Stress can cause AFib episodes

It's been a month since I had Breast reduction surgery, and I'm doing well from that--no complications. My AFib didn't flare up. Last year after my hysterectomy I landed in the hospital from AFib.

Yesterday, however, I have an episode that lasted most of the day. My husband was supposed to have an MRI and BEyesterday, but I had taken my husband to the emergency room the night before with extreme dehydration (he was prepping for the bowel procedure) and he had lost quite a bit of blood from bashing his big toe. His blood pressure crashed so low the EMTs had a very hard time even measuring his BP or pulse. He ended up in ICU and was put on lots of fluids IV. Yes, his BP came back up and he stabilized, but the doctors said they wanted to keep him on the regular ward for another night, so they could monitor him. He never did have his tests done, and says now that he will not reschedule the one with the prep. I don't blame him any, and neither do the schedulers.

As far as me and my AFib. The last time I had an episode was last spring, while meds were still being adjusted. When I talked to MY EP's nurse about my episode yesterday (I called while I was having it and told them to not put me through to the nurses' message line--I need to talk to someone NOW), I told her I did not want to go to the ER and explained about my husband. She told me that the stress caused by my husband's episode, while it did not affect me at the time of the crisis, caused my body to react in such a way that, after the fact, it caught up with me and that's what caused my AFib. It started about 1045 am and finally went away about 5 pm--about 5 minutes after the nurse called me back after she had talked to my Dr. He said I need to make a temporary adjustment to my meds (increase) until I convert. I don't have to make those adjustments since I converted already.

I have an appointment to see him on Monday--it was already scheduled. Come to think of it, my last big episode was 2 days before my sceduled appointment with him--they moved my appointment up a day because of it. I think it's just coincidence, as I have so many stressors in my life.

My EP had told me that we would discuss AFib ablation at this appointment. I think he's going to be really serious about me getting it done sooner than later, especially after this last time.

I'm supposed to bring my husband home from the hospital this morning. They wanted to keep him longer to do a stress test. He told them they could schedule it later on--he's got plans for this weekend. Sunday is his 61st birthday and our church is having our first annual all-birthday celebration Sunday afternoon.

The comment made by the cardiac consultant was, "If you go home and have a heart attack and die, don't blame us." They can't let go of thinking that his BP drop was caused by heart problems, and not from the dehydration. The ER doctor said that it was more likely that the BP drop MAY have caused some heart damage, not the other way around.

I kind of went all the way around what is going on, but it is all connected in a way. When it rains, it pours.