Another complication often not mentioned is that surfers and sunbathers frequently use sunscreen or block which defeats the whole purpose of therapeutic sunbathing. The recommendation is as much skin exposure as possible when the sun is at a high level...and for a short exposure so the skin doesn't turn pink or begin to burn. Obviously, you wouldn't want to bathe right afterwards, either. An hby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dennis - check out Hans' webvitamin link for P5P... Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I agree Darcy - It does sound like Raynaud's.... and beta blockers can apparently cause 'secondary' Raynaud's. Lots of info on Google for this association. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike - Magnesium researchers indicate that in some cases IC repletion may never occur... (refractory) while others may replete in weeks or months. This is why comparative studies become so inconclusive and we fall back on the biochemical individuality or uniqueness catchphrase. It would be virtually impossible to line up a group of people who had the same baseline of both stores and utilizatiby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lynn - that is absolutely inacurate. Taurine is compatible and in fact, enhances. The glycine in the compound offers additional benefits in that it is also calming. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lynn - you are smart to work on the IBS first as GI disturbances are the root cause of about 90% of conditions. If you aren't gluten and casein free, that's typically what the first step is along with a good probiotic. Testing for parasites and other culprits is often needed if the IBS doesn't resolve. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
The elderly are prone to electrolyte imbalances simply by reduced appetite and far fewer amounts of intake of those foods that are high in the critical electrolytes. On the other hand, it's not difficult to get too much calcium in a diet at all; or sodium for that matter. Magnesium is especially hard to get from food regardless of where it is grown and magnesium deficiency starts the caby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lynn - thanks for taking the time to post your very interesting and complex report. You definitely need to keep close watch on the calcium levels and an eye on anything that looks as if it is heading toward the parathyroid dysfunction. Sounds as if you have a good doctor who is carefully monitoring. Be aware that elevated calcium will always be a problem for afibbers and for you, especiallyby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - On the diarrhea issue with potassium gluconate... as I mentioned previously, that's the form that is least likely to cause bowel issues. I doubt if the tablets will make much difference but if so, please do report your findings. It could be that you will just have to optimize your potassium intake from food... it just takes planning and commitment. As for the dosing of your Omby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom - the impingement on vagus to which I've referred was linked to inflammation and irritation and the diaphragm. The postural effects of lying down and being in vagal tone is another facet of afib. For your survey, in my 8-year journey of afib, I was cardioverted once prior to ablation ... after about a week in flutter and the second time was post- ablation breakthrough, they wanted to cby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lynn - have your parathyroid function evaluations come out normal? What's your serum calcium level? Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Josiah - my take on this based on all the previous warnings that came out initially in February '09 is that this form is highly effective in cardiac disease, neuropathies, prevents glycation and other conditions. The FDA is being pressured by several drug companies to ban it from supplement use so they can patent it in drug form. (Nutritional supplements do work!) There is a huge amount of inby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike - I'm glad you went ahead and made the contact and I'm sure was not without a good deal of apprehension. It certainly is important to know of familial genetic flaws or tendencies. But remember, that there is much one can do to change gene expression. In this case, we look to what allows the afib to occur in the first place....and, as you so eloquently described in your other pby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mark - I wasn't suggesting people order that kit... just quoting the suggested range. There are possibly others that are less expensive... although I know a lab cost here is about that. Check out the Life Extension website - they offer test kits as does VRP (Vitamin Research Products). Peggy - I've been taking 10,000IU daily for 2 years and I have had none of the adverse effects, eiby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mark - you can certainly get very minor (D ) amounts of sun in winter as well as from a minor dose (1000 IU) of vitamin D, but the recommendation is to be tested for your vitamin D levels and dose accordingly. Winter sun is really weak especially in your latitudes. There has to be a relatively decent amount of skin exposed and long enough - like 20 minutes - but not so long the skin would tendby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike - the familial link may be related to the gene flaws that allow potassium (and magnesium wasting) and some have to do with kidney function. I believe there are about 6 or 7 now identified....among the most well known... Bartter's syndrome and Gitelman which involves kidneys and the wasting of both magnesium and potasium. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - The Buteyko method of breathing focuses on optimizing the amount of retained CO2. You can google to read more. Lots of info. The person from whom I took the training is a Registered Respiratory Therapist who travels throughout the country teaching this breathing technique. She was a severe asthma victim and completely healed with Buteyko and she was so impressed she changed careersby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good thought, Nick. My professional work was seated, "scruched over a patient" in an attempt to visually and manually access the oral cavity so I could do dental hygiene seeing 10-12 patients a day. I am sure I was a shallow breather because of being in such close proximity - almost nose to nose - even though the mask was a barrier. One of the reasons I took the Buteyko was to leaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dick - the lead scientist/researcher for MK7 is Leon Schurgers PhD of Maastricht Univerisity, Netherlands. He has done several video conferences and he comments that 50 micrograms seems to be the effective dose and more doesn't equate to better. In the case of patients on warfarin, studies show interference with warfarin around 100 micrograms. My past conversations with Ralph Holsworby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Nick - some years ago, I took Buteyko breathing/training classses. I posted here multiple times on the benefits. Here's one link from 2008 but there were others prior to that. You can find more at the Buteyko link in the article. I found two main advantages... the alkalizing effect from increasing the CO2 levels and the calming effect just from the discipline. There is a caution with usinby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Josiah - I agree it is much better to eat normally and adjust warfarin accordingly. The body will try to hang on to enough vitamin K (in the liver) to safe-guard against a bleed-out, but that safeguard isn't guaranteed. Warfarin can overwhelm that's why seniors are at such a high risk for the various types of hemorrhages when using warfarin and also the arterial calcification and osby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Nick - Good for you. Thanks for posting your experiences. In former times when I did have afib or ectopy, I combined meditation and Reiki and found it to be extremely calming with also a lowering of HR. I'm convinced that anything we can do - regardless of whether or not we have afib - to relax and reduce stress will help everyone as stress these days is so prevalent and it's so damby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Glen - and Tom... if you are highly agitated, then this is a perfect chance to try out theanine. It works very quickly. If you open the capsule and add water to the powder, it works in about 5 minutes; othewise, about 15 minutes. I've had success using only 100 mg, but a couple of afibbers I've helped like 200 mg at the onset of an event. It's just an amino acid so wonby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Roger - Nothing I would care to publish. Chalk it up to a behemoth organization/politics and egos. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gunnar - that may be true some of the time, but I did well on flecainide alone and in fact, when I was using both the flecainide and a beta blocker is when I developed the flutter that had to be cardioverted. Since I was vagal and beta blockers are contraindicated for vagals, I did better not using it. Eventually, as I've reported, once I optimized magnesium and potassium stores, but remby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Josiah - that's true. I had mine calibrated with the Hg sphyg in my doctor's office and it was off by about 5 points. And I also found it made a huge difference in the home monitor reading when I was in afib as to a reliable measurement. That's why I stopped trying to check because I thought at the time it added to my anxiety. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Additionally - concerning transdermal testosterone treatment, anyone considering that should also be aware of and check out the potential to develop secondary polycythemia (increased red blood count that increases blood viscosity and cardiovascular disease risks). This would show up as elevated hematocrit results. I was recently made aware of this complication by the husband of a friend who haby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Larry Chinitz, MD Good reports about his work. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM