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This is my first post. I wanted to thank everyone for all your help. I have tried to follow many of the recommendations about supplements and diet. I have read Hans book. I was first diagnosed with AF in 1998 when I was 57. The episodes were happening about a year apart and my cardio put me on Sotolol (80 x 2) and Aspirin in 1999. In 2002 I had AF about every 3 months. It continued the samby Dave C - AFIBBERS FORUM
John, I would say start by using it on demand. I used it daily and after some months it became proarrhythmic. My episodes got closer and closer together. Going off for a while made a big improvement. Eventually, of course, the episodes came back and I had to swithch to disopyramide. Daily use of disopyramide produced the same results. It worked for a while but then became ineffective or prby John S. - AFIBBERS FORUM
Greetings I've had afib for four years . Flecainide became pro arrythmic for me after only 4 months now on 25mg atenolol, 600-800mg disopyramide,20mgCitalopram and normal asprin.I live in Newport South Wales and my cardio is extremly good. I have strong Vagal tendencies. This present drug combination keeps my heart very calm unless I drink too much . This forum is the best out there. Be welby Chris H - AFIBBERS FORUM
Recently I posted in the CR some observations on the above topic. For the past 2 weeks or so I've been drinking my daily 1.5 liters of waller water without neutralizing it first. I've also limited my ww intake to no closer than 30 min before a meal or two hours after a meal. This has definitely resulted in less bloating. In addition to what I posted on the regular BB I also noticed that my boby PC - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jan, Your thinking makes perfect sense to me. At higher altitudes your pO2 drops and this causes your carotid chemoreceptors to increase HR in order to increase pO2. This is exactly how I think disopyramide creates additional vagolysis over time. Please see When you return to sea level the undesired reverse effect comes into play. PCby PC - AFIBBERS FORUM
Peggy, what you described is my condition exactly except for the part of passing out episodes (thank goodness for that). Someone on this board once wrote, I dread going to bed, I know the feeling. As you, I've tried going to bed slowly, trying a little exercise before going to bed, tried taking mg before going to bed, tried eating a banana before going to bed, etc. Hasn't helped, onceby Will - AFIBBERS FORUM
P. S. I don't know what to make of the following UK web site information about Disopyramide or Norpace. I thought that this drug is usually prescribed for atrial fibrillation. "Disopyramide is used to treat two forms of arrhythmia - ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias, especially following heart attacks. It should be used with caution in all other types of arrhythmia."by Carol A. - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi, Richard Yes, I fall asleep easily and sleep very well, except when 1)afib kicks in when I first lie down at night or 2/when it wakes me up out of sound sleep and keeps me awake most of the night. (I get only fitful and very light sleep when trying to sleep through afib) I feel absolutely fine before going to bed and then whammo - it hits when I lie down. I have tried slowly lowering myselfby Carol A. - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie, My Mg supplementation program is also 1.5 liters of ww per day (about 900 mg of elemental Mg) and AM and PM doses of magnesium potassium taurate (45 mg Mgx2). I may go back to neutralizing, but I'm interested in knowing whether I can control these little "outbursts" with more K+. I'm beginning to believe the reported benefits of drinking an alkaline water. I'lby PC - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Chris, I'm still here mate, though not reading or posting quite as much - I'm trying to stop obsessing about my twitchy ticker! I do, however, have to remain vigilant with this excellent forum to keep abreast of developments and the progress all my friends here are making. I hardly dare type it, but no AF for 7 months now, save for a minute or so at 3am (as usual) several weeks agoby Mike F. V43 - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chris, It is the flutter, not the afib that is the problem as far as disopyramide is concerned. Class IC antiarrhythmics are not recommended for flutter as they can cause 1:1 conduction. I have not heard of this problem in the case of pure afib. Hansby Hans Larsen - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think you've hit the nail on the head Chris - I got 1:1 flutter from both flecainide and propafanone (both class I meds also) and I can vouch that it's something you want to avoid ! It's the reason why my Doc was pretty keen that I didn't try the disopyramide experiment. Rather annoying for vagal AFers - you don't mind going a bit quicker in NSR but it would be nice toby James D - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mike I've just found this ; Look under atrial flutter maybe this is what my cardio is afraid of. "The use of a class I agent, such as quinidine or disopyramide, in patients with atrial flutter may accelerate the ventricular response with a 1:1 atrioventricular conduction. This may be due in part to the atrial rate slowing and the anticholinergic effects (especially with quinidine and disopyraby Chris H - AFIBBERS FORUM
Pam, there is one thing i would like you to consider when you think about your experience with the atkins diet, and it is this: You were not the one who failed here. The diet failed, not you. You are not any more to blame for that than you are for the outcome of your ablation. In both cases, a procedure that worked with other people did not work that way with you. It was not your failure inby peggyM - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chris, You state: "The reason for el doc putting me on Atenolol was that he was afraid of 1:1 conduction to the ventricles if Af commensed on disopyramide." Can you please elaborate on this point? I don't take any meds, but if I DO decide/need to in the near/medium term future, disopyramide would be the one I'd go for (being, as I am, a strongly vagal AFr). And I DO NOT likeby Mike F. V43 - AFIBBERS FORUM
