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Lone Atrial Fibrillation

Last night at about 5 while I was sleeping I woke up with a high heart rate. Rushed to an emergency clinic, after EKG and blood routines I was diagnosed Lone atrial Fibrillation.  My original heart rate recovered and I was released without any prescription. I couldn't understand how serious my disease was until I searched it up in internet. Now I am very pessimistic about my future. Am I going to have those attacks so frequently. What other problems, medications and surgeries are waitng for me? Will somebody please help?
Best Answer
1137980 tn?1281285446
Good morning i read your post.......sorry you went thru this....it happened to me as well a few months ago...i know exactly how scary it is and above all else do not lose hope here.  Atrial Fib is generally one of the most treatment heart issues that there are and you have to remember that the creed of the E.R. is to treat em and street em meaning that you are usually there for a fairly short amount of time and then are referred out after trearment.  The internet at times is not your friend believe me and the best way to handle this is to make an appt. w. a good heart doc and let them run a few tests on you.  I think the biggest frustration w. waking up in a fib is the feeling of helplessness that we all feel because if it were happening in the daytime there are times when we have some control over what happens to us but knowing that this happened in our sleep makes it a little scarier.  By making an appt. w. a heart doc they may very well put you on a light medication to keep them at bay and will give you 24 hour protection if you are a candidate.  The thing is to make the appt. to get back control of your life here and not let it take over controlling you. I know you are probably worried about it happening out of the blue again as most of us do but you do have control here just as soon as you make the appt.  There are literally thousands upon thousands of humans that have this...i chose to have an ablation 3 years ago to get rid of mine and it was success .  Many times docs will put you on a beta blocker to help you out that blocks the adrenaline runs from your heart thus controlling them or if you and the doc agree an ablation is a pretty minimally non invasive procedure to have for a permanent fix and it a very simple no brainer surgery....they go up thru a vein in the groin area to correct it via EP mapping and correction.  There are a couple of things that you can do to help yourself before the appt.  Limit your caffeine intake if not elimate it...this means coffee, tea, colored sodas, energy drinks, drinks w. electrolytes in them, no red wine, stay away from sugars and chocolate, make sure you get good sleep at nite, limit your stress levels if possible and one of the most important things is stay hydrated  w. lots of water....no vitamin waters just plan water because dehydration will set these off like crazy.  Make the appt. afiber....you will be glad you did and this may be a totally isolated case of a fib if you have never gone thru it before trust me..anything could have set it off and anxiety also makes it worse...it is not as bad of a diagnosis as you think it is...it is treatable and not a death sentence by the longest stretch of the imagination....some of the community members here have had it on a daily basis for 30 years and we all enjoy reading their posts....lighten up on yourself and make the appt. w. a heart doc on Monday...not your family doc a heart doc...good luck my friend....
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Avatar universal
thank you very much. Im trying to lose weight and see if that help.
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Avatar universal
After your comment I took an email alert. 3 years have passed by and that mail reminded me of the hard times. Yes your afib would be driven by stress just like mine. Luckily i didn't have any attack since then. I am trying not to make it a big deal and go on. Whenever it happens again the ER's are there to do the fix. This idea makes me feel comfortable. Don't let it take your mental health like mine did. :)
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Avatar universal
Hellos Im 27 years old, I went to er because i Felt i could not sleep as usual. They told me I have Afib. The did a study so the came to me stating I have lone Afib. After that my EKG is never normal. I know i just have like 3 month with that since I had a ekg before and was normal. Know never is normal. Im taking metropolol and it help me a lot. The thing is i feel the difference when i dont use it. Im 5.8 and my weight is 237 pounds. I was thinking the a fib in my situation can be leaded by stress and for be eating junk foods.

I feel calm seeing Im not the only one in this situation.
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Avatar universal
The only times I have had AF my heart rate has been really high.  I would also think even if it wasn't you would notice the irregular beat.  My experience with shortness of breath has been that it's anxiety.  
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Avatar universal
Is there any possibility that I am in Attrial Fibrillation, but can't feel any palpitations because of isoptin?Or is it possible to be in AF with a heart rate of 60-70?
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Avatar universal
You need to tell your doctor about shortness of breath.  It could be from the medications, your heart rate and blood pressure are too low, anxiety or something else. I would call him tomorrow and get that sorted out.  But otherwise, it sounds like you are doing better., that's good.
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Avatar universal
It has been four days since I have been on isoptin as a channel blocker and paxil and ativan as anxiety blocker. The thing is whenever I attempt to walk outside I feel as if there is a rhino sitting on my chest so that I can hardly breath. I attempt to take a deep breath it is not satisfying.After riding bicycle while sitting at home my blood pressure falls nearly about 60 beats per minute. At those times I feel shortness of breath. My doctor is planning to increase the dosage of isoptin next week. After that I am sure I will end in ER with bradicardia.Nowadays my only problem is shortness of breath, if I can get to the bottom of this problem I will feel releived.
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Avatar universal
I agree with Cindy, it really sounds like anxiety.  When you are in sinus rhythm your heart is beating perfectly normally and you will consequently feel normal.   Try to relax all the worry makes it so much worse.  Anxiety can really kick your butt.
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1137980 tn?1281285446
This all really sounds anxiety driven afiber because you are so worried.  Structurally no atrial fib would not cause structural damage to your heart because it is coming from electrical impulses and conduction....it would sort of be like asking if a lightening bolt could be hurt or damaged...If you are in sinus rhythm that means your heart is beating pretty normally and it simply is just two different things my friend...you have either one or the other....try to relax w. this afiber.....you may want to talk to the doc about all of the anxiety and worry that you are going thru to have them guide you thru this or at the very least post onto the Medhelp forum site and post onto the anxiety site so other community members can weigh in on what helps them thru these rough spots until you find your safe place w. all of this...good luck
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Avatar universal
Thank you for all responses,
Nowadays I am listening to myself so much that anxiiety is growing higher. I doNt have any palpitations but I think I am getting tired quickly, have shortness of breath while I walk outside. It is really hot in here, maybe it is normal and the shortness of breath is caused by my anxiet-panic disorder but I wonder if I am in sinus rhtyhm is it Th AFib that I had a week ago is causing this tiredness? Does Afib causes structural damage to my heart or somewhere else that lowers my condition. Just to give an example I rode bicycle yesterday with a very high speed and high effort, I didnT have any problem, my condtion was very good that I got surprised, but whenever I try to walk I get to a point that II should go into an oxygen room.Just to add, yesterday's walking was worse than today even I had given one units of blood today. How does Afib effects your life when you are in sinus rthym? Thank you
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Avatar universal
Lots of folks have mitral valve prolapse and most often it causes no symptoms.  It's a good bet that stress is what caused your problems, just like your doctor suspects.  You should be protected now from your heart running away with you, the isoptin is a calcium channel blocker which will help keep your heart rate down.  And if I'm not mistakened the coraspin is similar to an aspirin?  Most of us that have had afib take an aspirin a day.  So hopefully, you are well on your way to getting past this episode and getting back to your normal life.  
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1137980 tn?1281285446
Well i for one am glad that you are getting to the bottom of this puzzle afiber.  Its estimated that over 30% of the entire population has mitral valve prolapse many since birth including myself.  I have not had any issues w. it and from what i understand usually when things start popping up w. MVP it is in later years of life like the 60's and forward.As long as the docs don';t feel that the atrial fib is caused by an electrical anomoly w. your heart you may very well be good to go just make sure that the doctor is told if issues pop up or reactions to the new meds.  I would seriously afiber pick my battles because life is so darn short....if it is anxiety driven as they say then you are no doubt on the road to recovery w. the new meds.  I can't help but think how many of us on this site have had bad runs w. our hearts and panicked...i think its the norm...make sure you keep us update afiber....sometimes i swear we are our own worst enemies when it comes to matters of the heart not only physically but emotionally..i for one am on the bleachers rooting for you afiber...the great thing is that you got your answers...now go out there and live ......
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Avatar universal
Today I saw my cardiologist and had an EKO.The result is Mitral Valve Prolapsus, which the doctor said makes no harm, it is a frequent heart anomaly from birth. Then went to the psychiatrist and prescribed Ativan and paxil.Coming to AF the eko doctor said that it must be smth triggered by emotional stress. Finally isoptin and coraspin medicated.Any comments please?
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Avatar universal
This morning I woke up with a new kind of taschicardia. I headed to ER, they welcomed me and introduced me to a specialist. He saw my ECG and said that AF turned into sinus taschicardia and said I donT need to see another cardiolog I just have to go to a psychiatrist. The main reason that is lying under my attacks,he said, is anxiety.My father told me that he suffered the same arrythmia problems when he was at my age with exactly the same chronology.Weird.Tomorrow I am going to see a cardiolog and psychatrist.Any comment would be greatly appreciated.
