Recently I’ve become aware of atrial fibrillation. It flutters away quite suddenly and lasts as long as it lasts. I had to do something as I started getting frightening sensations that I called the darkness which was a strange blacking out sensation. It started when I was driving and I had to stop and rest. It all came to a head when I saw my doctor who said he could see what it was doing and put me on medication immediately. I thought well maybe I’m having a heart attack !
I remembered this happening before and I thought it was a panic attack. It was very upsetting as I had been through several frightening incidents and was thinking ‘ here we go’ again.
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Has your GP referred you to a heart specialist for this too? Great they’ve acted so quickly to treat it as can be a cause for stroke. It’s something they normally look for when you’ve had a stroke.
Hope the meds settle things for you.
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Hi Rosamund I suffered with atrial fibrillation and the episodes got longer and longer . This was during covid lockdown and gp prescribed a beta blocker which did nothing to stop it . It’s a really unsettling feeling when it happens . I eventually got an appointment with a cardiologist but it was cancelled when he got covid . Rearranged appointment It was at 11 am one morning and I had a stroke at 9 am . I thought the irregular heart beat was down to stress and had no idea it cud lead to a stroke 
I was worried that I wud hav a heart attack and had no idea it cud cause a stroke 
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Hi Rosamund and Christine. I had a stroke 5 years ago. Before I left the hospital, they said to make an appmt. with my GP, a cardiologist and a neurologist right away, which I did. The cardiologist discovered I had afib, which had caused the stroke. I did not like the way beta blockers affected me. So, he switched me to a calcium channel blocker (dilitiazem/ or Cardia). I tolerate that fine. Very important to see a cardiologist after a stroke, to discover afib and to make sure it is treated properly. Jeanne
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Hi Jeanne & rosamund I take flecanide to control my heart Rythum and it’s suited me fine since stroke … also blood thinners apixiban
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I also have AFib…paroxymal and with rvr. I take apixaban, Atorvostatin, Amlodipine, Hydralazine and Metoprolol. I am trying to get rid of Gabapentin as I think it does no good for settling my eyes and only makes me more cloudy in the head. Since it isn’t a heart medication, I think it will be fine. Spoke with Neurologist about it, waiting to speak with NeuroOpthamologist about it next, as she prescribed it.
Do you know what triggers your AFib? Sometimes I don’t but most of the time, I have gotten overheated or overtired.
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That is funny! I will have to use that one!
I am rattled for certain. This is America, dude, land of THERE IS A PILL TO FIX EVERYTHING! I have as many physicians as pills, so maybe they each have to prescribe one to look like they are doing something helpful? My last GP was a DO rather than MD. I like that better. They have a tendency to look for changes we can make in diet, exercise, changing something in our lifestyle first, then throw pills your way, if necessary. All he told me to take was Magnesium Glycinate, and continue with Calcium w/Vitamin D and a multivitamin prescribed to me in hospital.
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Again you find me in agreement. I will say I believe the vitamins did help, but considering they were prescribed when I did not have sustenance for 30 days, then had feeding tube for another 30, it made sense. I still use a dietary supplement if I have not eaten well enough. Real food is expensive here. Processed food is the cheaper stuff. That is why the only real industry left here is insurance and health care.
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I had a stroke last November. Literally couldn’t get out of my chair. My wife called for an ambulance and I was admitted overnight. I felt fine. I was diagnosed with AF. So far I’ve had one round of cardio conversion, which hasn’t worked Yesterday I had an angiogram which showed my arteries to the heart were all ok. Now awaiting a further consultation and more cardio conversion, I expect!
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The US rations healthcare through money, the U.K. rations by queues !
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I’ve had this for years. An unpleasant fluttering sensation. I could never swim properly and anything of a very energetic nature used to cause a strange tight sensation.
It was when I had episodes of feeling faint with the darkness closing in…sometimes when driving too!
I’m set off by stress of any sort.
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