Having probs since 2nd ablation

I haven't been on the board for a long time now. I greatly frequented it from 2005-2009 and am just so very thankful I found it as it greatly helped me.

I had my first ablation in January 2007 by Dr. Natale. He was concerned that he had done something as I went into flutter at the conclusion. I had subsequent flutter episodes; however, in the fall of 2008, they became very frequent and I had another ablation in February 2009 by Dr. Tchou who I began to see after Dr. Natale left CCF.

He did right and left flutter ablations, etc. However, I've been plaqued by PAC's since - it's just a part of my life now. And I've continued to have periodic flutter episodes. These have increased again so that I've had 5 since July of this year.

I'm not on meds - I have lovenox injections that I use when I do go into arrhythmia episodes. Episodes don't last as long as they did between the 2 ablations - they now last up to about 11 hours and then I convert on my own.

I do all I can to convert - magnesium, potassium - Xanax helps. I have propanolol but that doesn't seem to have much effect. And, I can't take much because I get bronchial spasms.

I tried Rythmol yesterday but went into bronchial spasms that greatly increased into the evening. I have asthma. Also, my heart skipping got worse instead of better.

I don't regret having the ablations (except when I'm miserable with flutter) as I had been in permanent afib with RVR and had cardiomyopathy as a result for 3 years prior to the first ablation. My EF is now normal - so that was corrected.

However, I am still limited in life because the skipping gets worse with physical and emotional stress to the point of weakening me. So I stay within my limitations as much as possible.

In general my heart is just very irritable now since the second ablation. I have by accident slept on my left side and it has always led to a flutter episode. I have to lay at about a 45 degree angle on my right side and then he skipping is tolerable.

I'm now considering a third ablation.

Regards,
Theresa

Hi Theresa,
My doctor recommended a third ablation for me because I was having PACs or PVCs almost 24/7. After much experimentation, I discovered the cause: a reaction to a supplement, NAC. I am in BNSR (B=blessed) now and hoping to be more careful in the future.
Just a thought for you. Maybe it is some vitamin or supplement.
Lynn

Lynn:

Forgive my ignorance but what is NAC?

Liz

NAC is N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine, a powerful antioxidant amino acid. It is a precursor to glutathione.

I take the Jarrow capsules in a 500mg dose. I have found that it will cause me gastric upset if I don't take it with a substantial lunch or dinner. I tried taking it right after breakfast, but I eat a light breakfast and it didn't suffice. I also experienced PVCs after taking the NAC until I changed to after lunch or dinner.

Marian

Hi Theresa, Sorry to hear about your on-going problems. What is co-incidental is that you have succinctly expressed what I am experiencing now, some 10 months post my 1st ablation. (And in trying to explain please forgive me for not having learned the initials you Americans all seem so familiar with).
I too have seemingly permanent skipped beats (?PVC's) with just the odd 10sec episode of self-righting chaos(?flutter) thrown in. At its worst, the missed beat is every third beat and like you experience, it is most noticable whilst in bed and on my left side. Also physical exertion and/or emotional stress are definite triggers for high PVC (every other/3rd) action on days when otherwise, the interval would be around every 6th or 9th or 4th beat (it varies).
I don't take anything at all except 100gms aspirin almost daily.
I don't get to see my electrocardiologist until mid next month (I've been waiting since August because he's been away) which is why I've come on to the sight after a long absence.
Most distressing for me, was a very recent severe pre-syncope I was only aware of when I came 'back in the room' with all sorts of difficulties initially. It sounds foolish to say that my heart stopped beating- but I am sure it did and only a huge automatic rush of adrenilin, which kept it pounding for ages afterwards, kicked it on again.
I had breathing and throat difficulties for a while, but otherwise was O.K. although later the realisation was almost as disturbing as the event. I thought I had, post -ablation, got past that sort of thing (In the past and during some difficulties I had an experienced E.R. Doctor comment that I was a 'gutsy bloke' so I am hoping, I haven't become a woos). Hopefully not.
Anyway its a release of a kind to be able to mention it to someone who would have an idea of what I'm experiencing.
Otherwise, I'm sorry - I am not really contributing am I? But, you are not alone. I hope yours can be sorted out without a 3rd ablation.
Best Wishes,
Dudley.

Theresa - Four years after my ('03) Natale ablation, I began to have periodic AF breakthroughs... one every 6 to 9 months which I was able to convert quickly with the PIP he recommended, but that isn't the point.

I tinkered with increasing key nutrients and managed to stave off repeat breakthroughs and as a result, I wrote The Strategy. Erling followed with the most important link and that was careful attention to having optimal potassium and low sodium intake in a ratio of 4:1 in order to maintain a voltage that supports NSR.

As a result, I have not had any breakthroughs. My heart is solid as a rock.
Even the occasional ectopy is gone. It feels really great to be in control - at last.

If you aren't optimal in (first) magnesium... and then eating a diet high in potassium-containing foods - plus eliminating packaged and processed foods with the hidden sodium, then it would probably be useful for you to do so.

Here are the relevant links

[www.afibbers.org]

[www.afibbers.org]

[www.afibbers.org]

[lpi.oregonstate.edu]

I wish you well. If I hadn't focused with such intensity, I'm sure I'd have had the second ablation by now.

Jackie

Jackie, I will study the info in the links.

However, I am especially cognizant of the need for magnesium (I think I was one of the earlier forum'ers that really pushed this way back :-)). I use magnesium glycinate and take it often throughout the day. I found the Pure Encapsulations brand the best for no gluten...

I even have a magnesium oil foot bath daily and use epsom salts in my bath every evening.

I also take potassium throughout the day.

However, I am anemic (still - have been since I was a child). Docs just don't push on this enough.

I go to the Center for Holistic Medicine here in MI - just had a visit and really pushed my doc there to investigate this better. I also have issues with B6. I am gluten intolerant. But I am veryyyy careful about avoiding gluten - we are a gluten free family.

My doc at CHM is running a slew of add'l blood tests.

Jackie, I will definitely look into the nutrition aspect more carefully. However, I do believe that the flutter is directly from the ablation itself...

I'd much rather get rid of the PAC's (and my skips are PAC's - I rarely have a PVC). I get PAC couplets, etc. per the last monitor I wore.

My heart skips every 4th beat or less typically - maybe every other. Sometimes the PAC's are light enough in pressure that I can just ignore them - other times, it is just miserable. And potassium doesn't help then as I would expect. (I will typically do a magnesium foot bath and that may help some....)

I have rarely gone 30 seconds without a skipped beat since the ablation in 2009 - it's very noticeable to me when that occurs. I didn't have PAC's like this after the first ablation. Anyone that has had an ablation should be able to relate - I feel just like you do right after you have the ablation - it never went away. My heart is still irritable.

Dudley, I had that sensation once - about a month ago - basically, my heart greatly paused and it was very scary - I was sitting at my computer.

Another aspect I run into is I am very sensitive to EMF - don't know if I developed this because I've been in IT and at a computer for 28 years now. A really good example of this was when we were camping and went to a clubhouse to play cards. As we played I became weaker and weaker and I was actually embarrassed and excused myself and went and sat at another table. As soon as I did that I felt better - it was immediate relief. I looked up and there was a ceiling fan over the table we were playing cards (ceiling fans release a great deal of EMF). We turned it off and I felt fine then. I run into this all the time - we have rid our house of all wireless - phones and computer, checked wall sockets for leakage and have our furniture placed to accommodate this.

I also check computers/notebooks before purchasing them - Dell had the worst EMF leakage - it is typically the hard drive and fan.

Like when we were camping, I really don't consciously think about this - I just notice that my heart skipping is becoming greater and greater and more pronounced and then I'll remember - that it may be the EMF.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Thank you again for all your responses.

Regards,
Theresa

THeres, I have noticed when I am around wireless, I become very nervous with skipped beats. I am 7 weeks post ablation. Have been having periods of skipped beats and anxiety from them. Do you know anything that counteracts the effects of the EMF? A friend uses Diodes but some say these are bogus. Lynda

The only thing I've been able to do to avoid the EMF is to remove myself, the object, turn it off or move it far enough away - EMF does drop. However, when it comes from fans, I've found that it is pushed in the air. Fans are definitely a big culprit.

