Mother just Dx'ed with LAF

My 84 yo wf mother had first episode of AF. Work up was essentially negative. She was easily cardioverted with one shock and returned to a sinus rhythm. Her cardiologist wants to send her home today on Amniodorone. I am not inclined to have her start done this path. Any recommendations? Of interest, she had polio as a child and is concened about post polio syndrome effect on her general condition. I am a physician and would rather start by building up her magnesium levels as well as other nutrients.

Looking forward to some insights from the group.

Dont sweat it. One episode at 84 could be just that.

My mother had an episode of Afib in her late 80s which self-converted, and a prolonged episode at age 90, requiring chemical conversion. She has been well controlled for three years with flecainide 50mg twice per day. Amiodorone surely seems like overkill to me. Why not seek the opinion of an EP rather than a cardiologist?

Also important, does she know when she is in Afib, or will you be available to monitor that? It may be a long time, or never, before she has another episode.

Marian

MIchael - Welcome. Your nutritional approach certainly makes sense and offers the least amount of adverse affects compared to arrhythmia drugs, especially the last resort drug, Amiodarone.

You may not have discovered the special report links... Afib Resources and Conference Rooms at the top of the page (yellow boxes) - Loads of important information there. The Strategy is an observational report that I offered as a result of having some minor breakthrough AF four years post-ablation and it focuses on the nutrients needed to target heart tissue and energy production. Part 2 of that story continues in Conference Room 72 which links the importance of managing the correct ratio of potassium to sodium.
I've shared The Strategy with a number of physicians who thought it was very helpful in treating arrhythmia naturally.

Most afibbers are found to be deficient in magnesium and along with that, many also have an imbalance in too much dietary intake of sodium and not enough potassium containing foods. Seniors are especially vulnerable due to diminished appetites and low-volumes of important whole foods that contain the nutrients.

On the post-polio link... do a search on the author Shannon. He's a post-polio person who had many complications including afib; now ablated and is extremely knowledgeable and I'm sure he'd be happy to correspond by email with you. If he doesn't respond to this post shortly, let me know and I'll put you in touch with him.

Is your mother taking any other drugs?

Healthy regards,
Jackie


The Strategy - What Metabolic Cardiology Means to Afibbers [www.afibbers.org]

Conference Room Session #72
Potassium/Sodium Ratio in Atrial Fibrillation (February 7 - June 11, 2011)
[www.afibbers.org]

Magnesium Absorption [www.afibbers.org]

Michael,

I moved my now 86 year old mother from her own place to a memory care group home about 1.5 years ago. When mom cooked for herself, she ate a very "clean" diet. At the group home, the increase in sodium was enough for her to suddenly require supplemental oxygen and she was put on a diuretic (along with KDUR). Subsequent to the the diuretic, she no longer needed O2. I have the habit of walking her daily. Prior to this upset, she'd had no issues of needing to stop. I started monitoring her with a pulse ox and also with my Polar brand R to R recording heart rate montior when we walked. On the Polar I saw many cases of bigeminal PAC's. One day, I saw afib. It had an exercise (adrenergic) trigger and was paroxsysmal. I discussed it with her doc (who is also my neighbor and friend). We decided to not treat it. We did add supplements including magnesium glycinate. Today, I no longer bother with the Polar, but do check her radial pulse for rate and regularity periodically. It is fine now. Seemed to be a one off epsiode. Even the PAC's are pretty infrequent now.

George

I thank everyone for your input. Moved mom from hospital to home. Spent the early morning hours reading articles on the site. I have been a reader of International Health News for years. Had a talk with the cardiologist who was very concerned about preventing stroke and keeping in sinus rhythm for next six weeks. In answer to Jackie...yes she in on the laundry list of new meds:
Amniodorone
XARELTO®
Digoxin
Betablocker
Altace
Lasix
Amoxicillin

All this started with a trip to her Family Doctor on Tuesday because she was feeling bad (for 10 days) and just could not go anymore. She was in heart failure with a lot of pulmonary edema. She had gained about 10 pounds which she lost with the Lasix. Apparently she had an E. coli UTI which she just minimized in her mind for a month.

My concern is the ability of her body to handle all the medications. Despite years of Cod Liver oil and recent increase in her Vitamin D supplement her Vitamin D remains low at 26. She had a transient low K+ in the hospital with the Lasix.

I plan to start working on the Magnesium with the use of the protocol outlined here.

Thank you again for your support and thanks to Hans Larsen for all the work his has done to publish and maintain this and related sites.

Michael

Michael - the lasix depletes the critcal electrolytes needed for maintaining NSR. Can she be switched to a potassium-sparing diuretic?

The best source of vitamin D is not Cod Liver oil... In order to get enough D in a dose of Cod Liver Oil, you'll also be getting too much vitamin A...so the recommendation is a quality vitamin D3 capsule which is the cholecalciferol form.. It can take doses of 5,000IU daily to reach the desired minimum level of 50 ng/ml - most prefer to be at 60 - 70.

When I tested low (18) I was in my late 60's. We started with doses of 2000 which did nothing. I doubled that dose with minor improvement. Even doses of 5,000 did not reach the target number so I took 10,000 IU daily for several years until I reached 70 ng/ml... I can now maintain that with 10,000 3 times a week and 5,000 the other days. In summer when I can get natural sun exposure, I use only 5,000 a day. The upside in addition to meeting the requisite numbers, is that it helps me maintain a highly functional immune system. This is my 12th season without a cold or flu.

A high-count probiotic is useful for all of us but especially the elderly in that it helps keep the good bowel flora high which overpowers the adverse effects of E.coli and similar that can become troublesome when they have free reign in the intestine. Probiotics also help prevent UTIs.

Glad you are starting on the magnesium regimen. Just be sure to ramp up the dosing very slowly to avoid diarrhea and further loss of electrolytes. Be patient. It can take a long time to reach repletion of intracellular stores.

Best to both of you,
Jackie

I agree with the "overkill" comment regarding Amiodorone. It is the most toxic of choices and it may not do anything for her AF. The number one priority should be minimizing stroke risk. Amio should be the last option amongst the drugs.

Amio actually works well in the elderly and as long as it's monitored for side effects it might be the best choice we have.
My Mom might have to be put on it after slipping back into afib after her for cardioversion last week.
Both my cardiologist and her EP at Mt Sinai stated Amnio properly dosed and monitored is safe and effective.

Mom slipped back into afib and immediately having symptom. She was offered an AV node ablation with a pacemaker. EP also said he was willing to try Tikosyn if we wanted to try that. He was also willing to try another Cardioversion and continue the Amniodorone. What to do...?