Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 21, 2017 01:19PM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 68 |
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 21, 2017 07:22PM |
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Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 21, 2017 10:46PM |
Registered: 11 years ago Posts: 4,220 |
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Ghost
I'm a 46 year old male, no health issues and very athletic.
-Ghost
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Carey
Ignore anyone who tells you to give up coffee even if they're a doctor. Caffeine does not trigger afib, and in fact there's some evidence that it's beneficial. Ditto with chocolate.
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 12:42AM |
Admin Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 5,330 |
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GeorgeN
I would note that some have posted that coffee was a trigger,
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 09:59AM |
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Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 10:04AM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 68 |
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 10:06AM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 68 |
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GeorgeN
I'm a 46 year old male, no health issues and very athletic.
-Ghost
How athletic?
Chronic fitness is a known path to afib for some, including me. While exercise may be good for your heart plumbing, it may not (especially a lot of endurance cardio) be good for the electrical system.
<[www.afibbers.org]
Detraining was/is part of my successful strategy to keep afib in remission with a very low AF burden ( ~4 episodes totalling about 5 hours in 4 1/2 years). Another part of my strategy is magnesium to bowel tolerance.
Ignore anyone who tells you to give up coffee even if they're a doctor. Caffeine does not trigger afib, and in fact there's some evidence that it's beneficial. Ditto with chocolate.
I would note that some have posted that coffee was a trigger, and some of those found that organic coffee was not a trigger. I've been around long enough here (13 years) that my best advice is to pay attention to what happens to you, which may be different than what happens to others.
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 10:07AM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 68 |
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Carey
I would note that some have posted that coffee was a trigger,
Of course they have, but that doesn't mean it actually was. If I had a dollar for everything I've seen people claim was a trigger I'd be on a beach in the Caribbean right now.
Hey, he's new to afib. How about we agree to give him the broad strokes at this point and avoid the fine points of debate?
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 10:08AM |
Registered: 8 years ago Posts: 1,102 |
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 10:14AM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 68 |
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The Anti-Fib
Ghost:
Your worrying too much about getting AFIB, or that are having AFIB. I suggest focusing more on what to do about it, if it comes. Iv'e had 45 or so Episodes, nothing real bad ever happened. You are right to look for "Triggers". Especially in your case, where they could not find anything else wrong. Keep a log or Diary. It won't hurt, and can only help. Obviously the more episodes someone has, the more likely they will find something that is Triggering their AFIB.
The Metropolol the Dr. gave you helps to slow down and control your HR. You may need to adjust this dosage or even add another type of drug, called a Calcium Channel Blocker to help control your HR, when you have an Episode. Controlling your HR, will lessen Symptoms.
I wouldn't worry about an Anti-Coagulant at this point, your Dr. will tell you if he thinks you need one. Most DR's will suggest AOC Drugs if it is a borderline call, for liability purposes. Everything you said points to Lone AFIB, so in that scenario, you should not need OAC, if you convert back within 48 hours, unless you episodes are frequent occurring more at least twice a month.
Thank you, Anti-fib. I appreciate your commentary. Have a happy holiday.
Finally if you are having extreme Anxiety during an Episode, especially at this early stage, it is OK to go to the ER. They can monitor your HR, and give you the proper levels of Metropolol or another Drug to help slow your HR down.
If you don't convert on your own, they give you other Drugs to help convert you, or perform an ECV (ElectroCardioVersion).
There are some people with AFIB, that when they have an Episode and it doesn't self-convert after awhile will go to the ER, and just get a ECV (Shock to the Heart) just to get the thing over and done with.
I agree with Carey that it is imperative that your get an EP specialist if you can. Once he/she is familiar with your case, then if you have an Episode and you need to go to the ER, the ER Dr. can call him to get instructed on what to do. This is very important if you go the ER route. ER rooms are very busy sometimes, and the skill level of the Dr's there can vary greatly. And also if you choose to stay at home, the Cardiology Practice where the EP works, should have an on-call Dr. available to help guide your through the situation over the phone.
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 10:15AM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 68 |
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wolfpack
Same here. I was 41y old when mine started. At the time running 6-7 miles, 6 days/week with one "off" day. My BMI at the time was probably 20, BP normal, no tobacco, no diabetes. Normal echo, no heart defects or valve problems.
