My AFib Journey

My AFib Journey

(Written May 2009)

My A-Fib history:

I am a 40yo fit, healthy Australian male with a background in aerobic activity (1 Ironman, 4 ½ Ironmans, 4 marathons, 25 years playing Australian Rules Football.) I have been an Asthmatic since I was 8. I sweat a lot.

Teens to 30

About once or twice a year I would get a tachycardia. This would normally be at Aussie Rules practice/training. Aussie Rules players are known to run up to 20km in a game, so practice involves a lot of high intensity and aerobic work. I would feel my heart racing, I would rest for a minute or 2 and then it would be fine.

Early 30’s

I had stopped playing Aussie Rules and started in triathlon. My tachycardia episodes became more frequent at the start of exercise. I went to a Cardiologist and had ECG, Stress ECG and Ultrasound. My heart was structurally fine. I had irregularities on the stress ECG (I can’t remember what.)  The doctor said that the combination of high sweat loss and ventolin for the Asthma was causing an electrolyte imbalance. He told me to drink sports drinks, eat lots of fruit and berries, drink more and warm up slowly (most of my episodes were early morning swim squads.)  This worked for the most part.

Mid 30’s

I had been doing big miles training an completing an Ironman (swim 1.8k, bike 180k, run 42.2k.) About 6-12 months after the Ironman I was feeling like I was not fit or feeling tired playing 5 a side football (soccer.) My cardiologist diagnosed me in A-Fib. He prescribed amiodarone and warfarin. I was in a normal rhythm within a week. Over the next 2-3 years I had 3 or 4 episodes. I tried flecainide at one stage and this did not seem to work. Most of my episodes were brought on from being run down (so using more ventolin), drinking sessions, coffee and exercising. My doctor suggested I use a ‘pill in pocket’ method to stop me going into full A-Fib. This worked for the most part.

40 (A Few Weeks Ago)

I had an episode and it took almost 4 weeks to go back into normal rhythm. A week after normal rhythm I played 5 a side football and my heart was back into A-Fib the next morning and again took a long time to get back into sinus rhythm. I went to a new Cardiologist (having moved from Melbourne to London.) Blood tests showed that I had a hyperactive thyroid. I was told to stop taking amiodarone as this was a side-effect. I was put onto daily flecainide – this was about 2 weeks ago. 

I have an appointment with a Thyroid specialist (but cardiologist thinks that it will be back to normal once I have been off amiodarone for a while.) 

40 (Today)

 I have almost completely stopped drinking alcohol, down to 1 small coffee in the morning and have not done anything more strenuous than a very gentle run/walk. I am also eating a bit better (I have always eaten healthily; I have just cut down on real junk and started to eat more fruit.)  My heart is in a sinus rhythm, but every few days I can feel my heart ‘flutter’ for an hour or 2. The thought of not being able to do competitive or even social exercise fills me with dread!