A Flutter

[tsco]

I think Im loosing my mind. Typically when I'm waking up or sleeping, I assume because I am calm and still, I can feel a vibration going on in my chest, kind of like a cats purr.  When I check my pulse my heart rate is slow 65 BPM. I have had ablations for SVT, flutter, etc. I take flecainide and toprol.   Is it possible to be in a flutter but have a normal heart speed and beat?  Is this my nerves?  I thought usually you would have a fast rythm with a flutter. Freakin me out.
Thanks

[Jerry_NJ]

I agree in my case where I suffer from permanent AFib, the only thing I feel that tells me I remain in that state is my higher HR and some irregularity of the HR.  I understand my fibrillation, is just that, a rapid oscillation of the atrial chamber, thus making it almost useless and the source of lots of extra HB signals to the ventricles.  Happily we can live with just the ventricles working.  Interesting fail-safe design.  

[tsco]

Thanks a bunch for posting. Yes this is weird to figure out. It stops as I wake (I think). My pulse when I feel is normal but something in there is more rapid. I dont know about not being able to feel atrial contractions, I hope thats a fact. That makes me feel better.
Thanks.

[is_something_wrong]

Hello,

I have similar problems when waking up, just after falling asleep, from time to time. I was also suspecting atrial flutter.

My doctor told me that it's impossible to feel atrial contractions during flutter and fibrillation. He believes the sensation of very quick heartbeats (when the heart rate in fact is normal) is tremor, muscle spasms, etc.

[tsco]

I'm with you. I thought it would be fast.  This one is new.  I have SVT atrial flutter and early on some episodes of afib. MY ablations were the flutter.  This is just kind of strange and it wakes me.  Wow sounds like you have been through the mill.  How are you doing?

[Jerry_NJ]

Sounds like something worth asking your doctor, but I think it is possible to have extra atrial beats while having a normal heart rate (ventricle).  I do think it is typical for flutter and fibrillation of the atrial to cause a higher and irregular HB, but it may not be possible.  Maybe the ablated areas are blocking the "extra" atrial flutter... as it should.

Was your ablation for fibrillation or flutter?