My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB Having experienced Paroxysmal AFIB for the past 10 years, I am always looking for "Non Invasive" methods to lessen or eliminate this problem.. While I have had some success with a supplement regimen I've followed, I still have AFIB issues around 6 to 8 times a year. For the past couple of years, I've tried to purchase a product out of England called "Parasym" which was used by Dr. Stavros Stavrakas in a medical experiment at the University of Oklahoma, whereby the participants using this device during a 6 month period had an impressive 85% less AFIB burden than a second group in the experiment that was using a "Sham" product. Unfortunately, this Parasym device cannot be shipped into the U.S.A.....As I grew impatient not being able to obtain this device which would cost around $800., I was able to recreate the methods used with the Parasym product by purchasing a particular type of "Tens Unit" with an earclip attachment for less than $100. I ran the experiment for 6 months just like the published study, and the results were excellent as follows: In the 6 months prior to the experiment where I did not use the Tens Unit I had "5 AFIB ATTACKS....... In the 6 months of doing the experiment with the Tens Unit I had "ONLY 1 AFIB ATTACK"!!! That's an 80% reduction in AFIB attacks, which I was very happy about. Whether this was "just luck" or whether my experiment was truly successful I do not know yet...So I will repeat this experiment for another 6 months and hopefully get similar results. If you have any questions I will try to guide you through the process...Here are links to the original experiment + articles -https://www.tctmd.com/news/vagus-nerve-stimulation-lightens-arrhythmia-burden-patients-paroxysmal-fib... https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32192678/ https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192172#msg-192172 Mon, 24 Aug 2026 06:47:18 +0000 Phorum 5.2.23 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,194084#msg-194084 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,194084#msg-194084 here where she describes here encouraging reduction in symptoms with initial use of the TENS device.]]> GeorgeN AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 08 Jan 2024 18:32:59 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,193708#msg-193708 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,193708#msg-193708 MeganMN AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 18 Dec 2023 15:28:59 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192424#msg-192424 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192424#msg-192424
Folks, if you want to communicate directly with another individual here, use a private message (PM). You can do that by clicking the "PM" link just to the right of their name at the top of a post. If you post personal info here on the forum like phone or email address, it's visible to the entire world because you don't have to be a member here to read posts, and spammers and scammers absolutely do scan forums like this to harvest personal info.]]> Carey AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 11 Sep 2023 03:11:41 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192422#msg-192422 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192422#msg-192422 gloaming AFIBBERS FORUM Sun, 10 Sep 2023 18:37:34 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192421#msg-192421 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192421#msg-192421
Saw your message + I will try to contact you during the upcoming week. I have written down your phone number so you can remove it from your post. I agree with GeorgeN that it's not a good idea to leave it published since there are some bad people out there.]]> ama1952 AFIBBERS FORUM Sun, 10 Sep 2023 14:54:24 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192413#msg-192413 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192413#msg-192413
Quote
Lynn Penner
Hello Ama1952,
I just bought the unit and it has arrived.
May I take you up on your kind offer to guide me through it?
I hope we are allowed to post our telephne numbers.

Lynn

My suggestion, for your protection, is to PM Ama with your phone number and edit and delete the phone number from your post. Otherwise the public can know your number and you might get many unwanted calls.]]> GeorgeN AFIBBERS FORUM Sat, 09 Sep 2023 21:39:31 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192407#msg-192407 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192407#msg-192407 I just bought the unit and it has arrived.
May I take you up on your kind offer to guide me through it?
I hope we are allowed to post our telephne numbers.
My phone number is [redacted]
Thanks in advance,
Lynn]]> Lynn Penner AFIBBERS FORUM Sat, 09 Sep 2023 20:44:24 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192260#msg-192260 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192260#msg-192260 [www.drmegpatterson.com]]]> Joe AFIBBERS FORUM Fri, 01 Sep 2023 22:48:36 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192259#msg-192259 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192259#msg-192259
I have used acupuncture (with + without electrical stimulation) as well as acupressure in the past years trying to deal with Afib problems and they had never worked for me.]]> ama1952 AFIBBERS FORUM Fri, 01 Sep 2023 17:35:57 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192235#msg-192235 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192235#msg-192235 Pompon AFIBBERS FORUM Tue, 29 Aug 2023 14:50:53 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192230#msg-192230 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192230#msg-192230
I put the square patch on my right upper are between the elbow + shoulder...

The ear clip attaches to the red lead....

The white patch attaches to a black lead....

Not sure which is anode or cathode but if you follow my instructions it will work.]]> ama1952 AFIBBERS FORUM Tue, 29 Aug 2023 01:48:10 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192229#msg-192229 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192229#msg-192229 SamIAm AFIBBERS FORUM Tue, 29 Aug 2023 00:22:13 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192226#msg-192226 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192226#msg-192226 ama1952 AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 21:53:21 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192225#msg-192225 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192225#msg-192225
But I also have done it many times while preparing my meals, or sitting + eating...

If you're going to move around while doing it, you'll be using up a 9 volt alkaline battery, which lasts roughly between 2-3 weeks....

If you're going to sit still while using it, you can connect it to an electrical outlet and save money on batteries.]]> ama1952 AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 21:52:06 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192224#msg-192224 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192224#msg-192224
Quote
Pompon
Isn't vagus nerve stimulation worthless for "vagal type" afibbers?

