Re: irregular pulse due to pressure and my husb. deer/car accid...

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/26/2002 6:52:53 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

forestbedell@... writes:

<< It seems that sitting

up feels better than lying down....I am going to see my Card. at 3 >>

Isabel,

Many times I have avoided afib by not lying down when I felt ectopic beats.

On some occasions when I was just falling asleep as ectopic beats started, I

went into afib apparently because I didn't sit up. On many other occasions,

I have managed to elude afib by sitting up immediately upon feeling ectopic

beats. Sometimes I have sat up all night, lying down only when my heart

seemed to have returned to normal. For the duration of my current long sinus

run, I have started each night by sitting up in bed until I can assess what

my heart is doing. If I seem to be experiencing extra beats that can lead to

afib, I don't lie down. This hasn't happened very often lately. I usually

lie down now within five minutes because my heart is fine. I don't think I

have sat up all night since last February, when it didn't seem to help much

because I was having afib so frequently then. I don't know why the sitting

up or getting up and walking around helps, but I have an unproven theory that

when one lies down, stomach gas can pressure the pericardium which surrounds

the heart or perhaps acid can enter the esophagus which is very close to the

sinus node, our natural pacemaker. Whatever the reason, I do know that in

the past lying down has often been a precursor of afib for me.

in sinus in Seattle (96th day)

[Guest guest]

Hi: Thanks for your reply...it is very helpfull to know that I am

not foolish by sitting up in a chaise lounge...I do sleep with

several pillows...but when in bed it seems not give me enough

support. a chaise seems to give me great support. Please tell me

what ectopic beats are? Is that extra beats or skipped beats..I seem

to experience just about every irregularity. Thanks for caring,it

is a great source of support. Should I or shouldnt I go to the

er? Isabelle

> In a message dated 8/26/2002 6:52:53 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

> forestbedell@h... writes:

>

> << It seems that sitting

> up feels better than lying down....I am going to see my Card. at

3 >>

> Isabel,

> Many times I have avoided afib by not lying down when I felt

ectopic beats.

> On some occasions when I was just falling asleep as ectopic beats

started, I

> went into afib apparently because I didn't sit up. On many other

occasions,

> I have managed to elude afib by sitting up immediately upon

feeling ectopic

> beats. Sometimes I have sat up all night, lying down only when my

heart

> seemed to have returned to normal. For the duration of my current

long sinus

> run, I have started each night by sitting up in bed until I can

assess what

> my heart is doing. If I seem to be experiencing extra beats that

can lead to

> afib, I don't lie down. This hasn't happened very often lately. I

usually

> lie down now within five minutes because my heart is fine. I

don't think I

> have sat up all night since last February, when it didn't seem to

help much

> because I was having afib so frequently then. I don't know why

the sitting

> up or getting up and walking around helps, but I have an unproven

theory that

> when one lies down, stomach gas can pressure the pericardium which

surrounds

> the heart or perhaps acid can enter the esophagus which is very

close to the

> sinus node, our natural pacemaker. Whatever the reason, I do know

that in

> the past lying down has often been a precursor of afib for me.

> in sinus in Seattle (96th day)

[Guest guest]

> Should I or shouldnt I go to the

> er?

Hi, Isabelle,

I know it is very anxiety producing to be in afib, I really freak,

and I think I probably always will. I personally believe some of the

anxiety is physical in origin - that is, the brain says, hey my pulse

is racing and erratic, I must be paniced. What makes me think this

is that I instantaneously calm down when I go back into sinus, much

too quickly for it to be a result of conscious thought.

The following is just my ignorant opinion as a layperson. If you

know you are in afib, and maybe get somewhat breathless, but

basically when you are not exerting yourself you feel okay - that is

not like you are about to faint or have something else serious

happen - and since you saw your cardiologist today and are going to

see him Wednesday, I would hole up on the sofa or in bed, propped up

with pillows or whatever, or in the recliner if that is more

comfortable for you, and try to relax. Possibly your doc said to up

your dose of medication? This might help you get out of afib and

back to sinus.

The ER is a cold and noisy place, and I prefer being in my nice warm

quiet living room.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/26/2002 8:18:56 PM Central Daylight Time,

Starfi6314@... writes:

> Many times I have avoided afib by not lying down when I felt ectopic beats.

>

> On some occasions when I was just falling asleep as ectopic beats started,

> I

> went into afib apparently because I didn't sit up. On many other

> occasions,

> I have managed to elude afib by sitting up immediately upon feeling ectopic

>

> beats. Sometimes I have sat up all night, lying down only when my heart

> seemed to have returned to normal. For the duration of my current long

> sinus

> run, I have started each night by sitting up in bed until I can assess what

>

> my heart is doing. If I seem to be experiencing extra beats that can lead

> to

> afib, I don't lie down. This hasn't happened very often lately. I usually

> lie down now within five minutes because my heart is fine. I don't think I

>

> have sat up all night since last February, when it didn't seem to help much

>

> because I was having afib so frequently then. I don't know why the sitting

>

> up or getting up and walking around helps, but I have an unproven theory

> that

> when one lies down, stomach gas can pressure the pericardium which

> surrounds

> the heart or perhaps acid can enter the esophagus which is very close to

> the

> sinus node, our natural pacemaker. Whatever the reason, I do know that in

> the past lying down has often been a precursor of afib for me.

> in sinus in Seattle (96th day)

>

>

;

I have had similar experiences recently. I was on a 1 week bike ride and had

3 afib episodes, all while resting. Two of them lasted all night but went

away when I got up the next morning and began to stir around, packing my tent

etc. One event occured during the middle of the day while resting after lunch

and went away about one minute after getting back on the bike. I hav not had

any more episodes since returning home. Several nights I didn't get much rest

because of storms which probably had something to do with initiating the afib

events. I never experienced this situation before, maybe the amiodarone has

some effect.

My PCP told me that they sometimes treat afib by speeding up the heart. I

suppose they speed it up past the upper rate of the afib pulse rate hoping

that the heart or nervous system thinks it is supposed to be at that rate and

lets the normal sinus rythem re-establish itself?

Guy in Iowa

[Guest guest]

>My PCP told me that they sometimes treat afib by speeding up the

heart. I

suppose they speed it up past the upper rate of the afib pulse rate

hoping

that the heart or nervous system thinks it is supposed to be at that

rate and

lets the normal sinus rythem re-establish itself?

Just my two cents on a couple of related issues. I am also more

comfortable propped up than lying down flat when stuff happens. In

fact, occasionally in the evening when vegging out on the sofa, a

little run of stuff will happen, and I can stop it by sitting up.

Since I'm mostly adrenergic, I wonder if this is due to something

like the position of the pulmonary veins, like our old friend lying

on the left side causing trouble, vs. the going into stuff when the

heart rate drops that vagal folk have.

On the other hand, maybe the lying down phenomenon is some vagal

effect due to taking a beta blocker.

I recollect hearing in the directions for what to do when someone is

having a heart attack and you're waiting for the 911 folks that

people are often more comfortable sitting up. Why this is would be

interesting to know.

[Guest guest]

<<I recollect hearing in the directions for what to do when someone is

having a heart attack and you're waiting for the 911 folks that

people are often more comfortable sitting up. Why this is would be

interesting to know.>>

I believe it is to reduce the workload of the heart and if you are having

difficulty breathing it will help backed up fluid drain out of the

lungs.(especially if you have mitral valve regurgitation) - I guess it helps

the atria to drain the right way???

In the bad old days of my AF it was the position the

paramedics and ER would always try to put me in - I was much better off

laying horizontal and they always seemed a little surprised at this. (but

the ECG verified horizontal was better)

The most 'comfortable' is horizontal on my right side.

--

D (33, Leeds, UK)

Paroxysmal AF for 29 hours every 16 days

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/27/2002 7:59:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

guygooch@... writes:

<< Several nights I didn't get much rest

because of storms which probably had something to do with initiating the

afib

events. I never experienced this situation before, maybe the amiodarone has

some effect. >>

Guy,

My cardiologist told me that lack of sleep is one factor which can almost

certainly be an afib trigger. I don't experience afib every time I lose

sleep, but I have noticed a correlation in the past although not recently. I

think it's typical for vagal afib to convert to sinus during some kind of

activity as happened for you. It's happened many times for me that way. I

would try resting in bed in hopes of converting and then would convert when I

began to move about or exercise mildly.

in sinus in Seattle (97th day)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/27/2002 7:59:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

guygooch@... writes:

<< Several nights I didn't get much rest

because of storms which probably had something to do with initiating the

afib

events. I never experienced this situation before, maybe the amiodarone has

some effect. >>

Guy,

My cardiologist told me that lack of sleep is one factor which can almost

certainly be an afib trigger. I don't experience afib every time I lose

sleep, but I have noticed a correlation in the past although not recently. I

think it's typical for vagal afib to convert to sinus during some kind of

activity as happened for you. It's happened many times for me that way. I

would try resting in bed in hopes of converting and then would convert when I

began to move about or exercise mildly.

in sinus in Seattle (97th day)

[Guest guest]

> >My PCP told me that they sometimes treat afib by speeding up the

> heart. I

> suppose they speed it up past the upper rate of the afib pulse

rate

> hoping

> that the heart or nervous system thinks it is supposed to be at

that

> rate and

> lets the normal sinus rythem re-establish itself?

>

> Just my two cents on a couple of related issues. I am also more

> comfortable propped up than lying down flat when stuff happens.

In

> fact, occasionally in the evening when vegging out on the sofa, a

> little run of stuff will happen, and I can stop it by sitting up.

> Since I'm mostly adrenergic, I wonder if this is due to something

> like the position of the pulmonary veins, like our old friend

lying

> on the left side causing trouble, vs. the going into stuff when

the

> heart rate drops that vagal folk have.

>

> On the other hand, maybe the lying down phenomenon is some vagal

> effect due to taking a beta blocker.

>

> I recollect hearing in the directions for what to do when someone

is

> having a heart attack and you're waiting for the 911 folks that

> people are often more comfortable sitting up. Why this is would

be

> interesting to know.