about 4 months ago.
I've been on my CPAP machine and I LOVE IT! I had so much anxiety about going to sleep - but this machine gives me confidence and I haven't had a middle-of-the-night A Fib incident since I've been on it. I feel so much better.
I have a great medical supplier who worked with me on getting just the right mask - this is the 3rd or 4th one I've tried - but we finally got it and I look forward to bed time now.
Just something to think about.
(And I totally understand the anxiety about going to sleep - it's terrifying to wake up in the middle of the night with your heart going over 160 bpm.)
Good luck!
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Very interesting about the CPAP machine. I never knew it would help with AF at night while sleeping. My heart rate is in the low 40s during the day while resting and at night while I am asleep, it goes down to the 30s. At this rate, I may just not wake up in the morning. My wife gets very concerned because at times she does not hear me breathing when I am sleeping and gives me a nudge to get me back to breathing. But she can't stay awake all night just to see if I am breathing.
I have been diagnosed to have sleep apnea but have never bothered to look into getting a CPAP machine. The 3 Cardiologists that I am seeing, not one of them has ever informed me that a CPAP machine would help me with my AF. I have had 2 Ablations, 2 Cardioversions, 3 cauterizations, and the last one being a Cardiac Cauterization.
My AF went away for a while, but I feel it during the day and at night. I have a Kardia apparatus that I purchased, and I monitor my EKG at home. Most of the time it gives me a reading of "Possible AF" or "Unclassified". My last EKG reading was normal since August 1st.
So, I don't really know what to do. I have asked my Cardiologists if a CPAP machine would help my AF and they said it would not. I asked them about a pacemaker, and they said it would not help my AF. And 2 are the top Cardiologists that I am seeing from Austin and one is from my local area who is supposed to be the best in my area.
I have other severe issued with my heart and lungs which is severe pulmonary hypertension, pooling blood in my veins, and the right and left upper chamber valves of my heart are not shutting properly and leaking blood so my heart is not pumping all the blood it should into my system.
So, as you can see, my heart and lungs are not in the best of shape, but I am not going to worry about it because it would not do me any good. I will just continue to go to my follow-ups with my Cardiologists and Specialists and just hope and pray for the best. I am at peace, and I have left everything in God's Hands.