One of the things that brought it to my attention was our earlier model CRT TV - I did a "dumb" thing one winter when I decided to provide most of our heat via electric baseboard heaters (I'm asthmatic and have probs with forced air heat). The TV gave me a clue as to the EMF when the screen became magnetized (we lost color in one corner of the TV) whenever I turned on a heater in one of the other rooms (not the room where the TV was - the heater was only a couple of feet away from the TV in that room). And, I began to recognize the skipping effect when I got near the heaters. It took me a long time to put this together -I studied this on the internet - including how this model of TV was known for putting out a great deal of EMF.

We began testing and this confirmed the issue. I got rid of the CRT TVs (which were a brand that were known to put out a great deal of EMF) and quit using the electric heaters. And there was improvement.

You can purchase EMF meters - we have used this throughout the house. If an electric outlet is wired incorrectly, it will produce EMF continually. We found an outlet in our bedroom that does this - we made sure the bed wasn't close to it and don't use this outlet.

The most amazing EMF came from the microwave when it was running - the meter went off a good 5 feet away.

I tested my latest notebook before purchasing it (got quite a few looks when I was in the store). In my office I don't interact directly with the notebook, it is 5 ft. away - I use a separate monitor and keyboard.

Don't know if this is coincidence or not but I changed our wireless router in June and my palpitations became much worse. I have since turned this off and our computers are now hard wired.

I could go on regarding the EMF......

For sure this is not my sole issue but it definitely aggravates it.


Regards,
Theresa

Theresa - thanks for both your posts. On the anemia issue, I don't recall if you were online and reading at the time we discussed taking a particular form of iron supplement. It's called Ferrochel... and your body only uses what it needs so you won't have any risk of iron overload. It was back at least a couple of years that we posted on this.

Thanks for your contribution to the EMF problem. I've spent a good deal of time listening to expert interviews, reading and did a couple of posts on the Electropollution topic. EMFs and EMRs probably impact everyone, but some individuals far more than others. You are definitely smart to have taken the steps you have. I was very interested in what you've done in your home. Eliminating the use of cordless phones in the home and restricting cell phone and WiFi use is the next critical move for afibbers and those who react.

Cardiologist Stephen Sinatra is now devoting full time to his awareness crusade to alert the public about the dangers.

I've found that gounding every day and often as possible is worth doing.

Jackie

Electropollution (Toxic Frequencies) - Part 1
<[www.afibbers.org];

Part 2
<[www.afibbers.org];

Jackie

I'm ordering the Ferrochel. What is most interesting, however, when I searched on this is that it's commonly used for children with ADHD. Both my sons greatly suffered with this.

To add to this, I am also low in B6 - reason I mention is my youngest has asperger's autism. It's been a rough ride for him. And of course there is much discussion around B6 and autism.

Both boys also have occassional afib......my eldest controls it with diet - he's off milk and gluten - he felt that gluten was the greatest trigger but recently now thinks milk gives him the most issues (he was dx as allergic to milk as a child and he was kept off it until he got old enough to do his own thing...). He can tell within hours if he gets exposed by mistake......

Theresa

Jackie,

I had never heard of "grounding" or at least I don't recall it even though I'd studied the EMF issue quite a bit which was awhile ago. I see that Dr. Sinatra has a YouTube on this.

I am always barefoot. Now I'm going to check into if this is an issue at the other end - being barefoot in a house that has electrical issues. My office is here so unless I'm going into the car, I am barefoot most of the time.

Thank you very much for this info.

Theresa

Theresa - I hope the Ferrochel helps. There is evidence linking vitamin D deficiency to autism. I just posted links to the Vitamin D interviews with the expert...John Cannell, MD. Be sure to check it out.

It's important to use the more bioavailable forms of vitamin B6... the P5'P
or pyridoxal 5'-phosphate for max efficacy.

As for grounding... being barefoot inside and out helps collect the earth's energy... you want to take in the electrons via the feet which help reduce or offset the free-radical or oxidative stress generation. Walking outdoors barefoot or lying on the ground is also highly beneficial. You can read more at the Earthing website...just follow the links as referenced in the Electropollution posts.

One of these days, I'll generate a post about the powers of grounding and an awesome story of a man who healed himself with the earth's energy.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Be well, Jackie