Atrial fibrillation

A question to fellow AF sufferers; when I exercise I can nimble along nicely but have no top end whatsoever. It’s like hitting a brick wall. I’ve also noticed I have zero lactate tolerance; even the slightest hillock such as a hump back bridge or gently rise has me struggling with lactic acid. I assumed that this is because the pump isn’t efficient enough to clear it out.

Assuming you are not in permanent afib, that is probably the bisoprolol, I just came off it 2 months ago, and it was like having a rev limiter removed when going cycling afterwards.

Quit drinking and it’s gone

Should be I quit drinking.

Not saying it was AF but certainly a fluttery anxiety tight chest.

I was also put on anticoagulant’s & Bisoprolol beta blockers. These I do not like… I seem to have quite a few side effect from the BB’s, though some of these also match AF symptoms, so it’s difficult to say what’s causing what.

I was on Bisoprolol for a few years after AF was diagnosed and it wrecked my mtbing. Just didn’t have any energy beyond an hour’s ride and the struggle to get up hills took all the enjoyment out of it. I thought it was the new normal – now in AF, stamina wrecked (I even bought an Ebike! The horror!). Wasn’t til I started dating a doctor and she told me I didn’t need to put up with it and got me a private appointment to be re-assessed, it turned out to be the drugs mainly at fault. Bisoprolol has been changed to Viazem XL and fitness has improved a lot. I wouldn’t say it’s night and day (I mean even at rest my heartrate can be at a ridiculous high), but I can enjoy normal MTB rides much more now. (eBike rides are better though tbh)

Yes I’m in permanent Afib.

What I’ve noticed in the last week is that when exercising I suddenly seem to have good lactate tolerance, more energy, breathing is regular – dare I say, it feels normal.

The only difference between how I feel now & how I felt before Afib is my heart rate won’t go up much beyond my old threshold levels (155 ish).

I feel like I’ve got a lot more to give – that is, my legs and energy aren’t holding me back like they were a couple of weeks ago.

Up until now my heart rate would be all over the place with zero lactate tolerance meaning anything above level 2 type exercise was horrific. But I firstly noticed it was fairly stable on the turbo trainer unless I did an extended session (1.5-2hrs). It also went down fairly quickly, whereas for the past few months it would go up & stay up even some time after the exercise had finished. So biking to work and back last week – Monday & Tuesday felt crappy, Weds & Thursday just felt tired, then Friday – felt virtually normal. My 20 minute bimble yesterday turned into a 2hr woodsy ride. I didn’t particularly push myself, but felt like I could’ve given more except for the heart rate brick wall, which I assume were the beta blockers in action.

Once I’d finished my heart rate stayed mildly elevated (still erratic) for a few hours but I didn’t have the feeling of being utterly drained like normal.

Is it possible for your heart rate to return to normal during exercise but revert to Afib at rest? I’m only guessing that’s what’s happening & there’s no ecg facility on my Garmin, but I can’t find anything on google.

This is interesting about the bisoprolol as I’m on 5mg a day.

I just have no energy to do anything.

I can manage a 20 ish miles ebike ride on a Saturday and then feel like a zombie the day after.

lack of motivation to even walk the dog.

I did wonder if it was working at all, but due to the unpleasant side effects I didn’t want to mention it to my Doctor in case he increases the dose. I don’t want any more of that..!