I was in good shape when I got A-fib and it is like you describe. I had ridden a 57 minute 40k and a few weeks later I could not jog to the end of the block, literally. Has an ablation in September and KQ'd in March. The surgery sucks just like any surgery but it works, go the best guy, not some doc your primary suggests.Don't put it off A-fib does not cure itself ever, and the drugs for it are lame if you want to be active.

good luck dude, find the best doctor and one who understands you want to train.

The holter is worth a try but may not pick anything up.

Get a new doctor. Jeez, why do you tolerate such from someone you are paying to take care of your health. You wouldn't tolerate a plumber who screwed you around like this!!!

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http://theworldthroumyeyes.tumblr.com/

May or may not be related to some of your symptoms, but have they checked your thyroid? Changes in weight and training, stress can have an effect. You mentioned feeling cold. Could be a combination of things, one issue exacerbating another.

Years ago I had issues like this. After a million tests, holter etc.......we found it was attributed to high stress, lack of sleep and caffeine. Once lowered stress, got proper sleep patterns (sorta) and lowered caffeine intake, slowly got better. Hope you can figure yours out also.

I've been on flec for close to 4 years now (on and off, but generally on) and have had two ablations for my a-fib/a-flutter. Currently doing 100mg 2x day. I will still get episodes that are fairly minor of skips and jumps, but I'm just not going to go back in and get a third ablation unless it gets to the point it was before the two procedures. On those times I'll usually just bump my dosage up to 150mg 2x day. That was the dose that I was on before my ablations, so I know I don't have any problems with that much. It is basically the max my cardio was comfortable to prescribe.

As for dropping my max HR? Yeah, any beta/calcium/sodium channel blocker is going to to that. But I don't train by HR, so it isn't a big deal to me. When I was taking flecainide and metoprolol? It was almost comical. The highest I could ever peak with those two was 126 bpm, no matter what I did. Considering my usual peak was in the 203-ish range, it was quite an eye opener!

I basically did nothing for training from mid-2010 until after the first ablation in March of 2011. Then I did very little for the next two years except some light running and riding. Now I'm trying to train a little more regularly. I ran a bit over 800 miles last year and rode around 500 (with my wife nice and easy). My last "race" was at work and was a 2 miler where I ran 13:36. Considering I used to be able to do that around 11:20 or so back in 2009, I'm not really happy at all ...... except the fact that I can still actually run!

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Rick, "Retired" hobbyist athlete
Trying to come back slowly from acute A-Fib

Thanks Daremo and all the others who offered comments. I especially appreciate what it's like trying to get back to an exercise program while on heart medication. Since I am only 10 days into this Flecainide experience, I may change my mind BUT this one drug seems to have less overall negative impact on my health AND seems to be decreasing the frequency and intensity of the tachys! Very unlike my experience with beta , sodium and calcium channel blockers.
I have always trained with HR monitor (I admit I am a data freak) but that too may become a causality of Flecainide..... if Flecainide actually works for me long term. In the meantime, I did a little fiddling with my target max HR vaguely using perceived exertion( which I stink at since I always feel I am not giving it enough) and have exercised for 3 one hour sessions. Cycling/spin is my thing. HR is more variable between beats at a sustained level of resistance and cadence than pre Flecainide but haven't had a tachy event during these sessions so that's good. Pre Flecainide,I was having at least one event during each session.
So yea...it's good to be moving!

It seems every time I try to get back into this sport I get poked in the eye.

In mid December I suddenly noticed an irregular heart beat that does not go away. In the past, I would get the occasional irregular heart beat or flutter, but it would be short lived, and google assured me that it's normal and most people experience this type of thing. Google also said stress could play a role. Wife and I did go through a very stressful Fall with a house sale and purchase, but I'm in a real good place right now, yet it persists.

But in December it didn't go away, and I now get pretty consistent flutters. It's like a brief flutter, a skipped beat, and then carries on. No pain associated with it, other than occasional sharp pain right in the middle of my chest, which could be anything.

I've been trying hard to get back into fitness, but I find myself short of breath and lightheaded a lot of the time, even when just easing back into it. I have put on some weight and haven't trained hard in about 3 years, but this just feels different. Two years ago I suffered a pinched nerve in my ribs, which presents itself like a heart attack. I ended up in the ER where they did a battery of tests which showed my heart was ok.

Went to my Doc who checked my vitals. BP is normal, and the ecg (short duration) didn't show any irregularities. He did comment that he noticed the flutter while listening to my chest. I asked about A Fib and such, and he's not worried, but wants to send me to a specialist for a holter monitor. He's old and keeps forgetting to refer me, as it's been over a month since I've seen him. I called him again yesterday to get going with the referral.
Should I be worried about this, or is it fairly normal? It's kind of unnerving. Thanks for reading.

Finally got to see a specialist of sorts. He's a cardiologist and a part time truck driver and has his clinic in the back of a Golds Gym, but I digress. He did a 24 hour Holter monitor, which came back negative. He then did a stress test which was normal. It did clearly show how out of shape I am though. He figures it's just a heart muscle thing with nothing to worry about. Everything else was normal.


I don't think I'm going to bother with a second opinion as the condition seems to be subsiding lately. No excuses for me now not to get my ass moving again.

Well done. Welcome back to the world of worrying about shoveling the driveway, not worrying about your heart or meeting your maker!

John

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John H. Post, III, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon
Charlottesville, VA

If I could tag on here...

I was diagnosed with PVC's in 2002. I was a physical mess. In grad school, 3 kids, working full time, living off pop-tarts and coffee. I was 5'-10", 210lbs. Through all of that, my heart was fine. Tried to get in shape over the summer (hardcore diet and no caffeine) and the PVC's started. Did all the tests, confirmed PVCs by Cardio and eventually went away after about 2 mos of anxiousness and a reintroduction of some caffeine. Wondered if the cold turkey shock upset my system.

10 years later I'm 160lbs and in MUCH better shape with lots of training. I have a high heart rate when exercising. I get to 180 bpm pretty easily but can maintain it with no problem. Doc says I'm just wired that way.

A week ago the PVC's came back. No apparent reason. Pretty bad this week. Trying to rest more, cut back on my training, increased Magnesium, etc. Not much difference though. What I do notice is that I get them (or notice them) in certain physical positions. If I sleep on my left side they seem to flare up. If I slouch in my office chair, they are more noticeable or more often. When I stand, move or exercise, I don't notice them at all. Maybe they are happening and I just don't feel them.

Just wondering if anyone has noticed a flare up due to body position.

TIA

Personal opinion only (influenced in part by suffering from SVT) but reading your post screams 'get a second opinion' to me...when it comes to your ticker, I would be as thorough as you possibly can, the condition 'subsiding' could be irrelevant (I had roughly a year between my first two SVT episodes). Just sayin.

Ollie 3856 is absolutely right. Your best course of action will not come from an internet forum but from an MD or DO.

John

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John H. Post, III, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon
Charlottesville, VA