What would you call this?

[Guest guest]

I guess I have had a premonition all day today. When I went into the

kitchen to take my night time piulls at 9:30, I got a cup of milt to

take them with and about time I swallowed them it felt like my heart

fliupped over and then started quivvering. I checked my bp and it was

217/114 and mu pulse was 91, I panicked and called my doctor..he told me

to meet him at his office. But I had to drive 10 miles to his office and

by time I got there it had stopped. He said my heart was beating normal,

a little fast because I was hyperventelating. He said he is calling in

something for my nerves tomorrow (Zanax or something like that) and

that I would be fine. I ask him if it started again how long should I

wait to go to er and he said an hour.

So what would you call that attack?

--

[Guest guest]

Sparrow, It sounds like you may have had some irregular beats (ectopics) and

maybe some AF. Do you know how to check your pulse to see if your in AF. If not

please let me know.

What often happens when we feel our heart beating differently from normal is

that we start to hyperventillate.This may be what happened to you. This is an

unconscious process, but its effects aren't. Hyperventillation can lead to

light headedness, tingling in the hands or even temporary spasm of the hands,

consticted feeling in the chest and shortness of breath, the skin on the face

may feel cold and clammy, and the bp can go up or down. A lot of the physical

sensations are due to the fact that while hyperventillating we blow off too much

CO2. Certain levels of CO2 in the body is essential. CO2 is a potent

vasoconstrictor, and when you blow off to much then our vessels may dialate.

This can reduce the flow of blood to the bratin and you get lightheaded. It

likewise, by vasodilating the vessels, can lower the BP. The body then does it

response to this challenge and dumps lots of addrenalin and we get a flight or

flight response. Thes panic attacks are no fun, but

they wont kill you. To avert these attacks what you need to do is to

consciously breathe slowly. You can cup your hands around you nose and mouth and

this way you will be able to rebreathe some of your CO2 and in about 10 minutes

your CO2 levels in your body come back up. The Zanax will help a panic attack.

It takes about a half hour to starts it work. Many on this board have warned

that you should only take it when absolutely need it, and not bad hair days for

the hell of it, because if not used judiciously they can be very habit forming,

and a bitch to kick.

If I recall correctly you are new to the joys of AF, and you rhythm is not

yet controlled. This is a major stressor, and I agree with many here that it is

very helpful to get an Elecrophysiologist (EP) if you don't have one. They are

cardiologist who specialize in rhythms such as AF. Once you have a good EP and

your rhytm is in control, you will feel much better. You have support of many

informed and helpful folks here. And there are procedures today which can cure

afib, andmany medical regimins which can help to deal w/ AF. Thanks for your

posts and please keep us posted all the way.

Sparrow isparrow@...> wrote:

I guess I have had a premonition all day today. When I went into the

kitchen to take my night time piulls at 9:30, I got a cup of milt to

take them with and about time I swallowed them it felt like my heart

fliupped over and then started quivvering. I checked my bp and it was

217/114 and mu pulse was 91, I panicked and called my doctor..he told me

to meet him at his office. But I had to drive 10 miles to his office and

by time I got there it had stopped. He said my heart was beating normal,

a little fast because I was hyperventelating. He said he is calling in

something for my nerves tomorrow (Zanax or something like that) and

that I would be fine. I ask him if it started again how long should I

wait to go to er and he said an hour.

So what would you call that attack?

--

Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.com

List owner: AFIBsupport-owner

For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email,

send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help

Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should be

acted upon without consultation with one's physician.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your response. I do ahvea a BP monitor that gives the pulse rate but

I dont know what to look for to know if it is actually AFIB or not..any help in

understanding this is greatly appreciated

> .

>

> Date: 2006/04/29 Sat AM 06:42:26 EDT

> To: AFIBsupport

> Subject: Re: What would you call this?

>

>

[Guest guest]

Does your BP monitor have an irregular pulse indicator mine does and it

will flash when in irregular rhythm

Re: What would you call this?

>

>

Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.com

List owner: AFIBsupport-owner

For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email,

send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help

Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or

should be acted upon without consultation with one's physician.

[Guest guest]

Sparrow I am glad that you got back to me. To determine if you are in atrial

fib it helps to be able to take your own pulse. A good way to do this is to turn

your left palm and wrist facing up. Then place your first 3 fingers of your

right hand on the radius, the forarm bone on top of your forarm when your hand

is in the shaking hands position. So place the first three fingers on this bone.

Use the finger tips and uppermost part ot the finger pads for all of this. Then

with your fingers on this bone, and your left hand and forarm facing up, slide

the tips of your fingers from the bone towards you a little bit until they slide

into a natural grove beween the radius and the first wrist tendons. Your fingers

will be pointing down towards the grove. Ideally your ring finger will settle

in that grove right at the wrist joint. Now start to gradually press your

fingers down, feeling for a pulsing sensation. For some folks its deeper and

some less so, for some the pressure if

to great can actually block the pulsation, and some peoples' pulses may be in

slighly different places - so you might have to feel around. Some people have

very easy pulse to find, and for some it is more difficult. I find that

sometimes it can be a little difficult to find on large people because the

artery is burried under mor muscle and flesh. Once you have a good feel on your

pulse then you can count it for sixty seconds to get a pulse rate (PR). If, and

only if, your pulse is perfectly regular you can count it for 15 sec and double

it once and double it again to get your pulse rate. To test for AF what you

feel for is an irregular, irregular rhythm. The pulse in AF are characterized

as chaotic. There is no pattern to AF.

This is different from other forms of ectopy, of which premature atrial

contractions and premature ventricular contractions (PACs and PVCs) With PACs

and PVCs usually you will feel a normal rhythm beating along with an unexpected

pause, and then the normal rhythm resumes. Sometimes you will feel a normal

rhythm and all of the sudden a couple of quick beats together and then a pause.

PACs are common with all people and are no problem. PVCs also are not uncommon,

and they are not a problem is someone does not have a serious heart problem like

current or recent heart attack or heart failure. In that case you should as the

doc when or if you should contact the office for skipped beats.

If you efforts to take your pulse dont work out it is because I cant actuall

be there to show you how. In that case ask your nurse to teach you and be

patient to insure she teaches you properly.

How are your rhythms at this point, what is being done for you, and what is

the plan. I'd like to know if you are able to get your pulse at this point,.

Please keep me posted. Thanks,

PS if your systolic blood pressure is at about 80 or less it may be impossibe

to feel a radial pulse.

isparrow@... wrote:

Thanks for your response. I do ahvea a BP monitor that gives the pulse rate

but I dont know what to look for to know if it is actually AFIB or not..any help

in understanding this is greatly appreciated

> .

>

> Date: 2006/04/29 Sat AM 06:42:26 EDT

> To: AFIBsupport

> Subject: Re: What would you call this?

>

>

Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.com

List owner: AFIBsupport-owner

For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email,

send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help

Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should be

acted upon without consultation with one's physician.

[Guest guest]

Thanks .

I had another 'spell' last night but I did not panic this time.

I came in form work and lay down to rest a little and about 5 minutes

after I lay dowan I fely my heart " flip' and I did feel my pulse. It

would beat normal about 6 times and the flutter, then maybe 8 times and

flutter then maybe 4 itimes and flutter...sometimes it would beat

regular for 5 minutes then start flippin and floppin again..this went on

about 2 hours.I was up and about in then house, ate a little dinner

...after 1 hour I took the Xanax and waited about 45 minutes..then lay

back down and it stopped. No more all night. Today it has kind of

fluttered a couple times but not enough to really scare me yet.

I just have a hard time trying to determine when is too much because

when I went to the hospital 12 days ago it was doing the same thing but

it had lasted 5 hours before I went. I had the cardioversion on April 19

and did not have any flutter at all until Day before yesterday (Friday

the 28) and that time I paniced big time.

[Guest guest]

You may want to request an event monitor (a holter monitor that you can wear for

several days to weeks) to record what rhythm you are in when you are having

these symptoms. May not be fib or flutter but may be ectopic beats.

...

Sparrow isparrow@...> wrote:

Thanks .

I had another 'spell' last night but I did not panic this time.

I came in form work and lay down to rest a little and about 5 minutes

after I lay dowan I fely my heart " flip' and I did feel my pulse. It

would beat normal about 6 times and the flutter, then maybe 8 times and

flutter then maybe 4 itimes and flutter...sometimes it would beat

regular for 5 minutes then start flippin and floppin again..this went on

about 2 hours.I was up and about in then house, ate a little dinner

...after 1 hour I took the Xanax and waited about 45 minutes..then lay

back down and it stopped. No more all night. Today it has kind of

fluttered a couple times but not enough to really scare me yet.

I just have a hard time trying to determine when is too much because

when I went to the hospital 12 days ago it was doing the same thing but

it had lasted 5 hours before I went. I had the cardioversion on April 19

and did not have any flutter at all until Day before yesterday (Friday

the 28) and that time I paniced big time.

Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.com

List owner: AFIBsupport-owner

For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email,

send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help

Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should be

acted upon without consultation with one's physician.

[Guest guest]

Sparrow, it sounds like your having ectopics which are causing skipped beats

that disrupt a normal rhythm. It could be something else such as AF kicking in

and our. Hard to tell. Please refresh me. How long have you been having this and

what meds are you on? I think it is very nice that last nights spell didn't

cause panic. Controlling the breathing and relaxing must be helpful. Maybe the

fact that you are getting used to the flippity flip flops, and it can be nice

to know that you have Xanax if you need it. Please let me know about the meds

and how long you've had this. Hang tough. Very nice hearing from you,

Sparrow isparrow@...> wrote: Thanks .

I had another 'spell' last night but I did not panic this time.

I came in form work and lay down to rest a little and about 5 minutes

after I lay dowan I fely my heart " flip' and I did feel my pulse. It

would beat normal about 6 times and the flutter, then maybe 8 times and

flutter then maybe 4 itimes and flutter...sometimes it would beat

regular for 5 minutes then start flippin and floppin again..this went on

about 2 hours.I was up and about in then house, ate a little dinner

...after 1 hour I took the Xanax and waited about 45 minutes..then lay

back down and it stopped. No more all night. Today it has kind of

fluttered a couple times but not enough to really scare me yet.

I just have a hard time trying to determine when is too much because

when I went to the hospital 12 days ago it was doing the same thing but

it had lasted 5 hours before I went. I had the cardioversion on April 19

and did not have any flutter at all until Day before yesterday (Friday

the 28) and that time I paniced big time.

Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.com

List owner: AFIBsupport-owner

For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email,

send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help

Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should be

acted upon without consultation with one's physician.