I think your statement is generally true, in the acute sense. Here is a list of some acute vagal stimulation approaches. Mostly I've not had success trying them over the years. One of the items on the list is "diving reflex" or cold water on the face. As a afibber with vagal triggers, I have had some (but not 100% of trials) success with submerging my body up to the head in cold water ~58 F/14.5 C till I converted in 10 minutes on one episode. All this being said, I look at the TENS vagal stimulation more as balancing the autonomic nervous system as opposed to an acute approach. Other things I put in this category include slow breathing, meditation, HRV stimulation & so on. I've been working my way through a book on the topic and learning about Stanley Rosenberg's "Polyvagal Theory." We shall see, but I see little down side other than some money and time into trying the TENS approach.]]> GeorgeN AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 21:26:32 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192222#msg-192222 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192222#msg-192222 SamIAm AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 21:02:42 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192221#msg-192221 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192221#msg-192221 ama1952 AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:23:09 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192220#msg-192220 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192220#msg-192220
During my first 6 month trial I missed only 1 day of doing it. In the experiment of U. of Oklahoma Medical participants could miss up to 4 hours each month and that was considered acceptable.

The mode I used on my unit was called "Normal" mode.

I never changed the frequency or duration.....Somewhere, I recall reading that stimulating the Vagus Nerve too strong or for too long could actually cause an AFIB attack, so I stuck to the guidelines of the experimental group.]]> ama1952 AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:19:04 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192219#msg-192219 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192219#msg-192219
I've got my TENS unit coming in a few days. Does anyone know if it is left or right ear it is supposed to go on or maybe alternate? I read somewhere that it was the left to avoid some cardiac complication when on the right, but can't seem to find that again...]]> SamIAm AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:11:20 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192218#msg-192218 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192218#msg-192218
Quote
SamIAm
Daisy, where does one go to get extensive autonomic testing done? What kind of doctor would you see? I asked my cardiologist about my very low heart variability, and he was like, your heart rate is low when you rest and high when you exercise, that's plenty variable, lol... I think I even asked my electrophysiologist about it and he seemed off the mark too. I have extremely low HRV for my age, 41 years old and generally 20ms on apple watch, and would really like to actually talk to someone specifically knoweldgable in this area...

I have Dysautonomia and was a patient of an autonomic specialist who did the testing. Unfortunately, there are not many of them and they generally have long wait lists generally. You can find a list of them here: [www.dinet.org]]]> Daisy AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 18:32:54 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192215#msg-192215 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192215#msg-192215 SamIAm AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 18:24:10 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192211#msg-192211 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192211#msg-192211
Quote
Pompon
Isn't vagus nerve stimulation worthless for "vagal type" afibbers?

This is a good question, though most Afibbers are “mixed.” I had had extensive autonomic testing though, and my vagal tone was very high so I always did question whether vagus nerve stimulation would be helpful or would exacerbate the problem. I could sometimes terminate an episode by increasing sympathetic tone through aerobic exercise.]]> Daisy AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 17:54:55 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192209#msg-192209 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192209#msg-192209 alfrae13 AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 17:26:17 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192206#msg-192206 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192206#msg-192206
Also, I didn't mention before that I had recommended this to my nephew, who also suffers from "paroxsymal" afib, and over the past few years he gets at least quadruple the amount of afib attacks than I do in a typical year. Now he is quite busy working + raising a family, so he was unable to "measure" his results as precisely as I did when he did his first 6-month trial using my method.

What he did report to me was that the amount of afib attacks he received was "way less" than he typically gets and that he continues to use the tens unit as he was quite pleased with his results on the first go-around.]]> ama1952 AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 15:19:18 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192205#msg-192205 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192205#msg-192205
Quote
KingFizzy
Fine print: Won't ship to US either.

If you search reship UK to USA you'll find companies that will give you a UK address to ship to & then they'll ship to US.

Same for USA to Canada.

When a family member was in the military, some businesses would not ship to the APO (deployed military) address & I used a reship company for this purpose (of course I could have had the stuff shipped to me in the US and done the same, but this was easier for me, though more expensive).]]> GeorgeN AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 14:57:52 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192204#msg-192204 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192204#msg-192204
Quote
susan.d
For 450 UK pounds (or best offer), you can buy it on eBay
[www.ebay.com]

Fine print: Won't ship to US either.

Why is the question? Might cut into the profitable pharma and procedures we have in the US?]]> KingFizzy AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 13:33:37 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192203#msg-192203 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192203#msg-192203 SamIAm AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 11:34:42 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192202#msg-192202 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192202#msg-192202 Pompon AFIBBERS FORUM Mon, 28 Aug 2023 11:13:59 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192200#msg-192200 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192200#msg-192200 SamIAm AFIBBERS FORUM Sun, 27 Aug 2023 15:35:16 +0000 https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192199#msg-192199 Re: My Experience with Vagus Nerve Stimulation for AFIB https://www.afibbers.org/forum/read.php?9,192172,192199#msg-192199
Quote
SamIAm
Thanks GeorgeN. That one doesn't ship to Canada either... It's like we live in Igloo's up here or something and only get package delivery by Moose.

Funny!

Quote
SamIAm
Does this setup sound like it could work similarly as the Tenspro?

It does as I read it. I believe this is the manual for the unit [cdn.shopify.com]]]> GeorgeN AFIBBERS FORUM Sun, 27 Aug 2023 14:49:30 +0000