confused re mag/pot balance

I was happily chugging along for 14 years of AF with only the occasional bout - about 2 per year, plus - from time to time - ectopics and pounding, until a bout of chicken pox in April - the 2nd in my life, having had it as a child. I had been taking 100 mgm flec with no apparent side-effects.
I then had about 10 episodes, of varying lengths, in 3 weeks, which rather upset me. I increased the flec to 150 and then 200 mgms daily and am now back on 150 mgms.
I was unable to take more than 1 - 200 mgms of magnesium daily, until someone recommended chelated mag. I am now up to 4 - 500 mgms daily, but each time I start taking pot. gluconate, I start getting all sorts of 'flips and blips' plus very short bouts of AF - which I can frequently halt by vigorous coughing.
Should I continue trying to take potassium or should I continue increasing the mag and wait a while before recommencing the potassium? Also, how much mag would be a reasonable dose?
I have been taking 3 G of taurine for a few years.
Will post later about my experience at an arrythmia clinic in France and the doc's comments about Prof. Haisseguere later, but feeling exhausted - and depressed - after hardly any sleep and AF.

Gay,

Potassium can interfere with magnesium absorption. So at the very least don't take them at the same time. If you continue to get flips & blips, I'd follow through with your thought of increasing Mg & avoiding K for a while. I add the following to my mag chelate & mag citrate intake:

Mag bicarbonate water (Waller Water) [www.afibbers.org] If you don't have milk of magnesia available, you can likely find magnesium hydroxide powder at the chemist. I drink about 250 ml of the concentrate/day.

I add 25g powdered magnesium chloride (a little over 1 tbs) to a liter of water to make a mag chloride water. I drink about 125 ml twice a day. Not around meals or taking other supplements. Its pH is slightly acidic. I got the idea from <[www.arthritistrust.org] Chloride Hexahydrate Therapy.pdf> My bulk source of MgCl2 is nigari which the Japanese use to coagulate tofu. I had the brand Mitoku nigari specifically tested for heavy metals.

George

Gay - I agree with George about holding off on the potassium. In some people, it can take quite a while (6 months or more) to optimize the intracellular stores of magnesium and until that's accomplished, adding potassium can worsen afib.

Jackie

Gay:

I have been taking mag. for a number of years, I can only take about 350 mg./day, I do test towards the lower end of the lab values. I tried taking potassium some months ago and it affected me exactly in the same manner in which you describe, lots of heart flip flops, short runs of afib, not very pleasant.

I quit taking the potassium and the flips and short runs of afib stopped, I believe I get enough potassium from my food, I eat a lot of fruits/vegetables, why take something that causes problems.

Liz

I also have a potassium-high diet but am still at the low end with pot level of 3.7
Annoying because I have just paid quite a lot of money to have pot. gluconate powder sent to France from iHerb.
Still - maybe I'll be able to use it sometime.
Thanks
Gay

Gay,

A study carried out at the Cleveland Clinic found that a potassium level below 4.1 increases the likelyhood of having an afib episode. Yours, at 3.7, is certainly too low and you need to get it up. I have a very low level myself (3.6) if I do not supplement with potassium gluconate. The reason for my low level is that I have hyperaldosteronism as indicated by an abnormally high aldosterone:renin ratio. If you have not had your aldosterone:renin ratio tested I would highly recommend that you do so. If you have hyperaldosteronism then an ACE inhibitor, angiotensin II receptor blocker or an aldosterone receptor blocker may help increase your potassium level and perhaps even prevent afib episodes.

Hans

Gay - As Hans points out, there may be a reason for the consistently low potassium levels.... have you had a kidney function assessment? Sometimes there will be wasting or leaking and other times, kidneys will retain too much potassium and then taking more potassium will cause problems as well. Jackie

Haven't had a pot. check for a while - usually done in connection with CRP and erythrocite sedimentation rate for my polymyalgia. Am having a check next week and see what it is then.
Will talk to my GP about the other tests, or when I next see cardiologist - this month, I think.
thanks for advice.
Gay