1st Afib Episode since Ablation 2011

Hi everyone!
Have not been on the forum for some time, and I think I had another username back then. Anyway, the other evening I had my first Afib episode since my second ablation back in 2011 - not happy. I am trying to figure out what triggered it - all I had to eat beforehand was a small glass of water and about 15 almonds. Then the afib started, along with a bit of chest pain and a headache, and lasted for about 6 hours! I had been noticing a few PVC's in the days before then though. It seems to start in the evening, and I find that if I sit down and relax, it helps a bit. I also have chronic fatigue syndrome, and the clinic in Vancouver, BC, where I was treated, has put me on CoQ10 Ubiquinol, Acetyl L-carnitine, Magnesium, Vitamin D, B-Complex, and a protein powder. Has anyone noted problems with these supplements?
Thanks,

Sorry to hear about the afib. That is disappointing.
I notice if I take a large amount of vitamin D or Coq10, I get skips.
Hopefully your a fib will just be a one time occurrence. Best of luck!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2017 12:21AM by gmperf.

Sometimes supplements like magnesium have to be in balance with others such as calcium, potassium and chromium, all of which I take in combination with magnesium to maintain a proper electrolyte balance. If you are on a low sodium diet, you need to watch the sodium in this mix as well.

Thanks for the replies, Taylor and gmperf. I will ask the naturopath at the chronic fatigue clinic about the CoQ10 and magnesium, next time I have a consult.

Hi Suzy - What was the timing of the almond snack? Had you gone a long time since your last food intake?
Were the almonds plain, raw or salted?
Typically, when do you take the new supplements?
How much magnesium and what is the form taking?
What amount of potassium would you estimate you take in daily from potassium-containing foods?
What is your water source? Pure water w/o added chemicals?
What's the name/brand of the protein powder?
Avoid taking supplemental calcium.

Jackie

I have allergies to Almonds

CoQ10 may be the culprit, I had increased missed beats as well while taking it, maybe a smaller dose would help.

Hi Jackie,

Almonds were plain - I ate about 15, round about 8 pm. Last food intake was 5 pm dinner
Supplements are taken at lunch time
Magnesium tablets 1000 mg/day
No idea about the potassium - not much I would think
Water is from fridge - filtered tap water
Protein powder Vega One - coconut/almond (aah, I wonder if with the added almonds that I had, maybe it was too much?)
I don't add Calcium as I figure I probably get enough in my diet

Thanks for your thoughts!

Hello TomC,

I am taking 100 mg of the CoQ10, do you think that is low enough or perhaps I should take 50 mg?

TomC,

Co-Q10 can be PVC/PAC triggering in some folks. Try stopping altogether for a week or two and see if the ectopy and runs of AFIB/Flutter doesn't calm down. If it does then after an addition week off the Co-Q10 then try adding a much smaller dose of Co-Q10 and see if you can tolerate that lower dose. If not, then it might not be a supplement for you.

Shannon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2017 07:08AM by Shannon.

Tom - It’s likely a combination of deficiencies and imbalances that contribute to your PACs and while I doubt it is the CoQ10 since it’s so essential in the heart’s electrical stability, everyone is different so the best way to decide is to stop and re-introduce again at lower doses after you have ruled out other potential stimulators of the premature beats.

You may want to look closely as the label of your CoQ10 to determine if there are any potential ingredients that might also be suspect. Unfortunately, quality Co10 capsules are typically rather pricey so cheaper versions may contain less than desirable ingredients. For example, some labels indicate soybean oil as an ingredient. These days, typically, soy is GMO unless specifically labeled as non-GMO and many people report sensitivies to soy in any form GMO or not. (and some people have no clue that soy causes various reactions in their system.) Some producers use sunflower oil and sunflower lecithin that is free of polysorbate 80 rather than soy to eliminate that factor.

Integrative Cardiologist, Stephen Sinatra, MD FACC FACN CCN CBT and author of….. The Sinatra Solution: Metabolic Cardiology and The CoQ10 Phenomonenon… plus many others, says this about CoQ10 and arrhythmia:

..."Co-enzyme Q10 (100 to 300 mg daily) – A sound intervention for arrhythmias, CoQ10 stabilizes membranes of the electrical conduction system. An antioxidant which helps protect against oxidative stress, CoQ10 also plays a crucial role in production of energy molecules (adenosine triphosphate, or ATP) that fuel heart function. For this reason alone, CoQ10 is probably the best supplement you can take for your heart. As a preventative and restorative nutrient, CoQ10 fights the heart disease which can mean the difference between a benign and malignant arrhythmia in many cases."
More: [www.healthydirections.com]

Books by Dr. Sinatra: [www.amazon.com]

His integrative medicine website, HeartMDInstitute.com launched in 2010 offers an abundance of information and heart-healthy tips for everyone including Afibbers.

Heart MD Institute provides education and inspiration for living a heart-healthy lifestyle. The organization's website offers up the latest information on integrative medicine- the practice of combining traditional medical interventions with alternative measures that strengthen and support the body, ideally before it succumbs to illness. HeartMDInstitute.com features a wealth of weekly articles and videos, breaking news, a forum, peer-reviewed articles, books, and contributions from leading authorities in integrative medicine.

Jackie

Thank you for the information , actually I stopped taking it a couple of years ago....but I will try a smaller dose, and see how that works, that answers Suzy's question as well.
Tom

Tom:

I have problems with CoQ as well, it gives me aura Migraines, I don't take it. It may be good for you but if it causes problems than it isn't.

L

Didn't someone mention that Acetyl L-carnitine was sometimes a problem for some people, no?

Barb