Hi Smackman... I'm sending you good, positive thoughts and prayers that you have a successful TEE. We'll be watching for your news. Best to you, Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
kapnkeyz, On the magnesium absorption issue, the studies show that ideally, the true, patented chelated versions by Albion are the best absorbed because they aren't broken down or dissociated in stomach acid where the components can combine with other elements in the stomach milieu. However, if as George points out in his experience, if you take enough of most types, eventually, yoby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ken - Here's my comment from a thread we had on the PIP method a couple years ago... at this link... Realize that not everyone has the same result and it can depend both on the drugs and the person... ie, I only found results with slowing the heart down with metoprolol and then using the flecainide....other drugs didn't work for me. I tried So.. if one method doesn't wby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ken - I have similar experiences to your first ablation longevity. It was fine for 11 years and then it wasn't. You are fortunate that it does self convert. My advice would be to have a small PIP stash on hand just in case you run into a prolonged event. I did that for a while and found it to be great comfort knowing that if I needed it, the protocol was there and I think that helby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi again, Isabelle... I'm so pleased that your pulse is coming down. I'm pleased that your hanging out here again helped...as we all know very well how valuable kindred spirit support can be. Stress has a way of manifesting in various ways and certainly you have more than your share of stress. Give it some time and with the core electrolytes, you should be back to where you wereby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello Isabelle - So very sorry for all your problems. A couple of questions... what is your typical blood pressure? Also... you say you take magnesium prn... How much do you estimate you take in a day. Remember, it's very important that you have a solid base of intracellular magnesium to help stabilize and relax your heart tissue. Stress depletes magnesium and certainly, you'veby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Nancy - In the aftermath of fever, definitely focus on hydration, but also know that adding just potassium as a fix could make things worse if you are deficient in intracellular magnesium. So.. first question is... are you taking magnesium daily and if so, how much and in what form? Caution: Gatorade and similar potassium-containing drinks typically contain sugar which is not helpful fby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Travis - Mark Hyman, MD, who is Chairman of the Institute for Functional Medicine and also is now the Medical Director for the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, wrote a report on this topic. When choosing an Omega 3, I always make sure it's free from heavy metal contamination (known to cause health issues) that may be in some brands that are less costly and also have lby Jackie - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
Hi Kirk - I had a good deal of success using the PIP approach early in my Afib saga. As George comments, typically at the onset of AFib, you take 25 or 50 mg of a betablocker... such as metoprolol... this is to slow down your heart rate. Mine often went to 180 bpm so I started with the higher dose but as I corrected electrolyte balances, my Afib heart rate was more around 120 bpm...so thby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Mike - I knew you'd be reporting with a positive, glowing report. Dr. Natale is incredible. I totally agree. And, I found the care and attention at St. Davids to be just outstanding and unfortunately, I have several experiences in other facilities (not related to AF procedures) that were sadly lacking. Now, for you... take it easy and enjoy your NSR. Best to you, Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Joyce... sorry I didn't see your post until just now. It's unfortunate that the doctor had a tantrum over your very valid questions. Consider asking several pharmacists about your concerns over drug interactions and/or contraindications for afibbers. If you ask several and have a consensus, then it may help you feel comfortable using it. Certainly, it's important to addby Jackie - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
Smackman - I certainly understand your concern and questions... and I hope I haven't added to your frustration. My intent was for you to ask the appropriate questions of your doctors... esp. Dr. Natale now that you are going for the TEE soon. Hopefully, you'll pass and be free of Eliquis. One less drug is always great. Endothelialized ... the bare metal stent is eventually coby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Smackman... I would be more suspicious of the aspirin... as it is well known to cause stomach problems. I'd think it would be reasonable to just stop the aspirin and see if you get relief rather than add yet another chemical to the mix. As Shannon pointed out, surely your stent has endotheliized by now. PPIs can bring on a whole other set of problems. Over the years, we'veby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Smackman.... This weblink to People's Pharmacy has a post from January, 2015 that discusses side effects of Eliquis and does mention nausea... so perhaps the aspirin is double-trouble for you...unfortunately. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Joy - I was similar to your experiences with AF being mostly vagal. One thing I learned that helped significantly was that if I became low in blood glucose/sugar, I tended to go into AF. That could happen after exercise, after emotional stress and also if I went too long without a sustaining meal that contained ample protein. If I ate my evening meal around 6 pm and it contained too many sby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
