Atrial fibrillation and cycling

[ColinJ]

I've had the occasional flutter over the last twenty years; maybe ten times per year. Cutting out coffee and alcohol helped and reducing my salt intake has made a big difference and now I can go months with no symptoms.

I had forgotten that alcohol used to sometimes give me the flutters. I haven't drunk any for 10 years so that has helped.

I drink 2 mugs of coffee most afternoons. I don't know if giving those up would help with the occasional flutters that I still get. I don't get enough flutters to be able to notice a reduction immediately so I would have to have a couple of flutter-free months before I was sure. Maybe I will try. The thing is... I like drinking the coffee!

 

[All uphill]

I had forgotten that alcohol used to sometimes give me the flutters. I haven't drunk any for 10 years so that has helped.

I drink 2 mugs of coffee most afternoons. I don't know if giving those up would help with the occasional flutters that I still get. I don't get enough flutters to be able to notice a reduction immediately so I would have to have a couple of flutter-free months before I was sure. Maybe I will try. The thing is... I like drinking the coffee!

Me too! I miss the coffee; dark chocolate and cocoa are my replacement addictions

 

[presta]

I take a 350 mg aspirin daily.

My GP put me on aspirin when I was diagnosed, and cardiology quickly took me off it again.
A read of the European Society of Cardiology Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation will show you why:

"Aspirin monotherapy was ineffective for stroke prevention compared with no antithrombotic treatment and was associated with a higher risk of ischaemic stroke in elderly patients. Overall, antiplatelet monotherapy is ineffective for stroke prevention and is potentially harmful, (especially amongst elderly AF patients), whereas DAPT is associated with a bleeding risk similar to OAC therapy. Hence, antiplatelet therapy should not be used for stroke prevention in AF patients."

 

[Jameshow]

I had forgotten that alcohol used to sometimes give me the flutters. I haven't drunk any for 10 years so that has helped.

I drink 2 mugs of coffee most afternoons. I don't know if giving those up would help with the occasional flutters that I still get. I don't get enough flutters to be able to notice a reduction immediately so I would have to have a couple of flutter-free months before I was sure. Maybe I will try. The thing is... I like drinking the coffee!

Last week I had no coffee for a day due to deli belly, I was goosed by 9.30pm!!

 

[presta]

I drink 2 mugs of coffee most afternoons. I don't know if giving those up would help

"In this large, prospective, population-based community cohort study of more than 300 000 participants, each additional daily cup of coffee was associated with a 3% reduced risk of developing an arrhythmia; these associations were not significantly modified by genetic variants that affect caffeine metabolism. A mendelian randomization study leveraging a polygenic score to capture inherited caffeine metabolism patterns did not reveal evidence that caffeine consumption increases the risk of incident arrhythmias."

"Many clinicians continue to counsel patients with atrial or VAs to avoid all caffeinated beverages, particularly coffee, despite an absence of evidence to support this approach. If, in individual cases where a clear temporal association between arrhythmia episodes and caffeine intake is apparent, then avoidance is sensible. Large-scale population-based studies and randomized controlled trials suggest coffee and tea are safe and may even reduce the incidence of arrhythmia."

 

[ColinJ]

Yay... The coffees are on me!

 

[12boy]

I saw this thread pop up and had some new info ....in March I had a "Watchman" procedure. Apparently on the upper left chamber of the heart there is a little structure that fills with blood but due to the AFIB doesn't empty properly and is the source of virtually stroke causing clots. The Watchman inserts a tiny umbrella like device into the structure, preventing blood from entering it. After 3-4 months the heart muscle grows over it. After a successful procedure the likelyhood of a stroke is about the same as when taking Xarelto or Plavix which are a couple of warfarin alternatives, which I was taking after age 72. I now only take one 81 mg aspirin daily and don't have to worry about bruising, bleeding from injuries, and brain bleeds anymore. I really did not like being on blood thinners and am glad I don't have to anymore.

 

[Rickgas]

I’ve had occasional palpitations for years, usually by the time I put my finger on artery it’s gone. In January lasted 7 hrs( irregularly irregular). Got ECG, A fib. Electrophysiology Doc put me on Eliquis. I told him I ride a lot and do biking vacations. He told me just stop Eliquis for a couple days before ride. I bought ECG monitor. Admittedly not monitoring 24/7. Usually monitor while on Spin bike or just randomly an hour or 3 per day. M
Have not see any A fib since that initial episode. Still it could occur(asymptomatic) and not have symptoms. Had ECHO and Stress test , both normal. Had Coronary Stent in 2012, no issues since. On ASA and Amlodipine and Crestor. Supposed to take daily Eliquis.
Risk with Eliquis is bleeding, esp. occult bleed with falls. Intracranial could be devastating, joints could be unfortunate also.
Risk of not taking Eliquis in face of AFib is Stroke(devastating). How long should one have continuous Heart Rhythm monitoring( Holter, Loop recorder) before determination made on need for Eliquis?
How much AFib present to indicate need for Eliquis?

 

[Bollo]

Long time no post.

Late last year I had a weird partially dislodged/wedged crown that prevented me from closing my mouth. It’s Sunday evening so I called 111 and they said to head down to the local A&E (incorrect advice in the end, they should have referred me to an emergency dentist) Being within walking distance of the hospital I made my way. While in triage they took my blood pressure. It was ****ing catastrophic. I was close to being admitted but in the end they decided to lob some amlopidine in me and suggest I make an appointment quick-sharp with my GP. As I was now "BP-guy", they almost forgot that I couldn't close my mouth or indeed speak clearly. "Are you the guy with the mental BP readings?". "Yef, but I cam inf fur m tff. I cn't clurs my murf. FFS!"

This all comes as a bit of a shock as I'm in reasonably good shape for my age, although there's some family history of heart issues. Some monitoring over the following weeks indicates that my BP is a cause for concern so I'm put on the amlopidine full time, but otherwise I feel normal.

I hate the cold but December provides a mild mid-winter Saturday. I'm out and enjoying a ride up to Lasham airfield (recommended - they've opened the new cafe/visitor centre).

Next Tuesday I'm lying in a hospital bed. I'd felt odd Monday night and couldn't get to sleep. By 2am Tuesday I'm in a proper state. I wake up Mrs Dr Bollo and tell her that we need to head to A&E. It's quiet, but the slightly sleepy triage nurse hooks me up to an ECG and then - probably the worst bit - snaps into alertness and says "I'm getting a doctor". I lose sensation in my arms and legs and nearly pass out.

That's really as bad as it gets. Turns out have persistent atrial fibrillation but otherwise my heart is in good nick. I don’t feel great but I'm alive and AF won’t kill me, which after the initial experience I'll take as a win. I was prescribed beta blockers and anti-coagulants on top of the BP meds, but it took while for things to level out.

I had a cardio-version (shock to re-establish rhythm) in March which only worked for a couple of weeks, so now I'm on the waiting list for a cardio-ablation (cold/hot jabby thing through the groin into the heart). Right now I'm way better than the first few months but my heart rate jumps up if I do anything too strenuous. With that and the anti-coagulants I’m off the bike, at least any road riding. I can still clamber on my turbo and during the good weather I’ve had rollers out in the garden, but it’s not ideal. I can pile on the pounds if I’m not exercising so after an initial bloat I’ve got the food under control so hopefully there’ll be less of me to move around if and when I’m able to ride properly again.

 

[postman]

Father in Law has got that,but he is 94,we think this is why he has been falling.Because of his age no treatment,plus he has put Do Not Resuscitate in his medical records.

 

[HarryTheDog]

Thread revival.
Looks like I may have joined the AFIB throng,
3 weeks ago my fitbit watch told me I had AFIB overnight, heart rate bouncing from 33-159 ish all night. My normal resting HR is around 43. Whilst sat doing nothing heart rate was 70-90 far too high for me. Tried to get a apointment with GP, only got a phone apointment and he did not take fitbit watch seriously. So I ignored him and took myself to A and E. In A and E, ECG showed not a lot apart from a regular irregularity I knew about and have had probably all my life. Blood test showed high tropinin levels, 2nd test showed it going down.
Two doctors basically said nowt wrong we can find, bog off, I had a bit of a row with them as my heart rate was still way high for me and they offered no explanation to high tropinin level It was now 3 in the morning I had been there for 10 hours and I did not have the will to take it further.( i was discharged whilst sat in the waiting room , not even in a consultation office)

Anyway went home peed off, fibit again told me AFIB overnight, heart rate still high, went to see my GP again. Heart rate dropped to normal half an hour before I saw him. Due to high tropinin level from last night he took me seriously this time. Prescribed me blood thinners and referred me to cardiologist. Promised a appointment by feb 18th.

2 days ago happened again overnight lasted for 8 hours this time instead of 36. Made another GP apointment ( different GP) said nothing to do you have blood thinners, wait to see cardioligist.

I think its caused by a enlarged heart over many years of kicking the butt out of excercise ie loads of it. Then recently it seems been triggered by taking up weight training.
I have therefore kicked the weights into touch and my hard exploits in cycling on Zwift. Only on my own research, my GP offered no advice whatsoever.
Overall I have seen 4 doctors who all did not seem bothered about it , all claimed to not know about fitbit watches and did not fill me with any sort of confidence in any of them. Hopefully cardioligist is better.