Sammy - Sorry to hear about the new development.... I can't recall, have you had the spiral CAT scan to determine the stenosis factor? If not you might inquire. Do not discount the home situation. It has a huge impact on our well being. Stress comes in all sizes and shapes. Hang in there and try to focus on positive things. Very difficult, I know. Let us know what your doctor thinby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Keith - glad to receive your news and learn that you are okay. You'll feel better in a day or two once the anesthesia clears from your system. Sounds as if things went as expected. Now the waiting game. While I did not have afib after my PVI, the printed instructions I received said to expect irregular beats for at least six weeks due to heart irritability. My own experience was a caby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ron and all.... thanks again so much for your words of encouragement. I'm doing very well and still enjoying NSR. Back on a small dose of Flecanide short term (I hope) The cat is even acting a bit more perky, although still has muscle weakness of the legs. I'm handling the inevitablity of the situation.... that's not to say I won't fall apart when the time comes. But thby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diane - welcome. You've come to the right place for caring concern, valid information and general support. I'm disturbed and terribly sorry at the shoddy treatment you initially received. Hopefully, you will spend alot of time here reading the past archives and purchasing Hans' book. Once you have digested that (and it's alot) you will be very well informed on this topicby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chris - last year when I was becoming resistant to Flecanide, Tikosyn was suggested as a last-resort drug and I was told that my cardiologist would not direct it but that the EP doctor would have to do it since it was relatively risky. If you can go to the web site Nonpharmacological approaches to Atrial Fibrillation CCF Journal Supplement July 2003 And get to the section in about the midby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
John - I'm very sorry to learn of this progression. Afib does get progressively worse, but as I recall, you haven't had it all that long? For starters, I'd drink organic decaf coffee...just in case for some reason it has now become a trigger. Organic eliminates all of the processing chemicals and the hundreds of pesticides and fungicides applied to regularly grown and harvestby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Richard - I'm on this morning, just briefly... I do have some good information about this topic and the Elisa testing. Let me dig it out. Among the most highly allergenic foods - wheat, dairy, eggs, corn is soy. In 1998, I attended a presentation by a well knownholistic MD who wrote the book, Dr. Braly's Food Allergy & Nutrition Revolution (1992)....the book is considered a mby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Larry K - nice to hear from you... I remember your ablation since I was in the throes of making a decision to consider it. I'm truly happy for you that it has gone well and thanks for reminding me that these blips do come up. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi to all - Yes - the cardioversion was successful. I'm back on Flecanide for a short term, I guess. My communication with Dr. Natale's staff is less then desirable....they told me to resume my former dose of flecanide. I wanted to discuss using it only "on demand" so I could determine if this event was an isolated one or not. I received no reply after leaving two voicby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
John C - that's wonderful news... enjoy your new life in NSR. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
PC - thanks - my thinking is as yours. They have to draw the line somewhere an inside the 48-hour perameter is most likely concluded to be the area of least risk. I'm sure people go much longer - and in fact do go longer. My second trip to the ER was after 4 days of afib...which was actually flutter, but I didn't know the difference... and the ER people were very upset that I hadby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lynn, thanks for sharing your story. It's important that everyone learns the variations of what may occur during this PVI procedure and that outcomes are slightly different for everyone as well. As you and I have discussed, yours is an ongoing challenge, but I have every confidence you will sort it out and will emerge triumphant! The angels are always at hand and will be with you as lonby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Pam - very definitely gingivitis bacteria as well as all oral bacteria are the common source of SBE - subacute bacterial endocarditis. That's why it is antibiotics are prescribed for people with artificial body parts and often for people who have mitral valve prolapse with regurgitation. Here's another story from the clinical trenches of my years in dentistry. One of my patients&by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jim - thanks for cleaning up my post. I'm glad to learn you take a stand on not treating smokers with perio disease. I worked in a perio practice for a while and kept close contact with the perio world since we didn't treat severe cases in-office but preferred to send them to the specialists. I was privileged to attend many of the Academy of Periodontists conventions and one yearby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi RK - thanks.... for your good wishes (from both of us) and thanks for the input outside the CCF. I was pretty sure it was involved with risk factors and litigation factors. Perhaps PC can tell us if it is written up as a standard-of-care rule. If it is truly optional, then we afibbers still need to know when the absolute danger area arrives wrt clot formation in the atrial appendage. Tby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Pete - anyone starting on magnesium should ease into it... try 200 mg in divided doses with meals for a few days and increase to 400 mg until you are at 600 mg. Ideally for correcting magnesium deficiency, you will need doses higher - in the range of 800 -1000 mg....but everyone reacts differently and this is why I caution you go slowly. Magnesium deficiency didn't happen overnight andby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Richard - I'm not up to speed yet, but just your topic heading and the first sentence prompts me to say -- yes indeed. Allergies, especially, food allergies or sensitivities send "alarm" messages when the invaders are percieved as antigens... and the whole allergic response begins. When I first began AF, the holistic MD at the time had me doing alot of food allergy testing.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
This is what I learned yesterday when I arrived for cardioversion at the Cleveland Clinic....Cleveland, Ohio For a patient who is not on Coumadin and who is in AF, it is essential that they be converted before 48 hours. Otherwise, they will be given Coumadin and will be required to wait until blood levels of Coumadin reach the 2.0-3.0 INR range and then a TEE will also be required before carby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dear Friends - I am humbled by your outpouring of kind thoughts, wishes and prayers. Thanks for the angels. They were there. You all are my angels, to be sure. The whole process went very well. Actually, it was the most efficient "processing" I've ever encountered at the CCF. I arrived at 2:45 p.m. and was walking out the door at 5:15...in NSR once again. The worst part waby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi PC - some years back, the the association between the bacteria responsible for periodontal disease and heart disease was studied and announced...this is undoubted along the same vein. Loss of attachment refers to the periodontal ligament... the little fibers which hold the tooth in the socket and allow for movement when chewing -functioning like little shock absorbers. Disease of the suppoby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi all - just want to briefly share with you some very discouraging and disappointing news. After all this time - about 5 months in all - afib free and 3 since the PVI- Tuesday at 1:20 am, I woke up with afib. It has not converted. I was instructed to go back on Flecanide and have an EKG sent to Dr. Natale. This was done and I'm going in today for cardioversion at 3 p.m. Apparentlyby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
James D - I was never helped with rate control although that's what was insisted upon for four years by two cardiologists. (?) Finally I was given the antiarrhythmic along with the rate control, but that made me a zombie and after quitting the beta blocker,two things happened. I eventually was successful with just the flecanide...once I got the magnesium levels up and the AF events wby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Use of Transesophageal Echocardiography to Guide Cardioversion in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Volume 344:1411-1420 May 10, 2001 Number 19by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I don't recall seeing this report posted... Sorry if it was. Jackie ACP and AAFP Issue Joint Clinical Guidelines for Management of AF in the Primary Care Setting January 5, 2004by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
A recent question concerning the interaction between bladderwrack and Warfarin, prompted me to consult a reference I have entitled, “A-Z guide to drug-herb-vitamin interactions”. Bladderwrack was not listed, but I thought the information from this section in the book would be helpful to those on warfarin therapy. Warfarin (W) Coumadin (C) is used to interfere with the clotting mechanism to pby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Elwood - consider reading the current article now featured on the Conference Room - it has to do with MVP and magnesium deficiency and also a commentary on hyaluronic acid. Several references provided there indicate MVP is helped by magnesium supplementation. Just a suggestion. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
To all - When I called just now for Lynn - It's about 4 pm EST and she's PST.... I was told she was discharged this morning..... so that's good news - last night she indicated she might be there for a day or two longer. I'm sure she'll be checking in soon and we will hear all about her experience. I appreciate your prayers for her and I'm sure she will too wheby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
More about Stevia Here are some details on Stevia for those who may be interested in trying it. Used in South America for hundreds of years. Used by Coco Cola in Japan and other countries. In Japan, known for its stringent requirements for food additives, Stevia has been used effectively since the 1970s in soy foods, sweet sauces, pickles and soft drinks. Several Japanese toxicology studies fby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jean - One place to buy it online is Vitamin Shoppe.... I haven't checked for it online at iherb.com but their prices always beat everyone. It's expensive but a little goes a very very long way. Very intensely sweet and it takes some getting used to but once you are off all other sugar and using Stevia for a while... it becomes even more sweet (for me) I love it in freshly made lby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Marian - Amen. Jean - yes, she's still in the hospital for a few days. It was not a mistake. A complication surfaced as a result - as near as I can determine... I don't want to make statements that may not be accurate due to my understanding. I'm calling her again today. She was a bit groggy when I spoke with her last evening. I'll let you know. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM