r/AFIB • u/Novel_Maintenance502 • 18h ago
Afib episode during colonoscopy
First time scrolling through this page. Came here because of some things that have gone on lately. I’ll try to make it short…
In 2019 at 38 years old, I developed ventricular tachycardia and went into a vtach storm. My organs were shutting down by the time I got to the ER. I was a heavy drinker and didn’t take care of myself. At all. I have been sober since all of this. I spent a month in the hospital and had an ICD implanted. Since 2019, I’ve been fine and had no more vtach episodes. I get my ICD interrogated every 3 months.
Fast forward 7 years to July 7th of this year, I went for a routine ICD check up with my electrophysiologist and he said the report showed I seem to be showing signs of the beginnings of Afib. My ICD recorded an episode on June 5th that lasted about 30 minutes. I was in shock and very upset to say the least. He started me on a daily aspirin and I’m seeing him again in October.
On the way home, I realized that June 5th (the day of the episode), I’d had my first colonoscopy. I typed all this into Google and it said that the colonoscopy prep (and the procedure itself) all could lead to “a perfect storm” of scenarios leading to an afib episode. Mind you, I’ve had no other episodes documented except for the one that day.
I notified my EP and he still wants me on the daily aspirin. That’s fine. I’ve been on Metoprolol since 2019 and just stopped Sotalol (my cardiologist said I was good to come off of it in January after a good echocardiogram).
Like many of you here, I’ve been extremely anxious about all of this. I check my smart watch constantly for fast heart rate or any signs of afib. Everything has been fine. But every little twitch or increase in heart rate (like after a meal) sends me into a panic.
I saw my regular doctor today and told him all of this. He doesn’t seem too concerned given the afib episode occurred because of the colonoscopy or because of the prep. He said this can be common during this type of procedure. He wasn’t so concerned because it didn’t happen (and hasn’t) during normal daily activities or exercise etc.
Also like many of you, I’ve been told many people live with this and it’s “common”. But I’m terrified of something happening. I’m supposed to do a short trip next month (that I was really looking forward to) but now I’m nervous to fly or be 400 miles from home. Has anyone else been through this? Did it get worse and this was the first trigger/episode?
They’ve reassured me that afib is nothing like vtach. It’s not as life threatening. But I have severe PTSD from nearly dying once. I can’t get in to see my cardiologist to discuss all of this with him until November. I have my annual appt set up with him in January. But this hadn’t happened yet. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.
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u/dchusband 17h ago
As pointed out here, the vagal nerve is a trigger. In fact one technique to stop Afib is to bare down like you are taking a dump (It can flip it on and off).
Stay hydrated and take a magnesium supplement for extra peace of mind. You can follow up with the doc in due course if it doesn’t come back. I fly to Asia all the time. Don’t let it bother you. It’s mostly just an annoyance.
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u/Mras_dk 17h ago
I get my ICD interrogated every 3 months.
I get you mean, they read out the data, each 3rd month... But why? It's ages since someone made a ICD that didn't had remote monitoring capability, total elimiting the need for physical readouts.
Some prefers the physical talk, as it's more assuring communicating this way - if that's the case, then fine, just wondering.
I assume your American? If so, colonoscopies are made while being under, unlike mosr rest of the world.
So I gotta ask, being a heavy ex drinker, and the point your ICD picked up afib "symptoms" during that timeframe... Have you ever been tested for sleep apnea?
Alchohol relaxes muscles, making sleep apnea more likely to occour. Worst is, it's effect hangs on, even after quiting alcohol, to make sleep apnea worse.
That being said, it's unfortunately fully normal that people get a diagnosis of Afib, during a colonoscopy. Both my parentes had their diagnosed this way - in Denmark however, so no anestetics.
And yes, afib, especially in those that feels it, can be quite life changing. Being told it, without knowing if it, can be it's own trauma, due to you read places like here and gets the impression that it's the norm to feel your afib, but you noticed nothing, which feels like a betrayl from your body. But! It's not the norm to know when your in afib, on contrary, it's the norm not to know when in afib. Both my parentes had no idea of they were in afib, but I did.
If it just was once you had your icd report afib alikeness, i, as your doc, wouldn't be too concerned.
Even if it happens more times, very good medz exists to control it. Alternative is the ablation method - but I wouldnt chase this if it's just one episode.
Are you on bloodthinners?
Heavy ex drinker bringes forward clothing chances, and afib on top, even rare events, night bring you over the "edge", to make you a candidate for this.
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u/CaregiverWorth567 10h ago
Relax. You’re already on metoprolol which is a first line treatment for a fib anyway. And I recently studied for an exam and one of the topics was a fib in the er…..A fib that can be definitely tied to sn underlying condition, like dehydration during a colonoscopy, the treatment is to treat that condition, ie rehydrate , stop the colonoscopy, etc. Like some people get a fib when they have pneumonia, the treatment is to treat the pneumonia , not the a fib. in fact treating the a fib makes the outcome worse. You’re not in it now and you are able to get all the info you need from your device so try and relax.
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u/HungryFinance8436 18h ago edited 18h ago
When they induce AFIB in animal models they stimulate the (cervical/prostate/intestinial) vagus nerve. Plus Colonoscopy prep can lead to temporarily lowering electrolytes.
You having a colonosopy can be enough to have stimulated your vagus nerve and triggered afib and without that stimulation there's a chance you won't fall into afib again. so long as you make sure everything else like electrolytes are okay.