More than likely it's just the increased vagal tone that slows your resting heart rate down so much that the normal pacemaker -the sino-atrial node - has to compete with other ectopic pacemakers probably in and around the pulmonary veins. You just have to hit on that "perfect storm" of conditions where the SA node narrowly matches the phase and frequency of the errant signals, and - BAM - a ping pong game ensues in your atria. It stops when it stops and you'll feel beat up when it does. No fun at all.
I second the recommendations on an EP consult. As we say, don't just go with convenience here. Find the best, most experienced left-atrial ablationist you can, even if it means travel. I tend to think any one you find will probably be happy to treat you, because - if you'll permit a bit of cynicism here - guys like us pad their success rates. We're easy cases.
Good luck and welcome to the club no one wants to join!
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 10:26AM |
Registered: 8 years ago Posts: 1,102 |
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Ghost
Thanks, Wolf. Are you saying you believe I should consider ablation? MY GP suggested that but I thought it might be a bit premature to go down that route. Did you do it? I don't see the EP until after the holidays.
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 10:47AM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 68 |
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wolfpack
Thanks, Wolf. Are you saying you believe I should consider ablation? MY GP suggested that but I thought it might be a bit premature to go down that route. Did you do it? I don't see the EP until after the holidays.
I had the ablation about 6 months after AF started.
In my opinion, ablation should be a first line treatment option in our cases. Objectively speaking, we're young, fit, and unlikely to experience complications in the hands of an experienced and competent EP. Why wait 4 or 5 years for the episodes to increase in frequency and burden? And that aspirin is going make your stomach bleed. Also the metoprolol -if you are in fact a vagally mediated a fibber - is going to make things worse by turning nighttime episodes into midday ones as well. Maybe not, but it stands a good chance of doing just that.
In the end it's a personal decision, of course. I tend toward the aggressive myself, so that's the route I went. I'm 43 now, AF free and pretty much back to "torturing" my heart with endurance cardio and beer ( not at the same time mind you )
Relax and enjoy the holiday. I really think you'll be fine.
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 11:31AM |
Registered: 8 years ago Posts: 1,102 |
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Ghost
Ok, well, I will certainly ask the EP what she thinks is the way to go. Your argument is logical. One treatment was good enough for you? Easy recovery time?
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 02:40PM |
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Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 05:03PM |
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Carey
Given your age, an ablation makes a lot of sense. Managing afib with drugs is quite often less than 100% successful, and all the drugs involved have side effects that anyone who's physically active isn't going to like much. Also, most of the antiarrhythmics tend to stop working after a variable period of time (years, unpredictable how many), and some can even become pro-arrhythmic.
However, if I were you I would wait a few months in order to get an idea how much afib burden you actually have. Two episodes in a 9-month period isn't much at all. From 2002 until 2008 I experienced one or two episodes per year, with each one lasting about 6 hours. I did nothing about it because I didn't feel it was worth doing anything about. It was just an annoyance. Only in 2008 when the frequency and duration started increasing did I seek treatment. I'm not recommending that you do that, but it is an option if your burden remains low.
If you do pursue an ablation, find the absolute best EP you can. "Best" is measured mainly by the number of procedures they've done, and what you want to see is thousands, not hundreds, and certainly not dozens. Even if have to travel to find the best there is, it's worth the time and money to do so. Trust me on this.
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 07:29PM |
Admin Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 5,330 |
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 22, 2017 07:49PM |
Registered: 8 years ago Posts: 1,102 |
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Carey
If you do pursue an ablation, find the absolute best EP you can. "Best" is measured mainly by the number of procedures they've done, and what you want to see is thousands, not hundreds, and certainly not dozens. Even if have to travel to find the best there is, it's worth the time and money to do so. Trust me on this.
Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 23, 2017 11:10AM |
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Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 23, 2017 03:36PM |
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Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 25, 2017 08:59AM |
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Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 25, 2017 02:05PM |
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Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib December 26, 2017 11:58AM |
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Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib January 02, 2018 01:25PM |
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Re: Thanks for approving my account - new to afib May 04, 2018 01:52PM |
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