OSA and Atrial Fibrillation

[MaxDarkside]

Yes, I realize the topic is a-fib. I think some are interchanging it with the v-fib which is totally incorrect.

I think I was the first to mention V-Fib, as an aside, when talking about my arrhythmias in the context of my being on a Holter looking for A-Fib. Sorry if I created any confusion.

[FarmGirl]

Correct. I was likely clinically dead, at least from a cardio stand point. My internal medicine doctor calls me a "Flat Liner", my neurologist is pleased he can speak to me. I knew my heart had stopped or was quivering because I could feel my heart back-filling with blood. Inflating like a balloon, it was a very strange sensation as all went white. I was alone, but I fought back with all my might as I lost consciousness and self resolved probably from a jolt of massive adrenaline, probability of about 0.0001. People do self resolve from V-Fib, tho rare. There are actually people that have a very rare condition where they have V-Fib daily, always self resolve, it's very weird. Thank God I don't have that.

,
I have never heard of spontaneous self-resolving v-fib. But as you say, there are some extremely rare birds out there. If they have it daily, then they most likely have an inplanted AICD and pacemaker.

Now back to our regular programming ......

[Kody]

Either way I'm glad this thread came up. Yesterday at the Hospital they were really downplaying my arrhythmia's, which I can understand when their probably more worried about an actual Heart Attack. However she was saying, it's really nothing to worry about unless it happens much more frequently, like last all day, or happens everyday, then they can give me that Holter Monitor to catch exactly what's happening. I think I'm just going to take this whole thing up with my regular Dr. and not wait if and when it starts happening everyday.

[midnight_skulker]

I have persistent A-fib which is poorly controlled with cardioversions and meds, some of which have bad side effects. I am scheduled for a catheter ablation next week. I saw my sleep doc earlier this week. She said DO NOT stop my bipap treatment after the procedure.

[Kairosgrammy]

Yeah, that would definitely make me be an ostrich and not go to the doc. No coffee

Coffee? Aw, poop!

[bobbyr]

New guy here.

I have atrial fibrillation, controlled by meds (Flecainide by 3M, or flecainide - generic). I was diagnosed in 1994, I am 50 now. With the meds I am in normal sinus rhythm 100% of the time. I do have episodes a few times a year, normally waking up with it. You may see where I am going with this.

The last time I broke into afib, I couldn't get out of it with extra meds and had to go to the ER for the shock to get me straightened out. While in the ER, a nurse practitioner started asking me questions. We got on the subject of snoring and my wife chimed in. He took a look at the anatomy of my throat and recommended a sleep study. Well, here I am.

But on to triggers. People with afib have their triggers - mine was something that was waking me up. Coffee does not bother me at all, nor does alcohol. I have a cup of coffee in the morning, then 16 oz more when I get to work, no afib.

Unfortunately without the flecainide, I would be in afib 100% of the time, but this may change with the VPAP I am on now, we shall see! I have probably had apnea for 10 years and not known it.

Bobby in Atlanta

[Slinky]

Good luck w/acclimating to CPAP and the PAP therapy clearing or at least reducing the A fib, BobbyR!

[bobbyr]

Thanks! The therapy is going great, coming up on 4 weeks. I scored Complex Apnea so I got an S9 VPAP Adapt and I have a feeling its a lot easier to tolerate than other machines. I consider myself lucky except for than central apnea is a little spooky for me.

[torontoCPAPguy]

aFib can indeed convert to Normal Sinua Rhythm on its own but I would not count on it without being under TOP NOTCH medical supervision (http://www.afibbers.org). I have been on TIKOSYN and Metoprolol since December and in NSR with the odd aFib attempted breakthrough when I eat a trigger food or allow my magnesium, potassium get low. I also supplement Taurine and CoEnzyme Q10 (UNIQUINOL!) as well as a host of vitamins, etc. It makes a huge difference but the change does not happen overnight.... it can take weeks or months. I can tell you that Magnesium is absolutely essential on an intracellular basis for your heart to function properly; then Potassium. If my Potassium falls below 4.5 I know that I am going to have a bad week with PAC's and PVC's. No FUN at ALL!