The use of low dose aspirin has been called into question by the FDA in recent years. This report offers a good overview and a well-referenced collection of various reasons why. On its website, the FDA now says:1, 2 "FDA has concluded that the data do not support the use of aspirin as a preventive medication by people who have not had a heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular pby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I was never fortunate enough to have the ER docs treat with IV magnesium sulfate. Probably, that was too many years ago and before the practice became common-place. Early in my AF saga, and mostly driven out of fear and panic, I would head to the ER if I had prolonged events that didn't convert after 24 hours even though I tried various suggestions. What I learned is that the IV infusby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Angelabond93 - my mistake... the Conference Room Sessions are available at this link... With the changes, I just didn't realize how to access them. Start here when you have time. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Welcome, angelabond93…. I'm also pleased you found us! As you have probably noticed, the forum is loaded with various reports on using magnesium to help manage arrhythmias and ectopic beats as well. In addition to the various posts, there are specialized reports at the following link that will help with the fundamentals of the importance of electrolytes or minerals that are needed for hby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
The issue of hyperviscosity or the tendency for "thick, sticky blood" comes to mind when I read this. Blood that is thick and sticky will always tend to clot more easily for obvious reasons. There are many natural methods to help thin the blood and the first consideration is always, underlying systemic inflammation or 'silent inflammation'... that which goes unnoticed (unlby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Larry - I came across this research that makes it important to understand potential risks with flu shots for afibbers... as indicated below.. . Jackie Abstract Inflammation-related effects of adjuvant influenza A vaccination on platelet activation and cardiac autonomic function. Lanza GA1, Barone L, Scalone G, Pitocco D, Sgueglia GA, Mollo R, Nerla R, Zaccardi F, Ghirlanda G, Creby Jackie - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
Thanks for this, Bill. Last January, I offered a post in the Healthy Aging series I had started... and #4 was on the important role of Glutathione. Here's the link if you didn't see that post. The nutritionist in my functional medicine doctor's office says we should all focus on optimizing glutathione. Be well, Jackieby Jackie - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
This gene mutation finding/association was also reported in the discussion at the time about cardiac fibrosis formation as causative for arrhythmia... plus the magnesium deficiency factor is obviously also a contributor. Jackie A missense mutation in the Kv1.1 voltage-gated potassium channel–encoding gene KCNA1 is linked to human autosomal dominant hypomagnesemia J. Clin. Invest. 119(4)by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had posted the following to the other post on LAA closure but it didn't stick... so reposting it here and again at the other thread just as information and consideration... Learning curve - closure of LAA. Saturday, November 05, 2016 12:49 PM Hi Chuck - you are wise to become conversant with the various options for LAA occlusion or closure. Shannon is the expert in this area haviby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello Barb. Just a quick comment. I can relate to your experience since I had been having routine colonoscopies since the age of 50 without incident, until I also became an afibber at age 59. I don't recall at what age the bowel prep process caused me to go into Afib, but that did happen and I had to cancel my appointment and deal with the AF. After that, the doctor prescribed the prepaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
No one should ever be complacent about clotting risks during afib events but from our verbal/anecdotal reporting here for 17 years we can generally say that most afibbers have been very fortunate even with longer bouts or more frequent bouts of AF ....to have avoided clot formation when they are not on prescribed blood thinners. That said, emphasis should continue to be about doing all we caby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ron - My deepest heartfelt condolences on your tragic loss. I can't begin to imagine. Special thoughts and blessings, Jackie On the recent PACs, keep in mind that high intensity exercise produces an abundance of free radicals and oxidative stress that causes inflammation in heart cells. You can try adding antioxidants to your supplement regimen, but it's better to address tby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, Thanks to All for the intense work and improvements. I just discovered the RSS feed.. .really handy... if it was always there, apparently, I never saw it. Love using it. However, now, I note that a couple entries to Chuck's post on Learning Curve - Closing the LAA... show up in the RSS feed posts.. but are not indicated on the screen showing all of the current posts. ?? Thanby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Chuck - you are wise to become conversant with the various options for LAA occlusion or closure. Shannon is the expert in this area having had a leak from the Lariat ligation and then going for the Amplatzer cardiac plug. If you use the search feature here for the the words Lariat and Amplatzer, I believe he posted details. While I haven't tried to find studies or comments by EPs staby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
I called. This does not apply if you're on Medicare. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM