Breathing, breath holds, afib & WPW

In June I posted this account of converting an episode of afib using an exhaled breath hold <[www.afibbers.org] I also linked this sheep paper showing how the sheep had immunity from induced afib when they were breathing an increased concentration of CO2 <[sci-hub.tw] Last week made connection via email with an afibber that I hadn't chatted with in a great while. I passed on the breath hold conversion post. He passed my info to his sister who has both Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) and afib. She responded:

"When I had Wolff-Parkinson-White breath holding to increase the CO2 level would consistently and very reliably stop an attack. I’ve never been able to stop an attack of Afib with the same breath holding. However, I had a friend over to stay from Toronto where she owns a Yoga Church (she bought a disused church and converted it into a yoga studio) and she spent a lot of time teaching me breathing techniques. Diaphragm breathing, consistently, no chest breathing. That helps me ENORMOUSLY. By not inflating the rib cage I’m not irritating the lining of the heart which in turn is less irritating for the heart rhythm. A sharp intake of breath or talking too much can bring on Afib for me as it “irritates” the heart lining."

I found this very interesting and thought I'd pass it on.

George

Interesting indeed!
Saw the Cardiologist/EP today and asked him about breathing, how it affects blood pH, if it would/could slow down/alter cell depolarization.

He simply doesn't know and was never deeply into cellular level theories. He could put me onto people who are. These people generally become professors and do research on animals etc.!

I can honestly say nothing but ECV would convert me. I guess I am just a different type. Lol

I should have said in my last message, that I am scheduled for an echo gram on Monday and appreciate the information from this site about the readings. I will definitely go to the test better informed. I don’t know if anyone has a tried a technique to self convert afib by ‘bearing down’. Make sure you have an empty bowel first and bear down, holding for a few seconds, then repeat a few times; repeating for about 5-10 times, then rest. I have been having weekly afib attacks and cannot have conversion because of my pacemaker but have found this to lessen the extreme flutter and irregular beating for awhile. It still takes me 3 days to self convert but perhaps this method might be of some help to speed the process up for some of you.

I should have said in my last message, that I am scheduled for an echo gram on Monday and appreciate the information from this site about the readings. I will definitely go to the test better informed. I don’t know if anyone has a tried a technique to self convert afib by ‘bearing down’. Make sure you have an empty bowel first and bear down, holding for a few seconds, then repeat a few times; repeating for about 5-10 times, then rest. I have been having weekly afib attacks and cannot have conversion because of my pacemaker but have found this to lessen the extreme flutter and irregular beating for awhile. It still takes me 3 days to self convert but perhaps this method might be of some help to speed the process up for some of you.:

Bobby:

Have you tried a Pill in the pocket route? Take an anti-arrhythmic drug, chew it and drink warm water that has always shorten the time for me being in AF.

Liz

Quote
Bobby
I don’t know if anyone has a tried a technique to self convert afib by ‘bearing down’.

Bearing down is a vagal maneuver. Vagal maneuvers will slow the heart rate. For afib conversion, vagal maneuvers can work for those with an adrenergic trigger, but are unlikely to work for those with a vagal trigger. Here is a list of other vagal maneuvers, but avoid trying carotid massage <[www.webmd.com] and another list, with overlap: <[acls.com]

George

Thank you George. Very interesting about the food to avoid....I didn’t know about some of them. I do have cardiovascular disease so maybe won’t do the Vagal maneuvers until I talk to my doctor.
Bettyann