Help! I was just diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation
ASKED by Optimist on May 1, 2008 - 12:16pm
I was just diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation and I'm really freaking out. Could you help me find information on it? I left my doctor's office really confused.
Thanks so much for your help!


Comments
Optimist,
Thanks for sharing. It's great you're taking action to try address your heart condition. You can find many of the resources you need to help answer your question on Empowher.com. Here's a list of information you might find helpful.
Video
http://empowher.com/share/search/results/taxonomy%3A298
Stores from Women Who Have AFIB
http://empowher.com/share/search/results/taxonomy%3A29+author%3A73
News
http://empowher.com/news/08/04/16/timing-of-hrt-may-influence-heart-risk...
Books
http://empowher.com/shop/heart/women-are-not-small-men%3A-life-saving-st...
Blogs
http://empowher.com/community/blog/michelle/08/01/28/heart-disease-and-t...
What I have learned about Afib is that it is an irregularily of the heart's rhythm, and is common: over 2 million people in the U.S. have Afib.
Afib alone is not a life-threatening arrhythmia, but increases your risk for other health conditions later in life (according to http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/Internet/afibcenter/whatis_afib.cfm)
There are several "types" of Afib:
- paroxysmal (episodes come and go on their own)
- persistent (episodes come and last until they are put back into rhythm)
- permanent (heart stays in Afib, despite efforts to convert into normal rhythm)
There is also something called "Lone Afib", meaning that it occurs in young, healthy people without any trauma or changes to the heart.
What have you found out about your Afib? Do you have symptoms or difficulties associated with it?
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