Hot Flashes/Atrial Fib

[Edy55]

I am a 55 year old woman, no children,married, happy and VERY active.  I have been diagnosed with atrial fib/atrial flutter.  I had an atrial ablation in 2008 which did not resolve my problem.  In the past few months I have had several episodes of afib/flutter lasting from 10 hours to 6 weeks.  I currently have a heart rate of 130 to 140 consistently and feel pretty crummy.  My cardiologist just keeps changing med with no relief.  Currently taking Lisinopril, Digoxin and Multaq.  He has referred me for another ablation at Baylor Hospital/Dallas.

I can immediately feel when my heart goes "out of rhythm" or "crazy".  Almost always I am asleep when this happens.  I also have severe hot flashes every 45 minutes (I have for 14 years with no relief from any medication so now I take nothing.)  My question is ,  Is it possible that my hormones/hot flashes could trigger episodes of afib/flutter.  When a hot flash comes on, it is almost like a panic attack.  I do sweat profusely.  Needless to say, I don't sleep very well.  I had a sleep study done and I wake up 15 times a night or so, mainly with hot flashes.  The sleep study also revealed that I did have a couple of short episodes of sleep apnea.  

[lapopessa]

I haven't hit menopause yet, but my afib definitely has been affected by my hormones. One of the signs of my period about to arrive has sometimes been an afib attack (I have lone fib).
Nancy

[donna4140]

I wonder too if hormones have alot to do with irregular heartbeats. Im 43 and normally a week or 2 before I get my period,my heart gets very palpitaty.I have afib and atrial tach also.

[rilesnic]

I have not been diagnosed with afib, but I'm pretty sure I have had a couple of hits of it. I will feel my heart go out of rhythm and then a horrible hot flash. Most of the hot flashes I get make me extrememly nauseous and like I'm going to pass out. I also sweat profusely. Sometimes I get the flash without feeling my heart, but the symptoms are the same. It feels like 'm having a panic attack. My scariest heart episodes have woken me from my sleep. I can't say for sure if hormones affect the heart, but from my experience I would say yes. I don't sleep very well either. I wake up gasping at times, but they won't do a sleep study because they say it's my GERD. I would love for doctors to start listening and understand that we know our bodies better than they do.