Frequently Asked Questions by Newly Diagnosed Patients
Newly diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation patients have many questions about living with A-Fib. These are answers to the most frequently asked questions by patients and their families. (Click on the question to jump to the answer)
1. Cause: “Did I cause my Atrial Fibrillation? Am I responsible for getting A-Fib?”
2. Severity: “My doctor says I had an attack of Atrial Fibrillation. How much trouble am I in?”
Related Question: “Is Atrial Fibrillation a prelude to a heart attack?”
Related Question: “Can I die from my Atrial Fibrillation? Is it life threatening?”
3. Anomaly? “Could my Atrial Fibrillation go away on its own? I don’t want to take any medication. Can I just wait and see?”
Related Question: “Is it possible to have a single Atrial Fibrillation attack and not have any others? I had a single episode of A-Fib and was successfully converted in the ER with meds.”
Related Question: “How can I tell when I’m in A-Fib or just having something like indigestion?”
4. Sex/Exercise: “Should I cool my sex life? Can I exercise if I have Atrial Fibrillation? Should I exercise?”
5. Driving: “Can I drive my car if I have Atrial Fibrillation?”
6. Nutrition: “Is drinking coffee (tea, colas, other products with caffeine) going to make my Atrial Fibrillation worse or trigger an A-Fib attack?”
Related Question: “Is there a diet I could follow which would cure my Atrial Fibrillation?”
7. Medical ID: “Should I carry a wallet card or a medical ID? I have A-Fib and take Coumadin (warfarin). In case of an A-Fib emergency, what information should I include?”
8. Coping: “I have a lot of stress at work. Does this stress cause or trigger my Atrial Fibrillation?”
Related Question: “I live in fear of my Atrial Fibrillation. I never know when I’m going to get an A-Fib attack or how long it will last. How do I deal with the anxiety?”
Related Question: “Is there anything I can do to get out of an Atrial Fibrillation episode? How do others deal with their episodes?”
9. Specialist? “Should I see a cardiologist for my Atrial Fibrillation and not just my primary care doctor? (He wants to prescribe medication.) Should I also see an A-Fib specialist?”
10. Cure? “Is Atrial Fibrillation curable? Or can you only treat or control it? Should I seek a cure?”
11. Insurance & Disability Benefits? “Can I get government social security disability benefits if I have Atrial Fibrillation?
Related Question: “I’m on Medicare, can I qualify for Medicaid, too? Should I?”
If you find any errors on this page, email us. ♥ Last updated: Wednesday, June 29, 2022
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