Comments on: Do You Have Sleep Apnea and Atrial Fibrillation? Why Does It Matter?

By: jlwyatt11

jlwyatt11 — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:38:25 +0000

I was diagnose with sleep apnea in 2008. I have been using my CPAP faithfully since. I have had 4 episodes of afib. in last 11 years, at intervals of 3 to 4 years. The 1st two times in 2000 and 2004 I went back into sinus fib or regular rhythem on my own. The last two times I decided to go to the hospital and both times they said I have afib. I asked why if it episodic? They said basically better safe than sorry to take Calcium blockers. I’ve been worried about taking this medicine since. Has anyone else had this experience. IS there a support group somewhere?

By: julie

julie — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:11:33 +0000

This is a “chicken and egg” thing for me. After I was diagnosed with A-Fib, a doctor suggested having a sleep study done but my arrhythmia was so frequent and long-lasting that they recommended an ablation ASAP. I had a cryo-ablation done at Baylor’s heart hospital in Dallas last week.

One of the first things I’ve noticed is how much better I’m sleeping and that I’m waking up easier and feeling rested. I have problems with fatigue because of auto-immune diseases. I tire easily and feel like my bones are made of lead at random times. But when the A-Fib started, I mostly got the worst of it at night or early in the morning. I awoke feeling as though I’d been fighting battles!

So, did sleep apnea cause my A-Fib or did the A-Fib mess up my ability to sleep well and provoke apnea? I don’t know. My doctor at Baylor said I had an electrical problem in my heart and was likely born with it. We don’t know what set it off.

For those considering ablation, I have to say it’s not nearly as bad as the internet articles make it sound. First off, I was given general anaesthesia and wasn’t awake. Secondly, if you can, have the cryo-ablation done instead of the older, electrode version. Apparently, cryo has a much higher success rate and fewer possible complications. It’s only been FDA-approved in the US for about a year, I believe, so it may be harder to find a hospital that offers it. That’s why I went to Baylor.

By: heidi

heidi — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:09:48 +0000

Does sleep apnea have to be a certain severity to cause afib?
I have had 4 sleep studies- one doc say I have mild OSA and can be th cause of the arrhythmia another says it isn’t bad enough to cause my afib and other arrhythmia. I have been on and off CPAP twice now, no doctor can agree whether I have obstructive sleep apnea, my last study showed an increase in central apneas but not that much of an increase and they say that is because I was on CPAP. I am already prone to arrhythmias due to congenital heart defect ( ASD) and have bi-vent paemaker. all of my doctors do agree that sleep apnea has to be very bad to cause afib. but they don’t agree on whether CPAP would help or hurt me. CPAP seems to help me some days but not others so sleep doc wants me on it but pulmonologist says no. I am confused.

By: Mellanie

Mellanie — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:12:32 +0000

Aubrey,

Congratulations on your success. Please stay on the CPAP in order to help keep that afib beast at bay.

Mellanie

By: Mellanie

Mellanie — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:10:56 +0000

Dennis,

That is excellent news that the CPAP is helping. I hope that you don’t have afib ever again.

Mellanie

By: Mellanie

Mellanie — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:09:57 +0000

Jackie,

I’m glad the CPAP is helping. Hopefully you will never have afib again.

Mellanie

By: Jackie

Jackie — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:54:54 +0000

I am actually the reverse of many of our posters here on the forum. I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea about a year ago and was prescribed a CPAP machine. I tried to use it, but eventually just gave up on it. Then I had my first, and hopefully only A-fib episode this past December. As soon as they found out that I wasn’t using my CPAP, they agreed that that may have very well been the cause of me going into A-fib. The A-fib episode scared me so badly (my heart was as high as 234 at one point), that I began using my CPAP there in the hospital and haven’t stopped since. I have already begun to see the daytime fatigue fading away and some of my mental capacities such as memory come back, as well as having just the basic energy level to do chores, etc. In the past I had been napping quite often. I continue to have what appears to be A-flutter, but no A-fib again yet, although it has only been about 30 days. My cardiologist hopes that if I resolve the apnea, through weight loss, that hopefully the A-fib won’t come back and I will be in a better state of health overall. I never knew how dangerous sleep apnea was until I ingored it….

By: Dennis

Dennis — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 06:17:25 +0000

I have had a-fib for years. Usually 4-6 attacks a year lasting several days. I am on Flecanide which seems to help with controlling it. In late July I had an episode that went on for ten days. I had a cardioversion to get me out of it. At the end of the cardioversion, the doctor said I should have a sleep study done. I did, and was found to have sever sleep apnea. I have not had an episode now for 11 weeks since I have been using the CPAP. I am cautiosly optimistic.

By: Mellanie

Mellanie — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:06:35 +0000

Gary,

Have you been tested for sleep apnea? It sounds like a good possibility in your situation. Please keep us posted.

Mellanie

By: Mellanie

Mellanie — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:56:46 +0000

Juyeonsong,

“Is there anyone who has paralyzed diaphram after byPass surgery with AFib and OSA?”

Can you elaborate to help us better understand your question?

Mellanie