LLTS method of suppressing afib

Hi all,

I wonder if there is any up to date information for the low level transcutaneous electrical vagus nerve stimulation (LLTS) to suppresses paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

I understand you can use a TENS machine attached to your tragus part of your ear for an hour a day?

Has anyone heard of this procedure.

It seems trials are being carried out by the University of Oklahoma.

See below link.

[clinicaltrials.gov]

I haven't heard but it sounds interesting.
Please keep us informed of any future developments you become aware of.
Thanks for sharing.
Ken

Those of us that are vagal, get AF only at night or during sleep, could our Vagas Nerves be over stimulated?

Liz

I was diagnosed as vagal but I do occasionally get AF during the day so I believe I have a mix of both. Mostly mine occurs at night after a meal or after a long day in the garden , or having been on a long walk. It's not the exercise that brings it on, it's more the rest after the exercise.
Digestive irritation is a big trigger, bending over, stretching up high, drinking or eating quickly. I know exactly when I go into AF and I know the beautiful exact moment I kick back out into SR.
I know my vagal nerve is over stimulated, and my heart is extremely sensitive to messages from my brain and gut.A few years ago, although not greatly overweight, I lost, due to illness, around a third of my body weight. My AF went from 5-6 times a month to 1 in six months?
I still don't know the answer but in my next life I'll be blessed with everlasting SR. ><

Thanks fot that colindo - most interesting. Very much (98% this last 20 years) a nocturnal (1am to 7am) afibber myself.

Here is a paper describing the trial <[content.onlinejacc.org]
There is a podcast with the paper.

Looks interesting.

Joy - I was similar to your experiences with AF being mostly vagal. One thing I learned that helped significantly was that if I became low in blood glucose/sugar, I tended to go into AF. That could happen after exercise, after emotional stress and also if I went too long without a sustaining meal that contained ample protein. If I ate my evening meal around 6 pm and it contained too many starchy carbs and ate nothing else later on, then in the wee hours of the morning, I'd often have AF.

The family practice physician I saw at the time said I was having hypoglycemic events that triggered the AF because when blood glucose dropped too low, then the body sends out an alert because the brain needs glucose to function. The alert was an adrenaline rush and that caused the AF. The solution was eating ample protein and healthy fat with each meal and snack... and to eat small meals every 3 - 4 hours that were weighted more toward protein and fat, no starchy carbs including sugar, and lots of good veggies that also were not starchy. Plus, always have a small protein and fat containing snack about an hour before bedtime. I also took Omega 3 essential fatty acids (fish oil) with that bedtime snack to help sustain. It worked well. Unfortunately, for me... that wasn't the total AF solution, but it did reverse the AF trend during sleep.

The midsection weight loss and lessening of AF events may come from less 'crowding' of the vagus nerve in the area of the diaphragm.... caused by those various activities you mention. That's been known to be a trigger. So that's a very positive plus for you... but sorry you were so ill.

I agree with you that I'm praying that in my next life, AF will not join me.

Best to you,

Jackie

Thanks Jackie, as always very wise words.
I try not to overindulge during the evening as I know the eating will set it off, I guess it's the bliss of being in SR that makes me think I'll be fine, and then of course the AF
raises its nasty little head.
I'm getting much better at managing it these days.