skipped beats leading to atrial fibrillation

[montos]

Hi Everyone,

So I've posted here a few times about my hypochondria and fear of health problems. It had been getting worse for the last 8 months or so.

Anyway, about a month ago I started having some fluttery feelings in my chest as I would go to sleep. My anxiety seemed to make it worse but I ignored them since I've always been told "skipped beats are normal" and about a week later I had an especially bad episode. I had a full blown panic attack about it and then my heart really started to go crazy. I went to the ER and I was in atrial fibrillation. I converted back to normal sinus rhythm shortly after and they sent me home with a referral to a cardiologist.

I've been reading this board and I find there are people here who say "don't worry, the chances of anything bad happening from abnormal heart beats is slim to none in young people". Well, I don't believe it anymore. Since this happened I've seem tons of young people (some on this board) who have this condition and many of them seem to have anxiety issues.

I'm not trying to scare anyone but just saying that if you have heart palpitations, don't ignore them. Stress CAN lead to atrial fibrillation, as can excess cafeine and alcohol (after university exams, apparently the ERs always see a few party-goes who developed a fib).

When I get the fluttery feelings, if I get up they go away. If I take some Ativan they go away. I seriously wish I hadn't ignored them that night because now they seem a lot worse and I'm living in fear of it happening again.

Can anyone else relate to this?

Montos

[Purple Fish]

Hi,

You sound like you`re in a vicous circle, the more anxious you get the worse your fluttering is.
If you`ve been to the hospital and been monitored then if there was anything to worry about it would have shown up and you`d have been told.
Do you regulary see a doctor to treat your anxiety? You will get there eventually, keep posting to get reassurance. This site is excellent as we`ve all been there before, it has helped me no end!

Tanya x

[montos]

Tanya,

That's just it. I went to the ER fully expecting it to be nothing and it WAS atrial fibrillation. It converted back about 5 minutes after they hooked me but it was documented on an EKG.

I haven't had a recurrance since then but that doesn't change the fact that it did happen. The cardiologist I saw agreed to let me do a "watch and wait" approach to see if it happens again but he said that he's seen "hundreds" of people in their 20's. 30's and 40's that have had this from alcohol, caffeine, anxiety or combinations thereof.

So my problem now is not whether or not it's real, but rather whether or not it will come back. The more anxious I get the more it feels like it's going to and the more likely it will. I've cut out caffeine and alcohol so I feel better that way but how's that for a hypochondriac's worst nightmare?

[Ragna]

Hey there,

I've been having ectopic heart beats for around seven/eight years. Sometimes I'll go for months without an episode, other times it seems like they are there for weeks and weeks. I'd have them every 2 beats, then 3 beats, then maybe 8 beats, 23 beats, this can go on for hours and hours.

I've visited the GP on about five occasions who told me that they were nothing but benign ectopic to try and stop being so anxious (easier said than done)

Then back in August, I was having a particular bad day of ectopics (not had any for a month) which then went every beat, or so I thought, but was infact Atrial Fibrillation. I asked my husband to take me to the GP who put me on ECG machine and called an ambulance. When I arrived at the hospital they finally after couple of hours gave me some Flaxcide (think thats how it's spelt) and after an hour my heart went back to normal. The missed beats were still there, but they were not at all concerned about them, and sent me home. The following month I had a 24 hour monitor, and a heart scan, and this week I've had the results.

I have had it confirmed I have Atrial Fibrillation, and will now have to take Beta-blockers, and Flaxcide plus aspirin. I've been told to lose weight, (I am obese) try and de-stress and start a gentle course of exercise.

I'd not had any ectopic beats until yesterday for weeks. Then because of the anxiety of the hospital visit they were going completley mad making me feel quite ill. I still have them today, after 2 days and I like you live in fear of it going into AF again. I have to wait to start the drugs via the GP. I know that I am one of the unlucky ones, as for most people with Anxiety and harmless Ectopic beats, that's exactly what it stays as.

So do agree with you that anxiety is our own worst enemy. I too have cut out Caffeine, don't smoke, drink - so doing all I can.

Would be interested to hear from anyone else diagnosed with AF, as I'm feeling very much still in shock to be honest :)

[Rich101]

Hi All, I was diagnosed with a.f nearly 5 years ago. It was during a night out drinking!!! didnt think I had too much that night, or any more than I normally would. And has on average occured around 2-3 times a year thereafter.

The past 18 months has been the hardest, as I think I have become more anxious, I have a physical job, ( im only 26 now), in the summer it does not tend to happen that much, but as soon as I start walking and doing more physical jobs at work it seems to become more noticable.

I have whats called lone a.f, it comes and goes, at its pleasure, annoying as hell!!!! I have a few links -

-The day after alcohol ( large amounts )
-Stress
-physical exertion atwork ( probably stress related)
-general anxiety
-bending down quickly

I can relate to what you are saying, and admire your determination to prevent it happening, I have cut down alcohol, dont smoke, eat healthy, and try keep myself fit.

Doctors dont like giving much advice about it, I am sure the primary cause is that my a.f is exagerated by stress/anxiety, and this is the root problem. But they seem to dismiss this.

Can anyone else link any of there episodes to certain things they have done????????

I will find the root cause!!!