PC Disopyramide has eliminated my PAC's also. On starting disopyramide 600mg I stopped all supplementation in order to limit varables although I take atenolol 25mg , warfarin and 20mg of celexa . The warfarin should be stopped tomorrow after my visit to the cardio. However I have experienced a few half hour episodes of AF similar to your experience however they have been purely AF. Basicallby Chris H - AFIBBERS FORUM
Peggy, Thanks much. Regarding Erling, his diet is probably much better than mine wrt fruits and veggies and other natural sources of K+. Furthermore, I doubt that he drinks that much HCO3- in his mixture. Perhaps he does neutralize. Hopefully he'll jump right in on this thread. There was one interesting observation I forgot to include. For me PACs have virtually disappeared. It appeby PC - AFIBBERS FORUM
I've slowly diminished my daily dose of disopyramide from 1125mg to 750 mg. Initially I could not prevent breakthrough episodes in the wee hours of the AM at any dosage less than the 1125mg. Presently 750mg appears to be as low as I can go for now. I've been pondering why I can achieve the same effect at a lower daily dose. At first I thought it was related to enhanced aqueous Mg iby PC - AFIBBERS FORUM
flash, I used to be a marathon runner, maybe a dozen or two. Flecainide was great for shortening episodes for awhile, but then they became more frequent. Disopyramide, which is no good at terminating episodes and better at preventing them, has been great for me, at least once I got up to therapeutic levels. That would be over the last seven months or so. Side effects (dry mouth, constipationby PC - AFIBBERS FORUM
I would like to hear from any runners or cyclists who have tried either disopyramide or flecainide and their thoughts pro and con regarding usage.It would be helpfull to know how long the drug has been used and how it effects performance.Thanks!by flash - AFIBBERS FORUM
Fellow Fibbers, There has been relatively little discussion about blood pH and its impact on LAF. This is tightly controlled by the body to a narrow range of 7.35 to 7.45. Erling Waller was the first to introduce us to aqueous magnesium via his "brew" (concocted by mixing carbonated water with Milk of Magnesia). The waller water trial (Fall of 2003) undrtaken through this BB was inby PC - AFIBBERS FORUM
Greetings ;Ok just a thought Please read I'm on 50mg Atenolol 600mg Disopyramide 20mg Celexa a SSR1 ant-depressant I'm Vagal AFib and do not have neurally mediated hypotension. This drug combination has reduced my Afib attacks , although early days(3 weeks) from one or two a day to two in three weeks. PC or other MD's might be able to expand more is there a link for Vagal Afiby Chris H - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chris, I was on disopyramide. It seemed to work for a while, then the afib began again. My episodes were coming every 5 to 8 days. I never really went above 875 mg per day. So far the amiodarone is working, but I've only been on it for 8 days. There have been numerous postings about the side effects. I wonder if they are representative or if there are a lot more people who have had alby John S. - AFIBBERS FORUM
John S I thought you were on disopyramide , did it not work out for you , did it hold for a while then you had breakthoughs. Be well Chris Hby Chris H - AFIBBERS FORUM
Diane, In addition to the great advice you've just been given I'd add that once you reach your bowel tolerance dosage of Mg be careful if and when you cut back on your Norpace (disopyramide). This drug is a strong anticholinergic and we owe its welcome vagolytic effect to this property. However, as you well know, it also causes dry mouth, urinary retention, light sensitivity (pupil cby PC - AFIBBERS FORUM
Richard, These blood changes have been dramatic, 2 1/2 mos, and the only change was the meds. I am not worried though, I was told this is reversable, as soon as the drug is discontinued. (Soon, I hope) I already take B & folate suppliments, along with vit. E, C and a mult. My kithchen looks like a pharmacy. I had no side effects from Disopyramide, not even dry mouth. Go figure. I was totaby Jeanne - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jeanne, My thinking is that the drug could have magnified the bone marrow problem. Bone marrow problems are directly tied into the methylation process, and this could be a warning sign to you to check into your levels of B12/folate/Mg/B6/betaine. Richardby Richard - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jeanne, Thank you for alerting readers of this BB to the fact that disopyramide is not innocuous. Although agranulocytosis and liver damage occur infrequently, they're supposed to be reversible. For a more complete list of such side effects and adverse reactions, please visit My only complaint is not dry mouth, urinary retention or any of the other anticholinergic actions of disopyramiby PC - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chris, Happy to hear of your success with disopyamide, esp. at such a low dose (recommended is 600-800mg/d). Don't be afraid to approach your cardiologist for an increase, should you have periodic breakthrough episodes. This latter continued for me until I exceeded 1000 mg/d. I'm now at 750 mg/d after stepwise decreases of 125mg/d every two months. About 10 days ago I dropped downby PC - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chris H., I have been on Norpace about 3 1/2 months after years of beta-blockers, ca chanel blockers, etc. and for me it has been wonderful. The number of AF attacks have been greatly reduced and for the most part I feel great. BUT, and I printed that large because there is a big but to this, I have found out that I have the begining stages of agranularcytosis (not producing the white cells, neuby Jeanne - AFIBBERS FORUM