Hiking with Afib

Two days after I read MonadnockVol's account of his trip to the emergency room after a hike, I went into the ER with atrial fibrillation. I knew it would happen someday since it runs in my family, but I thought I might have a few more years yet (I'm 33). Now I have a bunch of drugs in me that I never wanted to have to take, and I feel washed-out and tired like I do on those days when you are sick or on a sleep deficit and you wouldn't actually want to hike anyway. I am concerned about how this will affect my hiking endeavors - particularly the solo hikes, and particularly the winter solo hikes. My mother-in-law said, "maybe you should find a cardiologist to hike with."

Does anyone out there hike with Afib? Solo? My father hunts alone, and he has been on a beta-blocker for Afib for about 10 years. I think I would be very sad if I always had to go with someone else.

A side note to anyone who does have Afib: I've had many previous, shorter episodes of this (rapid heartbeat or crazy, abnormal heartbeat with skips and double beats) for up to 15 minutes at a time. It is often triggered by DRINKING SOMETHING COLD FAST or eating yogurt fast. I think this is akin to something I read where, if a hypothermic person gets moving too quickly, the cold blood flows through his heart and makes it fibrillate; similarly, cold liquid flowing past the heart via the esophagus would do the same thing, I think. So if any of you do have this problem, drink your water or other liquids slowly no matter how thirsty you are, especially in winter.

Anyhow, looking for some tales of experience or encouragement here....

I used to hike solo with a fib..particularly the 100 mile wilderness section of the AT.
Also climbed Mt Washington with a young fellow a day or two before a scheduled procedure for my a fib.
I had two "procedures"... the 2nd one worked and it's been about 4 years now. No meds now.
Feel free to drop a line.
good luck !

Umsaskis said:

It is often triggered by DRINKING SOMETHING COLD FAST or eating yogurt fast. I think this is akin to something I read where, if a hypothermic person gets moving too quickly, the cold blood flows through his heart and makes it fibrillate; similarly, cold liquid flowing past the heart via the esophagus would do the same thing, I think. So if any of you do have this problem, drink your water or other liquids slowly no matter how thirsty you are, especially in winter.

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This is probably from the stimulation of the vagus nerve, rather than the hypothermia which is usually from cold blood with a screwed up blood chemistry returning through the heart. Maybe a doc can speak more fully to this.

I have seen quite a few people who live pretty normal lives with a-fib. I know it probably sucks but you really need to discuss this with your cardiologist and see what options are available to you. If you don't like what he is telling you look for another cardiologist and see if he has other options.

Wishing you the best,
Keith

Interesting! I have tachycardia, where my heart will race after intense exercises, but rapidly returns to normal, IF I STOP AND REST! If I try to 'walk it off', it persists for quite a while. I have learned to know when it is time to stop and rest on the trail the last few years.

My Dr. also mentioned surgery, but did not say it was mandated.

I also have the syndrome kick in after drinking water on the trail, when resuming the hike. I think it also has to do with how much I've just eaten too. On a good day, I can still bust out 18 miles and/or 5,000' of elevation, so I am not debilitated - yet!

Bottom line for me, don't overdo it, eat and drink smaller quantities more frequently.

Thanks for sharing, bro!

Umsaskis said:

Anyhow, looking for some tales of experience or encouragement here....

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Well, I wasn't going to write until I had more experience, but you asked...

Here's what's happened so far: while I was still in the ER, they shocked me once with 12 joules (not very much) and my heart went right back into sinus rhythm. I am now on an aspirin a day diet and a beta-blocker (beta-noradrenergic receptor blocker for those of you who are neuroscience inclined) that caps my heart rate.

My cardiologist told me that I could go right out the next day and resume my normal level of activity. I wasn't sure he really knew what my normal level was, so I said, "you literally mean that I could go climb Mt. Washington tomorrow."

"Yes," he replied.

But I didn't. I will admit that I was a little scared. My body had never betrayed me (that's what it felt like) before and I was nervous that it might happen again. So the next day I went for a five mile walk on the sidewalks of Keene. No problem.

The following week I went to the gym four days in a row. No problem.

I just finished my third hike in three days. All solo. No problem. None of them has been that hard or that long, but I'm encouraged. I'm going for short hikes again tomorrow and Thursday (5 days in a row) and then on Friday, I'm planning on going up Monadnock.

If all goes well, I'm planning to keep doing short hikes and the gym every day and I'll bag some more of the "52 with a view" list for a while. By mid-summer I hope to be confident enough to be doing 4,000-footers again.

Don't give up. And remember: every hike, every day is precious.

- Steve (MonadnockVol)

One more thing...

I should also mention that since I posted my TR, I heard from dozens of people who live with various sorts of heart arrhythmias. Among them are some very serious hikers and even a sub-three-hour marathoner.

Life's not over.
- Steve

Umsaskis -

There are many people here who have cardiac issues, and as has been pointed out - life isn't over. Sometimes we have to play the hand we've been dealt - i.e., genetics, but there are things we do which can help maximize the quality of our lives.

When I had my 1st 'cardiac event' I had the immense Good Fortune to receive care from the cardiologist on call, who also happened to be a high-altitude climber. He doesn't get out too much anymore, but he's very familiar with issues regarding hiking, climbing, AMS, etc. He practices at CVMC in Berlin, VT - I don't know quite where in the Kingdom you live, but I'll PM you his name and phone number, and you can take it from there (or not). As necessary, he can make arrangements with either the hospitals in Burlington or Hanover for advanced procedures- your choice.

Kevin

Pharmaceuticals, The Breakfast of Champions

I've been hiking (solo) with my share of ace inhibitors, beta-blockers, blood thinners and anticoagulants running through me (all at the same time) for some time now. I have to push myself a little harder. Getting up in the middle of the night for those dawn trailhead departures is a little harder then it was, BUT you can do it.
You have to let your body get used to the drugs. Then you have to get used to them. Just hike a little slower, take a couple of more rests during the climb, and get a MEDICAL ALERT Bracelet or necklace with you name, drugs and condition.
Good luck and keep pushing yourself. It's worth it.

Happy Hiking........Walker
PS...Don't forget to put a daily dose of your meds in your first-aid kit. Just in case

walker said:

and get a MEDICAL ALERT Bracelet or necklace with you name, drugs and condition.
Good luck and keep pushing yourself. It's worth it.

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That's actually a very good idea...check out the Road ID originally made for bicyclists and runners. Most EMT's are now trained to look for things like this and standard medical id's...

WinterWarlock said:

...check out the Road ID originally made for bicyclists and runners. Most EMT's are now trained to look for things like this and standard medical id's...

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This looks like a wise idea for many.

I wear the road ID when I am out running or bike riding. You can get a dog tag to wear around your neck. I attach my car/house key to this and stuff it in my jog bra. You can also get an ankle ID. There is room for lots if into on these tags. A good recommendation.

I travel internationally quite a bit, and always wear it...you just never know.

Thank you, thank you all! You don't know how much you've lifted my spirits (especially MonadnockVol who went out right afterwards and is still learning about this condition, as I am). I'm definitely feeling better now - perhaps the sleepless night that accompanied my ER visit on top of the meds made me feel so awful (and there is also that emotional drain that you feel after learning something like this which makes you feel dog-tired). I've been doing my daily 2-miles with my dog and toddler in the pack, albeit slower than usual (just to be careful). I think my first hikes will be little ones and I'll bring someone else along, because I haven't seen the cardiologist yet and he may want to adjust the medications. Today I see my regular doctor about it and I hope she can at least get me off these huge, awful potassium pills (which, by the way, are a low-concentration of the drug used for lethal injection)

This morning I was outside briefly and the air smelled so good I thought, "really, I hope I can keep hiking like I used to." Hearing the experiences of those of you who have this or other cardiac problems is just what I needed, so thank you all! I'm going to look into one of those tags, as well - great idea.

I also want to add that all of your responses will be EXTREMELY useful when I have to try to convince all of my extended family that it is ok for me to go hiking. They've been telling me forever not to hike alone (as many non-hikers would), and now they'll be even more adamant about it since I have Afib. I'll just mention a few of you who've been all over the mountains with heart conditions the next time the issue comes up!

One more

Hi all- wow, we could get a study together on "A-fib and hiking" and literally rewrite the medical textbooks. My Dad has had Afib on and off for about 2 years, for no discernible reason, and to make a long story short, hikes regularly. He is now in sinus rhythm, and controlled on meds (hated beta blockers because of HR limitation, so is on an alternative). I feel better if he hikes with others, but he still sometimes hikes solo. We plan to finish our NH4K together on Isolation late this year, if MY schedule permits- he's closer than me!

Weatherman

walker said:

get a MEDICAL ALERT Bracelet or necklace with you name, drugs and condition.

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If you are hiking with others, it might also be worthwhile to make sure that at least one other in the group knows about your condition and what to do if it reoccurs. And if you are in a lead hike, the leader should also be informed.

Doug

First hike after.....

After everything happened with me and I waited my allotted period of time (imposed by my wife , not my doctor), I planned my first 4k hike to go past an AMC hut (Kinsman from Lafayette Camp Grounds via Lonesome Lake). That way if I thought I was in any trouble, I could get help at the hut. As it happened, I cruised right past it (the hut) and hauled my sorry backside up Fishin' Jimmy to North Kinsman. At the end of the day everyone was happy.

Happy Hiking.....Walker

PS...Man, is Fishin' Jimmy STEEP!!!!

When you are cleared for physical activity, be patient, as it may take a while to ramp back up, due to the medication side effects. Anything that lowers the BP has the ability to cause dizzyness and fatigue. These side effects often lessen with time (i.e. weeks to a few months.) These factors may test your patience, and require you to take it slow at first.

If on warfarin (Coumadin) for anticoagulant therapy. It is extremely important to make sure that this is tightly managed. This therapy is tailored to the individual patient, and the difference between having too much or too little anticoagulant effect is small. Blood tests need to be performed to dial in the appropriate dosage. If your blood is not clotting effectively, you could be in trouble if injured in a remote location. If on aspirin therapy, this is not much of an issue.

Covid landed me in the ER last week. They discovered Afib put me on a heart monitor during my stay and sent me home on a blood thinner med. I'm waiting for my first appointment with the cardiologist but adding additional anti-bleeding materials to my first aid kit. I often hike solo and as often as possible, off trail. More than a little freaked-out about the extra precautions I'll need to be taking. Anyone care to comment on their experiences and advice living with and hiking with a blood thinner? The cardiologist at the hospital said that some Afib is brought on by medical trauma, like covid. Does that possibly offer hope that the Afib goes away when the covid does?