Can Sex Cause Your Heart to Go Into Afib Again

Adjusting to life with atrial fibrillation

A diagnosis of atrial fibrillation will have life-long effects and y'all may have worries about what your status means for the future. Read our tips for managing your condition so you lot can continue to lead a total 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 near the severity of your condition and your prognosis. It'south normal to experience a range of emotions at this time including uncertainty, fear, anxiety and low mood.

Dr Fraser talks nigh what an AF diagnosis might hateful for yous.

The good news is that although AF is a long-term status, if managed correctly, you can continue to lead a long and active life. There are a number of steps you lot tin can take that will help y'all manage your condition, lower your risk of stroke and salve whatever worries you may accept. These include:

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

Inquiry has shown that people who have a practiced understanding of their AF study fewer symptoms, feel more in control of their condition and feel less distressed by it.

Outset experiences of atrial fibrillation

First experiences of atrial fibrillation (AF) differ greatly. Some people have no obvious symptoms and their AF is picked up during a routine visit to their doctor or nurse. For others, their get-go AF episode tin be a dramatic, frightening upshot for both them and their families. Whatever your experience, yous are likely to face a flow of emotional adjustment following your diagnosis, as you larn about your status and consider what it might mean for your future.

1 of the major concerns for people with AF is their increased risk of stroke. (Y'all are v times more likely to take a stroke if you've been diagnosed with AF even if you don't have AF symptoms, or rarely have an AF episode). However taking your medication reduces this take chances significantly.

Health psychologist Miriam Wood talks about the things you can practise to build your confidence in living with AF.

It'due south a good thought to make sure you understand the medication you've been prescribed. You can read more than 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 lot may also exist wondering when your side by side AF episode will occur. To help you identify any possible triggers, it may be helpful to record any attacks and what you were doing leading upwardly to them. You lot tin also find out more about treatments that help manage your atrial fibrillation.

Think if you've just been diagnosed with AF, you're not lone. Your status affects more than 80,000 other kiwis. Sometimes hearing from others can be a skillful way to salvage some of your worries and notice out more about what it's like to live with.

Visit our Journeys folio to hear from others with atrial fibrillation or picket Nikki'south story below.

Nikki Tod talks most her feel with AF.

Setting goals for heart health

Every bit well as starting your treatment plan, making some changes to your lifestyle can help ameliorate your health, manage your AF and lower your run a risk of complications, such every bit stroke or heart failure.

Setting goals is a good way to assist y'all achieve the lifestyle changes y'all want to make. Information technology'due south important to make certain that your goals are realistic and achievable. You're more likely to succeed if you:

• Prepare a goal that is really important to you lot and write it down
• Plan how you are going to achieve the goal
• Get support from those effectually you
• Brainstorm how y'all tin overcome challenges and build your confidence.

You can detect out more about how to set realistic achievable goals on our goal-setting page.

Keeping your relationships strong

It's probable your AF diagnosis volition affect those close to yous. It's normal for family unit members and other loved ones to feel scared or anxious near your diagnosis.

Oft AF has no obvious, visible signs making it hard for those around you to understand what y'all are going through. This can lead to frustration and resentment. That's why practiced communication with your family unit/whānau is really important.

Having open and honest conversations tin lower your stress and encourage the closeness and emotional support that you lot need. No ane, including children, should exist excluded from these conversations. Children can oftentimes blame themselves when their parents get unwell, then it is important to explain to them what has happened and why it has happened.

Tips for practiced communication

• Choice a fourth dimension when there are no distractions to talk with your family about your condition
• Express your feelings in a positive style - employ "I" statements rather than "you lot" statements
• Ask for assist
• Make a note of questions.

You can observe some suggested questions to discuss with your doc or nurse on our diagnosis and treatments page.

Will my family unit develop atrial fibrillation?

Sometimes AF can run in families. This type of AF is called familial atrial fibrillation. Recent research suggests as many as 30% of all AF cases may be familial.

Although genetics aren't always the cause of AF, the inquiry shows your family is at greater take a chance of getting AF if y'all've been diagnosed with it.

If yous are worried virtually this, have a conversation to adult children and close relatives about the early symptoms you lot experienced. You lot could encourage them to talk with their doctor about their risk of AF.

Sex and intimacy

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

It is also common for the partners of people with AF to worry that sexual practice might be bad for their loved i'southward wellness. This tin can lead to people losing interest or confidence in having sex activity, which in turn negatively impacts on their relationship.

In fact, sexual practice - like other forms of practice - is adept for your heart health and your full general wellbeing. Sex strengthens your eye muscle, relieves stress and boosts your immune system.

Sometimes atrial fibrillation can result in issues getting an erection (erectile dysfunction). Some medications prescribed for AF can too cause a problem. Talk to your doctor if you're having problem with your sexual activity life as they may exist able to adjust your medication or discover other means to help.

It's also important you talk to your doctor before using medication to try to improve your sex life. This includes both pharmaceutical medications (such as Viagra) and herbal or complementary therapies.

Exercise and atrial fibrillation

When you lot're offset diagnosed with AF, you may be worried that exercise might trigger an episode or make your status 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 rate over time
• reduces your risk of other middle disease
• helps y'all manage your weight
• improves your mood and sense of wellbeing.

Brendon talks virtually the benefits that exercise tin can offer people living with atrial fibrillation.

Cardiac rehabilitation classes

It's a expert idea to talk to your doctor before starting an practise programme. Cardiac rehabilitation classes are a neat way to get started if they're bachelor in your area.

Get a light-green prescription

You lot could too consider a green prescription, which is a free, New Zealand Regime-funded programme that provides practise advice to people with chronic conditions such as AF.

If you lot are just starting to exercise or notice that you're tiring more than easily, build up your activity gradually. Your energy levels volition meliorate and you lot volition eventually be able to practice more do.

Taking small steps to build your conviction

At that place are pocket-sized steps you can take to build up your confidence to exercise. Y'all may only do 5 to 10 minutes of walking around the business firm. If you can walk around the firm easily, look to increase this by a infinitesimal the next day and then on. Ideally you should aim to build upwardly to v half hour sessions of cardio exercise a week.

The exercise doesn't need to be high intensity, it can be depression to moderate exercise such as walking or a cycle ride. If you want to increase the intensity slightly, y'all can include some hills only make sure you've had an adequate warm upwards earlier you kickoff. Do such as yoga or pilates tin can also be practiced for lowering your centre rate.

Brendon talks near the importance of starting off irksome, and working up to your goals.

The talk exam may besides exist useful to help you find the correct level of exercise for you.

• When you lot are at the correct level of exercise, you lot should exist able to feel your eye pumping harder just still be able to talk comfortably.
• If you are too breathless to talk, then information technology'southward time to dull downward.
• If you are able to sing or whistle, and then you could footstep upward the pace.

If you're getting chest discomfort, lightheadness or dizziness, or excessive shortness of breath, end exercising straight away and talk to your doctor.

Dealing with fatigue

According to research, fatigue (tiredness) is one of the well-nigh commonly reported symptoms of AF (along with shortness of breath and heart palpitations). This may occur for a number of reasons, including:

• the speed and/or irregular rhythm of your middle
• the fact your heart might non exist functioning as effectively as normal
• side effects of your medication
• the underlying cause of your AF (for instance, thyroid problems).

There are a few ways to try and manage this fatigue. Try to keep your middle at a normal rate and rhythm every bit much every bit possible. Try to avert things that trigger your AF and remember to accept your medication as prescribed.

Regular exercise, a salubrious diet and quality sleep also play a key role in preventing fatigue. If yous think your medication may exist partly responsible, you could talk to your GP to see if there's an culling drug. Never stop taking your medication without talking to your doctor first.

Fatigue is as well sometimes a symptom of depression, so talk to your GP if yous demand professional person back up.

Foods to eat and foods to avoid

When y'all've been diagnosed with AF, the all-time kind of eating programme to follow is a heart salubrious eating plan. The program will aid you manage your atrial fibrillation symptoms and reduce your hazard of other types of heart disease.

A heart healthy nutrition means eating a dietary blueprint based largely on minimally-processed foods with enough of vegetables and fruit. Include some intact whole grains in place of refined grains: legumes, nuts, seeds and other sources of healthy fats such as oily fish. You tin can besides include non-processed lean meats or poultry and/or dairy.

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

At that place are as well some foods yous'll demand to avoid if y'all're taking certain medications. If y'all're on warfarin yous'll need to make sure you don't eat large quantities of vitamin K. Foods that contain high levels of vitamin K include:

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

If you're on anti-arrhythmic drugs, such as amiodarone, y'all'll need to avoid grapefruit every bit it can make your medication less effective.

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

Taking steps to meliorate your mental wellbeing

Anybody's experience of AF is dissimilar. Some people cope well with the condition merely 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 you lot and your family unit tin manage anxiety related to AF.

If you are feeling down, there are positive steps y'all tin take to improve your mental wellness and well-existence. These include:

• getting regular exercise
• getting enough slumber
• eating a good for you diet
• talking to friends and family about how you're feeling
• finding a local cardiac support group in your expanse.

However, for some people, these steps alone may not exist enough to improve your mental wellbeing. If your negative feelings continue for more than than a couple of weeks or are particularly extreme, it'south important to seek professional help. Talk to your physician or nurse at your local GP practise or visit low.org.nz for further data.

Health Psychologist Miriam Forest talks about dealing with feet and depression after an AF diagnosis.

How presently can I drive?

If your AF is well managed and you are symptom-free, you volition generally be able to continue driving without restrictions. Nonetheless, if you take had blackouts or severe dizziness with your AF you should not bulldoze until your condition is stabilised.

If you lot have a vocational commuter'due south license it will demand to be assessed. If you have had a coma or severe dizziness with your AF you may have a vi month stand up-downwards.

Discuss whatever concerns with your doc.

If y'all ever take 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 all-time to talk over it with your doctor first. You lot may be advised not to travel until your AF is stable.

If you are going overseas yous will demand a travel insurance policy that volition comprehend you for pre-existing conditions.

Here's a listing of things to consider before you lot finalise your travel plans:

• Ask your doctor about immunisations that you may need to take and whether these will interact with your current treatment.
• If you are planning on travelling to a land that has a time difference, talk to your doctor or chemist almost your medication regime and how best to maintain this.
• If you lot're on warfarin ask, about self-monitoring while you are on holiday.
• Ensure you've got enough medication to comprehend the time that you're away. Pack actress medication in your hand baggage and in your hold luggage, in instance something goes missing.
• Get a record of your medication (types and doses) to carry with you. This will be helpful if you're asked about your medication at community or if you need to seek medical assist while you lot're away. It's also a skillful thought to take your doctor's phone number and e-mail address with y'all.
• Consider getting a medic warning ID such equally a card, bracelet or necklace. This tin can include data about your medical condition(southward), prescriptions, whatever implanted devices y'all may take and your doctor'due south contact data. For more than information visit - www.medicalert.co.nz
• Ask your doc any precautions you may need to take or any other concerns that you may accept.

What nigh monitoring INR levels while I'm away?

If you're on warfarin, you'll demand to call up about how yous monitor your INR levels while you're away. Talk to your doctor nearly how the health system works at your destination and what costs might be involved.

During your journey

• Give yourself plenty of time to check-in at the aerodrome to avoid unnecessary stress.
• If you lot're flying you should wear compression stockings to reduce your risk of blood clots.
• Become upwards and move around frequently. Sitting for extended periods tin affect your apportionment.
• Continue hydrated - Drink water and avoid drinking besides much alcohol.

How will atrial fibrillation touch my work?

Most people with AF are able to continue working. Equally long as you tin can ably manage your work with your AF, there are considerable benefits in returning to your job. These include:

• participating in some course of physical activity on a piece of work solar day
• socialising and being part of a team
• improving cocky-esteem and allowing you lot to feel like you are making a contribution to your family unit and order
• giving a structure and routine to days and weeks
• providing financial security.

Things to consider earlier y'all render to your task

There are some people who discover information technology difficult to return to work or to their existing function - particularly if their symptoms aren't well controlled. Talk with your employer if you are concerned that AF will affect your power to do your job.

If you have a pacemaker implanted to manage your AF, bank check with your doc that it is safety to become dorsum to piece of work. Some piece of work places may have machinery that interferes with your pacemaker. You can find out more about what you may need to avoid on our pacemaker page.

It is also important to consider your levels of stress at piece of work. A recent written report in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology plant that beingness stressed at piece of work was associated with a 48% higher risk of atrial fibrillation.

When you're first diagnosed, you may need to take fourth dimension off piece of work for treatment and as you start new medication. Your doctor tin advise yous on the best time for you to return to work.

Medical certificate

Tell your employer about whatever medical and recovery advice your doctor or healthcare team has given y'all. Talk over the details of your medical document with your employer. The medical certificate may point, for example, that you lot're not fit for work for a menses of time or that y'all may be fit for work nether certain conditions, such as:

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

If your employer has an occupational health section, they tin can give yous further assistance and communication about returning to work such as determining what workload is suitable. They may also be able to offer counselling.

If yous think your condition volition prevent y'all from returning to work, you tin can find more information about health and disability benefits available to people with chronic health conditions from the Ministry of Social Development.

Planning for emergencies

Information technology'southward a good thought to take a plan in example an emergency situation arises at piece of work, for example if y'all take:

• an AF episode while at 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 yous concur a vocational licence and drive trucks, rider vehicles, fork lifts, courier vans etc., a symptom-free menstruum of at least six months is mostly required before you lot are deemed fit to bulldoze. Your licence may too be subject to the condition of an annual cardiac cess.

You'll need to talk with your doctor and contact the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) about how your condition may bear upon your job. You should also bank check with your insurance visitor to make sure you are fully covered.

Living with atrial fibrillation

AF is a life-long condition that changes over time but there are things yous can do to assist manage your status.

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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