Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

I have come to think that actual physical pressure from air in my GI tract, against my heart, is my main trigger. I am always reclining and always in the evening. The solution might be a big burp if I could!

My heart rate is erratic too so I know just how you feel. My highest was 180 but it bounced around.

The old CHADS score made female gender one of the factors but they took that off! I don't have high blood pressure etc.

Noone seems to know how long you have to be in afib to have stroke risk. The study on short term anti-coagulation was for people who were in afib more than 5.5 hours.

Do you have an electrophysiologist?

During my AFib episodes, my heart rate is so wildly erratic, that it’s hard to take a count. At times felt like 300 BPM, but my wife, a retired RN, took it a couple of times at about 120 BPM. It’s the galloping irregularity that is so unsettling rather than the pace of the pulse for me. It is actually the CHADS2 scoring that prompted my doc to recommend no blood thinner. My score was a 1/2 with the only condition in favor of the med my age. Speaking of confusion, though, I have heard a great variety of conditions that would be more and less likely to result in stroke. For example, I have heard on one hand that the first hiccup in an AFib attack can cause stroke while on the other hand you have to be in AFib for hours or even days before the stroke threat becomes meaningful. Lots of question marks about all this stuff, for sure. No, I can think of nothing that caused me to suddenly go into AFib so late in my life. ..thanks for the tip about sitting up quickly and taking something like gas-ex. I have always thought that my PVCs and tachycardia were often brought on by a gassy stomach…?

No one in this thread has mentioned the vaccines. I had a heart virus back in 2007 and 2012 which put me into afib but I spent a good 9 years (2012 - 2021) on dofetalide without any afib events. Then, 3 weeks after getting my first Moderna shot, I went into afib. Did the cardiovert which kept me in sync for a year. Then afib again. Have been researching the connection between afib and the vaccines and I'm convinced that's the cause. And I think the medical profession is beginning to realize this but they seem to be concentrating on a younger population than my 83 yrs. I had my two shots in early 2021 but will NOT get any booster shots. Hoping the effect of the vaccines will taper off soon.

I guess once you have sympstoms like palpitations and are not life threatening one can accept it more..I still went to the ER to be sure. Also surprised not on a blood thinner. My dr. insisted as said .I cannot help you if you have a stroke...so I went on them. Its all so unpredictable with no certainty and no clearr route to follow...I hate the fact I have not traveled even to see a close friend. Fear looms and I am not proud of it. Meanwhile most of time nothing happened except for a few incidents during pandemic...one after booster..and one more. Often in afib but do not feel it. Sometimes for hours..don't think for days. Thinking of getting anti anxiety meds...therapy helps as support but does not stop it. think flatulence seems to be a by
product..whether it causes it or is a result of it I dont know...think alll those other disciplines...yoga..medittion .taichiarean aide I suppose..Good not toffee so alone...others don't get it.

I can only imagine what it is like to suddenly start having these episodes. My first one happened after flying to help one of my kids with a medical crisis so it was flying + sudafed + deydration + stress and focus on kid not self.

@riverpark does your heart rate go way up? Mine goes above 180 so I have pretty clear symptoms for ambulance call. I have had PVC's and very short runs of tachycardia but not to the point of being very bothersome since menopause.

I am impressed that your doc did not put you on blood thinners. Most docs just automatically put us on them. My doc kept pressuring me to go on an anticoagulant, but the hospital doc said not to worry about it. Confusing! Ultimately the cardiologist told me the CHADS2 scoring had changed and they had been overmedicating people, and agreed on no blood thinners- for now.

Last summer I had my longest episode at 7 hours. They did an echocardiogram to check for clots and one Heparin shot which is routine. I read that there are now studies supporting short term anticoagulation (like for one month) after an episode. I have inquired about that and was glad to see that study, hope it becomes practice.

I do tai chi and it really helps and is also enjoyable. The anxiety of anticipating another episode must be tough. At this point I swear I can feel something coming and believe it or not, it helps me prevent afib by 1) quickly sitting up straight and 2) taking an anti-gas supplement

The way you suddenly started having relatively frequent episodes is mysterious. Did anything change in your life or health or meds? I hope you find answers. Afib, PVC's and tachycardia are not dangerous but they are scary.

Last summer the EMT's kept remarking on how calm I was, given the symptoms . It really has sunk in that I am not in danger. And the chest sensations have become familiar, unfortunately!

I identify 100 percent with your comments, not knowing what to do!

In my life, I have had 5 AFib episodes from December to recently, so I envy your having just one per year or so. Do you have other arrhythmia or palpitations regularly? Like PVCs and very short runs of super ventricular tachycardia? I always did and lived okay with them until these horrifying long-lasting bouts of AFib. I believe my single trigger is anxiety, so I am aggressively trying to mitigate that with meditation and such, no anxiety drugs, strongly considering therapy. (Would love to hear anybody’s comments on anxiety’s role in their AFib!) I also take magnesium and eat plenty of bananas. Because of my other kinds of arrhythmia, cardiologist does not recommend pill in pocket idea like you use with diltiazim. I do hope to find a way to reduce meds to your level of frequency if possible, though. I am otherwise in very good health at 75, so cardiologist recommends I do not take a blood thinner because the risk associated with the blood thinner outweighs my risk of stroke.

All I can say it afib is very worrisome for me pschologically just what the heart does not need. It is indeed comfusing with all the options. Each case is different. I have had it for years with no symptoms until the last few years. I travel but close to home fearful of going very far away as I ddi. Had two ablations...with some success but no cure in my case...on meds...blood thinner...palpitations are"scary"but so far not life threatening although they feel as if they are when they are occurring....Recently went to ER but okey. Pacemaker in view as also have slow heartbeat..Hard to know what todo.

@riverpark have you been able to identify any triggers? I stopped eating after 5pm and that has helped my paroxysmal afib. I also take magnesium and drink low sodium V8 for potassium. My afib is also paroxysmal and I land in the ER when it happens, but it happens once a year or less. I use diltiazem ONLY when I have afib, and feel lucky to avoid any meds otherwise, so far. Are you on a blood thinner?

Hi bjanderson, thanks for the useful and encouraging feedback. Sounds like you have been through some challenges with the open heart surgery and all. But it also sounds like you are doing well with the help of the meds. Glad to hear it. Thanks again.