Nancy, afib is enough to scare the hell out of anybody. A useful exercise might be to put the word anxiety into the search function here and see what others have talked about in this regard. When i did that just now, i found 111 entries, that is, posts that mentioned that word. PeggyMby PeggyM - AFIBBERS FORUM
Nancy: Afib is enough to make anyone anxious even without any pre-existing anxiety already in place. There are many of us who suffered from some form of anxiety prior to being diagnosed with afib. I don't know of any data relating anxiety as a cause of afib but it wouldn't surprise me if there was a relationship since acute anxiety certainly causes the heart to beat harder and fasterby Gordon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Nancy: I think you'll find everyone has different stories, and a lot of us are anxious. I suffer from depressive anxiety from time to time (mercifully short) - sometimes anxiety coincides with more episodes, sometimes not. Last summer I had a bad health scare which lasted for 3 months - I was sure my episodes would increase. Result = nothing, even though I pressed all the usual trigger buttoby David Price - AFIBBERS FORUM
Before I had my first afib episode, I had already been diagnosed with GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) - it was caused by years and years of tension and stress at work. Anyhow, I've been on Celexa (a SSRI) for that for years and it's done wonders for me. Not much anxiety at all in my world anymore. Of course, then come the fibs back in a major way. And now I wake up anxious, I am anby Nancy - AFIBBERS FORUM
SOTOLOL was the only drug i have been able to tolerate. I started on 80mg twice a day and was put up to as high as 120. I suffered several breakthroughs but after watching what i eat and drink i have located some of my triggers i believe and have been afib free for about 1 year and 6 months. I am currently on 80mg in the morning and 80 in the evening. I am going to ask doctor to lower it agaiby steve Daley - AFIBBERS FORUM
I still fly for work, and at times, go into slight anxiety(didnt have this until the Afib episode a month ago), I am taking 5mg Diazapam(Valium) before my flights now, never had these feeling before. On top of that, I often find myself checking my pulse due to excessive heart beating(pounding) in my chest. It feels like a normal pulse, and heart rate, but now and then the punding occurs...anytby Rick - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Everyone. I'm new with this, in fact, I had my first (known) afib attack about 3 to 4 weeks ago. My "episode" hit right at bedtime and I honestly thought I must be having an acute anxiety attack (never had one of those before either.) Quickly though, I got scared and we rushed to the hospital. My heart rate was 200 and didn't respond well to the meds to lower it. I wasby Evelyn H - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well, im not sure i will be visiting here too often anymore, I just had my first and last visit with the Cardiologist my Primary advised me to see. After 1 month with the Heart Event Monitor, and little of no caffeine or alcohol since my Afib incident in Vegas last month, he told me that everything checked out ok, I am extremely healthy, heart healthy, no signs of anything, IM 38. In his dictatby Rick - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well, im not sure i will be visiting here too often anymore, I just had my first and last visit with the Cardiologist my Primary advised me to see. After 1 month with the Heart Event Monitor, and little of no caffeine or alcohol since my Afib incident in Vegas last month, he told me that everything checked out ok, I am extremely healthy, heart healthy, no signs of anything, IM 38. In his dictby Rick - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dude: I am 35 and I have has this crap since I was in the 6th grade. It was never diagnosed until I was 31! What got me to find out what I had was a day/night of binge drinking that landed me in the ER in Afib for 6 hours. My case sounds very different from yours. If you have only had this once and it was a night of heavy partying, I would tell you don't sweat it at all. The panic is aby Pete - AFIBBERS FORUM
I gave up all caffeiner after my first and so far only afib epiosode a month ago, I started having anxiety and slight panic attacks after the afib episode, and didnt want the caffeine to trigger any, im not sure the effect on my only afib episode, ive been wearing a heart event monitor for three weeks so far, and so good...but still get lightheaded and dizzy at times(Anxiety me thinks)by Rick - AFIBBERS FORUM
This is a great topic. I had my first Afib episode(Im 38) a month ago. After a ziollion tests, my heart is very healthy, blood tests normal, yet I had been getting that lightheaded feeling a few times, especially before a flight, or even in the movies, and I figured it was panic attackes or anxiety. I was not given any prescriptions excpet a baby asprin once a day. I am trying to fight this aby Rick - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Steve I am not sure about the other drugs you are on however your symptoms are exactly like mine with sotalol 80mg twice a day. Additionally it pushed my resting pulse through the floor (I think??) and as a result was reduced to 40mg twice a day 5 weeks ago with no increase in afib. My pulse is still in the low 40's so I think I am probably going to have to say goodbye to sotalol howeveby Thom Sibbald - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi everyone, I have been free of afib for 1 year and 4 months now. Not bad however I feel like crap. I feel most of symptoms in head where i experience a feeling of unease out of focus dizzy type sypmtoms but not really dizzy. Feel an off balance of body but never fall. Just feel like crap. I take some xanex to help anxiety from the afib it is .25 at bedtime and also take .25 konopin in morby steve Daley - AFIBBERS FORUM
JonC, PeggyM meant that LAF is not life threatening if you have no underlying heart problems. However, if you should go for medical attention if you get close to 48 hours in afib because of the danger of blood clotting. We all know your fears of afib, as we have all been there. One of the best things I can advice you is that you find a means to relax your mind. If it means calling your cousin orby Sharon Glass - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello, Jon - I'm very sorry to read your story. My heart goes out to you for all that you've been through at your tender, young age and then to experience AF on top of all that is truly an unwanted extra burden. Very sad, indeed. You've done a good job of assessing your lifestyle habits that have probably helped contribute to afib - given the stress you've been under foby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Michelle I too experience dizziness sometimes and I am also diagnosed with anxiety mostly because of afib. I also had blood tests done last november and I was leaning toward hyper thyroid. Thanks PC for your in put I think that sounds like what happens to me. Belindaby Belinda - AFIBBERS FORUM
Michelle, It sounds just like the same thing I have. I have been free of afib for year and half--i am on sotolol but also experienced anxiety and feel off balance and shitty(sorry for that word). I take xanex but i still get it. I started to get this last summer and i too have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder because of afib. You are not the only one. You sound just like me. What canby steve Daley - AFIBBERS FORUM
Michelle, when I look back in retrospect, I am thining I had some afib off and on for years before I had my first episode that took me to the hospital. I had many times when I would be lightheaded, dizzy and just out of sorts during an anxious time. If my heart was doing funny things, I didn't recognize it and eventually the lightheadness and dizziness would go away. Now that I know what afiby Sharon Glass - AFIBBERS FORUM
Michelle - your symptoms sound to me very much like those I experienced with hypoglycemia and was often a trigger of afib for me. Hypoglycemia is typically the result of your blood glucose level dropping too low caused by too much insulin produced from eating a food with a high carb and or sugar content. Sometimes alcohol will produce the same effect. The response to such a meal or snack is theby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
James, you make the most perfect sense....it was determoned that I AFTER I fainted in the airport(determined by stress, dehydration, three days of drinking, poor diet for those three days, and lack of sleep), I THEN went into Afib. The fit person on the scene(a cardiologist), said I was in normal sinus rhythm, and normal heart rate, but when paramedics arrived, things went 'amuck' andby Rick - AFIBBERS FORUM
Oh Nick, That makes two of us! I had the same sudden, without warning, black-outs and dizzy spells after my ablation in June of 2005. Like you, it started quite a while after the ablation - eight months for me. I posted about this bizarre syndrome on this BB a while back. I know what you mean about them being frightening and incapacitating. It happens without any apparent cause: sometiby Carol A. - AFIBBERS FORUM
OH YEAH.... I relate for sure... I also take sotalol... it was the 4th or 5th beta blocker that I took until I finally had a half decent reaction in controlling my AF (well controlling not the write word, but you know what i mean)... I personally don't think the meds are what brings on anxiety, it is the fact that when we have an episode, especially one that is long lasting) our heart canby Gordon Soucy - AFIBBERS FORUM
My first Afib incident happened as I was at the airport on my way home from Vegas to Florida. An hour before the flight, I felt very dizzy, and eventually fainted at the gate. Paremedics rushed me the the ER, my heart was at 190 bps. After 28 hours and meds through IV, my heart got to normal Sinus rhythm and between 70 and 90 bpm. I underwent a Nuclear Stress Test, Ultrasound, Chest Xray, andby Rick - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello Gordon, First of all, THANK YOU for putting your life on the line and also thanks goes to your family for what they must have suffered while you were away. I am so sorry for your trouble - and even more sorry that you are not getting the support you deserve! I'm so angry with both the military and the government in their gutless ducking and weaving to get out of their responsibilitieby Emmie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Steve, Trust you have got somthing positive out of all the suggestions you have received, you are now aware that everyone has experienced anxiety who suffer from AF. After my first attack I recon I suffered from post traumatic stress...truly! and I too scared to move. Here in Oz we have a singer called John Fahrnam and in one of his songs (Whispering Jack) there are a couple of lines thatby Judith - AFIBBERS FORUM
Steve, I've just remembered to ask whether your anxiety prevents you from getting to sleep. I've just started taking a 100mg capsule of 5-HTP (Now brand) about 20 mins. before I go to bed and it eases me into sleep with that delightful drowsy feeling. (Haven't experienced that in years!) It doesn't appear toaffect my afib at all (I'm in AF 24/7) but it's certainby Emmie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Steve, I understand your boredom and being alone. How about a singles group, possibly in your church. Do some volunteer work. Get a pet. Nothing like an animal to take time and offer comfort. Walking a dog is a great way to get out and meet people. Good luck. Cynthiaby Cynthia - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for all your comments. I went to a psycologist and all they really want to do is put you on drugs. I take all of your thoughts in and try to keep my life on an even road. I do believe it is obsessing and mental but thats me and I must learn to control that. I am retired I am 61 Right now live comfortably and do what I want. I am single however and boredom and loneliness does come intoby steve Daley - AFIBBERS FORUM
I found that l-arginine calms me down. I am also a firm believer of biofeedback for anxiety. Ativan has a horrible "kick" two days later...I get a bad rebound effect from the drug.by susan - AFIBBERS FORUM