If I Have an Episode on Atrial Fibrillation Once Will It Happen Again and Do I Need Blood Thinners

Adjusting to life with atrial fibrillation

A diagnosis of atrial fibrillation volition accept life-long effects and you may have worries about what your condition means for the future. Read our tips for managing your condition so y'all tin continue to lead a full and active life.

In this article

Newly diagnosed

If you've just been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF), you've probably got a lot of questions. You may be wondering nearly the severity of your condition and your prognosis. It'due south normal to experience a range of emotions at this fourth dimension including uncertainty, fright, feet and low mood.

Dr Fraser talks almost what an AF diagnosis might mean for y'all.

The adept news is that although AF is a long-term status, if managed correctly, you tin continue to atomic number 82 a long and agile life. There are a number of steps you lot tin have that will assistance y'all manage your condition, lower your risk of stroke and relieve any worries you may accept. These include:

• Learning near your condition, its symptoms, causes and treatments
• Making the most of your support network (including those shut to you and your healthcare team)
• Hearing from others who are living with AF.

Research has shown that people who have a skilful understanding of their AF report fewer symptoms, experience more in command of their condition and experience less distressed by information technology.

Commencement experiences of atrial fibrillation

First experiences of atrial fibrillation (AF) differ profoundly. Some people have no obvious symptoms and their AF is picked up during a routine visit to their doctor or nurse. For others, their first AF episode can be a dramatic, frightening event for both them and their families. Whatever your experience, you are likely to face a menstruation of emotional adjustment following your diagnosis, as y'all learn about your status and consider what it might mean for your future.

One of the major concerns for people with AF is their increased chance of stroke. (You lot are five times more likely to have a stroke if you've been diagnosed with AF even if you don't have AF symptoms, or rarely take an AF episode). Nevertheless taking your medication reduces this take a chance significantly.

Health psychologist Miriam Forest talks about the things you tin can do to build your confidence in living with AF.

Information technology's a adept thought to brand sure you understand the medication y'all've been prescribed. You tin read more on our diagnosis and treatments page. We've also got some great tips on ways to manage your medication easily and safely.

If you have paroxysmal (intermittent) AF you may also be wondering when your next AF episode will occur. To help you place any possible triggers, it may be helpful to record any attacks and what you were doing leading upwards to them. You tin can also discover out more about treatments that assistance manage your atrial fibrillation.

Recollect if y'all've just been diagnosed with AF, yous're not solitary. Your condition affects more than 80,000 other kiwis. Sometimes hearing from others can be a good mode to relieve some of your worries and find out more most what it'south like to live with.

Visit our Journeys page to hear from others with atrial fibrillation or scout Nikki's story below.

Nikki Tod talks about her experience with AF.

Setting goals for heart health

As well every bit starting your treatment program, making some changes to your lifestyle can help ameliorate your wellness, manage your AF and lower your chance of complications, such equally stroke or heart failure.

Setting goals is a good manner to assistance y'all achieve the lifestyle changes you lot desire to make. It's important to make sure that your goals are realistic and achievable. Yous're more than probable to succeed if y'all:

• Prepare a goal that is really important to you and write it downwardly
• Programme how you are going to achieve the goal
• Get support from those around you
• Begin how you can overcome challenges and build your confidence.

Yous can find out more than most how to fix realistic achievable goals on our goal-setting folio.

Keeping your relationships strong

Information technology's likely your AF diagnosis will touch on those shut to you. It'southward normal for family members and other loved ones to feel scared or anxious well-nigh your diagnosis.

Often AF has no obvious, visible signs making it hard for those around you to empathise what you lot are going through. This can lead to frustration and resentment. That'southward why proficient communication with your family/whānau is actually important.

Having open and honest conversations can lower your stress and encourage the closeness and emotional support that y'all need. No 1, including children, should be excluded from these conversations. Children can often blame themselves when their parents become unwell, so information technology is important to explain to them what has happened and why information technology has happened.

Tips for good advice

• Option a time when at that place are no distractions to talk with your family about your condition
• Limited your feelings in a positive way - use "I" statements rather than "you" statements
• Ask for help
• Make a note of questions.

Yous can observe some suggested questions to hash out with your doctor or nurse on our diagnosis and treatments folio.

Volition my family develop atrial fibrillation?

Sometimes AF can run in families. This type of AF is chosen familial atrial fibrillation. Contempo research suggests as many as 30% of all AF cases may exist familial.

Although genetics aren't ever the cause of AF, the research shows your family is at greater risk of getting AF if you've been diagnosed with it.

If yous are worried about this, accept a chat to adult children and shut relatives near the early symptoms you experienced. You lot could encourage them to talk with their physician about their risk of AF.

Sex and intimacy

Intimacy and sexual relationships are often a big business organization for people post-obit an AF diagnosis. A 2015 study found that a third of people diagnosed with AF avoided sex activity considering they were worried that it would trigger heart palpitations.

It is besides common for the partners of people with AF to worry that sexual activity might be bad for their loved 1's wellness. This can atomic number 82 to people losing interest or confidence in having sex, which in plow negatively impacts on their human relationship.

In fact, sexual practice - similar other forms of exercise - is good for your heart health and your general wellbeing. Sex strengthens your heart muscle, relieves stress and boosts your immune system.

Sometimes atrial fibrillation can result in problems getting an erection (erectile dysfunction). Some medications prescribed for AF can also cause a problem. Talk to your dr. if y'all're having problem with your sex life equally they may be able to adjust your medication or find other means to assist.

It'southward also important you lot talk to your medico earlier using medication to try to meliorate your sex life. This includes both pharmaceutical medications (such as Viagra) and herbal or complementary therapies.

Exercise and atrial fibrillation

When you're get-go diagnosed with AF, you lot may exist worried that exercise might trigger an episode or make your condition worse. In fact exercise is very important for your ongoing health and wellbeing. Regular exercise:

• reduces your risk of stroke
• reduces AF symptoms
• can lower your resting middle charge per unit over time
• reduces your adventure of other heart disease
• helps y'all manage your weight
• improves your mood and sense of wellbeing.

Brendon talks near the benefits that do tin can offer people living with atrial fibrillation.

Cardiac rehabilitation classes

It's a good idea to talk to your doctor earlier starting an do plan. Cardiac rehabilitation classes are a great way to get started if they're available in your area.

Get a green prescription

You could also consider a green prescription, which is a free, New Zealand Government-funded programme that provides exercise communication to people with chronic conditions such as AF.

If you are only starting to exercise or find that you're tiring more easily, build upwardly your activity gradually. Your energy levels will improve and you will eventually exist able to do more than exercise.

Taking small steps to build your confidence

There are small-scale steps you can take to build up your confidence to exercise. Yous may only exercise 5 to 10 minutes of walking around the house. If you can walk around the house easily, wait to increment this by a infinitesimal the side by side day and and so on. Ideally y'all should aim to build up to five half hour sessions of cardio exercise a week.

The exercise doesn't need to be high intensity, it tin exist depression to moderate exercise such as walking or a wheel ride. If you want to increase the intensity slightly, yous can include some hills but make sure you lot've had an adequate warm up before yous showtime. Exercise such as yoga or pilates tin can likewise be good for lowering your heart rate.

Brendon talks virtually the importance of starting off slow, and working up to your goals.

The talk test may also be useful to help you lot find the correct level of exercise for you.

• When you are at the right level of practice, you should exist able to experience your heart pumping harder simply even so be able to talk comfortably.
• If you are too breathless to talk, and so it'southward time to boring down.
• If yous are able to sing or whistle, and then you could step up the pace.

If y'all're getting chest discomfort, lightheadness or dizziness, or excessive shortness of breath, stop exercising directly away and talk to your doctor.

Dealing with fatigue

According to inquiry, fatigue (tiredness) is one of the most commonly reported symptoms of AF (along with shortness of breath and eye palpitations). This may occur for a number of reasons, including:

• the speed and/or irregular rhythm of your eye
• the fact your eye might not be operation as finer every bit normal
• side furnishings of your medication
• the underlying cause of your AF (for example, thyroid bug).

There are a few ways to try and manage this fatigue. Attempt to continue your heart at a normal rate and rhythm every bit much as possible. Try to avoid things that trigger your AF and remember to take your medication equally prescribed.

Regular do, a healthy nutrition and quality slumber too play a key part in preventing fatigue. If you think your medication may be partly responsible, yous could talk to your GP to see if at that place'southward an alternative drug. Never stop taking your medication without talking to your dr. showtime.

Fatigue is as well sometimes a symptom of depression, so talk to your GP if you need professional person support.

Foods to eat and foods to avoid

When y'all've been diagnosed with AF, the best kind of eating programme to follow is a centre healthy eating plan. The program volition help yous manage your atrial fibrillation symptoms and reduce your risk of other types of heart disease.

A heart healthy diet means eating a dietary pattern based largely on minimally-candy foods with plenty of vegetables and fruit. Include some intact whole grains in place of refined grains: legumes, basics, seeds and other sources of healthy fats such as oily fish. Y'all tin can also include non-processed lean meats or poultry and/or dairy.

The diet also means cutting back on foods that are high in saturated fats and trans fats, table salt (sodium) and sugar. You'll observe more about how to follow a heart healthy eating pattern on our nutrition pages.

There are also some foods y'all'll need to avoid if you're taking sure medications. If you're on warfarin you'll need to make sure you lot don't eat large quantities of vitamin K. Foods that comprise high levels of vitamin K include:

• leafy green vegetables, such equally spinach and kale
• cauliflower
• parsley
• green tea.

If you're on anti-arrhythmic drugs, such as amiodarone, you'll demand to avoid grapefruit as information technology can brand your medication less effective.

Y'all may also demand to avoid other substances that trigger AF, such as alcohol and perchance caffeine. Y'all tin read more than almost triggers on our managing your AF folio.

Taking steps to improve your mental wellbeing

Everyone'southward experience of AF is different. Some people cope well with the status simply for others an AF diagnosis tin be very traumatic leading to a loss of self-conviction, anxiety and sometimes even depression.

Miriam talks of how yous and your family can manage anxiety related to AF.

If you are feeling down, at that place are positive steps you lot can take to amend your mental health and well-being. These include:

• getting regular do
• getting enough slumber
• eating a salubrious diet
• talking to friends and family nearly how you're feeling
• finding a local cardiac support grouping in your area.

However, for some people, these steps alone may not be enough to meliorate your mental wellbeing. If your negative feelings go on for more than than a couple of weeks or are particularly farthermost, it'due south of import to seek professional person help. Talk to your doctor or nurse at your local GP practice or visit depression.org.nz for further information.

Wellness Psychologist Miriam Wood talks about dealing with anxiety and depression afterwards an AF diagnosis.

How shortly can I drive?

If your AF is well managed and you are symptom-complimentary, you will generally be able to continue driving without restrictions. However, if y'all have had blackouts or astringent dizziness with your AF y'all should not drive until your condition is stabilised.

If you have a vocational driver'south license it volition need to exist assessed. If yous have had a coma or severe dizziness with your AF you may have a vi month stand-down.

Hash out any concerns with your medico.

If you ever have an AF episode while driving, yous should immediately pull over and seek help.

Travelling with atrial fibrillation

If yous're planning a vacation, it is best to discuss it with your doctor first. You may be advised not to travel until your AF is stable.

If you are going overseas you volition need a travel insurance policy that will embrace you lot for pre-existing conditions.

Here's a list of things to consider earlier you finalise your travel plans:

• Inquire your doctor about immunisations that yous may need to have and whether these will interact with your current treatment.
• If you are planning on travelling to a state that has a time difference, talk to your doc or chemist almost your medication regime and how all-time to maintain this.
• If you're on warfarin ask, about self-monitoring while y'all are on holiday.
• Ensure yous've got enough medication to embrace the time that you're away. Pack extra medication in your paw luggage and in your agree luggage, in case something goes missing.
• Go a record of your medication (types and doses) to carry with y'all. This volition exist helpful if you're asked about your medication at community or if you need to seek medical help while you're away. Information technology'south also a expert thought to accept your medico'due south phone number and e-mail address with y'all.
• Consider getting a medic alert ID such every bit a carte du jour, bracelet or necklace. This tin can include information near your medical condition(s), prescriptions, whatever implanted devices you may have and your medico'south contact information. For more information visit - www.medicalert.co.nz
• Inquire your doctor whatsoever precautions you may demand to have or any other concerns that you may have.

What almost monitoring INR levels while I'one thousand away?

If y'all're on warfarin, y'all'll demand to think virtually how yous monitor your INR levels while you lot're away. Talk to your doctor near how the wellness system works at your destination and what costs might be involved.

During your journey

• Give yourself plenty of time to bank check-in at the airdrome to avoid unnecessary stress.
• If you're flight y'all should vesture compression stockings to reduce your risk of blood clots.
• Get up and motion effectually ofttimes. Sitting for extended periods tin affect your circulation.
• Keep hydrated - Drink water and avoid drinking as well much alcohol.

How will atrial fibrillation impact my piece of work?

Most people with AF are able to keep working. As long as you tin can ably manage your work with your AF, in that location are considerable benefits in returning to your job. These include:

• participating in some form of physical activeness on a piece of work day
• socialising and beingness part of a team
• improving self-esteem and allowing you to experience similar you are making a contribution to your family and order
• giving a structure and routine to days and weeks
• providing fiscal security.

Things to consider before you return to your job

In that location are some people who observe it difficult to return to work or to their existing role - particularly if their symptoms aren't well controlled. Talk with your employer if you are concerned that AF volition affect your ability to practice your task.

If you take a pacemaker implanted to manage your AF, cheque with your doctor that it is safe to go back to work. Some work places may have mechanism that interferes with your pacemaker. You can notice out more about what you may demand to avoid on our pacemaker page.

It is as well of import to consider your levels of stress at work. A recent study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that being stressed at work was associated with a 48% higher risk of atrial fibrillation.

When you're first diagnosed, you may demand to have fourth dimension off piece of work for handling and as you start new medication. Your doctor tin suggest you on the best fourth dimension for yous to render to work.

Medical certificate

Tell your employer about any medical and recovery advice your doctor or healthcare squad has given you. Talk over the details of your medical certificate with your employer. The medical certificate may indicate, for example, that you're not fit for work for a period of fourth dimension or that you may be fit for piece of work nether certain atmospheric condition, such as:

• a phased render to work
• altered hours
• a modify in work duties
• occupational health

If your employer has an occupational wellness department, they can give you lot further aid and communication about returning to work such as determining what workload is suitable. They may also exist able to offer counselling.

If yous think your condition will preclude yous from returning to work, you can find more information about health and disability benefits available to people with chronic health atmospheric condition from the Ministry building of Social Development.

Planning for emergencies

Information technology's a good idea to have a plan in case an emergency situation arises at work, for example if you lot take:

• an AF episode while at piece of work
• a bleeding injury while at work and are taking anticoagulant medication

This is something you should discuss with your employer or your occupational health team.

Driving at work

If you hold a vocational licence and drive trucks, passenger vehicles, fork lifts, courier vans etc., a symptom-free menstruum of at to the lowest degree six months is generally required before you are deemed fit to bulldoze. Your licence may also be subject to the condition of an annual cardiac assessment.

Yous'll need to talk with your medico and contact the NZ Ship Bureau (NZTA) about how your condition may affect your job. You lot should likewise bank check with your insurance company to make sure you are fully covered.

Living with atrial fibrillation

AF is a life-long condition that changes over time but at that place are things you lot can do to help manage your condition.

Managing your atrial fibrillation

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Source: https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/your-heart/hearthelp/atrial-fibrillation/living-with-af

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