David - carnitine works for some afibbers and is an important part of a group of essential nutrients that support heart energy... (see The Strategy).... but when I was an active afibber, I did not tolerate supplemental carnitine at all. After my ablation, I am able to use several grams of carnitine a day. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Erling ~ Thanks for bringing this forward again. The importance of an efficiently-functioning immune system cannot be understated. Vitamin D should definitely be in everyone's personal arsenal and especially during cold and flu season. As I've commented numerous times, I used to get the flu shots when I worked because as a hygienist, I worked nose-to-nose with patients and was contiby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom C - wise advice for whatever the topic. Same advice for chocolate... take one small bite and let it melt on the tongue. Savor the treat and conquer the craving. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Murray - My heart goes out to you. I am unable to imagine your frustation over the delay and the ensuing consequences. Adrian offers a good suggestion. He certainly was waiting in the wings for what it seemed to be eternity. I truly believe in the power of positive thinking. So glad you are in the care of Dr. Verma. When I heard his presentation some years ago, I knew at that moment, he woby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you, Gregg. When Dr. Natale introduced his 'antrum' procedure, he said ablating away from the PV was specific to avoid PV stenosis and that's what he was doing at the time....but I was curious about what Dr. Tchou does for his procedures. I know several people ablated by Dr. Tchou who are doing very well and highly recommend him. Jackie McHale - it's apparent thatby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Calli - If you follow a Paleo type eating plan, then grains and dairy are excluded. Many afibbers have found Paleo eating restores NSR. It can be the avoidance of grains and therefore, gluten-containing grains;and along with that, very often dairy is found to be crossreactive in those sensitive to gluten so it makes sense to avoid both. This isn't occasionally. It's strictly continuaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - Can you answer this question?.... if Dr. Tchou (or any other EP) does the PVAI procedure - ablating in the antrum rather than in and around the pulmonary veins- why is it necessary to have the obligatory sprial CT scan to r/o pulmonary stenosis? This has never been clear to me. Thanks Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Murray - So glad to see you took the advice given "to heart." Congratulations for taking the 'bull by the horns' and assuming control. Your lecture is proof of your commitment and it really warms my heart to read your very significant progress. I wish you well. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Murray - I certainly wish you well and Dr. Verma definitely enjoys an excellent reputation. The news about your glucose control is excellent Do keep us posted. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Carol - Just recently, I had a very close call with a driver who pulled out right out in front of me - talking on her cellphone - and I narrowly avoided a serious high-speed crash. My adrenaline certainly was flowing after that and I was concerned it might be a trigger, but fortunately, I regained my composure in about 10 minutes. Healthy adrenals have the property of 'flexibility'by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Maria - I received your email but my computer shut down when I tried to respond...several attempts.... If you don't know your serum potassium level, that would be a start.... your local doctor can do that for you. Most often, afibbers are low in magnesium and then also low in potassium relative to their (high) sodium intake. So if you do another cardioversion, you'll want to try toby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tibbar - The flecainide was not working even at 300 mg daily. That's when I consulted for ablation, which I never wanted, and then did 6 months of heroics to see if I could turn it around and avoid the ablation. I've written about that often....(Calming My Heart) with the use of higher doses of magnesium and other supplements, I was able to get out of the daily arrhythmia and go to zby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Jim and Congrats! I'm right behind you with my 8 years next month. Hard to believe it's been that long but here we are! Do you ever hear from Newman? I've found that the potassium-to-sodium ratio is key for my stability. Be well and enjoy life in NSR. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jenny - I was an afibber for 8 years when I reached a point that my events had escalated to increased frequency and longer duration so I then consulted for ablation since I was having AF daily or every other day, often lasting 27 hours... 4 hours break and then back in AF again. This intensity went on for about 18 months. Since I had to wait six months for the ablation date with Dr. Natale andby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Russell - some of my early events of AF around 1 - 2 a.m. were caused by low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). When I took steps to prevent that, the events were less apt to occur. The rememdy was to eat a small snack two hours before bed - containing protein and healthy fat- but no starchy carbs. The doctor who treated me at the time was also hypoglycemic so he recognized the symptoms immediatelby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Marg - In my 8-year AF journey, I found my events to be varied in many different ways and with varying symptoms or effects. Some would be mild, others, relatively mild, and many were totally debilitating. At times my peak HR would be over 200. Sometimes, I'd be short-of-breath and other times I could actually manage to move around and function. Knowing what I know now about the importaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Maria - it's easier for athletes to have an electrolyte imbalance because of all the profuse sweating in addition to the physical similarities....and hence, a tendency toward AF... but it is also easy for non-athletes to have an imbalance of electrolytes since typical diets are low in magnesium and potassium and high in sodium. It's actually pretty amazing that many more people donby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have cronic a-fib-and dont really feel the heart flutters. BUT I get extream pressure built up in my head and between my shoulders just walking. Tried cardioversion 3 times, no luck. Any thoughts, interfears with my job!by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Po Ra - thanks for your detailed report. For many people, iodine can certainly be important, as are all the other key nutrients you are using. I look forward to seeing your ongoing progress reports. Since you mention a 'cyclical nature' in your events and I also note that you aren't mentioning your potassium intake relative to sodium, I recommend you focus on CR 72 and try to oby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
If you don't have a causative physical defect ie, valve abnormality, etc, Genetics can definitely play a role. However, nutritional supplements can limit or even prevent the expression of those gene flaws. If you are missing sufficient optimization of a key element, then the gene expression is free to play out. We don't know if we have gene flaws or as Garry Gordon MD likes to sayby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Matthew - are you taking any other drugs? If so, for what reason? Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lynda. Sorry. I thought you had said you were sent home with a monitor. That's pretty standard procedure these days. Very useful. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom P. I agree with Tom C. and I also remind you that when you go for any dental procedure...always remind them you can't have epi. Don't rely that they will remember or even check the chart to see the notation. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom - When you first posted, I was almost positive you had received the epi. Now you confirm it. I would be very disappointed (angry, disgruntled) with a dentist who didn't listen to your request for no epi. In fact, I'd change dentists. What that CV cost you or your insurance was inexcusable. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lynda - When you call in with your telemetry monitor, what do they say? It can be very difficult to differentiate from tachy and aflutter w/o some type of diagnostic. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good report, Doug. I wish you NSR forever. Enjoy life. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
William - Since we are concerned with all influences that might be contributory to AF and in light of the potential for many individuals to be iodine deficient (and therefore potentially hypothyroid and contributing to AF), it makes sense to consider iodine supplementation. Additionally, it is very important to bring our total iodine body stores up to the requisite levels that support cell intby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Since flecainide is a sodium channel blocker, how does that work in cases where there could be an impaired kidney function ... any connection?by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
The alarming fact is that there is not yet an antidote for excessive bleeding while on Pradaxa. Does this mean that all the patients using it are supreme human guinea pigs in a clinical trial of a very grande scale? Is it a race in time for discovering the antidote or recalling the drug as too dangerous? Does the convenience of not having to meet an INR number outweight the 'no antidote fby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom B - welcome to my world... I became disillusioned many years ago and out necessity, became my own health awareness advocate.... thus, I look upon mainstream medicine with a cautious and skeptical eye. I have found a Board Certified Family Practice MD who practices Functional Medicine which is nutritional needs based on science...not drugs or surgery. If it weren't for her expertise, Iby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM