diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, but other problems are happening

[nickjay]

hello, i am a 25 year old male, who has been diagnosed with a-fib. i have smoked for 3 years, i drink (not a whole lot), and i also have been a social mirijuana user for a little over a year.

in april of this year, i went to the ER with my heart going nuts, making me want to pass out, not being able to breathe...and it beating out of my chest. in the ER they told me i had atrial fibrillation. i was there for 2 days, given a presicription, and sent on my way.

since then, i have tried to quit smoking, been watching my diet a little bit, to try and cut major caffeine sources, and sodium. recently, i have not had many 'flutters' as the DR's called them, but i do get occasional palpitations. this does not really bother me, as they are only lasting for a minute or 2. but now, i have had this pain in my heart, like a sharp pain, near the upper regions, and that is what has been scaring me. also, i dont have full chest tightness, but my heart feels like it just did a benchpress. you know, the tightness of a newly worked out muscle.

its been speculated with friends, that its because i have almost quit smoking, and i have cut down my drinking even more, and also my pot intake even more. honestly, the pot makes it feel better, but i have a feeling it just takes my mind off of it. hahahaha.

should i be worried about a heart attack? or a stroke even? i live a pretty stressful life, im a musician, playing 10-15 days a month, not working a whole lot, so not having much money to do much with, which causes stress. bills out the ass that im trying to take care of, and a girlfriend that had to move to another state due to a family emergency, and is not coming back. been a pretty stressful 3-4 months.

basically, what can i do to get over this tightness, and lightheadedness?

sorry for the long description, but in this case, it feels necessary.

thank you

nick

[lesleyB]

Hi Nick, did they give you any advice in the ER on how to look after yourself, you need to do this look after yourself I mean.I think the lightheadness is stress related and the tight chest, I know smoking pot helps you to relax ,but I don't think it's helping in the long run. Sorry I don't have any other advice.
Take care:bighug1:
Lesleyb

[cleverzippy]

Hi Nick, I was diagnosed with AF last September and until about 6 weeks ago been on a low dose of Sotalol Beta blocker and Aspirin. Since then I have had every symptom going from ectopic beats - thousands every day to being light headed and dizzy, floaters in my eyes, my stomach twisting itself in knots. I reckon it's caused by anxiety as I found the whole experience of being in hospital very traumatic. Have even had a couple of panic attacks but thankfully never had once since I realised what they were. Was told my AF which has never returned was due to excess caffiene and stress. I don't drink or do drugs.

[kellyw]

hi nick,i was diagnosed with af in novemeber of last year, im 35. i was put on a medicine called flecainide, it doesnt have too many side effects and keeps the ectopics(extra beats) to a minimum.
did your hospital arrange for you to have any tests apart from an ecg?
if not it would be a good idea to ask for an ultrasound, just to check that everything is okay inside the heart. i had one recently and its a really quick simple test and it will reassure you that everything is okay.
because you have been diagnosed with afib i think it is important to keep a check on things especially if you are having symptoms. that way you will know for sure if the way you are feeling is down to anxiety.
take good care
kelly

[kellyw]

hi cleverzippy,
i just wanted to say that you should go back to your doctor, i had all those symptoms that you describe. and even though my heart didnt go into afib very often the meds i was given have virtually stopped the daily ectopics, thousands a day like you. those ectopics are the cause of the lightheadedness and the floaters.
you will need to have an ultrasound to make sure the heart structure is normal and then you can discuss with your doc a way of controlling the daily stuff. you dont have to suffer with this, my quality of life is so much better since i strated on the meds. i just wish i could stop the anxiety that having this condition causes me!!!
take good care
kelly xx

[cleverzippy]

Hi Kelly,

I had all the usual tests when I had AF, the chest X-ray, ultrasound and blood tests and all came back normal, no structural issues as all which is why my Cardiologist thought it was lone AF and caused by stress and caffiene.

[kellyw]

hi cleverzippy,
have all the ectopics and other symptoms stopped?
hope you are feeling better
kelly

[cleverzippy]

Hi Kelly,

Ectopics vary but they are havn't been half as bad lately. Went to the docs yesterday with some chest pain, had ecg but OK probably anxiety related and while there saw my cardiologists latest report from when I had my last holter monitor test back in June and guess what - I'm still having short runs of AF so he recommended I go back on the beta-blockers. I'm absolutly gutted, thought I had cracked it by cutting out the caffiene and stress. Taking BB's make me feel tired and stop me getting out on my mountain bike which I love. He did say that if my AF returned, he would look at some other solution which I hope is an ablation procedure to sort it out once and for all. Totally fed up that at 35 I'm having these problems.

Take care
Adrian

[kellyw]

hi adrian,
i wanted to send you a pm about this but cant find how to do it!!!!
i would strongly suggest that you go back to your doctor and ask about being put on a drug called flecainide(tambocor). studies have shown that beta blockers are not the most effective drug treatment for lone afib, a fib without cause in a structually normal heart with no underlying heart disease.
i have had this problem for a very very long time and i wish that they had put me on these meds years ago. they have hardly any side effects and are safe for long term use. they have almost completely stopped the ectopics and i have had no afib events in 9 moths, not one.
i am also 35 years old and i really struggled to get my head round all this, i know how you feel.
i found a website that really helped, i dont know if im allowed to post it here but if you pm me i will let you have it.
i also take aspirin every day and i take a supplement containing magnesium which has been proven to assist heart rythym, and it certainly seems to help.
i hope this helps adrian if you want to know anything at all i am here to help.
take good care
kelly

[Mikke]

Hi there Nickjay.

Sharp pains in the chest region are seldom (if ever) diagnostic og cardiac trouble. In most cases pain like this is muscular. I have had a lot of sharp chest pains that feels pretty much like after a bench press session in the gym, but have learned over the past years that they come from hyperventilation, and that they are located in the intercostal muscles that tie the muscles of the chest into the ribcage. It is very common to have chest pains from anxiety and stress.
You can also experience sharp, "knifestabbing-like" pains for brief seconds over your heart that almost always comes from stress.

Chest pain associated with angina or heart attack are not sharp, they are more dull, and often described as having an elephant standing on top of your chest, alongside with breathing difficulties and quite often pains that spreads to your back (in between your shoulder blades), and finally to your jaw and down your left arm. This kind of pain will not go away with changes in position, and your skin colour will sometimes turn pale (almost grey) when the attack is a big one. You are also very likely to be very nauseus, and even throw up if you are having an heart attack.

However, you should always pay attention to chest pains that doesn't go away with change in position, that doesn't get worse by pressing your fingers on muscles, or pain that lasts more than (20-30) minutes.

You need not to worry, but you need to seek medical advice.

[Brad70]

Hi Guys
I,m 38 and got diagnosed with AF years ago. There is a procedure called an a ablation which cures the AF which i have done so you should ask your cardioligist about it. Since having the ablation i dont get the af anymore so there is no need to live with af. I will say that the ablation wont cure the ectopic beats i still have them and yes they are a pain in the ass but it is a good feeling to know that they cant trigger the AF anymore. I hope this info helps you guys.
Cheers
Brad

[Rachey poos]

can someone explan what AF is as I have lots of ectopics and racing heat etc. ut how do i know i aint been in AF