James - It's best if you use only one at a time for several days so if something isn't right you know exactly which caused a problem. If you start using the taurine right away but try to use a small dose. About 500 to start... or if you can't divide the tablet, then every other day. Do read the Taurine post I just offered - it is a wealth of info on what you need to know aboutby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mark - CoQ is a major antioxidant and is also antiinflammatory. And for anyone using a statin it's a mandatory preventive supplement. Should be prescribed right along with the statin but typically, it is not. Omega 3 fish oil... obviously, GLA, vitamin C, vitamin E, N-acetyl cysteine is both antiinflammatory and a significant antioxidant. (many are both) MSM is both as well and is vby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
These are all excellent and reasonable responses. I'd like to add that in the CR post 54 on the Success of Paleo eating.... the reason likely could be that all grains are avoided along with dairy and as these are the two most commonly found offenders for food sensitivities, then that's one reason why Paleo seems to help afibbers, as these sensitivites contribute to systemic inflammaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike - I can appreciate your comments about the position you were in while having your teeth scaled. I am a retired registered dental hygienist licensed to practice in Ohio. Chair position should be such that the patient is comfortable and I always tried to accomodate whatever was necessary. You should insist on the chair being uprighted a bit so you are more comfortable. I recall that heavby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for this. Ill add it to my extensive collection in my crusade for awareness about the potential for serious damage caused by statins. In some cases, statins may and I emphasize MAY be useful for short-term use. One thing that jumps out at me in this article was the age of the patient. In the elderly and Im not sure at what age elderly applies for statins, but they seem to be paby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike - Definitely, sleep apnea could be influential. When you lose more weight, the apnea may resolve as a result. When you went down stairs and felt something starting.... I always look upon the early morning 'tendencies' as flirting with hypoglycemia from too long between the last meal and before your morning meal. Prevention is the protein/healthy fat snack 2 hours before bedtiby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
The original post.... "What About Taurine" seems not to be available on the old BB which is now inactive. Taurine is part of the Essential Trio and is found to be very useful. I'm reposting the original and several other links posted along the way as updates. (Most of us use the NOW bulk powder - potassium gluconate from Hans' weblink) The original post was leaning toward using a magnesiuby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - I use the potassium gluconate powder available here from Hans web link with iHerb. It's not easily found other than online. Comes in a one-pound jar and lasts a long time. Tastes just slightly salty and I just stir it into water. You could add some to your hydrating water that you take with you for running. I use a teaspoon of the powder which yields 540 mg potassium and do tby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Steve - undoubtedly, it is the anti-inflammatory effect of the statin. It's good that your heart is settling down. For those not wanting to use a statin because of the other potential side effects, there are many really effective natural anti-inflammatories that work very well as well. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Darcy - I believe there are truly people who can't feel their arrhythmia but I also know that I feel every little abnormal ripple and always have. Now that I've been AF free after ablation for the most part, I still feel an occasional skipped beat or a run of tachycardia, but I've disciplined my mind not to react and I'm sure there are times that my blips go unnoticed. Howevby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Carol - that wasn't my statement - It's the comment from that link. I'm just passing it along as an awareness alert. It's up to every individual reader to decide if supplements are important to their healthy and then act accordingly. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike - Thanks for taking the time to elaborate. I do think you may have some period of hypoglycemia even if you haven't caught it with the monitor. It can be stealth and quick and perhaps even temporary but I agree with your doctor to cut back on the metformin. You can always resume... but if the afib continues... I think there's a good chance it's because of the adrenaline sby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom - I just responded to your separate thread on the theanine/taurine. Again, you can use the taurine with food to avoid stomach irritation. The purpose of taurine is to direct appropriate flow of electrolytes in and out of cells as needed. I like to take mine during the day when I take the other supplements although I do take both magnesium and potassium at bedtime but I do not use taurine tby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom - theanine can be taken at any time and does not need to be on an empty stomach. For taurine, the same thing. Some people find that taurine on an empty stomach is irritating. It really doesn't change the efficacy all that much if taken with food. Now, with other aminos, that's not the case and it's always good to take away from protein-containing meals to avoid the competitiby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Breaking News! The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009 (H.R. 4173), just adopted by the House of Representatives (and sent to the Senate as S.3217) includes language giving more power to the Federal