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Atrial Fibrillation

 Poster: A snowHead
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Does anyone have any experience of skiing with AF? I had a recent spell in hospital with a lung infection which seems to have triggered AF. I am taking meds but unsure what things to avoid other than alcohol and caffeine.
I have had one episode since which left me wondering about skiing. Internet research suggests altitude can be a trigger and obviously raised heart rate through exercise, can make it worse.
My take is that increasing my basic level of fitness will make me less sensitive but would appreciate any actual experience. I'm 69 and planning a trip to Val D'Isere in March.
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Are you on blood thinners e.g rivaroxaban? One consideration is if you bang your head in a fall, you may need a CT scan to check all is ok (I’m basing this on my mother who is not a skier, but a fair bit older and getting to the age where she has the occasional fall - each time they’ve insisted on whisking her off to A&E for a full check up).
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I was diagnosed with mild AF about 30 years ago and put on meds. I played lots of sports (squash, badminton, tennis, running, skiing) and the doc was very insistant that the dosage controlled the AF so there were no limitations on what I could do. 30 years later in my late 60s I live in France and still play badminton and ski and tour and am on the same meds/dosage. Most of the time I am totally unaware of any AF whatever I'm doing or eating/drinking and I've never noticed any effects from altitude, even up to over 3500m. But, we are all different and your's may be a lot worse. I had a friend in the UK who was being medicated for AF but who had problems just climbing stairs. I think fitness may come into it.
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I was diagnosed with mild AF about 15 years ago. I am not on any meds. I am 76 and ski 3 or 4 weeks a season. I have the occasional attack which does not usually last very long. Not sure what triggers it as it does appear to be related to any particular effort. I cycle quite a lot and take regular exercise. March is a great time to vist Val.
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I am in permanent AF. I don't avoid anything, food and drink-wise, but neither do I go mad! I just took it easy when I went skiing - didn't notice any effect from altitude, but then it wasn't very high (Alleghe, pre-Birthday Bash).

I don't believe AF is in itself a problem (and my cardiologist obviously doesn't think it's worth the risk of side-effects with anti-arrhythmic drugs, which can be pretty nasty). The problem is rather whatever underlying issue with your heart has set it off! I take meds for heart failure (including anti-coagulants) but no anti-arrhythmics. I believe that research shows that using drugs to achieve sinus rhythm doesn't actually improve long term morbidity and mortality - given that the arrhythmia is a symptom, rather than a cause, of problems.

Keeping as fit and strong as possible obviously makes sense - taking account of your limitations.
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Thanks everyone. You've confirmed my understanding. I don't have any underlying heart problems, according to the hospital (my AF is paroxysmal), and I am aware of the risks associated with the anti-coagulants.

I'll get fitter and enjoy my holiday.
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Paroxysmal AF, for me get fit pre ski, moderate alcohol only, dont get exhausted, keep core warm inc neck warm. Very cold weather/air intake seemed to set mine off.
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I’ve been lucky and my treatment of a daily beta blocker has sorted mine out but I also had a mitral valve repair op soon after I was diagnosed with AF. Skiing at high altitude was one factor that highlighted my leaking mitral valve and led to early intervention. I am fine with high altitudes since the repair and have no problems going skiing apart from the fact that it’s not been possible much over the last year or so. I’d go for it if you have no other issues.
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@tarrantd, why do you have AF? What is the long term plan? How old are you? Have you seen a cardiologist who specialises in ep? What I'm getting at is is there an option of cardioversion or ablation?
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@peanuthead, I had an unsuccessful cardioversion (sinus for three days) and my cardiologist specifically said he wouldn't advise cardioversion. And he knew I'd be happy to pay privately for anything useful (this was all before Covid). I'd been hoping for ablation, so felt disappointed but went and did a fair bit of reading and came to the conclusion that living long-term with AF was not a bad option. Ablation isn't without risks and the long term outcome of achieving sinus rhythm didn't seem compelling. I'm much "weller" in everyday life than my cardiac stats (28% EF on cardiac MRI) would suggest. I take a handful of drugs night and morning (including the very expensive Entresto) and can do a lot more than many 75 year olds. Walking uphill at any pace is impossible, but I can walk 5 miles on the flattish at a good pace and do 20 minutes three or four times a week on the top setting on my rower.

I realise the arguments would be different for a younger person.
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I'm also a sufferer , took Bisoprolol for several years , and then the opportunity to use private health insurance presented itself. I had two rounds of NHS "jump-starts" as I call them, pretty much to no avail - sinus rhythm for a limited time then back to (abnormal) .
I had an ablation, done by catheter and have had no after effects from it.
I THINK I'm back to normal, but I still have a low, fluttery heartbeat. Several different heart monitors / watches have been unable to register a steady reliable figure for me. I do suffer occasional low-pressure wobblies, but am otherwise reasonably fit. I use a Peloton regularly. Before I was diagnosed, I spent a few bad years hillwalking, where for no apparent reason I would simply drain of all energy, even before I'd done anything strenuous. A treadmill stress test at the cardio clinic resulted in alarms sounding and the big red button on the wall getting pressed as I hit 230BPM .

I THINK I'm sort of cured, but not convinced it's permanent.

Skiing isn't a problem for me at all, except for a couple of times when there's been a slog on foot between lift and the top of piste, but I simply wasn't fit enough at that time.
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@pam w, correct, I'm not a cardiologist, but I understand age is big consideration regarding ablation likely success rate and benefit-risk ratio. I think 65 is the arbitrary cut off age. But clearly a young person will be optimally served by expert opinion on possible permanent solution
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@peanuthead, my AF was triggered by the lung infection as far as the docs can tell. It's paroxysmal so mostly not there. Currently treated with Bisoprolol. I'm 69 and ablation has been mentioned if the AF is troublesome but as it's only been 4 weeks since I left hospital it's a bit soon. I was interested in other people's experience to see what I needed to think about in relation to my planned trip in March.
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The Bisoprolol will obviously tend to make you feel a bit whacked at times, @tarrantd, as it's rate-controlling you, so where your heartrate would naturally increase with exertion, it's constrained. After 4 weeks you're certainly going to be treated conservatively - needs time to see how it's going to settle down and how you tolerate the meds. I've been fortunate in that I've tolerated the impressive cocktail of meds very well - though it took several months to titrate the dose of Entresto up to maximum, as they were carefully watching my blood pressure (which is low). They didn't want to treat my heart failure only to have me fall downstairs and break my neck.
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@pam w, I must admit that my Bisoprolol medication has little effect on me that I’ve noticed, apart from the fact that it’s kept my AF under control, and I’ve been taking it for over seven years now.
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I have quite severe AF , paroxysmal, but only just, in that an episode could last 4-5 days, with perhaps 2 days off if lucky. Just had my 3rd ablation yesterday in fact, so fingers crossed it’s successful. I certainly won’t ski this year, but given that I’m on blood thinners, I probably won’t ski again as I’m quite accident prone.
@pam w, I’ve found I have got used to my small dose of bisoprolol - 1.25mg twice a day, but if I take more, it knocks me for 6, although I dare say I’d get used to it.
@tarrantd, have they done the Chads/vasc score on you yet to decide if you need thinners?
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@genepi, oh no, what a bummer, especially if you can't ski any more. Fingers crossed for some improvement. Sending healing hugs. x

I had some AF after my aortic valve re-do (not on the first one) which I suppose isn't surprising given all that rummaging about in there! It felt as though a little man with a hammer had taken up residence in my chest. Shocked Luckily it all settled down.
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Sorry to hear that, @genepi. Don't give up altogether on the skiing. Give it time. I've attended quite a few skiing accidents, including my own, and few have involved much blood. Skullie
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@pam w, it isn't the visible blood that is the problem though after a skiing accident.
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@Hells Bells, no, I did think that, after I'd posted!!
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Anti-coagulants (typically, now, apixaban) are important to prevent blood clots (and therefore the risk of stroke) in patients with atrial fibrillation. The GP I first saw, when I went in feeling unwell and was found to be in AF with tachycardia, prescribed me anti-coagulants and said to get them straightaway and take one immediately. Preferably before walking home..... There are obviously risks with anti-coagulants, as with any medication, and after trauma (such as a broken bone) internal bleeding, especially intra-cranial bleeding, could be a real risk. However, we all have to make our choices about the risks we are willing to take. A stroke (not a massive one, but a disabling one) is one of the things I most fear. Having a severe trauma and dying because of a massive hemorrhage, whether external or internal, is much less scary. I have been skiing, with AF and on anti-coagulants (and much else besides) and took it easy. As I get older the pleasure:risk ratio becomes less attractive, but that's true of all skiers, not just those with AF. I certainly wouldn't discourage anybody from skiing (or doing other relatively risky sports) just because of AF. Most of us would probably prefer to stay alive - but not "at all costs". wink
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@Hells Bells, I’ve had a couple of knocks that have led to bruising on Warfarin and they can look nasty but they’ve never bothered me. I know that more serious bleeds can be a problem but at least the Warfarin effect can be overridden if necessary in a serious bleed, as pointed out to me by a GP explaining the difference between Warfarin and other anticoagulant drugs. I do wonder why others have such a problem with Bisoprolol in small doses. I take 5mg a day without any noticeable problems at all, but I guess we’re all different in our reactions.
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Quote:

I take 5mg a day without any noticeable problems at all

Yes, me too. But then I've rarely had any allergic reactions to anything, and rarely had any problems with medication. I guess I'm just lucky!
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@geepee, the newer anticoagulants all stop their anticoagulation very quickly if you don't take them,typically within 24 hours, unlike warfarin which needs an antidote as the effect lasts for some time after you stop it. Also, there are now antidotes available to several of the newer ones.

As for the bisoprolol, we all react differently to drugs, the drug is the same, it is us that is different from the next person. A dose of 2.5mg can be too much for some. It also applies that our bodies can change, so we may suddenly develop side-effects or the drug stops working, after many years of taking it.
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I have no problems at all with the apixaban, and am very happy to take it as we have a bad history of strokes in our family. Like you @pam w, i have a horror of that happening. But I bruise beautifully for no obvious reason and it takes a while to stem the flow following a blood test. At the moment I’d be too anxious to ski for fear of banging my helmeted head, to enjoy it. I’ll be enjoying the walking in the mountains anyway next month! And maybe next year I’ll ski, or if not there will be some rather nice knee bindings up for sale!
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tarrantd wrote:
Does anyone have any experience of skiing with AF? I had a recent spell in hospital with a lung infection which seems to have triggered AF. I am taking meds but unsure what things to avoid other than alcohol and caffeine.
I have had one episode since which left me wondering about skiing. Internet research suggests altitude can be a trigger and obviously raised heart rate through exercise, can make it worse.
My take is that increasing my basic level of fitness will make me less sensitive but would appreciate any actual experience. I'm 69 and planning a trip to Val D'Isere in March.




I'm a Cardiologist who specialises in Electrophysiology (heart rhythm disorders, ablation, implantable devices etc).

Everyone responds differently to AF. Some people have it for an hour and feel incredibly unwell, and others have it for months/years/permanently and don't even know they've got it. Most people tend to be on the spectrum somewhere in between. That is to say, it's difficult for any one person to give you their experience and for it to be totally applicable to your situation. I would recommend simply testing out your fitness and increasing your level of exertion in an incremental fashion, and see how your body responds.

Some people have triggers for AF eg. alcohol as you mentioned. Even small amounts of alcohol can in many patients increase the risk of an AF paroxysm. That doesn't mean every time they have a couple of pints they get AF (although for some it is that way), it just means the underlying risk is higher eg. if you don't drink at all and normally get 1x AF episode every 4 weeks, but then start drinking 2 pints twice a week, and find that you're getting 1x AF episode every 2 weeks. If you want to be overly cautious whilst on holiday, you could cut down, although if you're not really getting much AF at all, then you may feel this overly interferes with your enjoyment of the holiday and will just drink moderately.

For the majority of people, exercise is not a trigger, although a small number of people seem to get exercise associated AF. Again, you've just got to see how your body responds to increasing exercise. Once you're happy with your fitness, maybe go to a snowdome so that you can replicate (as close as is possible on an indoor 100m shallow slope!) the kinds of movements and exertion your body will be under on an actual ski trip. You've got several months to "prepare" as it were. And when you're out there, start easy with the greens/blues and work your way up. There's obviously no guarantee that you won't get an AF episode, but I guess you can at least identify things that are likely to trigger (if anything does at all for you) before you go.

Can't really go into any more specific stuff as don't know the details of your AF, your investigations, treatment etc. but as generic advice I think the above is reasonable.

Have skimmed the thread and noticed a few comments which I thought I'd address too, as there is lots of misunderstanding around these topics.

1. Strokes secondary to AF tend to be more severe, more likely to kill you, and more likely to result in permanent, significant disability than strokes of other causes. Your risk of stroke is calculated based on a scoring system of your risk factors, and oral anticoagulants (OACs) started at a threshold at which benefit of stroke reduction outweighs the small risk of bleeding. OAC reduces stroke risk from whatever your risk is (based on your risk factors) by approx 65%.
2. Warfarin vs newer OACs (apixaban, rivaroxaban, edoxaban, dabigatran). General principles (there are nuances here, but I'm keeping it general): the newer agents are AT LEAST as effective as warfarin at preventing stroke. The newer agents are AT LEAST AS, IF NOT SAFER than warfarin when it comes to bleeding, and severe bleeding. The risk of intracranial bleeding tends to be demonstrably lower with the newer drugs than warfarin (although absolute differences are low, as the rate of this kind of bleeding is low to begin with for the majority of people).
3. Reversal of OACs in the event of serious bleeding. Until recently, warfarin was the only OAC with an "antidote". This led to the misconception that warfarin can be reversed and others cannot. Whilst in theory this is true, the reality is that when you give the same agents to people on the newer OACs that you would give for a bleed with warfarin, it is just as effective at stopping the bleeding, so this theoretical advantage of warfarin never really bore out. Even many doctors weren't as knowledgeable about this, which is why lots of people had this explained to them slightly incorrectly. More recently, specific antitodes have become available for all the newer drugs. They are very expensive, and whilst they are used, I'm not sure they are any more effective than the measures that were previously being taken at preventing bleeding. All of that is to say, the concept that there is potentially more bleeding with the newer ones is false. They are at least as safe from a bleeding perspective, and if bleeding does occur severe enough to require treatment, then treatment is just as effective as with warfarin.
4. For the overwhelming majority of patients with AF, we are now not even using warfarin. It is largely a drug of the past that has very specific use cases in the modern era, but first line prophylaxis in normal AF is not one of them. If anyone is still on warfarin and their levels/INRs are a bit up and down, or they want to avoid having regular blood tests and taking different doses every day, they can ask to be switched to the newer one as they are first line drugs according to NICE (even preferred) and so the request shouldn't be met with resistance.
5. Ablation or cardioversion is only really indicated in a few instances: (a) if your AF episodes result in very intrusive symptoms that interfere with activity/QOL or result in hospitalisation (b) if you have heart failure that was presumed to be caused by uncontrolled AF (c) if you have heart failure which is thought to be deteriorating due to co-existing AF. Otherwise, if you have AF that doesn't really bother you when it happens, or you're not particularly symptomatic, and you don't have heart failure, then ablation/cardioversion (termed rhythm control therapy) isn't really worth it, and there aren't really age cut offs. Risk does increase from procedures as you get older but if you're under 80 and ablation might be of benefit, it's not something that will be denied simply due to age. More likely it will be frailty, other co-morbidities, but I guess in a forum full of skiers that's not going to be the case. There are lots of nuances here so some people may read that and think that's not the case because I had X and was told I could/could not have ablation, again, I'm generalising as you can't really explain it all in a forum post.

Hope that's helpful!
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@Mountain Surfer, that’s really useful information - thanks for taking the time to say all that!
I had a big ablation on Tuesday in France with VOM injected with alcohol! And high density mapping and ablation of lots of errant bits that were causing very intrusive AF and flutter. Fingers tightly crossed that it works!
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Good luck, @genepi. I was very pleased for a couple of days when I was in sinus rhythm after cardioversion, but it didn't last. I guess I fall into one of the the categories@Mountain Surfer describes, for which ablation doesn't make a lot of sense. Despite my dismal Ejection Fraction I am well, can do a fair bit of exercise (20 minutes on the rower at least three times a week, regular Pilates and other bits of exercise at home, can walk 5 miles at a decent pace on the flat) and have no problem with my medications. It took me a while to get back into the swing of exercise - a diagnosis of heart failure tends to make you over-cautious! With Covid, I've not been near the cardiology outpatients for years! So no idea whether my EJ has improved (it can do, though normally doesn't.....). But if I get no "iller" than I am now for a good few years, I'll be very happy. I suspect my heart was in floppy shape for ages before I was diagnosed - cardiomyopathy doesn't happen overnight, and a few months previous to diagnosis I'd done a 100 mile sponsored cycle in France - the oldest, but not (quite) slowest on the ride, which was not remotely competitive. The cardiologist thought my reasonable level of fitness (I'd trained for that ride, as I'm no cyclist) had disguised the deterioration for a while. The AF itself doesn't bother me - I'm mostly unaware of it, and when I do become aware (sometimes when lying on my left side in bed) I try to ignore it. Since my own diagnosis I've become aware that lots of people have AF.
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@Mountain Surfer, thank you for that it's very helpful and confirms my thoughts based on a chat with my GP.
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@Mountain Surfer, great post cheers! I had/have Afib, it's been a hell of a journey! On the strokes question it's the CHADs2 score (?) I think that is important, mine is zero at the moment but as I get older I suspect I'll be put onto OACs as that risk increases, assume you'd agree?

As I was "young" at the time (50) and in permanent AF that was leaving me out of breath the advice was to get an ablation, and then I had a 2nd "tidy up" a year later as was getting more episodes.

3 years after the 1st ablation I've had episodes come back that seem exercise related (seems to be exercise & adrenaline induced, ie laser paintball with the kids, competitive hockey match or indoor bike "race"). These presented as atrial tachycardia and paroxysmal AT, which apparently is seen in patients who have had ablations.

So I'm on Flecainide and bisoprolol, 2.5mg daily and then an extra one before exercise when I think adrenaline might kick in! Touch wood the episodes have all calmed down now. Bisporolol does appear to have slowed me down a bit speed wise when playing hockey but otherwise seems ok.

I've been fine skiing, did have an episode of atrial tachycardia on a very warm day touring up and down Glencoe at the end of May, suspect dehydration was the issue there.
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CHADSVASc is the new score, it's more sensitive and picks up on risk factors that the CHADS2 score didn't, so some people with a score of 0 can score 1 or 2 on CHADSVASc and therefore need OAC. It's worth reviewing your score with your GP periodically. Definitely when you turn 65, but also if you go on to develop high blood pressure (even if it's well treated), diabetes, angina/heart attacks, stroke, vascular disease etc. A score of 2 (3 in women) is a very strong recommendation. A score of 1 (2 in women) is a less strong recommendation, but in reality we recommend it to everyone with a score of 1 and the only people who don't go on OAC in that group are those with very strong feelings about not being on them, or other niche scenarios where we discuss and accept the compromise.

Yes AT can happen in people who have had ablation previously and can be different to AF both in terms of how you feel when it happens (most people feel terrible with AT) and also how we might want to treat it. Glad you're doing well.
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@Mountain Surfer, cheers, my Leeds based cardiologist just said my CHADS score was zero when I had a phone conversation with him this year, so hopefully that's using the CHASVASc score!

AT did feel very different, but I also think I'm much more aware of my heart now! I don't seem to have triggers and my cardiologist was very much of the same opinion as me that life is to be lived and I didn't need to turn into a monk and he positively encouraged exercise, even pushing the HR he seemed fine with.
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I am in my 50s and never had AF, never had any heart issues. I once had a ECG in my late 20s because I had indigestion and my gf at the time insisted that I go to A&E and be examined (they did an ECG found nothing, gave me pepto bismol and did a urine test) It got better after a short wait in A&E after the pepto bismol.

