A question from a newcomer about atrial fibrillation

Hello all. I am new to this forum, and I am not certain whether what I am about to ask belongs here. So please excuse me if this proves to be off-topic.

I recently had my 80th birthday, and apart from what follows here, I am in good health both physically and mentally and do not feel any age at all apart from a little joint pain here and there.

Except that I have been experiencing intermittent what I suspect might be heart-related problems for a few years. I have mentioned it to my local doctor from time to time, and have had some tests. However I have not had a satisfactorily clear indication of what is actually going on, and I would like to learn a little from this forum in order that I can make a better-informed decision about my future path - including whether any treatment is necessary, or worthwhile.

In short, from time to time at approximately 2 to 3 month intervals I find that my head swims and I begin to burn intensely. I become dazed - and if I am upright I must reach out for something to hold onto until the first impact lessens, which can take a minute or two, then leaving me weak and unable to function in any sensible way. I usually make my way tentatively to bed, curl up and sleep.

After an hour or two I venture out again, feeling weak but able to function up to a point.

A repeat event usually follows maybe two hours later, less severe, but otherwise similar. Back to bed for a while, up a few hours later - able to function but feeling somewhat knocked about.

Always a third, lesser event a few hours later again, which I ride out by sitting quietly.

Next day, there is no remnant or reminder that anything had occurred. All seems normal again, most days of my life.

Since I began recording these events on 24 September 2021, they recurred on 3 November and 26 December that year, and this year on 12 February, 13 April, 26 May and 13 July, just three days ago. Always the same pattern, 1st severe, 2nd and 3rd less severe but incapacitating nonetheless. They had been occurring at intervals for some time before that, but I didn't begin notating the details until last September.

I underwent an echocardiogram in December last, and wore a halter for 24 hours in January. I didn't clearly follow the explanation of those results and I will seek to obtain them and show them here, if that is appropriate.

Again, please excuse me if I am in the wrong place.

I will be grateful for any and all comments or advice - or redirection.

Many thanks - Hardy

I would feel your pulse during these episodes, see if it is regular as far as rate and rhythm, also check your Blood Pressure with a home BP machine. Secondly I would get on a holter monitor for at least a week. You need a Cardiologist if you don't have one. I don't know what kind of Holter monitor you had, but the newer one are smaller and less obtrusive.

The most difficult thing with those events is to be close to your cardiologist as soon as they happen... Not always simple.
Some doctors may hand you a portable EKG monitor to keep fore some times, waiting for an event. That's how it went for me.
If you can feel an episode coming, you might have the time to go to the ER and have it recorded.

Hardy,

Anti-Fib & Pompon make good suggestions. Along the lines of taking your pulse, suggest doing it when you are feeling well to get a good sense of what normal is. Also take a partner or friend's pulse for the same reason. If you have a smartphone, you could also get a Kardia device. This will allow you to take your own ECG when you feel different. On the US eBay, they are available inexpensively, around $35 to $45. I've had one since 2014 and have purchased off eBay when I've trashed mine by dropping on a tile floor (sadly twice).

As Anti-Fib notes, many electronic blood pressure machines will give you a notice if your pulse is irregular. A Kardia will give more information, however. You can save your ECG to a PDF and forward to your doctor, also.

Hello and Welcome, Hardy.

You’ve received very useful guidance. It's definitely important to proceed
with finding a cardiologist who is well-known for his work with arrhythmia
patients…or if the diagnosis is definitely arrhythmia, then consider consulting
with an Electrophysiologist.

Also, I’ll share a detail that may or may not be relevant to the symptoms
you describe as ‘head swimming and dazed’ and then being nonfunctional.
(My Afib history goes back to onset in ’95 and my heart is calm after ablations).
But, I wanted to mention the age factor. I’m now 86 and the last ablation for
A-flutter was 7 years ago.

Two years ago, I began to experience random, odd/weird. sensations that caused
a combination of vertigo and ear sounds like loud roaring, and blurred vision bouts
that were brief, puzzling and unsettling. One caused me to blackout completely
and I awoke on the floor wondering how I got there. Immediately, I sought help
from my local EP who had me wear a Zio patch for two weeks -- negative
findings. The next step was to see a neurologist who did several types of brain
scans… all negative…and another second-opinion neurologist who prescribed
physical therapy for neck/head postures and balance etc… but I still had the random
‘episodes’ after the therapy.... and, oddly, no 'events' provoked during the therapy.

For another type opinion, I consulted a local, highly-regarded Sports Medicine
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), who did a more extensive CT scan and
then showed me by using both the ‘films’ and a skeletal model, the potential
area of causation.

In brief, cervical disc degeneration in one area of the cervical spine (neck region).. not detected
because the first scans didn’t go down the spine far enough. (The neurologists were focused on
ruling out a brain issue.) The sports medicine doctor showed me (via a skeletal model) when the cervical
spine is twisted, as in turning your head… a part of the spine/bone can press into the nerve fossa
which stimulates or impinges on the nerve (because the cartilage ‘padding’ is thin)… and the result is
‘weird’ symptoms, loud head noises and the potential to cause fainting/syncope.

It's known that with time, discs of the spine can and do degenerate; thus… it’s obviously important
to rule out all diagnostic potentials. So, as you are working on your diagnosis… just be aware of your
head/neck position and posture and what you were doing when the symptoms began. It could
help target the culprit if it’s determined that arrhythmia is not the cause.

Keep us posted.

Best to you,
Jackie

Thank you very much for the very useful and informative responses to my query.

I recall now that there was some talk about a partially leaking valve, which I take it would mean that my problem is not atrial fibrillation as such.

I will be seeing my regular doctor tomorrow and will obtain clarification/results/reports from the echocardiogram and holter tests, in order to share them here.

I have spent a few years trying not to worry about this - but it certainly doesn't seem likely to go away, and of course I am concerned that it might deteriorate further.

I bade farewell to coffee last night!

What is clear is that I must see a cardiologist, which I will also put in train tomorrow.

Once again, many thanks to all - I will report further asap.

Hardy

Quote
Hardy
I recall now that there was some talk about a partially leaking valve, which I take it would mean that my problem is not atrial fibrillation as such.

I will be seeing my regular doctor tomorrow and will obtain clarification/results/reports from the echocardiogram and holter tests, in order to share them here.

Be sure to get a copy of your echo report—there will be a section on each valve. Valve leaks are called regurgitation and are generally classified as mild or trivial, moderate or severe. They take action on moderate/severe and severe regurgitation. The level of regurgitation may be interpreted slightly differently by different EPs. One said I had severe mitral valve regurgitation, another said moderate/severe and the interventional cardiologist who did the fix finally, said severe. You are right, leaky valves can cause symptoms but good that you are going to explore your tests and symptoms more deeply with a cardiologist.