One Year Anniversary

Hi folks. Yesterday was my one-year anniversary and freedom from highly symptomatic afib since an ablation by Dr. Natale at St. David’s. I just turned 60 and have my life back. I can’t thank Dr. Natale, his team, nor the advice and support from this forum and individuals like Jackie, Shannon, and Hans, enough. Many thanks to all of you! A little of my story for anyone interested:
I first noticed symptoms of atrial fibrillation in 2002 at the age of 47 but didn’t know at the time what they meant. I was diagnosed in 2003 at which time a young general cardiologist put me on extended release beta blockers which made things worse. I took myself off them after figuring out I’ve always had a slow heart rate and was mostly a vagal afibber. But over time my condition worsened because it tends to be progressive anyway, I didn’t fully use all the valuable information on this website, and because I was afraid to go on anti-arrhythmics. In 2005 alone, I had 92 episodes averaging almost 7 hours each. In desperation, in January 2006 I tried flecainide. Standard split dosing did not help. Observing that most of my episodes happened overnight, I massed the dose at bedtime only. My atrial fibrillation instantly went into remission for the next five years as a result of this change in medication schedule. After some episodes in 2011, none in 2012, things really went downhill such that by the end of 2013 I was having daily episodes despite flecainide, aggressive supplementing, and trigger avoidance. So off to an ablation in January 2014 consisting of 36 individual burns, including ablation along the coronary sinus and base of the left atrial appendage. Recovery was afib-free and gradual but not too complicated other than some probable temporary partial paralysis of the vagal nerve around the esophagus, causing slow digestion for awhile. Now, I exercise about 30 minutes 5-6 times per week. I can watch TV in the evening, and lay down at night to go to bed, without slipping into an episode. I take no medication. I supplement with 800 mg magnesium daily, co-enzyme Q10, nattokinase, and vitamins B, C, D, and E. I stopped taurine. I try to eat a potassium rich diet. No alcohol, no caffeine. I get skipped beats fairly often. Stress causes a lot of palpitations so I work on staying calm as Jackie encourages. I have mild-moderate heart valve regurgitation. I guess I have around a 40% chance of needing a touch-up ablation at some point, but am very grateful for getting my life back now. For those with TRICARE Prime insurance for whom an ablation by one of the best is not covered outside your region, message me and I will tell you how I worked it to keep the cost of my ablation way down.

Hello Randy! How times flies! I can hardly believe it's one year. Thanks for you rnews.

Glad to see you are doing well. I'm sending you a PM.

Best to you,
Jackie

Randy,
Nice to read of your good report. Concise recap. Interesting details on your journey with afib.

Best,
Joe

Hi Joe - Long time... what's new?

Jackie

Randy
glad you are doing well. You sound exactly like me. I had the same procedure last Feb. My anniversary is Feb 24.
I have the same Palps often but nothing really sustained. Those still bother and worry me.
Typically stress gets me the worse. I do have a beer or two sometimes. I hate the palps but I guess it is what it is. Nice to not have the Afib lock in. Im thinking it prob will eventually come back but hopefully not.

Thanks. I'm excited for you about your upcoming anniversary.

Good to hear your one year Randy ... time flies doesn't it!

Glad too to hear you digestive sluggishness cleared up as I felt certain it would before long. Regarding the periodic ectopy, its first important to understandsen that just about everyone, with AFIB or never having had an arrhythmia, have a good number of ectopic beats like PAC or PVC each month. 500 or so PVC is not at all uncommon for perfectly normal hearts around the world.

The thing too with afibbers is that we are more sensitive to such skipped beats that we hardly ever noticed prior to us being hardwired alert to every skip and thumb of a notable nature after a long term battle with the beast.

That being said, an increase in ectopy can happen as well and the first step, as often shared here it to work the magnesium/potassium (especially K along with Mag) and taurine to see if that doesn't quiet things done considerably.

If its truly too frequent and distractingly symptomatic, its possible a targeted follow uo ablation addressing these ectopics can be done, especially with some PVC origins to very good effect.

But for the most part these are largely benign in any event. Hopefully with a little help from your electrolytic replenishment those too can fade into the sunset before long.

Shannon

CONGRATS!!!!!