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Sorry for going on about this, but I'm having a hard time. I think what scares me the most is the thought of having that breathlessness again. Is that breathlessness really never dangerous? In fact, is afib not dangerous? Diana.by Diana - AFIBBERS FORUM
Randy , have you tried the B vitamins. When I first came to this board I was in quite a state. Angry at work, angry at home, sufferring from newly diagnosed afib and not knowing how to treat it. The anger and stress from work were probably integral to my development of my arrythmia. The things that helped me turn it aroumd were listening to CD's of Wayne Dyer's " There is a spby Adrian - AFIBBERS FORUM
What meds do not trigger afib for anxiety? I have GOT to find a doc that will give me something. I have struck out with my GP and Cardio.by randy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom: I don't know about normal but what you're describing is certainly not unusual. Many of us have had that start or become more obvious after ablations. I'm told that those extra PAC's don't lead to afib as the ablation cut the connection so they can no longer trigger the fib. Check the Conference Room topics and try the supplements. My ectopics have gone to practiby Gordon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom - yes, it's common after afib and even after going off drugs to have some extra beats. There is a discussion going on now in the Conference Room section that may be of interest to you about this topic... PACs etc after ablation. Just give it time. You may need to consider some electrolyte supplementation - magnesium, potassium, and even taurine to help settle down your PACs. Jackiby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diana: By "treated" afib, I mean Coumadin if you're over 65 y/o, or aspirin and other blood thinners if you're younger to protect you from stroke which is the main killer/disabler from afib. Certainly the rate/rhythm control drugs are worthwhile if they work. To handle the anxiety I had to convince myself that afib would not be what was going to kill me and that there is enby Gordon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well I am not an authority have had occasional bouts since 2004. I am hypothyroid and gradually getting my dose of Armour thyroid up to the level I need. However lately since getting on 3 grains a day seems like I`m kind of on the edge. Since I was under treated for about 13 years my adreanals may be kind of stressed. This can cause the afib bouts = the thyroid kind of overpowers them. Nextby Dee Buckel - AFIBBERS FORUM
THIS IS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HAD ABLATION, I HAD ONE IN DECEMBER, JUST HAD FOLLOW UP VISIT AND WILL BE WEANING MYSELF OFF THE SOTALOL THIS WEEK,,, MY QUESTION IS= DO YOU STILL HAVE LIKE A COUPLE SECODS OR MINUTE OF PAC, FAST BEAT, FOR A FEW SECONDS STILL, BUT NO AFIB? SEE I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN AND WONDER IF MY ABLATION WAS SUCCESFUL, OR THIS IS NORMAL LONG AS AFIB DOES NOT START UP. I TRY NOT TOby Tom - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for all the support and encouragement. This board is a life-saver. Gordon, what do you mean by "treated afib" (re: not dying from...) I'm currently not taking any medication. Diana.by Diana - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diana, All good replies to you. I, like everyone else spent much of my first few afib years in hospital ERs, with the breathlessness and panic. As Gordon pointed out breathing correctly will really help. "If you can get control of your breathing and breath into and out of your belly not your chest and make sure your out breath is longer than your in breath you will find it to be calby Pam - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sue, 6 months sounds like a milestone to me. My most sincere congratulations. There are a lot of people reading this board who would be delighted to go 6 months without an afib episode, and i hope they all put your name into an author search and read back in your older posts til they find one of the places where you have described the exact amounts and brand names of the Mg glycinate and taurinby PeggyM - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diana: Another good OTC helper is valerian root. If you can get control of your breathing and breath into and out of your belly not your chest and make sure your out breath is longer than your in breath you will find it to be calming. However, no matter what it takes, you have to let your mind know that it can't get by with the runaway stuff. If it takes Xanax or an equivalent so be it.by Gordon - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diana - One of the most difficult fears to conquer is the onset of afib and the uncomfortable symptoms including the breathlessness. My first events left me gasping for air and a considerable ache or pain in my jaw which smacked (to me) of the early warning signs of a heart attack. Once I became a bit more knowledgeable about what afib is and read enough times that it was not a fatal conditionby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I will order the book right away. They told me to call 911 because I was so breathless. Not necessary? I now know I've had afib since my 20s, but never had an attack longer than a minute or so. I always had many extra/missed beats, daily, and was ASSURED by the cardiologist it would never, ever be a problem. Wrong. He was shocked it went into afib, kept saying this over and over (not reassuby Diana - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diana, have you identified any of your triggers yet? I found out that was a key to keeping my afib at bay. I wonder why they told you to call an ambulance when you have an attack as from all I have read AFIB in itself is not life threatning. Have you read Hans book? It makes you feel so much better about everything. I know being anxious is part of the whole scenerio and probably doesn't helpby Sharon Glass - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diana, I seem to be much like you. My episodes are far apart but still have anxiety. I carry around some xanex that my doctor gave me. I use it sparingly but i do have it. As i grow to accept my afib and learn about it my anxiety seems to be less. I think as you learn and experience it yours will also. Good luckby steve Daley - AFIBBERS FORUM
I know I am lucky in that my afib episodes have been far apart, but I am still very nervous. How do people cope with the anxiety?? Diana.by Diana - AFIBBERS FORUM
Every attack has its own personality, it seems to me. Another vagal attack today after sitting up from a nap. I also have paroxysmal benign positional vertigo, a new problem that cropped up last month. It seems to me now that both the vertigo and the afib are positional problems. They both occur when changing position after laying down for a nap or after I have gone to bed at night. This timby jude - AFIBBERS FORUM
My suggestion would be to ask your doctor to prescribe you Ativan. That has worked wonders for me. It didn't take away the a fib, but it surely took away the anxiety. Also, it's much easier to tolerate a fib at home than in the E.R. There all you have to do is lie in bed and think about your heart beat. At home, you have things to do to keep your mind off the problem. Janeby Jane - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Diana- I used to have very high heart rates in afib, in the 160 range, but it was significantly affected by anxiety. Maybe a survey is in order because I wonder how many episodes of afib it takes for the average afibber to reduce their anxiety appreciably. For me, it was about 10 episodes. I am lucky enough to generally have episodes every month or two, so I am talking about approx 1 yearby Thomas - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello, I just had my second episode of laf - my first happened 5 months ago. This time around, I thought because of the information gathered here, I'd be more relaxed - wrong! I really feel in a panic. This time my heart rate was 160 or more. Do other people have high rates like this? Do you always go to the hospital? What scared me the most was the breathlessness, which I didn't have tby Diana - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have these strange beats too, usually once a day, it used to be after my breakfast but has now moved to after lunch, it only lasts for a while maybe up to half a minute then I am OK, I feel a bit of panic when it happens but I think us afibbers are so aware of of every beat and twitch of our hearts that we feel anxiety at every unusual happening, when I mentioned it to my consultant he said heby Heather - AFIBBERS FORUM
Glad its over I bet?. Time like me to sit it out . I having runs of PAC's no Afib yet,apart from inital one. Dosing myself with mg and K at the moment trying to smooth them out. The anxiety is killing me, I like things clean cut but hay we're dealing with bodies not machines. Keep posting. Chrisby Chris H - AFIBBERS FORUM
In 1997 I had a full blown, off the chart panic attack and subsequently developed ongoing panic disorder. On the first attack I went to the hospital and was told it was "an anxiety attack" I later looked at the ECG and saw that I was in fact in NSR. About two years later, I went into atrial fibrillation for the first of many times and now believe that the panic led to the afib. Iby Liz Jan - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ok, I finished week 3 since the procedure and WOW.. I am in a lot of pain. For the first 2 weeks there was so much thorasic cavity pain that I was coming unglued; this past week the most effective relief came from advil & methylpredisone (the 5 day pk) that targeted reducing the internal inflammation, so that seems to have abated. When the internal pain subsided I was able to feel how nby S Darcy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Aldona, Happy things are going so well for you. I was taken by your comment about 10 years of residual anxiety. Prior to my ablations, I had become convinced my anxiety was causing, or at least contributing in a big way to my AFIB. But looking back now, it's clear it was the other way around. The AFIB was causing the anxiety. Now that the AFIB is gone, so is that unmistakable anxiety. Bestby BillB - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dear Bob - I can appreciate your concern and apprehension. Those of us who have had ablation mostly agree it was not all that difficult. The fear of the unknown drives us to be nervous, but as Doug indicates, it is far less trauma than many of the afib events endured. When it's over, you'll be done with it and can begin to enjoy life again. Please let us know how you are afterwardby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I see alot of posts talking about vagal afib and what to do about it and asking about tne relevance of beta blockers. I am a male, in my mid 40's who has suffered with afib on and off for about 6 years. Typical symptoms would include waking up in the middle of the night with a massively extended stomach, palpitations and extreme anxiety. I saw a gastroenterologist and a cardiologist and haby Ed - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well, I had a good run so shouldn't complain, but I had my second episode in a month last night, so the run has officially come to an end. The problem, as ever, seems to be the inflammation of the gut and oesophagus. I'm now on my second PPI (Rebaprozole). Like the first, it worked very well indeed for a couple of years - perhaps we just eventually build up a resistance...... I guess I&by David Price - AFIBBERS FORUM
Cornelia, how have you been doing, miss hearing from you. Did you ever try the spirulina again? I was so pleased for you when you had that long afib free spell, and i did so hope it would last. PeggyMby PeggyM - AFIBBERS FORUM