Doing a search on the internet it says the three big causes of AF are age, high blood pressure, and obesity.

I cannot do anything about age, but I am currently of normal weight <25 BMI and blood pressure is monitored by myself since my 30s when I was overweight. It is fine currently. I have never had hypertension but at times been borderline. It is better now than it was in my 30s due to losing weight, drinking less, and stopping smoking (as well as lots of exercise all my life).

I find this discussion fascinating, but for people like me avoidance is about keeping your weight normal and watching your blood pressure.
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@Bigtipper, I wish it were that simple, when I was diagnosed I was 50, very fit and healthy, low blood pressure, 73kg at 5ft 10" and setting PRs at cycling and running!

No-one can explain why I got AF, it could have been too much exercise - read this book https://amzn.to/325SHk3, could have been going to happen anyhow, could have been something else!
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@Bigtipper, i was 64 when I first started with AF. Normal bmi and reasonably fit. I have no obvious triggers except chocolate and msg, which I take great pains now to avoid. Apparently my heart is in good condition, I’ve certainly had enough ct scans and echos for them to check it out properly. It’s just the electrics are haywire. Interestingly my grandma had AF - not sure if it is genetic.
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I expect this is common with skiers. A sample of generally healthy people will always find a few with problems commonly associated with the unhealthy.

I have now been examining the symptoms of AF, what makes you get it looked at?

Irregular heartbeat seems to be the common symptom, or heart palpitations. My heartbeat can go very fast (I have measured it over 200 for short periods after sprinting at the end of a long run). However, what is unusual is the irregularity of of the heart beat. Instead of bump, bump, bump it might go bump, bump, bumpty bump, bumpty bump, bump bump..

So what made you go to a GP or A&E and get an ECG?
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Bigtipper wrote:
I expect this is common with skiers. A sample of generally healthy people will always find a few with problems commonly associated with the unhealthy.

I have now been examining the symptoms of AF, what makes you get it looked at?

Irregular heartbeat seems to be the common symptom, or heart palpitations. My heartbeat can go very fast (I have measured it over 200 for short periods after sprinting at the end of a long run). However, what is unusual is the irregularity of of the heart beat. Instead of bump, bump, bump it might go bump, bump, bumpty bump, bumpty bump, bump bump..

So what made you go to a GP or A&E and get an ECG?


I was regular getting heartbeats over 200 when exercising, that is what made me go and get it checked out, over 200 is not usual for most people, the odd few I've found seem to be able to have a HR over 200 but regular rhythm. Of course, every time I had a resting ECG it was fine. In the end they put me on a portable ECG for 3 days and I went out and did some hard hill repeats on the bike which lead to the first diagnostic, but it didn't seem that bad then so we decided to do nothing.

6-8 months later on I was out of breath walking the dog and my wife kept asking why I was walking so slowly. Another 3 days of the portable ECG showed I was in Afib almost permanently.

Atrial fibrillation is an irregularly irregular beat, exactly as you describe! I'm not medical at all, this is just what I've discovered, learnt etc

A modern Apple Watch can take an ECG and when I felt I was having episodes it has confirmed it. This device was also recommended by my cardiologist for diagnosis (he carries one) https://amzn.to/3dVSpif

Heres what A Fib looks like from the Apple watch, you can see the irregular beats I hope? and then a normal well spaced out regular beats.



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@kitenski, thanks that is very helpful. I suspect a lot of people who have AF do not get it diagnosed, because they do not notice anything unusual.

Difficult to spot this condition unless you look for it!
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@Bigtipper, yeah apparently loads of people have it and don’t realise.
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@Bigtipper, Apparently since Apple Watches have been doing ECGs, many more younger people are being diagnosed. It can be quite tricky to catch the arrhythmia on a planned 24hr ecg. I wear one and it’s brilliant.
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