Trade Commission to make general rules for interstate commerce that could be used to restrict truthful information about dietary supplements, by requiring expensive, "drug compby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike - sure - the carb issue is huge, obviously, but the metformin facilitates stability, for sure. I'm glad you have a DO as a physician. They seem to be more attuned to the whole body approach. I'm still thinking that since diabetics are found consistently low in magnesium, then for you, it could be the Mg absorption issue. You'll need to plug away with low and slow dosing anby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom - Carb cravings usually means you are low in serotonin and when you eat carbs you temporarily get a serotonin burst and feel better. Doesn't last long and you are hitting the carbs again. You should consider trying some theanine or 5HTP to help control the carb cravings and you should definitely eat more protein...and not the powdered shakes. Real food. Several eggs for breakfast,by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Congressman Waxman Slips Obscure Anti-Supplement Measure into Wall St. Reform Bill Passed by the House; Please Take Action to Prevent Same Thing Happening in the Senate! This sneak legislative provision, going far beyond finance, provides a back door way to bypass the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), the legislation that governs dietary supplements. Please do not delay.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks George - I quoted this out of Ron Rosedale's book so it would be accurate. My Functional Medicine MD likes to see it at 5.0 or less as well. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - yes - salt is everywhere and what comes out on your skin is not just salt, either... there is potassium and other minerals in there too....so all the more reason to try to boost your potassium levels a bit and see what that does to your ectopy. 4.1 is too low for me. It may be for you as well. I don't cook with salt but do add tiny amounts on certain foods. I rarely eat packaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sorry James - I somehow forgot you were permanent....but even so, I'd still treat it as if you were a 'normal' afibber and follow the same guidelines that way you won't risk an imbalance of too much potassium too soon. Yes - the adjustment with a new diet will likely affect your GI system too...so another reason to go very slowly with the magnesium. You may have a bit of aby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike - Thanks for posting all this. I'll take time to read carefully. If you are on metformin, then that explains your good glucose levels. My son uses that as well. I'll comment shortly. Out of time for this sesion. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
James - thanks for your comments.... and congrats to you for taking this 'bull by the horns' and really getting into it. I realize it emphasizes that life isn't fair, but take comfort in the fact that you are doing a good thing for your body and your heart. Junk food catches up to everyone eventually. The questions remains when and how but ultimately, it's not a good thingby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Liz - Gregg is a physician... and a serum measurement of potassium is not a difficult thing to get ordered even if you aren't a physician. I just call the nurse in my doctor's office and say I'm coming in for a potassium lab draw. You don't have to do this that often once you find where you are most apt to be stable. For my own levels, I must be above 4.5. That's my magic number. Everyone wby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
James - magnesium is the one to start with and it should be a slow dosing - ramping up incrementally...meaning that you should start with one capsule at night - try bedtime for 4 - 5 days. This assumes that there is 100 mg in a capsule or tablet. What brand did you buy? Then after 5 days, increase by another capsule with breakfast for the 4-5 days and add another at the noon meal, etc, dinnby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike - I should also have commented on several other items. It's important to know your Hemoglobin AlC. That measures glycation end products and is a measurement of blood glucose control over the past 120 days which is the average span of a red blood cell. A level of 5.4 or less percent is optimal with 5.6-5.8 being acceptable. 5.9 6.9 % is high and 7.0 or higher the patient is at risk ofby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom - maybe with the new diet and the flushing out that can occur, you also flushed out some important minerals/electrolytes...ie, magnesium and potassium? Have you estimated how much potassium you take in via food? Do you know or can you get your serum potassium measured? Assume that you are most likely low in magnesium unless you have been reaching bowel tolerance levels with your current suby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike: what is your fasting glucose and fasting insulin level? Do you take any diabetic medications? What do you do to help control the glycation end products? And are you taking all of the high quality antioxidants plus a high B complex to help prevent and reverse the damaging effects of the neuropathy....especially alpha lipoic acid? Omega 3 fish oil? Diabetes damages the autonomic nerby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Terri - that information about natto and K2 - as an afibber, you want to take K2 MK7 form of vitamin K which is the isomer that helps with bone building. Jarrow has a product and it's available here from Hans' web vitamin link. The dose is 45 mcg a day. Interference with coumadin is seen at 100 mcg a day. Nattokinase in the purified form is the enzyme isolated from the nattoby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Steve - many people have commented they thought coumadin made them feel tired. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM