Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

@randy32 They do echocardiogram, angiogram, what in British Columbia, where I live, is called a MIBI test: https://www.islandhealth.ca/sites/default/files/2018-11/mibi-scan-patient-info.pdf
Also called a stress test with contrasting dye. I have had two. Also Doppler ultrasound of the carotid arteries. All of these show pinch points or excess deposition of stenosing plaque that limits the amount of oxygenated blood that can get through/past them. If they reduce the flow sufficiently to cause obvious and relevant symptoms, they call the effect 'ischemia'.

Hi
Yesterday I had a sensation of my heart dropping in my chest. It lasted for a little while, it was very noticeable and I’ve never had this happen before. I have supra ventricular tachycardia. I get episodes of syncope (lightheadedness or near fainting) every now and then. And I get a rapid heart rate and sometimes a flutter, or I skip a beat from time to time. Most of the time I don’t notice it. I’ve been seeing a cardiologist for several years (but right now I’m waiting for my new one. I don’t see him until July). I’ve worn heart monitors, and I’ve had EKGs and echocardiograms, but I’ve never had this strong sensation in my heart dropping in my chest before. (I even wonder if my heart stopped), Tomorrow I see a doctor.

@gloaming thanks for sharing this insight. Very affirming. I do have an overnight sleep study in the hospital scheduled in the next two weeks, that sounds very much like what you're describing. I do not have hypertension. What type of testing will they do for ischemia?

I have afib for 2 years and taking eliquis and 25 ml of metroprolol. I am 88 years old and now I have afib every 1-2 month and started from few hours and now already 3 days. Doctor added 25 ml more but did not tell me how long it can last

@kjhunt You should be seen by a cardiologist and sent on to an electrophysiologist ASAP. Three years ago would have been great. An EP will, if you're otherwise healthy (enough), offer to perform a catheter ablation to stop the fibrillation. It has a 75% chance of being successful, but repeats are often done when the time comes. AF changes the heart, and not in a good way, so if it still comes and goes for you, it's still paroxysmal and most easily treated. If you are in permanent AF, speak to a cardiologist about options.

@randy32 You may already have been formally diagnosed for ischemia, but if not, this would be a next step. Also, formally diagnosed for obstructive/central sleep apnea (the best, if you can afford it, is a night spent in a sleep lab where you get hooked up with a gillion leads (you look like a gorgon when they've finished applying them all), and they let you fall asleep in a bed. Some labs make you come back next night and they titrate you for pressure/volume to improve your air flow using a PAP machine. In my case, they awaken you at 0200 and ask you to don a mask and they'll titrate you until waking time at 0600....IF.....they see obvious apnea in the first half of the night.

Endurance athletes often develop AF later in life. I am one such person. But it wasn't my endurance sports, although we both know intuitively, as do physicians, that our 'hobby' probably didn't do us any good as time went on. No, it was those two silent killers, OSA and hypertension, who are kissin' cousins. When you open the closet and see the one, the other has shrunk back into the shadow and is attempting to rearrange clothing....if you know what I mean.

You ask for a treatment plan. Tests for ischemia and sleep apnea come to the fore. And that means a visit to your friendly neighbhourhood cardiologist.

Hello all. Have had aFib most of my life. 57 yo now. It’s gotten worst. Lots of episodes. Am wondering if this condition, if anyone has had to take leave from work or use health insurance to be away from work to deal with getting better. Plus I think it’s work related stress that brings on my episodes. The medications really knock me on my ass.

I’m Randy, I recently got a stent, and found out I had afib at the same time. I am a 69 year old runner and ran two marathons in October and December 2025. I am doing through rehab and find that during exercise once my heart rate approaches 100 it will immediately spickvto 150 and I will go into afib. Any thoughts on a treatment plan?

@gloaming Thank you for your very valid thoughts on the use of Flecainide. I was never informed of the "pill in the pocket approach" but that is a good question for my heart doc and your mention of at least trying it sounds reasonable. I shall mention both the "pill in the pocket" as well as stopping it according to reactions. Appreciate idea as we (I) sometimes get stuck in one thought process!

@gloaming Thank you for your insightful comment, that does make a lot of sense and I appreciate the feedback. I was given the impression by the doc that you can never stop it once you start it.