In fact, I have had a stomache bug last couple of days that is gone now but threw my electrolytes out of whack. I felt aFib doing its very best to make an appearance tonight, a reminder of the way things used to be and I did not like it one tiny bit at all. I downed two 16 oz beer cups of Low Sodium V8 which is loaded with Potassium and put two teaspoonfuls of Potassium Gluconate into the drinks and mixed well. Total potassium intake from the LS V8 about 2 grams and from the powder about another gram for a total of 3 grams. While one needs to avoid hyperkalemia, it is a struggle to keep the Potassium up in the 4.5 to 5.0 range anyway.... I was not concerned and it is now 30 minutes later and no more PAC's. Back to ticking like a Swiss clock.

aFib is insidious. It mimics many of the symptoms of OSA. Tired, sluggish, short of breath, etc. If you suspect in the least that you may have any heart issues such as aFib please see a top notch cardiologist/electrophysiologist immediately, even going through emerg if necessary.

aFib will kill you dead without warning. It is nothing to trifle with. We all hear stories of guys with aFib for twenty years but I would not bet my money on lasting that long. I'd get it looked after. Your quality of life will be returned to you. When I filled in the questionaire after being converted to NSR with TIKOSYN in hospital they asked me to summarize what TIKOSYN did for me in one line. Here it is:

TIKOSYN has given me my quality of life back.

[ozze_dollar]

I have been having shortness of breath for about 4 months now. Cant seem to find out why. I have been to my cardiolgist and he found no problem. I had a chest xray,no problem. I had a spirometer test,no problem. I am now taking a short course of prednisone and using my nebuliser with atrivent and ventalin. Seems to help a little but still always short of breath. Even if I just walk I have the need to suck air in. I have an appointment to see an ENT who will look down my throat and see if anything may be blocking my airflow but dont go until 27 this month.

At night I am generally ok as my VPAP supplies me with air I need. Sometimes I wonder if I am starting to breath as if I am on my machine during the day. Any comments would be welcome.

[Slinky]

So why are you on the Atrivent and Ventalin w/a nebulizer?? Is it because of these recent episodes of SOB or were you taking them prior?

[jimnsc]

Hopefully, on April 18th I will be cardioverted to normal sinus rhythm from A. Fib. for the 4th time. I plan to ask many questions as to why I wouldn't be a good candidate for ablation and just how many times it is safe to shock your heart. I have my OSA under excellent control but I still went back onto A. Fib. so my OSA shouldn't have been the trigger this time. I occasionally can convert myself from episodes with doubling my Flecainide on the advice of my cardio - but not this time. I'm reasonably certain I went into this incidence when I had that Nasty Noro-virus. I do not politely and quietly vomit. I wretch until I have no air in my lungs and hurt like a drunk with the dry heaves. After two weeks I still didn't have a good pair of legs under me so it occurred to me to take my pulse - positive.

I have different triggers - overworking my heart by walking too fast (I'm a walker with specific instructions to "stroll" since I'm not preparing for a marathon) and strong emotions (nerves or anger). I can always feel it in my chest the moment I go into A. Fib. but with the virus I did not, which is understandable. It could have occurred while bending over the commode or during a short time I may have dropped off to sleep. It ain't fun for men with hairy chests with warm weather coming on due to the "grow-out" itching.

I have found there are varying degrees of A. Fib. This time there is no flutter and I'm on Coumadin. This time is more of an irregularity and that's some comfort.

[Slinky]

You have my sympathies, JimNSC. My A fib was caught early, most likely caused by COPD and has responded well to low doses of Toprol and Rythmol - and the coumadin regimen as well, of course. Best wishes to you getting this under control in the near future!!!

[ozze_dollar]

So why are you on the Atrivent and Ventalin w/a nebulizer?? Is it because of these recent episodes of SOB or were you taking them prior?

I do have asthma and it is normally well controlled. Since we dont know why I have SOB we are just trying anything.

[moondoggy]

I had, what they believe was a case of pericarditis back in November and before leaving the hospital I had my first, known afib event. Since then I had 9 other events since. I too have a cardiologist who has me on Metoprolol and Sotalol and a regular 325 MG aspirin every day. In mid-February I had my last afib event and my cardiologist said that my event was caused by my inability to breath over two days thru my nasal mask. We think that my inability to breath was caused by it being cold outside and the the air in the house being very dry because the furnace had run so much and the dry air just caused my nasal passages to close. Although was as told initially that my first afib event and several others after that were caused by the pericarditis my cardiologist now tells me that he believes that I've probably have been having afib events for some time and was just unaware of the fact that I've been having them. He also told me that my afib events were probably the result of sleep apnea as I wasn't on the machine until after the 7th event. So far I have not had an afib event since the one in mid-February but I fear that any day I'll have another. Hopefully the combination of the CPAP treatment coupled with the drugs will keep the afib at bay. I too feel that anyone with afib needs to take special care and meet with a cardiologist for treatment.