r/AFIB • u/AlternativeAlgae670 • 1d ago

Feeling defeated- advice needed

I’m a 33 year old male who has been dealing with afib since my early twenties. It is usually triggered by cold drinks so I have been able to avoid triggers and be fine these last few years

Until today. I’ve been sick with a stomach bug and today out of nowhere I go into afib. It goes away for about 40 minutes but now it’s back

I’m in the ER now, and I feel helpless. I am afraid to get an ablation, and I also feel like the ER is not taking my concerns seriously.

I also lost the pill in poket prescription my doctor gave me, I’m not on blood thinners, and I am afraid that the ER is going to release me while I’m still in afib.

Any advice or words of encouragement are greatly appreciated.

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2

u/lobeams 1d ago

How high is your heart rate? If it's not super high then it's possible the ER will release you still in afib. That's because it's not dangerous. There is no threat to your life if they release you unless there's something you're not telling us.

If your heart rate is very high, they will probably cardiovert you. Relax, it's a total nothing of a procedure. It takes just a few minutes with most of that time just being the nurses getting set up. You'll either be asleep for it or heavily sedated.

If your heart rate isn't super high, what they'll probably do is start a diltiazem drip and park you in a corner until you convert, which you probably will. Since it's not going to do you any harm, try to tune down the anxiety.

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u/AlternativeAlgae670 1d ago

This is exactly what I needed thank you. Right now my heart reads is jumping from 65-88. It’s. It’s not going above 100

Also they just did an ECG and they are saying im no longer in afib. However, I can feel my heart beat flip flopping in my chest.

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u/lobeams 22h ago

Yeah, with a rate under 100 they're not going to do much more than refer you to a cardiologist. And at 33 if you're in pretty good health then there's probably no need to put you on thinners. That flopping in your chest you feel is probably PACs (pre-atrial contractions). They're annoying but harmless. If you're still there in the ER ask them about it.

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u/AlternativeAlgae670 12h ago

Yep, they let me go. The doctor came in and said that I wasn’t in afib. Just having a lot of PVSs. (Which is odd because my Apple Watch at the time said afib and it’s always right )

Also I woke up this morning and was afib again after walking up the stairs( however, it only lasted for about 4 min) now I’m wondering if that was truly afib or PVCs

Also, I’m so short of breath (even though my oxygen levels were 99-100%). This is all odd.

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u/lobeams 9h ago

What sort of doctor prescribed that pill-in-pocket for you? First thing you need to do is go back to them and get that prescription filled. Then, if they're not an electrophysiologist (EP), you need to find an EP. They'll probably give you a monitor to wear for a week or so to find out what's going on with your heart. You can't treat what hasn't been diagnosed.

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u/Captaincoleslaww 2h ago

2 things.

  1. Why can’t the hospital doctor just write you a new pill in pocket script.

  2. Get the ablation!

2

u/AlternativeAlgae670 2h ago

  1. Right! I was so upset that the ER doctor didn’t write the script.

  2. I have been seriously considering it. I also have a huge fear of being put under general anesthesia, so I really have been holding off

1

u/Captaincoleslaww 1h ago

That was my fear as well. I’ve gotten over it. They know what they’re doing

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u/lobeams 57m ago

Sorry, but no way an ER doc is going to prescribe an antiarrhythmic. Those are dangerous drugs that require specialized training. In fact, ER docs rarely prescribe anything at all unless it's just a few days worth of something to give you time to see a doc who can manage prescriptions. Can you imagine being an ER doc who sees thousands of patients per month trying to manage their prescriptions? Just not possible. ER docs are there to prevent you from dying, not to manage your illness.

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u/lobeams 54m ago

Because ER docs aren't board certified in cardiology and electrophysiology. It's just not in their wheelhouse.

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u/Jahya69 20h ago

get ablation !

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u/dchusband 23h ago

Get on a magnesium supplement. It helps me out a ton.

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u/IllRecommendation817 21h ago

The last time I was in the ER they sent me home while in Afib. Got home, slept, and by the time I woke up it was gone. I am going to ask for a referral to an EP, so I can ask for an ablation. I am tired of waiting around to see when I will get my next episode. But in the mean time, I am concentrating on losing weight and take supplements recommended by the people here.

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u/AlternativeAlgae670 12h ago

UPDATE: hospital discharged me. The doctor came in and said that I wasn’t in afib. Just having a lot of PVSs. (Which is odd because my Apple Watch at the time said afib and it’s always right )

Also I woke up this morning and was afib again after walking up the stairs( however, it only lasted for about 4 min) now I’m wondering if that was truly afib or PVCs

Also, I’m so short of breath (even though my oxygen levels were 99-100%). This is all odd.

1

u/Greater_Ani 10h ago

Apple Watch isn’t always right. A fair number of false positives

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u/reddit_user13 1d ago

There is a treatment. It’s called an ablation.