Well, Kay - that diet of so much fruit sugar would imbalance my blood glucose and give me another problem. While both contain potassium, it's not the best choice - at least for me...and probably many others. Sounds fine on the surface, but hypoglycemia is what helped me progress to afib so I don't think that the nurse's advice holds up to the advice given by doctors helping pby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Keithr - I verify mine regularly with tests and I also did a comparison between serum levels and the intracellular test (Exatest ) and both indicated I was a bit lower than 4.0. My functional medicine MD likes to see my potassium levels around 4.5 and definitely no lower than 4.0. I maintain levels through diet and potassium supplementation. When my potassium is low, I notice I fatigue moby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Julie - you can type into a Google search - reactive hypoglycemia to learn more about the sugar intake and the resulting adrenaline surge that can trigger afib. Any highly starchy carb or sugary substance can cause hypoglycemia. Also, to produce the insulin that is needed to handle sugar ingested, potassium is required. If there is inadequate stored potassium as well as intake, then the heaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - I'm not sure if it was ever a subject line ID topic - but more of a mention in some posts ...maybe something along the line of 'stroke prevention' but what I always did was take an 325 mg. aspirin at the onset and another if it went longer than 24 hours. That was my own remedy - not anything a doctor directed. Additonally, later in my afib career, I took nattokinaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Brian - I've told my story many times but the short version is I started with one event over a 9-month period and then a couple the next year. The years following that were increased events in both frequency and duration until eventually, they were daily or every other day. My events became so long that sometimes there was only a 4-hour break in-between. I was sent to the ER twice becauseby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Larry - fascinating? Wayne Dyer always says you can do such a thing to yourself.... and says... "you are what you think - all day long." While this may not be the case for George, I'm truly convinced from my own experimentations over time that there was and is a certain amount of mind-over-matter or placebo effect that showed up in my life. Hey, whatever works! Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Peggy - Have a wonderful visit with your daughter and a happy Thanksgiving. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Rich - Thanksgiving this year is a special one for you. Great news on your successful ablation. Enjoy life in NSR. Best to you, Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sorry - posted in wrong thread... Author: Jackie (---.clvdoh.adelphia.net) Date: 11-22-06 06:36 Found it - There is a reference to the questionable effectiveness of warfarin in the October 2004 issue of "The AFIB Report". A group of German researchers observed that 53% of permanent afibbers admitted to hospital while on effective anticoagulation still had thrombi in the left atby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Found it - There is a reference to the questionable effectiveness of warfarin in the October 2004 issue of "The AFIB Report". A group of German researchers observed that 53% of permanent afibbers admitted to hospital while on effective anticoagulation still had thrombi in the left atrial appendage. Sixteen per cent of these thrombi disappeared after 1 month of anticoagulation, bby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
JAGS - certainly I do not downplay the seriousness of stroke risk or clot formation, having had one myself as a result of cardioversion, but often times the cardiologists take an ultra-conservative approach from a medico-legal standpoint. The AHA guidelines still do not mandate warfarin until age 75 unless the patient has underlying risk factors such as previous MI, stroke, hypertension, diabetby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
David - I do agree with Peggy - Bordeaux; and I understand the expense issue but they aren't vague about anything. If you have a botched ablation locally, you'll lose alot more money through lost wages and quite possibly a longer recovery and maybe even no cure. Consider all the angles. In the interim, at least aspirin and fish oil. Better yet, order nattokinase directly from Drby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Beautiful message, John! Thanks for sharing your success story with us. I know exactly how you feel. Life in NSR is wonderful after 8 years of struggling. Another reason to give Thanks tomorrow. Healthy regards, Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
If you rely on nutritional supplements to stay out of afib and to stay healthy as well, you need to become aware of this movement to allow the FDA more power which will eliminate or severely curtail availability of supplements. Nutritional supplements work; big pharma is threatened. This was sent to me by another forum. Jackie " They want to stop dietary supplements. This last minuteby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Cynthia - after you are off all meds - say six months or so and your energy doesn't return, consider having your thryoid checked. The ablation caused me to have a thyroid problem and killed my energy, stamina and muscle strength significantly. This showed up in the Reverse T3 portion of a thyroid profile. Took some time but the number normalized; and I'm still working on the stamina/by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
