Any people have atrial fibrillation (AF) brought on by anxiety

[contrarymary]

I have episodes of AF which get worse from anxiety and stress. Apparently according to hospital and GP a huge amount of the population suffer from also.

I am sure there are also forum members who have AF I am looking for ideas on how to deal with episodes which come and go and made worse by stress.

Its easy for doctor to say relax but sometimes easier said than done

[Ggrand]

Hello Dear contrarymary,

I suffer from AF....and have done for a many years...

When I get really anxious it does flare up worse then a normal attack...so when I am in an anxiety attack...I try hard to keep calm and deep breathe...sometimes it works better then other times...

I have been medicated for a problem since I was 23 for heart valve problems ...that was 42 years ago....recently I have been experiencing more AF, then I normally have been.... my Cardiologist has increased my meds....and it seems to have settled it down again now....

contrarymary, your Dr..is so right..to try hard to relax through an episode...when it happens to you try some deep breathing or meditation...worrying about it causes more anxiety...which feels like it’s worse then it is...try to take your mind off the sensation your feeling in your chest by also doing something that needs your full concentration....

Many people do struggle with AF....I have had the symptoms for over 40 years..As well as wonky valves...I am still here and learnt to manage it.....I think if you have had the test necessary to rule out any other problems...just relax as best you can...

My kindest thoughts dear contrarymary...,

Grandy..

[contrarymary]

Grandy

thanks for your response I am going to give meditation another go. As my AF is intermittent it can appear anytime, I have gone to emergency a number of times but by the time they hook me up to machines it's gone hence they always tell me it's not a physical problem or an emergency.

My GP has arranged for an event monitor for 4 weeks to see if it picks up anything, in one way I hope it does just to prove that the palpitations are not my imagination nor am I seeking attention as I heard one nurse say.

[Ggrand]

Hello dear contrarymary...

So many times I have been hooked up to machines, when things have settled down..,it seems to always happen..doesn’t it?..

I have a great Cardiologist who does a stress test with me every 6 months and a halter monitor every 6 months as well...The halter monitor always shows up the abnormally of my heart beats....I am pleased I don’t need need the events monitor..24 hours is long enough to wear those sticky things and sleep with the monitor on me...

I really hope that the event monitor will record any AF or missed heart beats...so you can start on the medication or treatment if you need to....

.I’m wishing you all the best wishes I have..

always here for you if you feel to talk..

My kind thoughts and wishes lovely lady..

Grandy..

[blondguy]

Hi Contrarymary

Its great to chat with you again. Since there is no thing as a dumb question can I ask if you mean heart palpitations? If you do mean heart palpitations I understand how horrible this symptom of anxiety can be

I dont know what AF means

my kind thoughts

Paul

[Ggrand]

Hello Contrarymary, Paul and everyone....🤗..

Paul, AF..is an irregular and fast heart beat....Mine is caused by a valve that doesn’t pump properly..and the left side of my heart muscle hardening.....under stress at times my heart can feel like it’s going that fast and missing so many beats that it’s fluttering and doing summersaults .which can while this is happening cause, stroke, heart attack, heart failure, angina etc....I am an special heart meds for mine since I was 23...As I have had a few attacks of angina...gradually mine is worsening as I get older...

Stress can also give you AF in a milder form, where the heart beats irregular and fast...without necessarily having an underlining heart disease.....it is common with anxiety and feels a lot like palpitations, with an occasional bang, with the extra beat....it can generally be settled down with deep breathing and mindfulness ...

I hope I explained AF. so that you can understand it a little bit Paul.....I hope you are doing well Paul...Wishing you all the best wishes I have...

How are you going Contrarymary?..

Kind thoughts..

Grandy..

[contrarymary]

You explained it well. Mine usually happens due to anxiety getting over tired does not help. Always seem to happen at night usually about midnight when I am lying awake and cant sleep

Nothing can really be done learn to live with it my GP says. I've had all the tests nothing physically wrong but I have worked out if I keep active and my mind occupied it helps.

If I am really stressed my husband takes me out for a drive for an hour or two even in the middle of the night to keep me occupied.

AF seems to be very common and it affects people differently in my case I get really anxious for instance last night I woke up at midnight and that was it I lay awake for hours worrying which of course brought on palpitations and until I got up at 7am slept intermittently tried reading, doing puzzles, pacing the floor and watching a boring movie. I have been to emergency a few times - 3 times in one month they say see GP about mental health plan

I am having another 24 hour monitor this week so see what's happening, apparently you need to catch an episode when it's happening so that the machine picks it up as it might only last for a few seconds and I think that's why my GP and the hospital think it's my imagination.

I can go weeks even months sometimes without a problem and then it hits sometimes for a week it just needs one bad day or night and it snowballs from there something simple can put me in AF e.g. being to tired, eating something with a preservative in, stress, not drinking enough water, lack of exercise.

My biggest worry is learning how to cope with it and to accept that its not something I need to rush to the hospital or GP for all the time. You can get an app for your phone that you can put your finger on and it will tell you if you are in AF or not I thi k that for me might be a hindrance and not a help

[geoff]

Hello Contrarymary, I also have AF and only found out at one stage when I was in the hospital, not for mental issues, but for other physical mishaps, so I take medication, which may mean I'm OK when I visit my GP, but it goes haywire when I'm in the hospital, may be caused by being anxious, I want to go home to my puppie.

Take care.

Geoff.

[Ggrand]

Hello Contrarymary, Geoff...

Awe Geoff..I can relate to wanting to go home to your puppie...I am the same when in hospital..my dogs give me a medicine and coping tools more then any hospital, Dr, nurse, therapist can ever give me.....I am sorry Geoff that you also struggling with AF....It’s not a nice feeling....

Contrarymary.....I have a little machine that my Dr told me to get..and I use it quite frequently when my heart goes into AF...I have recorded a pulse of 510 at one time...and was trying everything I could to get it back into rhythm and beat slower...It took what seemed like hours..but was only minutes until it started to settle down....I took an extra heart med and breathed deeply without success at first,..then I went outside and forced myself to deep breathe and watch the birds.....slowly it settled down...When I told my cardiologist about it..he said next time to immediately call an ambulance as my heart was under too much stress...

Normal AF for me is a beat of around 280 and I can bring that down by reading a book, playing a game, ringing my friend....as well as breathing slowly and deeply.....without being stressed out about what’s happening....It’s learning how to manage it and slow down the heart beat....Its trial and error in a way...

Its not a life threatening illness if your heart is okay..but because of my wonky valve and muscle....I need to be more careful....

Its hard to catch when you want it to happen ...I hope that this time they will pick up something...so they can treat it if it needs to be treated....My dr told me it’s very common in people with stress/ anxiety..

I found red food colouring...lack of water and too much caffeine can set mine off....as well as lack of sleep and anxiety....It’s good you know some of the things that set it off for you..it helps to be able to manage it better..In time you will find out what works for you..I think if you do something that requires your full concentration to redirect your mind with what’s going on in your chest it will help a lot in the future...

My kind thoughts Dear Contrarymary.....

Talk when you feel up to it....

Grandy..

[contrarymary]

Update re my AF

Went to emergency again and this time my AF was picked up on the heart monitor I felt like cheering and saying I told you all I was not in my imagination, y heart went back to normal so I was send home. A week later I went back as it happened again this time they did tests my electrolytes were very low so after replenishment and a cardioversion I was sent home that was 2 weeks ago so here's hoping it is while before there are any more problems