Betty - the serum levels of potassium may offer a clue, but the most reliable measurement is the intracellular level and it's from Exatest. www.exatest.com. We've mentioned periodically the very excellent reference book by Richard Moore, MD, PhD... and he says the intracellular measurements are the most accurate. (The K Factor; Reversing and Preventing High Blood Pressure without Dby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ivan - I agree with Josiah.... continue the supplements you always do on a regular basis. And then retest after a period of time once you have made adjustments based on the results. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Cyndie and Ivan..... try a different form of magnesium. Conside the topical, mnagnesium oil or soak in Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate). If all else fails, and you still have twitches, find a doctor who will give you IM injections of magnesium. Even a foot bath of the Salts could be useful. If your muscles are twitching, you heart muscle is also in need. Don't use the citrate form if youby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Earl - even tho you said you aren't concerned over high triglycerides, you should be. Elevated levels are indicators of stroke risk. All afibbers should be very aware of anything causing increased risk of stroke. Triglyceride (fat) causes the blood to easily form blood clots. It's thought that sudden rises in blood triglycerides following a high-fat meal is why so many people why soby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Peggy - yes - but as I recall it was about less space between the sternum and the spine which which would compress the heart rather than have a 'hole in the sternum'... which is a small bone. Sam explains it's a soft tissue hollow area near the LES... if you recall, there were many discussions about the LES and the afib connection. That makes more sense. Was it Mashall? Dean?by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
LynnJ - Very important for breast cancer patients to have adequate CoQ10... probably there is quite a bit about this on the Internet. I'm away from my home computer so I can't provide you with some of my links on CoQ. If you are taking much in the way of calcium supplements, be aware that can contribute to AF if you are deficient, intracellularly in magnesium. Some people find just sby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
John - Okay - then that's a decent amount of CoQ. Ribose in powder form is easy to take and one less capsulized item you have to swallow. I just add a teaspoon to water along with the powdered potassium and then start swallowing all the other capsules with it. The capsules are great for travel, though. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
The story about magnesium is that it is essential in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body... all working to affect a specific function...and when there is a deficiency, it shows up in many conditions..... we're just tuned in because of the heart, but it's so very important everyone should consider what happens when deficient. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sam - I think the issue with the carbonate form is the bioavailability. Same thing with calcium carbonate.. not the best form. You'd have to take a large number of tablets/capsules to make up for the difference for what actually becomes usable or available inside cells. I still think the best option would be to take the magnesium glycinate with a bit of food a couple hours before bedtime.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
John - Dr. Natale knows of nattokinase. I ran it by him after my ablation (because I used it) ....but because it isn't a standard protocol or a recognized drug for the Standard of Care, no, I'm not sure he'd authorize it. He had no problem with my using it when I asked, but he didn't offer it himself to me. The advantages are, no downside from gastric irritation in stomacby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Dick... Yes, John... I would add ribose and consider adding more CoQ10 ( you didn't mention how much you take) and same with carnitine. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
There is also a known link between asthma and magnesium deficiency. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ginkgo could work but why not consider Nattokinase? There are so many downside issues with aspirin, John. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lisa - the dosage for nattokinase (NK) is 6000FU daily in divided doses - one 2000 FU capsule every 8 hours for full coverage. It's certainly more safe than aspirin in that it does not have the downside of stomach and GI irritation or risk of hemorrhage. However, since your events are so short, the baby aspirin would be much more economical. That said, Hans has written a very good articby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Just as a matter of interest about coumarin containing plants and herbs, I found that early in my AF journey, my MD wanted me to use those with the idea that it would naturally thin my blood and avoid the drug warfarin/coumadin. As time went along, several years, I ended up in the ER for prolonged afib and the evaluation of my INR indicated I was not up to the requisite 2.0... and was placedby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Josiah - if you are unable to restore intracellular magnesium to optimal and keep it that way, then it could turn out that additional potassium will not manage the afib. You really do need to pursue learning what your IC levels are. Consider what Nick says about adding theWaller Water. Although what you get from that conconction is far less then a capsule in elemental magnesium, the form may tby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Emotional stress - whether you recognize it as such or not. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Elizabeth - probaby true.... do you recall when Stevia first became popular and Monsanto (I think) was so threatened by the fact it was a non-chemical (safe) sweetener, that the FDA raided healthfood stores and burned books on stevia? I do. That was an eye opener. Aspartame became the leading artificial sweetener until a newer chemcial poison came along for another version. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
John - that's really good news...not surprising either. Quite a number of people have reported feeling much better once off coumadin. There are probably some unexplained interferences in some biochemistries. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Cyndie.... my diabetic son uses ribose with no adverse increase in glucose levels. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Josiah - I'd look to adding more potassium rather than megadosing taurine. Taurine regulates what's going in and out of the cells... if you are short on potassium, there is typically increased ectopy and even afib. That's assuming your IC stores of magnesium are optimal as well. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
dcasper - it can be a vicious cycle. If you aren't digesting food... ie, breaking down the food in your stomach because of low/no stomach acid, then the undigested food just lies there and rots (ferments)...causes pain, gas, bloating and many other symptoms. The function of the parietal cells in the stomach is to secrete stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) to breakdown food in to molecules ofby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Kate - if you haven't gone gluten free, keep that in mind. There is a link between gluten intolerance/sensitivity and Hashimotos. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had thought about the DGL, but I think I read that it's not good to take with the Flec, I'll have to research that. Will the DGL help with the burning experienced from not taking the Nexium I've used the DGL with flecainide and don't recall any problems. The DGL helps heal irritated stomach lining and GI tissue. Just be sure you buy the one sweetened with Manitol ratherby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Larry - that was my experience as well. My endocrinologist likes the TSH down below 2.0. I have nodules as well but lowering the TSH is not having much of an impact on resolving those. I'm hoping the idodine supplements work some magic there. I totally agree with the numbers not being indicative of success. Even with a low TSH of .5 I have not reversed many of the typical symptomsby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
James - certainly taking the NK at the onset of afib is a preventive measure.... and fairly temporary if not taken regularly. It just won't last much over 8 hours for protection. Ideally, you take it full time, but I understand the cost involved. Are you taking magnesium in optimal doses. Just upping potassium dosing without optimizing your intracellular magnesium stores can backfby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Typo- Liz... mcg.... sorry...the above should read 5 mg or 5000 micrograms (mcg). Thanks for catching the error. Mentally, I was thinking "mics" for micrograms and my fingers just stuck in that s instead of the g. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom - if you're not on coumadin, then load up on nattokinase for 24-hour- coverage for those 3 weeks at the very minimum. After my post-ablation cardioversion, I formed a clot in the LAA (unbeknowns to me) but I feel I was protected by the nattokinase I was taking once I stopped the coumadin. Active afibbers should use 6000FUs a day in divided doses (every 8 hours) for complete coverage.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
The following was published by Dr. Garry Gordon. This is just for historical information and not intented as a political statement or agenda. Please do not turn this into something it is not. I thought it might be useful for those of us who are concerned over changes that might lead or threaten our access to nutritional supplements. Jackie Will dietary supplements remain available? This lby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mark - an effective dose of vitamin K2 (MK7) is 45 micrograms. Interference with warfarin is seen at 100 micrograms. So... either cut down on your daily dose, or take it everyother day. Definitely, vitamin K2 is very useful in preventing the arterial calcifications but you do have to be careful not to exceed the dosing when on warfarin. The leading vitamin K researcher, Leon Schurgers, PhD sby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM