If you feel exhausted and your heart suddenly begins racing, seek medical help immediately – you could have a case of atrial fibrillation. (Envato Elements pic)
Sue Ann (not her real name), 58, had noticed her heart periodically racing for years. But she shrugged off her symptoms as just nerves and anxiety. That is, until one day in 2018 when she ended up in the emergency room with a shocking diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AFib).
AFib is a type of irregular heart rhythm that occurs when the heart’s upper and lower chambers don’t beat in sync. As a result, blood clots can develop in the heart and travel to the brain, raising the risk of stroke by five times. Many people with atrial fibrillation don’t show any symptoms, so they may go undiagnosed for years.
For Sue Ann, July 26, 2018 started out like any other day. She woke up, went to work and came home feeling fine. But after taking five steps up the stairs, it was clear something was off.
She felt exhausted and suddenly her heart began racing. It literally felt like it was pumping outside of her chest. She figured she was just tired, or maybe coming down with something so she lay down for a couple of hours.
However, when her heart started to skip beats, she began to panic. She knew she needed medical attention immediately, but didn’t think it warranted an ambulance. She got in her car and drove to the nearest emergency room.
Everything was a bit of a blur as doctors and nurses ran tests including an electrocardiogram (ECG). A doctor told her she had AFib.
She listened in disbelief as he explained that she had a heart condition that raised her risk of having a stroke, developing heart failure or other heart-related complications.
See your cardiologist if symptoms persist despite taking your medication – your treatment plan may have to be adjusted. (Envato Elements pic)
She had feelings of numbness and terror. What did this mean to her life? How would it change what she did? Would she have to give up things she loved, like travel?
She spent the next three days in hospital. The doctors managed to set her heart rate and rhythm back with medication. She was discharged with a clean bill of health with instructions to keep taking the medication.
The whole experience was a real wake-up call for her. She was already managing diabetes and high blood pressure and she had a family history of heart disease. Her father died of a stroke at age 47. She wondered if he may have had underlying AFib that he wasn’t aware of.
After a couple of days, she had a repeat episode. Her heart started racing and it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. She went straight to the cardiologist, who adjusted her treatment plan.
Since then she has been fine. While her AFib is generally well controlled, she still has the occasional episode a couple of times a year if she drinks too much caffeine or loses sleep.
She tries to live a holistic, healthy lifestyle, follows a low-sodium diet that’s rich in vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy and healthy fats like avocado and olive oil.
She uses a food tracker to measure sodium intake to keep hypertension and carbohydrates under control for her type 2 diabetes. She limits caffeine and alcohol which can aggravate AFib.
Just 15 minutes of meditation can help ease the symptoms of AFib. (Envato Elements pic)
She started practising mindfulness. Every morning before she heads to work in her car, she spends 15 minutes meditating, which has a calming effect on her AFib.
She has changed the radio station to one with positive songs and good vibes. This way if she’s had a rough day, on her way home she enjoys a full 20 minutes with nothing to do but listen to positivity. It really helps centre her again.
In many ways, the diagnosis of AFib has been positive. It’s forced her to make healthy lifestyle changes that have benefited not only her heart condition but also helped her get her high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes under control.
Sue Ann’s advice to those newly diagnosed with AFib is that while it may seem overwhelming and frightening at first, it can be managed. Join a good support group and do plenty of research about the condition. Take proactive steps to get your health under control.
View AFib as just another part of everyday existence, and don’t let it define the person you are. That’s what she did, and it’s allowed her to go out and live life to the fullest.
TELEME Healing Life Stories is a collection of inspirational stories of how ordinary people triumph over their health conditions and recover to lead a healthier life. Email [email protected] to share your story.
Click here to read more health educational articles or download the app to chat with a health practitioner.