ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
LET’S FIND OUT WHAT WE MUST KNOW ABOUT AFIB!! TOGETHER!
Atrial Fibrillation is also known as afib, A-fib, AF or sometimes also referred to as atrial flutter, although it is not the same thing (more about that later). In plain words, it is an irregular heart beat, a rapid heart beat and the upper heart chambers are not working as they should due to an electrical malfunction. It is the most common heart irregularity, for the smart guys, it’s cardiac arrhythmia.
But there is HOPE!!! Yes! this is not the end and there most probably is a cure for you, and even if your heart stays in afib it can be managed.
There are people living a normal live in permanent afib, but I was cured of afib and it is wonderful. Let me tell you what worked for me and many others.
What does afib feel like?
A racing or speeding heart, skipped heart beats, others describe it as erratic heartbeat or strong palpitations. Some people feel a thud and then there is a silence and you think your heart has stopped just to feel it come back with a bang. Other people describe it as a fluttering, flopping fish in your chest or just some sort of heartbeat that does not feel normal.
I have felt the pressure in my throat and in my chest. Then a light dizziness and a shortness of breath. The way I described it to my doctor was that it felt like my heart changed gears, and then relief when it’s back in rhythm. The other strange thing is that you can “feel” your heart beat.
Please visit my BLOG PAGE to see what I have been up to and my resource page to see what can help you in your journey.
Gave me ‘heart’ thank you……………….
Anne
Sometimes it is all we need, just a little hope in our heart.
Thanks for listing our book, Beat Your A-Fib on your resources page. We’d be glad to send you a copy (print or eBook). Just contact me!
Patti Ryan
A-Fib, Inc., publisher of A-Fib.com and Beat Your A-Fib by Steve S. Ryan, PhD
Great to hear from you, Patti!
Thanx for the offer, and I will make contact with you.
You and Steve must be one of the leaders if not THE leader in the world of AFIB and AFIB education.
Your site http://a-fib.com/ is wonderful!
Any afibber(afib patient) or afib caregiver MUST visit your site.
Janco
I could use a few more words on when and whether “arrhythmia” is a broader term than “afib”. But thanks for this site, I’ve just been looking at it for the first time, and we could use a lot more information and support on these conditions.
According to me Arrhythmia is the broader term and some of the types are: Premature atrial contractions (PAC), PVC, Atrial Flutter, PSVT, AVNRT and a few more.
Mainly the 2 broad types depend if the Arrhythmia occurs in the Atrium(upper chambers) or Ventricles (lower chambers).But I have not gone into all the types that are described.
This is very important. I am a sufferer of WPW syndrome with atrial fibrillation, treated with meds since 1990. It caused me a great deal of anxiety, fear and displeasure, especially after it was diagnosed and treated ironically! The meds have worked well, mostly, for 28 years but the anxiety remains still and goes from mild to very severe.
The connection with intestinal disturbances fascinates me because I seem to get flurries of ectopic heartbeats associated with intestinal discomfort. It’s only now that there is some published research that you can see online that mentions these connections.
I have meant to write about my AF experiences online for a long time; maybe I will do this.
Hi Dave
Thx for the comment. For a long time, I told my Dr that I thought my heart was beating against my stomach, “touching it”. It felt like that to me. I now think that it is connected to the vagus nerve in some way, you can read this to get more info:https://www.myafibheart.com/ectopic-heartbeat-vagus-nerve-palpitations/
The connection with intestinal disturbances also fascinates me.
Let me know if you start writing.
Thank you for this site and all the information you provide. I’ve had two episodes of afib – one that hit in 2016 and the other a few months ago – both went away on their own within 72 hours, but I am seeing an EP for it. He says I shouldn’t worry. Now I feel all kinds of PVCs, especially tonight, while I’m sick! Wow, do they suck. LOL! Still, I wish it would go away… but in any case, I saw your page about PVCs and will try some of those tips!
Hope the tips work for you and also that the EP only has good news.
In the beginning, I found it difficult to distinguish between AFIB, PVC/PAC, and Panic attacks.
Wonderful blog you have here but I was wanting to know if
you knew of any message boards that cover the same topics discussed in this
article? I’d really love to be a part of group where I can get
feed-back from other experienced people that share the same
interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know.
Many thanks!
I do not know of message boards, but I find the following Sites/blogs very informative:
http://a-fib.com/about-a-fib-com/
http://www.livingwithatrialfibrillation.com/
And of course Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CHDAthletes/?ref=bookmarks
https://www.facebook.com/groups/219532868150904/?ref=bookmarks
If you know of any others please let me/us know.
Janco
i have suffered afib for 11 years, everyday waking up scared if something will happen
struggling to learn a career, coping with anxiety disorder and afib was very stressful, now working full time is something i find unbearable, it triggers my afib episode. last one was 2 days ago, now on meds to prevent stroke and keep heart rhythm steady.
very stressful living with such a mean condition ! thanks for being online i feel better seeing support groups.
steve
Yes, Steve, it is good to know you and us all are not alone.
Be strong there is hope!
