Atrial fibrillation and cycling

[marzjennings]

Anyone here been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and are still cycling for either touring, sport or leisure? After a weird week I dropped by the Doc today and she thinks I have AFIB. EKG confirmed something is irregular and she's recommended a couple of cardiac specialists to go see to confirm her diagnosis, find out why at 49 I've developed AFIB and hopefully get back on the mend. Appointment for Monday with the specialist.

Has any recovered from AFIB and got back on the bike? And does anyone currently ride with AFIB?

I have a new bike being built as I was planning some long distance rides in 2019, and a garage full of road, off-road and cruisers. Worried that I may to jack it all in and take up something slower, like knitting or bowling.


EDIT: I may have answered my own question by searching through old CC threads, seems a lot of people have dealt with and are dealing with some major heart issues and are still getting the miles in. Nice. Maybe I don't have to ebay off my bikes yet.

 

[ColinJ]

I developed a very irregular heart rhythm when I suffered a massive pulmonary embolism in 2012. The doctors told me that the clotted pulmonary artery was bulging against one side of my heart, which probably wasn't helping. The problem was pretty horrible back then - it felt like I had a bird trapped and freaking out in my chest!

It gradually got better over the following year or so and I was able to start cycling again but at first I couldn't exert myself much without bring on AFIB again and once it had started it could go on for hours so I became very cautious about over-exertion.

I still get the problem if I push myself to my limits but I can usually get away with short bursts to about 90-95%.

I still occasionally get random bouts of AFIB which can last an hour or two. They are not pleasant but I am used to them so I don't panic. I get shortness of breath during those episodes. I try to relax and wait for them to pass.

AFIB can cause dangerous clotting so sufferers may have to take anticoagulants to reduce the risk of that happening, but I am already on them for the original clotting problem so I didn't have any extra treatment.

Obviously, listen to your doctor, but hopefully you will be able to still ride your bike fairly energetically. Racing might be out of the question though - I remember a couple of pros retiring early because of AFIB.

Good luck!

 

[MartinQ]

I developed a very irregular heart rhythm when I suffered a massive pulmonary embolism in 2012. The doctors told me that the clotted pulmonary artery was bulging against one side of my heart, which probably wasn't helping. The problem was pretty horrible back then - it felt like I had a bird trapped and freaking out in my chest!

It gradually got better over the following year or so and I was able to start cycling again but at first I couldn't exert myself much without bring on AFIB again and once it had started it could go on for hours so I became very cautious about over-exertion.

I still get the problem if I push myself to my limits but I can usually get away with short bursts to about 90-95%.

I still occasionally get random bouts of AFIB which can last an hour or two. They are not pleasant but I am used to them so I don't panic. I get shortness of breath during those episodes. I try to relax and wait for them to pass.

AFIB can cause dangerous clotting so sufferers may have to take anticoagulants to reduce the risk of that happening, but I am already on them for the original clotting problem so I didn't have any extra treatment.

Obviously, listen to your doctor, but hopefully you will be able to still ride your bike fairly energetically. Racing might be out of the question though - I remember a couple of pros retiring early because of AFIB.

Good luck!

^^^^^^^^^^^
Wot he said. Get yourself checked out (as you are) and see if they can find a reason.

Although if you're on the tall side (~6ft4) and you're giving your bikes up for free (including postage), I'd err on the safe side and post them all to me now. Get your knitting needles ready :-).

 

[CXRAndy]

I had Lone AF several years ago. Started one night and continued into next day .165bpm laid down. I was admitted into ITU and prescribed intravenous drugs to slow down my heart after digitalis didn't work.

I had drugs for several months, but felt fine, so asked to come off drugs. I was given a heart monitor for 48hrs to record my heart whilst doing normal activities including cycling. Heart came back normal. Came off drugs but was advised to take aspirin and statins, which I have done since. I had heart scans, x-ray and ultrasound to check heart.

Never want it back and those who have ongoing issues you have my sympathy.

 

[Bobby Mhor]

Recently diagnosed with it, I noticed something amiss a week before I had to see a cardiologist on another matter, tested and now taking something for it.
Still putting the miles in and not deviating from anything I did before.
My chest HRM was showing crazy readings at the time.
If you count Fort William to Inverness as touring, yeah and plans to do more this year.
(nothing grand though)

 

[Houthakker]

Echo the above. At about 55 I started with infrequent attacks, sometimes they would go on their own after a while, couple of times needed hospital treatment. Was given sone tables I could take if I had an attack which usually worked, but was advised to have an ablation to laser off some of the nerve endings in the heart. First two didn't work as well as hoped but am hoping that the third one (Jan this year) has done the trick. Have been cycling all they way through it apart from a couple of weeks after each op, much to the concern of SWMBO who would rather I sat in an armchair. Helps that my cardiologist is a triathlete though cos every time she said to him "He'll need to take it easy now and stay off the bike" he replied"No, just carry on doing exactly what you were before. It might be uncomfortable but AF won't kill you"
Good luck with yours.

 

[Brandane]

AF won't kill you

My cardiologist said the same; BUT.... AF can cause the formation of blood clots, and THEY can kill you.

 

[Brandane]

@marzjennings .....
My history (shortened version!)....
I used to get irregular heart rhythms as far back as I can remember; when playing sports at school they would come on - but would go away as suddenly as they had come on, usually after about a minute or two of resting. I assumed that they were normal at the time, and as they never caused me any real problems I didn't tell anyone about them.. This went on for all of my adult life, very occasionally (maybe 3 or 4 episodes per year). Each time was only a matter of a minute or two, and then straight back into normal rhythm.

Until one afternoon in 1999, aged 37, when I was in the Police. Luckily I was in the Police Office at the time and not out trying to tame some angry Buckfast fueled lunatic... The AF kicked off and I did my usual - went for a seat and waited the customary minute or two - but no, this time it didn't stop. After half an hour I went to the duty Sergeant who got a car in to take me to hospital. I was rigged up to the heart monitor machine and that's when I was diagnosed with the AF.. The AF lasted until about 8am the next morning then suddenly reverted to normal again.

I was put on Flecainide Acetate, 2 x 100mg per day, which cured the problem. A few years later they added 1 x 1.25mg per day of Bisoprolol (a beta blocker). My eldest brother has the same condition and is on the Flecainide but not the Bisoprolol - but he has a blood thinning drug to take, which I don't. Nearly 20 years now, I am still on the same medication. No repeat episodes, but if I forget to take my meds then I sometimes get a wee blip from my heart to remind me!

As for cycling - it hasn't stopped me. Recently did 500 miles over 7 days from the SW corner of Scotland to the NE corner. I am not fast, but I can put in the miles. I put this down to the fact that my heart rate is regulated by meds, so it might be that it is like driving a car fitted with a restrictor of some sort. I could of course be wrong and it's just that I'm an old duffer! Whatever, I still enjoy cycling at MY pace. If you do intend to knock yourself out by trying to imitate the pro's, then it might be an idea to have a talk with your Doc first..

There is now an op they can do to correct AF, involving a laser. I spoke to my Cardiologist about this but she said there were risks attached and that since my meds were doing the job, I should stick with that.

Good luck and hope it all works out..

 

[ColinJ]

Ha, bloody typical - I developed a mild AFIB this morning! I can feel that my pulse is slightly irregular and I am a tad short of breath. I will still go out on my bike today but I will do an easier ride than I had planned before the AFIB came on. If my heart settles down, I'll extend the ride. If it gets worse, I'll give up and come home.

 

[marzjennings]

^^^^^^^^^^^
Wot he said. Get yourself checked out (as you are) and see if they can find a reason.

Although if you're on the tall side (~6ft4) and you're giving your bikes up for free (including postage), I'd err on the safe side and post them all to me now. Get your knitting needles ready :-).

Hey let me get buried first . But I am 6'4" and if the news from the Doc is total shite I may indeed dm you for a delivery address.

 

[marzjennings]

Many thanks for all the truly inspiring stories, given me some real hope that my riding days are not over.

 

[Brandane]

my riding days are not over.

They are absolutely NOT! The staff at the cardiology unit of Inverclyde Hospital are always amused when I turn up for my occasional check-up (VERY occasional; must be at least 5 years since the last one) having cycled the hilly route from home to get there (15 miles each way, but that's a lot to non cycling nurses!). Then they make me do an excercise ECG .

 

[ColinJ]

I nipped out this afternoon and did 24 km with 700 metres of climbing (15 miles, 2,300 ft) despite AFIB making my heart wibble away. I used a low gear and took my time on the steep stuff but at least I got my sunny ride in. I'm enjoying a big mug of coffee now despite the fact that I think that coffee can make the AFIB last a bit longer. You only live once, eh?

(But obviously, get the go-ahead from your doctor(s) for whatever you plan to do!)

 

[gazza1]

I was diagnosed with afib about 20yrs ago, I am now 60. They tried to reverse it with cardio version, which is a electric shock administered with the paddles to the chest. They try 3 times and that’s it. Didn’t work for me. I have been a runner all my life and lived quite happily with afib, with very little noticeable impact on my everyday life. I take warfarin daily and have regular blood checks. I only started monitoring my hr about 5 or 6yrs ago and found that my hr would escalate to around the 250 mark when doing a fartlek. Thought this was a bit high, so saw a consultant who told me that this was no problem and to carry on with training.
Present day. I gave up running due to injury and am now cycling and push myself a lot harder than when I was running. I feel I am fitter than I ever was and have no problems doing hard intervals on the bike. I am in the process of sorting out a heart rate monitor to use with my iPad and bkool. That’s another story. But as far as afib goes, keep training and don’t worry about it.

 

[Houthakker]

My cardiologist said the same; BUT.... AF can cause the formation of blood clots, and THEY can kill you.

Echo that. Forgot to say they put me on Rovoroxaban which is anticoagulant, Easier to manage than Warfarin apparently.