“Don't let anyone, especially your doctor, tell you that A-Fib isn't that serious,
or you should just learn to live with it.”
— Steve S. Ryan
I planned to write three job applications today, but a run-in with mold simultaneously triggered both my allergy and my arrhythmia, leaving me incapacitated all morning and well into the afternoon. So, now that I have recovered, I think it’s best to pass on some pearls of wisdom for dealing with arrhythmia.
If you have cardiovascular disease (CVD) or heart failure, arrhythmia can be set off by all kinds of things: a cup of coffee that's too strong, a missed night of sleep (guilty), a medication that hits too hard (like a rescue inhaler), or an allergy… just to name a few. Whatever the cause, it is terrifying.
I want to share what helps me so that others feel less alone, because it can be one of the most isolating experiences there is.
Arrhythmia Signals:
Arrhythmia happens when the heart's electrical system goes haywire and loses its natural beat, even briefly. When this happens, your heart may beat too fast, too slow, or out of sync. The most common type is atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), and frankly, it is my mortal nemesis. Every time my heart starts to dance beneath my ribs, I literally say, “We meet again.”
But I'm not alone: A-Fib is the most common arrhythmia worldwide, affecting nearly 60 million people. However, A-fib is just one kind of arrhythmia, while others also bring flutters or extra beats that throw off the heart's groove, and with it your whole body's rhythm, including your breathing and brain function. This, even temporarily, is extremely disconcerting.
When This Happens, It's Common To Feel:
Breathless:
It feels like someone reached into your lungs and yanked the air out by hand, leaving you unable to catch a full breath.
An Unsteady Beat:
This makes sense, because your heart is literally trembling and jerking as it tries desperately to correct itself and get back in sync. You might feel:
a fluttering heartbeat
a racing heartbeat
skipped beats
extra beats
a slow heartbeat
Brain Fog:
Apart from the physical discomfort, which is the part I hate most, mainly because I try to keep functioning and prove to everyone around me, and to myself, that I am, in fact, okay… and that only makes matters worse.
For me, it feels like being thrown out of the tree house and not being allowed back in until maintenance is complete. Half the time, it's like walking down a concrete road that suddenly crumbles, leaving only a few stray pieces to hop between, which makes the whole situation even harder to manage.
Physical Sluggishness:
This one is hard. When you're trying to get through your day, and your body physically can't do anything but sit down and let your heart rest, that's a major problem and a telltale sign that something is wrong. It can be embarrassing and maddeningly frustrating.
Slow Speech:
If your brain is foggy and your body is slow, your speech will be too. Other people may get the impression that you're “slow” or “cognitively impaired,” which, in that moment, you are, but only temporarily… and most people you meet out in the wild don't know that.
This makes it hard to explain what's happening or to get your needs met.
No Symptoms At All:
Some people with arrhythmia are asymptomatic: they don't feel anything. I envy them, but it can be dangerous, because they don't know that something is wrong in their chest. This is why it's so important to see your doctor, because only a doctor can diagnose it.
Personally, I know the sensation all too well, and because I've been through it so many times, I can confirm it myself with my Apple Watch and my pulse oximeter.
How I Handle It:
After this latest episode, all I can offer tonight is my own advice; I'll follow up with a fully researched version in an upcoming article. If this helps you, I'm glad. But if you experience arrhythmia, or think you might, please see your doctor and get their advice. They may agree with my ideas or they may not. I'm simply sharing how I handle it in the moment, because it's deeply unsettling every time, even for a veteran.
Call emergency services right away (112 in Europe, 911 in the US) if you have chest pain, faint or nearly faint, are severely short of breath, or notice signs of a stroke, like a drooping face, a weak arm, or slurred speech.
Don't Fight Your Heart:
Your heart is in an all-out civil war with itself, fighting for your life. Do not, under any circumstances, push through it, fight it, or ignore it. Respect your heart. This isn't your war; it's your heart's battle, and your life and health hang in the balance. So, do what you can to help.
Sit Or Lie Down:
If you feel these sensations, call your doctor, then find a chair or a bed. Sit halfway up so it's easier for your heart to find its rhythm again, in whatever position is comfortable for you.
I usually go straight to bed and sit propped up on pillows.
Breathe Calmly:
Your heart needs you calm, your breath steady, and your mind at ease, no matter how hard that is.
It always seems to strike when I can least afford it, often because stress made me forgetful and I had a coffee or something. Then I try to keep working, writing or studying, but it's like trying to fill a dam with a single droplet from what used to be a flowing river. It's not worth it, and it only adds stress.
So instead, I recommend picking up your phone or computer and scrolling or watching a movie. Something soothing, mindless, and dull. It's a short-term sacrifice of time for the sake of a long-term goal.
Food And Water:
Help your body however you can, and that includes eating and drinking, but modestly. If you have heart rhythm problems, you may be on a salt- or fluid-restricted diet, so be extra mindful of that.
Personally, I grab a water bottle and a light snack of yogurt with a little honey, then sit in bed taking small sips and bites throughout the episode, just to keep my strength up and do my part in the war effort.
Comfort Things:
It can help to grab or call a partner, a pet, a stuffed toy, or whatever brings you comfort. They can calm you and give you a moment of peace during a genuinely frightening experience.
Hang On:
I don't mean push on; I mean literally hang on. Trust your heart and let it right itself. Arrhythmia can feel like being caught in a storm on a sinking ship, but all you have to do is hold on to the lifeboat while the storm settles.
It will be okay. Just let your doctor know, and hang on.
The sun will come out.
Sleep:
This is where everything comes full circle. Sleep and the nervous system are closely connected, and so, in turn, are sleep and heart rhythm. Poor sleep means a higher chance of a finicky heartbeat, so getting enough sleep makes an episode less likely.
That doesn't necessarily mean just going to bed early. I also have mechanical heart valves, so sleep has never been my friend; I often sleep only four to five hours at a time. It's a work in progress, especially since the more I heal, the louder my heart gets… but anyway.
And even if sleep doesn't solve it, know that there is still hope. Talk to your doctor about other options, such as beta-blockers, cardioversion, or ablation, whatever you need. Even in those moments when it feels like your body is drowning, there is hope. It will be okay.
I say all this because arrhythmia and A-Fib aren't just unpleasant sensations. They can be genuinely dangerous if left untreated. The danger isn't always immediate, but untreated A-Fib can lead to blood clots, stroke, and heart failure, all of which are serious and best avoided, especially when something as simple as a good night's sleep can help.
Conclusion:
I hope these bits of advice help. Honestly, no one around me had been through it, and whenever I brought it up, people got uncomfortable, because heart problems are uncomfortable by nature. But the fact is that I, and millions of other people, live with them. I don't think there should be a stigma around a genuinely terrifying experience, one that leaves people too afraid to ask for help and camaraderie.
I'm not a doctor, but I've had a heart condition for three decades, and between experience and research, I know more about this than I ever wished I would, and I'm sure many others with heart conditions feel the same. That's why I want to share these bits of wisdom, so that others who need them can find hope and a sliver of autonomy in a situation no one ever asked for.
A-Fib is not something you just learn to live with. It's a dangerous, terrifying condition that needs medical treatment if the heart doesn't right itself. As long as you and your heart work as a team, you can conquer mountains. I'm just offering a few tips and tricks to help you along the way.
But as always, consult your doctor. They're there to help and advise you as you navigate this new stage of your cardiovascular journey.
What do you think? Can you relate?
Comment below.
Keep ticking, everybody!
P.S. Are there any aspects of CVD health or pacemakers you’d like to know more about?
Feel free to email me at:
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