Ritze - I can't imagine taking flecanide for 15 or 20 years and tolerating the side effects. I was only on it 4 years and that was far longer than I wanted - thus the ablation. It is said that flecanide can become pro-arrhythmic but I would presume this depends on the individual. On supplements: As the body ages (and we are all in some stage of aging), it becomes more difficult maintaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well, Pam - one reason that is almost never checked is what I mentioned - checking to see if and why a patient produces too much adrenaline. I have a friend who is diagnosed as having essential hypertension over 20 years ago and she has tried every known drug and seen many doctors. Not one has ever addressed her adrenal issues or tested for over-production of adrenaline. She is a very hyperacby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I agree Mark, but there is going to be a lot of 'practicing' on patients until they get the bugs out of the equipment. In the long run, it should be the ideal way; for now, the standard RF ablations are working well in the hands of the very experienced EPs. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
BK - thanks for sharing your ablation experience. I'm just thinking back to over 3 years ago when one of the posters here reported an ablation experience with Marcus Wharton at MUSC... We had all been talking about how quickly our ablations were done - 3 - 4 hours and his was much longer - about 8 hours as I recall. He said that Dr. Wharton did the initial ablation and then would let theby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Pam - is it known what causes angiotension II elevation in the first place? I'd think it would be important to understand why this hormone - it is a hormone? correct? to be elevated in the first place rather than trying to conquer it with a vaccine that is probably not long-term tested - 5 or more years. At least I'd want to know first - why there was hypertension in the first placby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Pam - Joan - my point is - elderly - Joan is 83 - Pam, you're not elderly. Note this from one of the experts on side effects of statin and statin-like drugs. Even though this product is a blend, it can still have statin-like effects from the portion that is a statin and the more increase in age, the more sensitive some individuals can be. I realize the following talks about Lipitor but allby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
This is not new news, but I though it was interesting that last night's business news had a clip about this equipment and the doctor introducing the technology described it as useful for ablations in "patients who have a heart disease conditon known as atrial fibrillation." They showed videos of how the magnets are operated inside the heart from the remote site compared to the caby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Joan - the elderly are often very susceptible to side effects of statin-like drugs. In fact, many of the integrative medicine physicians indicate that elderly can be harmed by interferring with cholesterol production as it is needed for production of important hormones. Weakness is certainly a consideration as a side effect and if you haven't done a google on the side effects of this drugby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barb - I would be cautious about the ingredients in the multi - specifically additional calcium - I've written many times previously that many afibbers cannot tolerate supplemental calcium. Once they stop that, they have far less problems with afib. It comes mostly from the fact that they don't have enough intracellular magnesium to offset the influx of calcium - which is stimulatingby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Steve - use the search engine and go back a couple of BB sessions and find discussions on 'remodeling'. These are changes that occur after frequent bouts of afib so that the heart actually prefers to be in the erratic beat rather than NSR. (This is an over-simplified explanation.) Also read about the shortening of the action potential or refractory period. The idea is, the shorteby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Someone here should be able to give us a video clip URL that shows a beating heart in afib while the chest is open for cardiac surgery. After viewing that, if you can decide that exercise while a heart is struggling that much just to beat and pump normal blood should be additonally burdened with a further load to supply energy to muscles etc... then by all means continue to exercise. For tby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Isabelle - some years back a member here (Paul) posted about having a pacemaker and coming to the CCF for an Natale ablation. After some adjustments to the PM, he was doing well and had no further arrhythmia. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
It's also a fact known about osteoporosis risks that thin, small women with small bone structure have a greater risk of bone loss because they don't have the weight or even the weight from bones(themselves) to stimulate the bone-building pull on the muscle insertions located on bones. Heavier and taller women have the advantage of more weight pulling to stimulate the bone remodelling processby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dick - My first comment is to pay absolutely no heed to anything that comes out of the quackwatch website. I've posted on this before. Steven Barrett of Quackwatch has been discredited himself. People looking for healthcare practitioners who incorporate holistic approaches can be found by going to the reputable websites offered by organizations. Integrative cardiologists are somewhatby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thinking back on the patients I watched come in over a 22-year span in the same office, the same observation Wil offers is true for that general population. It seemed the more overweight - the more severe the problems after about age 60 especially with mobility issues. All the patients I had who were in their late 80's and early 90's were thin; many but not all, still had great