“With atrial fibrillation, working with your medical team is crucial”

"I had a pacemaker fitted to help treat my PoTS which meant the doctors could see what my heart was doing. After a couple of years they said, you’ve got atrial fibrillation as well as PoTS.
Research shows if you exercise regularly, keep your weight down and look after your mental health, the burden of your atrial fibrillation is going to be lighter, and you’re going to cope better too.

I seem to have been in permanent atrial fibrillation since October last year. The breathlessness and fatigue are horrible – it stops me from wanting to be active. But I just say to myself ‘I've got to do this’.

Thankfully, I have my dog Quin, so we have to go out for fresh air. I'm also very lucky to live in a part of the country with beautiful scenery. I feel better from being in that environment, and that's what I latch on to.

I’ve accepted this is the way my heart works. But what I do not want is for my mental health to go pear-shaped. I'm very lucky that I've got some good friends and I’m an optimist.

Support from my healthcare team is really important too. Knowing they're there, that they understand my condition and me as a person, really helps.

Understanding you’re in a partnership with your healthcare team is essential. I think of it this way: I’m the key decision-maker because it's my heart, but they have the knowledge and expertise.

It’s about shared decision-making. I have control and choices, and their support. With atrial fibrillation, working in partnership with your medical team is crucial.”

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