Has anyone else had this afib problem?

[AnthonyF1500]

I have been experiencing afib on and off for about 2 years. I am 44 yr old male in very good condition medically and physically. I workout everyday. I do alot of cardiovascular training especially running. I have been in afib about 12 times in 2 years. I have been diagnosed as being "Lone Afib" because I have no other risk factors for afib other than the afib. When it started I was under a tremendous amount of stress in life. (moving, new business, wife pregnant) After eliminating caffine, and anything that showed up on any list as possible causes (even chocolate, medications with stimulants and alcohol) I came to the conclusion it had to be stress from life or physical stress from exercise. (I can workout for 2 hours everyday) I have been told it is actually a defect in my heart and may or may not be triggered by something. The first 8 or 9 times I went into Afib I was just lying on the couch or driving in a car. I always have gone back into normal rythym on my own. (no cardioversions) Most of the bouts last for about 15 to 22 hours some have been shorter. But recently things have been different. The last 3 times I have went into Afib I was running outside. The last 2 weeks I have run on a treadmill, monitoring my heart rate and running slower than normal and I have been fine. Then last week I go for a run outside and half way through I went into Afib and had to walk home. Again this week I ran on the treadmill 4 times and was fine, then I went for an outside run and when I got back to my car I went into Afib. I sat down quickly and it stopped. My cardioologist has started me on a low dosage of Metoprol (beta blocker) to lower my HR assuming maybe the higher HR of running outside is triggering the Afib. He said the adreniline increase can trigger it. Of course he also gave me an intense stress test and I was fine.

My question is: Has anyone had this happen only with a high intensity type workout like running? I am assuming because when I run my heart rate does go into the 150's to high 160's that this somehow is triggering the Afib.

There are no other coincedences other than my heart rate goes up high during running and it happens. Maybe I should raise my beta blocker dosage?

Thanks,
Anthony

[Jerry_NJ]

I suffer from permanent AFib, and have had extended periods of sinus rhythm following electrocardioversion.  I never ran for exercise when in AFib and always did when in sinus. I was running with a HR in the 150 range at age 67 and never associated any bouts with AFib due to the near maximums HR.  I always have, however, reverted back to permanent AFib and I no longer respond to electrocardioversion...so I don't run any more.  But, I am considerably older than you, and it may well be time for me to stop running.

In any case, to your question, I do not associated the onset of AFib with exercising at or near my maximum HR.

[a_fibphil]

Anthony:  I'm 29 been having exercise (exersional a-fib) since 2005. Everytime I get my heart rate up past 140-150 I go into a-fib (heart rate drops to 89bpm which is strange), if I stop it will stay in a-fib for about 20 seconds and return to sinus rhythm around 80bpm and keeps dropping as long as I slow down what I am doing (re: treamill etc...). I can reproduce mine everytime though. I am on atenolol when I want to do something like exercising or something strenuous. . It's weird that my heart rate actually drops when I go into a-fib. Guess my heart dropping in rate when I go into a-fib is something my heart does naturally to protect itself. Don't know. Electrophysiologist doc just says anti arrythmics or just live with it and take 325mg of aspirin everyday (or of course the atenolol PRN.  It's not life threatening, but with your's sending your heart rate so high I bet it really takes a toll on you mentally. (does me!, just try not to think about it) FYI, both of my brothers have the same thing. It doesn't take much of anything to get my heart rate up to 140, maybe three flights of stairs (depending on how I am feeling/how much sleep I got the night before etc... Wishing you the best.