Wake up at night

April 13, 2006

I wake up usually around 2:30 AM to 4 AM with my heart beating

irrugular. I am fine during the day. Does anyone have a similar

problem? If yes, any remedies?

Thanks,

Mike

April 13, 2006

Mike, seems like vagally-mediated Afib. Try sleeping on your left-

hand side, and this should, in the short term, alleviate the

condition.

Virtually all my afib episodes have initiated around these times.

Before i got my first full-blown episode, i did notice ocassional

episodes of irregular heartbeats at these times.

If you do get a full-blown episode, don't panic, but do seek medical

attention.

Hope this helps,

>

> I wake up usually around 2:30 AM to 4 AM with my heart beating

> irrugular. I am fine during the day. Does anyone have a similar

> problem? If yes, any remedies?

>

> Thnaks,

> Mike

>

April 13, 2006

Before I went into permanent a-fib, my occasional episodes of a-

fib almost always began in the middle of the night. Usually 1-4 am,

always while I was in bed and almost always when I was asleep.

I'd sure be interested to know why this occurs. From reading

this message board, quite a few a-fib sufferers go into afib in the

middle of the night.

Mike from Minnesota

>

> I wake up usually around 2:30 AM to 4 AM with my heart beating

> irrugular. I am fine during the day. Does anyone have a similar

> problem? If yes, any remedies?

>

> Thnaks,

> Mike

>

April 13, 2006

I do Mike. I have about two to three short AFIB episodes per night. The

meds (Flecainde & Lanixon) help keep them away and keep them short, but the

AFIB monster still seems to interupt my night.

I have a theory - I think that when I dream it increases my heart rate and

thus AFIB (irregular heartbeat) sets in. I simply wake up - sit up - take

several deep breathes (holding the breathes and bearing darn hard on my

heart) and then usually the ticker starts ticking in NSR. I usually can

then go back to sleep. Not always, but most of the time. It's not the best

night time senario, but it's sure better than the hard bad AFIB's I had

before the meds.

Good luck! I hope this helps.

Debbie in Texas

>

>Reply-To: AFIBsupport

>To: AFIBsupport

>Subject: Wake up at night

>Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 15:10:45 -0000

>

>I wake up usually around 2:30 AM to 4 AM with my heart beating

>irrugular. I am fine during the day. Does anyone have a similar

>problem? If yes, any remedies?

>

>Thanks,

>Mike

>

April 13, 2006

Have the same problem, now that I am on atenolol I take it in the

evening, that sometimes helps, I took my pulse one night and it was 131

bpm

ine

Wake up at night

I wake up usually around 2:30 AM to 4 AM with my heart beating

irrugular. I am fine during the day. Does anyone have a similar

problem? If yes, any remedies?

Thnaks,

Mike

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.

April 13, 2006

I'm sure there are good practical physiological reasons for this. When I did

my holter test, I apparently had more pvc's and odd runs of this and that

during sleep than at any other time. Just when you think you'd be resting. But

apparently the body is not resting, but rebuilding cells etc.

Lil

In a message dated 4/13/2006 2:37:49 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,

mikesellon@... writes:

Before I went into permanent a-fib, my occasional episodes of a-

fib almost always began in the middle of the night. Usually 1-4 am,

always while I was in bed and almost always when I was asleep.

I'd sure be interested to know why this occurs. From reading

this message board, quite a few a-fib sufferers go into afib in the

middle of the night.

April 13, 2006

I saw on NBC Nightly News that insomnia is an " epidemic " in the US with 70

million Americans affected. Since menopause I take something virtually every

night to sleep. Sometimes it is an ativan...less frequently a half 10-mg.

ambien...otherwise I simply do *not* fall asleep. I know several people - men

particularly - who wake in the night and cannot go back to sleep. They are

always exhausted. I usually do not turn out the light until midnight, wake

around

6:30-7 but lately am finding it hard to really *wake up.* Beta blockers? Zero

estrogen? Old geezer lady syndrome? (I am 61.) Whatever, sleep problems are

a drag.

Lil

In a message dated 4/13/2006 4:35:07 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,

ggheld@... writes:

Continuous sleep is a lost are for me. I try meditation, guided

imagery, self hypnosis, counting sheep, etc., and am still usually

awake for an hour or two sometime between 0200 and 0500. At 0500 I

get up anyway. If anyone has any good suggestions I'm willing to

try them. Sleeping pills (Ambien) work for a few days then they

need a break for a week or so in my case. Klonopin works but it's a

heavy hitter and I prefer to save it for emergencies.

April 13, 2006

I dream alot at night (taking two beta blockers) and this is when I get the AFib

mostly. Most nights I would have runs of AFib sometimes it is gone by the

morning other times my day consists of going in and out of AFib.

Regards

Lynda

ine pj.gilmartin@...> wrote:

Have the same problem, now that I am on atenolol I take it in the

evening, that sometimes helps, I took my pulse one night and it was 131

bpm

ine

Wake up at night

I wake up usually around 2:30 AM to 4 AM with my heart beating

irrugular. I am fine during the day. Does anyone have a similar

problem? If yes, any remedies?

Thnaks,

Mike

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.

April 13, 2006

Before I had my ablation my afib always came on in the middle of the

night. After the ablation I don't get the afib anymore but I do get

ectopic beats mostly then.

I just got the results back from my first Holter monitor since my

ablation. I had some atrial activity but it didn't turn into afib

because the ablation stopped that circuit; but, interestingly enough

I also had a lot of PVC's in the 0300 to 0900 hour frame; and 6 runs

of PVC's betewen 0700 - 0900. I felt only a very few of those.

Perhaps the medication from the previous day is wearing thin by then

as the mind is starting it's day. I seem to remember reading that a

disproportionate number of heart attacks occur during those hours as

well.

Continuous sleep is a lost are for me. I try meditation, guided

imagery, self hypnosis, counting sheep, etc., and am still usually

awake for an hour or two sometime between 0200 and 0500. At 0500 I

get up anyway. If anyone has any good suggestions I'm willing to

try them. Sleeping pills (Ambien) work for a few days then they

need a break for a week or so in my case. Klonopin works but it's a

heavy hitter and I prefer to save it for emergencies.

Gordon

April 13, 2006

Lil - I can definitely tell you that my heart meds (Rhythmol and Atenelol) make

me dead tired ALL THE TIME! I can get a solid nights sleep, with only waking up

to use the bathroom once, and I still wake up pooped!

I will also add that when my thyroid was slightly out of wack (hypo) I slept

really poorley... restless and awake half the night..... I was, and still am,

amazed at how well I sleep now that I'm on synthroid. The difference was

dramatic to say the least (other than the not being rested part).

If I wake up in the middle of the night now (I do with joint pain sometimes)

I'll immediately take two tylenol and a tums.. this kills any possibly heartburn

as the source for wakefullness, and helps a bit with pain. I would prefer

aspirin or ibuprofen, but can't take them while I'm on warfarin.

I am very much looking forward to the day I no longer take heart medication. I

was on heart drugs before going on synthroid, so I don't know what it feels like

to have the good night sleep without the lethargy of the medication.

cnetwork@... wrote:

I saw on NBC Nightly News that insomnia is an " epidemic " in the US with 70

million Americans affected. Since menopause I take something virtually every

night to sleep. Sometimes it is an ativan...less frequently a half 10-mg.

ambien...otherwise I simply do *not* fall asleep. I know several people - men

particularly - who wake in the night and cannot go back to sleep. They are

always exhausted. I usually do not turn out the light until midnight, wake

around

6:30-7 but lately am finding it hard to really *wake up.* Beta blockers? Zero

estrogen? Old geezer lady syndrome? (I am 61.) Whatever, sleep problems are

a drag.

Lil

In a message dated 4/13/2006 4:35:07 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,

ggheld@... writes:

Continuous sleep is a lost are for me. I try meditation, guided

imagery, self hypnosis, counting sheep, etc., and am still usually

awake for an hour or two sometime between 0200 and 0500. At 0500 I

get up anyway. If anyone has any good suggestions I'm willing to

try them. Sleeping pills (Ambien) work for a few days then they

need a break for a week or so in my case. Klonopin works but it's a

heavy hitter and I prefer to save it for emergencies.

April 13, 2006

Mike and others who wake up with a fib in the middle of the night -

this has been my pattern for the past 4 years. 7 months ago I was

tested for sleep apnea and turns out I have severe sleep apnea. This

means you stop breathing more than 30 times an hour (in my case it was

80 times an hour), putting a great strain on the heart. I beleive

that this is the trigger for my a fib. Please consider being tested

for sleep apnea. The treatment has led to a great decrease in my

episodes of a fib.

>

> I wake up usually around 2:30 AM to 4 AM with my heart beating

> irrugular. I am fine during the day. Does anyone have a similar

> problem? If yes, any remedies?

>

> Thnaks,

> Mike

>

April 14, 2006

I wake up often in the night with afib, when I was in hospital awaiting

for my PM to be fitted the nurse wanted to do an ECG at 3.30 am, but by

the time she got the machine ready it was too late, she said that there

was something on the main monitor that they wanted to get a 12 lead

reading on, however I was not in the mood to ask questions so I don't

know what it was but obviously something must happen at that time. It

is interesting that other people have the same symptoms.

ine

Re: Re: Wake up at night

I'm sure there are good practical physiological reasons for this. When I

did

my holter test, I apparently had more pvc's and odd runs of this and

that

during sleep than at any other time. Just when you think you'd be

resting. But

apparently the body is not resting, but rebuilding cells etc.

Lil

In a message dated 4/13/2006 2:37:49 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,

mikesellon@... writes:

Before I went into permanent a-fib, my occasional episodes of a-

fib almost always began in the middle of the night. Usually 1-4 am,

always while I was in bed and almost always when I was asleep.

I'd sure be interested to know why this occurs. From reading

this message board, quite a few a-fib sufferers go into afib in the

middle of the night.

April 14, 2006

In a message dated 4/13/06 6:43:46 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

quarteracreorchids@... writes:

> Be careful, however, if you're still on any heart medication..

Good warning Stef ... I know digoxin absorption is blocked by magnesium,

which is in a lot of liquid antacids (like Mylanta). Pays to check out whatever

meds you're on Gordon.

Toni

CA

April 14, 2006

I thought the only trigger I had was drinking cold drinks during the day and

then this past couple of months, they began to happen during the night and last

for hours. My EP believes I have vagal afib and he said that the vagal tone

changes and is more sensitive during the night time hours. He said that even

getting up to go to the bathroom might set off an event.

Since I had 3 acute attacks in four weeks during sleep (2 of which I went to

ER) I have been sleeping mostly sitting up in my recliner. I have doubled my

dose of Sotalol from 80 mg BID to 160 mg BID, take a 1/2 - 2 mg of Ativan before

bedtime and doing well. Still having nightmares but no afib. My EP thinks the

nightmares can set off the afib. The last two, I can't remember even dreaming.

So, I don't know what is helping me - either the increased dose in Sotalol, or

sleeping in the recliner half sitting up all night. I have never slept better

and my acid reflux is a lot better also. I wonder if I have sleep apnea and by

sleeping up prevents the apnea.

Loretta

April 14, 2006

Gordon, Sleep loss has been an issue for me too, for the pst 2 or three

years. And when I have afib ..it is almost always at night, or early hours

of the morning (I an bradycardic too ...perhaps a corolation there)

A lot of times I get to sleep but wake up a couple of hours latelt

(sometimes in a light sweat and feeling 'hot' ...god knows what that could

be .....

Other times I find it hard to get to sleep ...and after lying there for

acouple of hours will reach for an ambien in desperation....don't like to

...but it's better than the alternative.

There are some nights that I sleep okay, but still wake from time to time. I

usually sleep 5 - 6 hours only, but that seems to be enough for me as I am

not tired through the day.

I always tke a brisk 3 mile walk and mix in about a mile jog ,,, 40 minutes

every night. So figure my fitness level must be not too bad for a 55 year

old

It seems to be a common problem for many people though. But like you,

imagery or meditation/breathing etc, does not seem to do much ...for some

reason, it doesn't work for me.

Re: Wake up at night

> Before I had my ablation my afib always came on in the middle of the

> night. After the ablation I don't get the afib anymore but I do get

> ectopic beats mostly then.

>

> I just got the results back from my first Holter monitor since my

> ablation. I had some atrial activity but it didn't turn into afib

> because the ablation stopped that circuit; but, interestingly enough

> I also had a lot of PVC's in the 0300 to 0900 hour frame; and 6 runs

> of PVC's betewen 0700 - 0900. I felt only a very few of those.

>

> Perhaps the medication from the previous day is wearing thin by then

> as the mind is starting it's day. I seem to remember reading that a

> disproportionate number of heart attacks occur during those hours as

> well.

>

> Continuous sleep is a lost are for me. I try meditation, guided

> imagery, self hypnosis, counting sheep, etc., and am still usually

> awake for an hour or two sometime between 0200 and 0500. At 0500 I

> get up anyway. If anyone has any good suggestions I'm willing to

> try them. Sleeping pills (Ambien) work for a few days then they

> need a break for a week or so in my case. Klonopin works but it's a

> heavy hitter and I prefer to save it for emergencies.

>

> Gordon

>

> 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.

>

April 14, 2006

Sleeping upright does prevent obstructive apnea for the most part.

>

> I thought the only trigger I had was drinking cold drinks during the

day and then this past couple of months, they began to happen during

the night and last for hours. My EP believes I have vagal afib and he

said that the vagal tone changes and is more sensitive during the

night time hours. He said that even getting up to go to the bathroom

might set off an event.

>

> Since I had 3 acute attacks in four weeks during sleep (2 of which

I went to ER) I have been sleeping mostly sitting up in my recliner.

I have doubled my dose of Sotalol from 80 mg BID to 160 mg BID, take a

1/2 - 2 mg of Ativan before bedtime and doing well. Still having

nightmares but no afib. My EP thinks the nightmares can set off the

afib. The last two, I can't remember even dreaming. So, I don't know

what is helping me - either the increased dose in Sotalol, or sleeping

in the recliner half sitting up all night. I have never slept better

and my acid reflux is a lot better also. I wonder if I have sleep

apnea and by sleeping up prevents the apnea.

>

> Loretta

>

April 14, 2006

This is a very interesting thread. I almost always wake up about 4am

with AF. It quietens down after a few minutes and it is often

related to a dream. I know Sotolol makes you dream and I wonder if

it is possible that one gets AF whilst asleep and that makes you

dream too. I often dream I am running or doing something exhertive

and wake up with my heart thumping. I can't figure which way round

it goes.

Someone said (sorry can't remember who) that sleeping on the left

side relieves it. This is interesting because many people here say

AF is more likely to start if they lay on the left side. But my

heart usually quietens down if I lay on the left. Go figure!

Sue

> >

> > I thought the only trigger I had was drinking cold drinks during

the

> day and then this past couple of months, they began to happen

during

> the night and last for hours. My EP believes I have vagal afib

and he

> said that the vagal tone changes and is more sensitive during the

> night time hours. He said that even getting up to go to the

bathroom

> might set off an event.

> >

> > Since I had 3 acute attacks in four weeks during sleep (2 of

which

> I went to ER) I have been sleeping mostly sitting up in my

recliner.

> I have doubled my dose of Sotalol from 80 mg BID to 160 mg BID,

take a

> 1/2 - 2 mg of Ativan before bedtime and doing well. Still having

> nightmares but no afib. My EP thinks the nightmares can set off

the

> afib. The last two, I can't remember even dreaming. So, I don't

know

> what is helping me - either the increased dose in Sotalol, or

sleeping

> in the recliner half sitting up all night. I have never slept

better

> and my acid reflux is a lot better also. I wonder if I have sleep

> apnea and by sleeping up prevents the apnea.

> >

> > Loretta

> >

April 14, 2006

Hi sue

Lying on left side tend to start my afib off, when I had my

echocardiogram done 2 weeks ago I had to lay on my left side and that

really started it off and made me feel quite dizzy. I never lay on my

left side when sleeping.

ine

Re: Wake up at night

This is a very interesting thread. I almost always wake up about 4am

with AF. It quietens down after a few minutes and it is often

related to a dream. I know Sotolol makes you dream and I wonder if

it is possible that one gets AF whilst asleep and that makes you

dream too. I often dream I am running or doing something exhertive

and wake up with my heart thumping. I can't figure which way round

it goes.

Someone said (sorry can't remember who) that sleeping on the left

side relieves it. This is interesting because many people here say

AF is more likely to start if they lay on the left side. But my

heart usually quietens down if I lay on the left. Go figure!

Sue

> >

> > I thought the only trigger I had was drinking cold drinks during

the

> day and then this past couple of months, they began to happen

during

> the night and last for hours. My EP believes I have vagal afib

and he

> said that the vagal tone changes and is more sensitive during the

> night time hours. He said that even getting up to go to the

bathroom

> might set off an event.

> >

> > Since I had 3 acute attacks in four weeks during sleep (2 of

which

> I went to ER) I have been sleeping mostly sitting up in my

recliner.

> I have doubled my dose of Sotalol from 80 mg BID to 160 mg BID,

take a

> 1/2 - 2 mg of Ativan before bedtime and doing well. Still having

> nightmares but no afib. My EP thinks the nightmares can set off

the

> afib. The last two, I can't remember even dreaming. So, I don't

know

> what is helping me - either the increased dose in Sotalol, or

sleeping

> in the recliner half sitting up all night. I have never slept

better

> and my acid reflux is a lot better also. I wonder if I have sleep

> apnea and by sleeping up prevents the apnea.

> >

> > Loretta

> >

April 14, 2006

-Does magnesium block any other heart meds? Ev

=============

April 14, 2006

Hi Sue,

I frequently awaken with AF too, though the time varies depending on how jumpy

my

heart is. Sometimes it intrudes on a dream in the form of strong exertion.

Thinking

back, I used to wake up with a pounding heart (not AF) for many years at

irregular

intervals, especially if I'd been overactive the day before. No Dr could tell

me what it

was, but now I think it was probably atrial flutter. It usually resolved

gradually over

15-30 minutes with slow deep breathing. Since developing AF I still start out

with a

pounding beat most of the time and gradually it slows to the irregular funky

rhythm

we've all learned to recognise as AF. My best guess is that the stimulus of

dreaming

sets off the AF, which is then incorporated into the dream as running, or other

strong

exertion, but I supppose it could work the other way too.

Just as frequently as waking with AF, I seem to wake up first and then it starts

when I

move or stretch or start to get out of bed. I've learn to move very cautiously

first

thing in the morning or if I get up to use the bathroom!

This brings me to a question/paradox I'm wondering about. I believe that my AF

is

mostly vagally triggered as most of my episodes start when my pulse is slow and

I'm

quiet, yet I can often identify some stimulus as having set off a bout. I feel

most

vulnerable when I'm quiet and just contemplating/starting to become active. On

awakening before getting up, when I take a deep breath or laugh after several

hours

sitting still, etc. Once I'm reasonably active I'm much less vulnerable. Does

the

definition of " vagal " acknowlede this kind of paradoxical arousal as a stimulus?

Does anyone else fit this pattern?

H

> This is a very interesting thread. I almost always wake up about 4am

> with AF. It quietens down after a few minutes and it is often related

> to a dream. I know Sotolol makes you dream and I wonder if it is

> possible that one gets AF whilst asleep and that makes you dream too.

> I often dream I am running or doing something exhertive and wake up

> with my heart thumping. I can't figure which way round it goes.

> Someone said (sorry can't remember who) that sleeping on the left side

> relieves it. This is interesting because many people here say AF is

> more likely to start if they lay on the left side. But my heart

> usually quietens down if I lay on the left. Go figure! Sue

April 14, 2006

and Sue, My experience is also that I'm more prone to AF when at rest.

Sometimes I wake up in the AM and find I'm in AF. There may be a vagal component

to it as I tend to be bradychardic, and was for many years before my onset of AF

sixteen years ago.Naturally my bradycardia becomes more pronounced naturally

during sleep. It is rare that I have breathrough during exercise, which also

makes me think it is vagally triggered, The other factor is that I have mild

sleep apnea. I wonder how many people may be triggered by sleep apnea, and not

even know that they have that problem.

john@... wrote: Hi Sue,