Where to go?

First I must tell you that after talking to many people after I was diagnosed, everyone seems to have different experiences from an "episode." I am so surprised always that some folks "don't even know" that they are in an arrhythmia. I will speak for myself only; I can tell immediately when I am in A-fib. I feel the "flutter" or "air-bubble" feeling in my chest. I am not short of breath but I don't have the usual stamina when going up stairs or doing certain activities. I can go to the gym and walk on the treadmill at a pretty good pace, trying to "walk it off" but I can't tolerate the ellipical machine--just not enough "steam" to do it. I do get dizzy/light-headed when standing after sitting for some time. I feel lousy and irritated. My episodes have been relatively short (a few hours) since I was diagnosed when I was out of rhythm for several weeks while I waited for cardioversion and had to be on Eliquis for 4 weeks. Since then the episodes have been infrequent but I had 3 in May, with one trip to the ED with a pulse of 130. For some folks, the rate is much higher but for me, that was just intolerable. I spontaneously converted, for some reason, in the ED after a "pause" of 3.2 seconds and I have been fine since then. I have made every "life-style" change that I have read about--even avoiding sleeping on my left side, which the electrophysiologist found amusing. I am a very active person, probably above average for someone my age, but I am finding the "triggers" very unpredictable--like the doc says, a crap shoot! I am so very empathetic as to your experiences. I was going to demand an ablation, but after reading that it was no guarantee of symptom free living, I agree to try an anti-arrhythmic first. Really scary sounding medication to my liking, but I am watching it cautiously. I also have no significant heart issues, so that is also a factor with taking meds. I'm a nurse so I read all the latest literature, look at the studies, take all "testimonials" with a grain of salt. I believe each and every person is unique and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for others. So be your own advocate; do what works for you and be sure you get a good doctor who listens and is open to your concerns. Best of luck. Hope that helps.

I also know when AF is about to start. It feels like a swelling in the chest, on the left side, much as you describe, sjm46. Then, when it goes 'off', I feel the thumping and bumping in my chest wall as the chaotic atrial beats work against the mitral valve and the more powerful left ventricle. There is the accompanying anxiety and grind to wait for it to self-revert to Normal Sinus Rhythm (NSR) which, if one is still in the first 'paroxysmal' stage, should be within a week, usually just a few hours.
For me, I found that pacing, walking outside slowly, or inside, helped to make it more bearable as my mind would often be tricked into thinking about something else, however briefly, whatever it was I was walking past. It might be a hose needing to me moved to a new tree or shrub, weeds needing to be pulled, clothing taken off the outdoors line, or just admiring my flowers.

TY. Since I have been on this holster I have been amazed at how often I am recording episodes of heart racing, dizziness, vision issues. Making me wonder how long this has been going on and I just rolled with it. I have had a heart stent and at least what they think were probably TIAs but no stroke damage on my MRI. The episodes of dizziness and heart racing seems to be frequent. I certainly hope this holster is registering what I am experiencing. So over this

@ricks2025, check out vagal maneuvers on the internet. They're free, can be done at home, and, for me, they usually stop my arrhythmia instantly. I'm male, 82yo, take only 12.5 mgs of Metropolis daily and "baby aspirin" every other day. Good luck.