mindby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hans - I used to have something similar although it was not exclusively when I would lie down for bed... could be just if I sat down and was quiet after dinner. It was captured on the early monitor I had and identified as sinus tachycardia. It has greatly diminished with time but occasionally, I still feel it upon retiring for the night. We've always thought that ablation doesn't reby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Carol - I think you're wise to hold off. Since you had a scan prior to the last Natale ablation, there is no reason to suspect you have stenosis given his track record. Even if you had it, you probably wouldn't want the treatment unless it became a critical issue so why bring up an extra worry/concern. As for dental xrays, a few years ago, the guidelines changed to lengthen the timby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Of course Tricia - He's in good hands with Dr. S. Let us know how it goes. Special thoughts and prayers to you both. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi David! I agree with Peggy/Ella - it is more likely the pesticide residues in coffee that is the culprit. I cannot attest to one over the other as I was never a big coffee drinker - maybe one cup in the morning and once I had afib, I gave it up just on the chance it would be a trigger. Now, if I ever do have coffee - I use organic and usually the Swiss-water decafe. David - do a google sby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Gordon - I also believe in buying organic when at all possible and second best would be supporting local farmers who tend to use fewer chemicals than the typical commercial AgriBusiness. However, keep in mind that buying out of season organic foods imported from off shore - are all gassed at the border with sulfuurofluoride and that pesticide residue which is a high level of fluoridby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Energy drinks and enhanced waters are in the news the past few days... (in another clip on TV, it was mentioned that often caffeine and sugar are the only significant additions to pricey waters sold as "vitamin" or "mineral-enhanced water." here's one typical report: Energy Drinks Jolt the Heart - Popular Drinks Boost Blood Pressure, Heart Rate By Charlene Laino WebMby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Several reports of similar content indicate that the FDA has inspection records for only about one-third of the manufacturers making drugs for US consumers .according to congressional investigators. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) an investigative arm of Congress found the FDA could not identify a previous inspection for 2133 facilities out of 3249 on a list used to set its inspectby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Just do a google on the fusel oil...to note the toxic nature...this is really very old and basic science. Fusel oil and its chief constituent, amyl alcohol, are direct nerve poisons. In small doses it causes only thirst and headache, with furred tongue and some excitement. In large doses it is a convulsent poison. Impure beverages induce all the graver neurotic and visceral disorders in alcoby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good point, William - conventionally grown coffee ranks among the very top of that contaminated with toxins like pesticides, herbicides, fungicides chemical fertilizers, etc. Often pesticides banned in the US are still used in other countries as it's big business for us to export them. Another right up there are the grapes grown for wine... very heavy in fungicide contamination/load.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Joe - good summary. Obviously, reduced procedure time would also reduce fluoroscopy time. Remember, that the fluoroscopy is not on the whole time a procedure is taking place... my ablation was just under 3 hours - start to finish, but my fluoroscopy time was 38 minutes - according to the procedure report. However, any significant improvement in reducing patient exposure would obviously be weby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Protein sources - eggs, chicken, turkey, lamb, selected wild fish - no farm raised fish or farm raised shell fish - seeds and nuts and limited beef - preferably free range grass fed bison. Avoid pork, processed meats anything cured or chemicals added. Tenacious pounds often have to do with hormal issues as one reaches perimenopause. Many who advise paleo eating do advise moderate servingsby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Rye is another gluten-containing grain. wheat, rye, barley, spelt, triticale... all contain gluten and should be avoided. The thought by the grain-avoidance experts is that oats should also be avoided and often corn as well as they become contaminated by sharing harvesting, shipping, processing/packaging equipment with other gluten grains. The best way to see if there is a sensitivity outsideby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ablations destroy the gap junction which function inpassing along the impulse from cell to cell to cell. If the gap junction is not completely destroyed or it regenerates somewhat or if it's missed, there can be recurrent signals that could lead to afib.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barb - Many people think the SB diet is wonderful. I've not seen them lose weight and gain health as effectively, though, as when on the Paleo plan. Many people also have found that just losing weight helps reduce or eliminate afib so you should make that a priority. It is not much work if you get a mindset that healthy eating leads to longevity. As for work - eating as plainly as posby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Do we know of anyone on this board who had a bad outcome from their ablation, or worse...didn't survive it? Those that didn't survive haven't posted, as far as I know. But you should get into the archives and read the posts by Pam, Pete, Aldona - who had ablations go wrong. There are others. Steve had tamponade with the first ablation; went back for a second which was alsoby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM