Afib: What causes an episode? What if I don't notice?

Hi @carnes, I see your post here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/afib-2/?pg=2#comment-365091 Is this the one you mean?
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I suffered through awful Afib until I finally had an ablation and a pacemaker at age 66. My cardiologist kept asking me to get a sleep study. But I had none of the symptoms of sleep apnea. Finally did what he asked me to do and had the study. Sure enough. Severe sleep apnea which according to my cardiologist was consistent with what he found when he did the ablation. Good thing to get that checked when you are trying to figure out your AFib problem. I feel great now and love my pacemaker and tolerate my Sleep Apnea machine! On Eloquis and that is all. Can drink coffee and wine etc......just do nothing to excess! Hope this helps!

The Apple Watch will monitor and alert you when you’re in a-fib. It would need to be Series 3 or 5.

Needs to be a Series 4 or 5 Apple Watch (not a 3 for EKG). Also know the limitations-doesn’t check all the time for AFIb (& checks are test). Also check the settings for high & low heart rate...those only check when at rest & HR has to stay at/below the set levels for 10 minutes straight. Best is to run an EKG if things feel “off”. My BP monitor was showing irregular heart rates on multiple occasions on 3/10/19. Plus was getting very short of breath & couldn’t stay on my feet. Ran 9 EKGs & 7 came up AFIb. Only got 1 irregular heart rate warning from the Watch after I gave up for the day & decided to just stay in my recliner. Had appointment with my EP on 3/15 & showed him EKGs. Was put on meds for rhythm control & also Eliquis. Had ablation done on 7/29/19 & now feeling the best I have felt in years. Seeing him on 2/14/2020 & the plan is for a loop recorder to monitor so I can stop taking Eliquis.

For all with A-Fib that is related to caffeine use, please note that a lot of cosmetic products, shampoos, etc. often have caffeine. I have a friend who avoided caffeine in her diet but if she had a little in a skin product it would set her off into an A-Fib episode. I did not know that these products have caffeine but some do so it's good to watch the labels.

@lucy1002 Good information, thank you!

@hopeful 33250 and all, I have A-fib and I drink coffee, and I have no reason to say that the caffeine causes an A-fib incident. Some of us sneak by, apparently. My particular case may be virtually unique -- 1) I have no conscious feelings of an irregular heart beat (although EKGs show it every time; 2) after a small stroke 20 months ago (attributable to A-fib), deficient brain performance (mainly muscular mobility) led to therapy for re-teaching my brain to function better and more reliably. Part of that is brain stimulation from a cluster of stimuli -- one of which is caffeine. My consumption of coffee is limited to a cup in the morning and (sometimes) a cup in the evening, nothing like the gallon a day I used to consume at work. From my perspective, my advice to anybody with A-fib or Ventricular-tach should make caffeine consumption a major issue to discuss and regulate with a medical team that includes an electrophysiologist and a neurologist. A few of you -- like me -- might benefit from limited caffeine consumption. Martin

I rarely notice when I am in A-Fib as well. Mine is naturally occuring so having had it my entire life it's a bit 'normal' for me not to notice. I am usually only aware when I have a new EKG or when my heart sort of seizes up for just a moment like it's pausing to hold it's breath and flops like a fish out of water. That one I notice. I was diagnosed with A-Fib and also Postural Tachycardia Syndrome. Mayo can do a tilt table test that will be able to record whether or not certain positions cause you to jump into A-Fib. I simply started taking the Metoprolol and was very lucky that the first med I tried works perfectly.

I have low thyroid, and I have A-fib. I now take Dofetilide and have not had any real problems in about 5 years. I almost always awoke to an episode.I am very thankful for the Dofetilide.

Hi, I too never had felt or noticed Afib. Had no symptoms at allOnly through medical exams it was discovered. Took all, metaprolol etc in the end what is working for last 1 year is Difetilide.