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Avatar universal
When I had my episode of afib it threw me immediately into anxiety, panic mode.  And that just makes it so much worse.  It is very hard to get a handle on it but you really need to try.  I went back into therapy and it helped some.  But the best thing you can do is to try to do normal things.And like Cindy has said a lot of people live their entire life in afib, and live to a ripe old age.  Good luck and I hope you can relieve your mind soon of some of the worry.
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Avatar universal
Thank you Cindy for all those advices. Beleive me you are the only person that I talk this matter with, so I read your posts tens of times and they really make me feel calmed down. You are right I have anxiety disorder that I used to think that I can manage but this attack made the situation over my handling. Thank you for all help that you gave me Cindy. Wish a better and better life for all of us.
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1137980 tn?1281285446
Hi afiber...i don't know if its a matter of being in a bad mood as much as the frustration that we all feel when our hands are tied....a couple of things...alot and i mean alot of people can go a complete life time in atrial fib so it doesn't mean that it will shorten your life...and don't feel alone out there because we in the community are here w. you....you need to differeciate (?) between being tired because of issues w. your heart or maybe a little depression going on...being down will cause you to be tired and it sounds like you are letting this get the best of you.  If you are in a sinus rhythm then yep it usually means you are beating within normal limits...i personally think that you are super aprehensive over what is happening and a little depressed and full of anxiety...my suggestion at this point is to click on the forums site again and re post onto the depression/anxiety sites so others within the community can give you some ideas on what to do to beat this back w. a big stick here...you cannot stop living your life and let this eat you up like it has been afiber.  You need to reach out to others that are on those sites to guide you thru this difficult time in your life right now.  Atrial Fib is the lesser of the evils w. the heart believe me and like i said the most treatable out there.  You need to seriously call the doc tomorrow and tell them you can't live like this and want some action here....in the meantime do not close yourself off from the rest of the world today.....if you were too tired to walk then get in your car and drive and go do something that gets your mind off of this....go watch kids play in a park, go to a dog park and watch the dogs play, take yourself to a funny movie, invite a friend or family member to dinner, do not lock yourself away you need diversion afiber...many of us had atrial fib that was super super bad and here we sit...a second chance at life.....click onto those forums afiber time to reach out to the rest of the world!!!!!
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Avatar universal
When a person with afib is in sinus rythm, is everything normal like other people? I am asking this because I went outside for a walk and felt really tired and turned back.I am really in a bad mood, how can everything change in just one night?  Please somebody talk with me I feel so lonely.
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Avatar universal
Thank you CFS56. The doctors said that according to blood test and the normal EKG I have no illness that is related to Afib. So that there is no need to give medication. For a person in my place, what is teh aaverage rate of episodes in a month or year?Or can I live long years without having an episode? What are your ideas?
Thank you all for supporting me.
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Avatar universal
Of course you are exhausted, you were scared to death.  That alone is enough to make you really tired.  Plus I'm sure you haven't slept well since it happened either.  I was under a ton of stress last summer and in September I ended up in the hospital with afib.  I have been on bystolic, a beta blocker, since then and so far so good (fingers crossed as I say this).  I know how scary it is but I'm convinced that a lot of mine was caused by the stress I was under.  Cindy and Jerry have given you some excellent advice.  Make an appt with a cardiologist on Monday, I'm sure they will run a couple of tests and possibly put you on a beta blocker or something.  There are tons of people who live with permanent afib.  My grandmother did and she lived to be 86.  So just try to get some rest and make your appointment on Monday.  You will be ok, afib is scary but it is certainly not a death sentence.  And like Cindy said, the internet sometimes can make anything sound horrible.  Wait until you see a cardiologist and make a list of questions you want to ask prior to your appt.  You will be fine.
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Avatar universal
Thank you cindy for your totally enlightening inputs and Jerry thank you for the recommendation.
Cindy you said it will be a totally isolated case of afib. CAn it be real? I didnT have such kind of a thing before and I have been through tough times over the last three months(stress and fatigue).And when I converted to sinus rythm my EKG was normal.
İt has been 34 hours since I had my attack and I feel exhausted, especially when I climb up the stairs. can it be psychological or psyhologically normal?
Helpful - 0
612551 tn?1450022175
COMMUNITY LEADER
I just scanned Cindy's good inputs and know they are valuable, give it careful consideration is my main point. My secondary point is, take an aspirin a day, if you stomach can take it.  If already mentioned, I overlooked.  Taking aspirin longer than a few weeks (I forget what it says on the bottle) should be discussed with your doctor.  I take a half regular aspirin a day and have for the past 2 years... no ulcers yet.
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