Interesting AFib trigger: Yoga

To all,

One interesting trigger I have is yoga, especially a more challenging yoga class. I did a yoga class yesterday evening, and noticed a lot of ectopics the remainder of the night (fortunately no AFib since I'm on Flecainide). Before I started on the Flecainide I noticed a yoga class would frequently result in an AFib attack later than evening or the next day. Yoga is something healthy and not something to avoid, and if that's a trigger, then I think an ablation might be in order. I also have vagal AFib and I've heard yoga and stimulate the vagal nerve.

Other forms of working out (weights, walking) don't seem to have this effect. Long bike rides sometimes do (after the ride is over), but I think that's probably due to depleted magnesium and potassium.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Diane

Diane, postural effects are something to consider.

Bending over is not always an Afibber's friend. As for the bicycling, hunching over the handlebars falls into the same category.

lisa
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So much of medicine is looking solely down the wrong end of the gun barrel, and that is really a pity for all of us---Shannon

Diane - yes, Yoga was a trigger for me...and I was vagal. Just bending over was often a trigger as well. It has to do with an irritated vagus nerve and then certain yoga postures seem to scrunch the midsection and contribute to the vagal irritation... or at least that was my reasoning at the time. I learned much later on that creating an alkaline tissue pH environment probably would have eliminated that but wasn't as focued then as when I eventually focused on the importance of an alkaline tissue pH.
Jackie

I've found that after exercise that yes, bending over has set off afib a couple of times. So I try to remember to sit down a moment before bending over to put on my shoes.
Nancy

My AF is vagal. I once triggered an attack by leaping up from horizontal too quickly. I now get out of bed in slow stages. I once resolved an attack by leaning forward. (Sadly, I have never been able to repeat this success.) I believe the same thing can be both trigger and cure.

Hi Diane

I had an Afib attack after a yoga session a number of years ago. I stopped going to yoga only because Afib never stopped on it's own (except on one occasion when it stopped after I jumped up and down about 50 times!!) and I always had to go to ER for Flecanaide IV and occasional shocks. I have also had a couple of attacks after gardening so assume it is all the bending over.

I had a second PVI ablation in July 2010 and I am considering returning to yoga but don't want to rock the boat.