Rob,
There is so much conflicting information here because there are so many different forms of palpitations. I started with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation a few years ago. Because they were only there for a few hours at a time, I could have a medical and nothing would show. However, as they got more frequent, I decided to have them checked out. They could find nothing until one day I got to the doctors whilst in AF and had an ECG. I eventually got referred to a surgeon at Papworth who tried an ablation procedure but could not fix me. Flecainide was prescribed to me and after a period of grounding I got a multi-crew medical. Some years later the AF gradually got worse and I went back to Papworth. This time with medical science having moved on I had a pulmonary vein isolation operation and have been hugely better since.
The AF I had was never debilitating (a colleague of mine had it so badly, he could not get up out of a chair!) and I could cope with it pretty well just felt generally shabby and under the weather. I was told by the Papworth surgeon a number of very interesting things. For example they have never found any connection between stress or caffeine and the sort of AF I experienced. Interestingly, along the lines of another poster, my AF only ever came on when I was resting even mental stimulus seemed to keep it at bay but sometimes physical pressure on my heart, such as leaning forward after a large meal or even turning on to my left side whilst in bed, would set it off.
I am sure that there are many different variations, but from the advice I have been given over the years, AF is definitely not good for your heart it is not working efficiently when you are in non-sinus rhythm and there is an increased risk of blood clotting hence why some people are on warfarin.
My advice would be to get an ECG whilst you are in AF and get those results to a real expert. My heart appeared perfect when I was not in AF, so they could find nothing to work on until I got there at the right time and they slapped an ECG machine on me. I have had numerous 24/ 48/72 hour halters since which have showed nothing except the odd ectopic beat, however on 2 occasions I have gone into AF whilst wearing the halter and that allowed them to move forward with my diagnosis and treatment. The surgeon at Papworth was very supportive and after all the tests were done on me initially, he said that AF would not be the cause of my demise, because basically my heart was in good condition and could cope with it. His advice in the years before my operation were to try all things in moderation if anything brought the AF on, cut back on it!
By the way, I have heard that ventricular fibrillation is far more serious!
AF can be a very worrying condition, but the right drugs can help a lot, and in my case surgery was extremely beneficial.