George - That's great news. PC (our MD) used to mention periodically that afib was from a vitamin B deficiency. I think he called it beriberi of the heart - although that's thiamine ( B1) not niacin which is B3. No matter, if it worked for you, others will want to try. Many people are deficient in B vitamins - especially those who are stressed. A small amount of niacin may noby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well said, Alexe. One can have an ablation but if the lifestyle doesn't change, the consequences will manifest in another area. That's the bottom line. Healthy choices rule. Be well, Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Susan - I didn't mean to sound as if I were lecturing - just hoping to clarify for jb that every heart and every ablation is slightly different. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ed - I am glad to see you connected with Dr. Callans and your very positive report as a result. If I were in your place, I would request Dr. Callans do the procedure. Remind us when you will be going in so we can send in the angels. Best to you, Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Pete - in addition to making sure your electrolytes are optimal as in the PAC tamer, be sure that you are eating enough food. Each meal should include protein and a healthy fat or oil like fish oil or olive oil. If you eat starchy and/or sugary carbs for breakfast and snacks, you are very apt to experience ectopics and sometimes even afib. Assess your eating patterns and don't go too longby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Susan - First - no two hearts and the conditions found once inside are the same. Times vary. As Susan stated, mine took just 3 hours. If there is a more difficult case, it obviously could take longer. And, also, other people do take part in the pre- and post- procedure where Dr. Natale's expertise isn't needed so he can move on. He definitely did my procedure. When we talkeby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Steve - I have no first-hand experience but some of my patients came to the US on transfers from the UK and Canada and one from AU. A common comment seemed to be their concern over the ratcheting down of services available to the 'elderly'.... at some point in time, treatments and procedures are less available to those who reach upper age limits - as opposed to here - if we want to sby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
RF Dr. That's an interesting response to Bob. I've had a successful ablation at age 67 and now at age 70, I can tell you that if I needed one at 75, I would not hesitate to go ahead - unless, of course, there were other health issues that might complicate success. The view of longevity and health is in a somewhat different perspective at an age under 50 compared to 70 or over, buby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for posting your very positive testimonial. You were fortunate to have access to IV magnesium. Best to you in continued NSR. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barry - thanks for posting your experience. I'm sure many will be trying the exercises - certainly they have nothing to lose. In my 8 years, I didn't experience your symptoms but did have chiropractic adjustments for the cervical spine which seemed to help. Glad you are fine. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Roy - the only thing I can suggest is to take one or the other, not both and see which gives the headache. I'd suspect it is the multi since there are so many ingredients in the one you listed... also - some people get headaches with that much vitamin A. Typically magnesium will not produce a headache as it relaxes the blood vessels and improves blood flow. It is used to treat migraines.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Carol- just makes me hyper - always has even before afib - and after afib and ablation, I've given up caffeine - occasional chocolate seems to sit fine with me. If I want to add antioxidants and polyphenols to my diet through chocolate, I use the organic cocoa nibs... they are unsweetened but have an interesting taste but take some getting used to. Not at all like eating bar chocolate. Mby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you, doctor, for taking the time to communicate your thoughts to our group. Since you agree that ablation is just a symptom-relieving procedure, perhaps you and other EPs will take the research initiative to learn the etiology of afib and provide a huge service to the millions of afib sufferers. Just as migraines are found to be a symptom of magnesium deficiency, many of us think atriby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Maurizio - Thanks for answering - I'm sorry to have you think about unpleasant times. But....the good news, those times are past history. Now you can live in present time and Live with Passion in NSR. There can definitely be a highly emotional aspect to post-ablation, especially if the ride is bumpy. I've corresponded with many post-ablatees who are really nervous and disillusionby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Heather - there's always a downside to everything, it seems. I can't do much in the way of caffeine, either, even after ablation. Just too stimulating, I guess. Think of the calories we're saving! Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM