New [questions on heart issues]

[Trimer]

Hi there I just started CPAP a month ago mild OSA I woke up last night in the middle of the night with my heart flipping in my chest like a fish for about 20 seconds it stopped immediately after I took mask off. I have cardiologist, had all tests he sees no issues. Any insight? Can’t really get any answers it’s frustrating ? now I’m scared to put mask on again. Long winded, thank you ❤️ I have an APAP

[mesenteria]

When my heart 'flipped' the first time, I was on the phone with Canada Revenue Agency, the nice tax people.  It only self-corrected once I was hooked up to the machines at the emergency department of the local hospital.  That was good, they told me...that I knew it was going on and that it fixed itself.

About four weeks later, I was near the end of a 9 km run when I felt my legs turn to lead and my breathing was labored.  About an hour later, I had to take myself to emerg once again.  Same result.  I saw a cardiologist about three months later, finally, and he said I have atrial fibrillation.  I have been on three pills since that consultation.  They are metoprolol tartrate, 12.5 mg twice a day, to control the heart rate, apixaban (brand name Eliquis) at 5 mg twice daily to prevent clotting in my left atrium when it goes into Afib, and he wasn't happy with my typically borderline high LDL and lipid levels, so I'm also on a statin, 20 mg once a day.

I am not a physician, not a health expert, but when my heart flipped and I often got a bit breezy trying to keep oxygenated at the same time, it turned out to be atrial fibrillation.

I was given all sorts of tests, including being injected with radioactive dye while near the end of a walking stress test on a treadmill, and then going into a CAT scan about 40 minutes after the test stopped.  All results showed I was healthy except for the unexplained AFib.  Next I was sent to a sleep lab for a polysomnography over night.  That was when they found I have severe apnea, and when my cardiologist said it was undoubtedly the cause of my AFib.  I was on a trail CPAP regimen within 10 days of the sleep lab, and have been on straight PAP ever since.

If....IF...it turns out that you have the onset of chronic and paroxysmal Afib, the kind that only comes on at certain times and then goes away, you should understand that it is considered to be progressive.  You should strive to get it under control as soon as you can, and to keep a lid on it, including with medication or lifestyle changes as appropriate.  ...IF....you have it.  We'll have to wait and see what your particular symptoms mean.

[Walla Walla]

It might of been caused by a apnea event. The best way to help you is for you to download sleepyhead and post a chart of last night here. The link for sleepyhead is below.

Welcome to apnea board.

[ShaunBlake]

Trimer, I'm not knowledgeable about your machine so I don't know where to tell you to look to see the data of your night's events but you should be able to find the information for your Dreamstation and see what it shows.  However, as Walla Walla suggested, the best thing you could do — other than taking your machine in and letting your sleep doctor or RT look at it — would be to post SleepyHead charts.

Please do use the links below Walla Walla's message to install SleepyHead (we call it "SH"), do a screenshot of last night's Details, and post it so our gurus can advise you.

[ghstudio]

It is difficult for a cardiologist to see AFIB in a scheduled test...it's is something that initially happens sporadically and unless he accidentally triggers it during the test, it just doesn't show up. One of the best tools to find AFIB is wearing a "Holter monitor" for 24 hours or perhaps longer so that your heart rate is recorded over a 24 hour period. I believe there is now a small implantable device to provide data over a longer period of time. You might want to ask your Cardiologist if he thinks those tests would help diagnose your concern?

[SarcasticDave94]

FWIW I had been monitored via Holter several times for the 24 hr period and 2 times for 30 days with the same type of Holter. Sorry, no info here on implantable style but Google probably has it.

In fact, here's one article on it from medgadget...CLICK HERE

[ghstudio]

https://www.dicardiology.com/article/imp...ndiagnosed

[Tinman53]

I am heart failure patient and often experience what is called PVC's (premature ventricular contraction). My Cardiologist calls them "benign," I call them annoying. It often feels like a hard thump in your chest or, when real bad I say it feels a fish on dry land flopping in the middle of my chest!

As others have said, you really should discuss this with your medical team.

If it continues to occur check out a device called Kardia. It works through your cell phone or tablet to provide a Lead 1 ECG. I use one and it is great to capture those moments when you feel "weird." I can then print it out or email to my Cardiologist.

Good luck.

[Trimer]

Thank you all for your responses! I don’t use any software I’m not sure if my machine is capable? It’s an APAP Philips respironics im switching to resmed this week.

[AzLarry]

Wow, my situation was the opposite. I went into A-fib and it took three days of hospital stay to get it under control. I too was put on the same medications as you. I asked the cardiologist what started it and sleep apnea was one of the things he mentioned. I track my heart rate with my Samsung watch, so I had three years of logs to look at. It showed that I had A-fib episodes when I was sleeping. I did a sleep study that showed 21+ AHI's per hour. I have now been on BPAP for 32 days with no A-fib problems. I'm not sure if the BPAP is working or the meds but I do feel better in the morning and am not tired through the day. I'm hoping this puts to rest the A-fib or I may look into having an ablation done.