Thank god there is someone out there who talks about this, you have been incredibly helpful I’m so happy I found your website, such a relief to know I’m not the only one on earth who experienced this, my name is mike I’m 26 years old and all my life I NEVER had an issue until past 5-6 years I’m scared to live life I have anexiety now which I didn’t even believe exsisted until I had multiple panic attacks, I thought those were only for crazies….so far from the truth….now I have bad palpitations that I never had before it feels like my heart stops then pounds hard again out of no where and I’m so scared to do anything even basic things I used to work out hard for 8 years straight now I’m scared to do a basic task like going shopping you name it, things no one in their right mind would fear, I went to cardiologist wore the 2 week monitor they said I’m fine, she mentioned Pvs and pac in upper and lower chamber but I’m fine…. I can’t seem to get any answers and I know what I’m feeling I get these palpitations once a day sometimes only 2-3 times a week but it’s becoming more often….. I really don’t know how much longer I can keep living like this I need someone to point me in the right direction because apparently no doctor cares unless your dying I live in Long Island New York and was willing to go into the city at Columbia new york presbyterian which is one of best hospitals and they won’t even look at me unless I had a “condition from birth” I don’t get it I just want someone to help me, a random cardiologist I picked doesn’t care and neither does a renowed hospital what do I do? Find another cardiologist? I don’t know ….it scares me and I’m not anywhere near crazy but maybe I shoukd see a psychologist? Do I need anexiety drugs or heart drugs? How will I go on in this world excel in my business find a girl one day start a family if I can’t even do basic Things? I feel like a 90 year old man? Your posts help so much just to hear you say so many similarities and I’m so greatful there’s someone like you to speak out and actually care but I’m still so lost, do you have any ideas that can help me? I’d be forever greatful just for you to hear me out
Hi Mike H
I know the feeling, the Dr’s says I’m fine but I felt like I was dying!
It’s better to treat your “head” and thoughts, the panic and anxiety.
You can go and see a psychologist or someone that you can talk to and someone that will give and learn you some coping technics, like CBT(Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), breathing technics and visualization technics. Use all 3 or the ones that work best for you.
Watch this video of Dr. Sanjay Gupta(The Cardiologist) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEYlYNmvT-A
And read these blogs: https://www.myafibheart.com/ectopic-heartbeat-anxiety-you-must-know-this/#more-790
https://www.myafibheart.com/how-do-you-grab-hold-of-hope/#more-823
Also, use this thoughtarrest technic. https://www.myafibheart.com/stop-panic-attacks-thoughtarrest/
It’s not always easy but try it.
I must say that I pray a lot and believe in the healing power of Jesus.
Hope it helps, and never give Up.
I hope my comment reached you I really need your help
Hi Mike H
Hope my reply helps you, but unfortunately, it’s not a quick fix.
Hello and thank you for your encouraging and educational website. I thought it may be helpful to tell you about my experience with a-fib. I have had a hyper personality for most of my life. For years my doctor had diagnosed my chronic heart palpitations as being caused by “General Anxiety Disorder”. In August 2017, stress with family and work reached very high levels and I wound up in the Emergency Room of my local hospital with continuous a-fib (I was 55 years old at the time). It took the doctors and nurses two hours to stop the a-fib with medication. When my heart normalized, they decided to keep me in the hospital to determine why my heart a-fibbed. They did many tests including the strenuous tread mill test and could not find anything wrong with my heart. However, one test result came back later with the reason for the a-fib: my thyroid had become hyper. The levels of thyroid hormone were very high above normal range. The doctors diagnosed me with an autoimmune disease called Graves Disease. What that means is that my immune system produced antibodies that attacked my thyroid but did so in a manner that that the thyroid gland took as a message to produce more hormone. Too much thyroid hormone speeds up the metabolism of all cells, including the heart and brain. I was prescribed medication for my thyroid and after one year, my immune system calmed down enough to stop over stimulating it. My endocrinologist said that I seem to be in remission. I thought I’d tell my story in case any who experience a-fib and have doctors that can’t figure out why, then please ask them to check your thyroid hormone levels (T3, T4) if they haven’t already, and not only the pituitary (TSH) hormone level (which tells the thyroid gland how much hormone to produce). I went back to my primary doctor and asked him if he had ever checked my thyroid hormone levels and he had no record that he ever did. I just assumed that my yearly blood tests check for thyroid hormones but they didn’t. Although my thyroid hormone levels are normal right now, my brain is still hyper in thinking and reacting, which occasionally causes heart palpitations. But I will use your encouraging website to work on my mind where I believe my issues begin and end. I am reading a very enlightening book on how the brain works and how we can change how it reacts. It is titled: “You Are Not Your Brain”. I hope and pray the very best for you and your family and your loved ones and for your readers in their journey to greater health for mind, body and soul. God bless.
Bill G
Thank you for the kind words and very useful information on the Thyroid gland and Graves Disease. I wish you strength and wisdom on your journey.
I’m reading a book by Dr Caroline Leaf called Switch on Your Brain, it’s very interesting and is about how our thoughts influence our health.
Thank you for your kind words and wishes. I’ll look up that book you noted. I love reading good books. In an attempt to go deeper within myself to the level of one’s spirit, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading a theological book titled “Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives”. I think the title speaks for itself.
Bill G
Very interesting.
Thanks for sharing such wonderful knowledge! Natural Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation is based on naturally occurring substances and are given to the patients in a diluted form.
Hi Janco! I just found your site and it is excellent. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience in this way. I am wondering if you or anyone you know has ever tried the Chinese medicine called Wenxin Keli? If so, what was your experience with it?
Hi Sherry
Never heard of it, but read about it just now, and it looks promising.
I found this medical article about it.
“Wenxin Keli has been observed to have multiple positive functions in CVDs, including myocardial protection and anti-arrhythmia”
at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6134428/
If there is anyone who has more info, or experience in using it please share it.