More frequent afib episodes

I wanted to follow up a post I had about a month ago. 40 year old male, had afib 5 times in the past 4 years, and have been using 50mg flecainide PIP for some of the attacks.

The past 3 weeks I have had weekly episodes, all converting with flecainide, the last happened last night. My EP usually takes several days to get back with me, but I sent them a message. My question is, should I be concerned with this progressing quickly to a more permanent condition? At some point should a consider a daily maintenance dose of medication instead of pill in pocket? All of my episodes recently have occurred at night, waking me up out of sleep. I work full time and am not typically able to get back to sleep after these episodes, which makes for a rough day of work the next day. This month has been exhausting with the repeated episodes, so I am feeling pretty strong about an ablation this year. I feel like I need to buy some time because I really would like to speak with some other EPs regarding the procedure.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/2022 06:59PM by czk.

I've had afib for over 18 years, with a 2.5 month episode in the first 4 months. I've used PIP flec to convert (300 mg is my dose, at my weight. Susan.d would want me to emphasize the max dose for someone under 154 # (70kg) is 200 mg) since. I created a program that has worked pretty well for me, keeping episodes down to a few a year, for the most part. In 2012, my episodes increased significantly and I went and visited a friend's concierge cardiologist. He suggested going to daily use. I'd had 4 episodes the 4 nights before I saw him, so I started at my 300, then 200 and titrated down to 0 over a month. I found that I could use organic powdered ginger spice in place of the flec nightly (a few tsps of it). A few months later, I realized I'd been consuming more calcium, which is a bad actor for my afib. Cutting out the extra calcium and my episodes went back to their previous low levels.

In 2021, I again had a material increase in episodes associated with (note I did not say caused by) vaccinations. I then started taking 50 mg flec for a couple of months, cut that in half for about 4 months, then titrated to zero. Then I had an episode so decided to go back to taking 25 mg flec (100 mg tabs quartered).

In 2021 had 15 episodes from Jan 15 to Oct 27. Subsequent to the Oct 27 episode, I've had one, seven weeks ago (so one in about 40 weeks). It was converted in 1.5 hours with PIP flec. I've changed other lifestyle things yet again, so may see if I can get away with a 12.5 mg or smaller dose. A normal cardio or EP would laugh at me and say I'm using "homeopathic doses." I only take the dose in the evening, again, non-standard dosing.

Thanks for the response George. I have basically had 6 episodes in the past 3 months. I did have Covid during that time as well, so that might have contributed to the increase in episodes. I have tried a few supplements during the last 3 months, but have not tried organic powdered ginger so I will have to give that a try. I guess my main concern is this progressing into a more permanent disease while I am trying to find the right EP. Your history gives me some encouragement to keep trying.

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czk
40 year old male, had afib 5 times in the past 4 years, and have been using 50mg flecainide PIP for some of the attacks.

The past 3 weeks I have had weekly episodes, all converting with flecainide, the last happened last night. My EP usually takes several days to get back with me, but I sent them a message. My question is, should I be concerned with this progressing quickly to a more permanent condition?

This is a very familiar story for me. I experienced my first afib episode in 2002. I was 46. I was an EMT at the time so I knew from just feeling my pulse that it was probably afib, but I drove down to the station at 4:00 am and got an ECG on myself just to confirm. Yep, afib. The episode lasted about 6 hours and then terminated on its own. These episodes occurred once or twice a year for the next six years. Since it was so infrequent and short lasting, I did nothing about it, didn't even seek a formal diagnosis. But then around 2008 once or twice a year became several times a year, and then monthly, and by 2010 it was a weekly affair and was lasting 12 hours rather than six.

I'm not predicting what your afib is going to do, but this is what afib does. It's a progressive disease. Left to itself, it gets worse eventually, never better. I would definitely recommend you begin addressing it now rather than later. Daily flecainide is very likely a good solution for now, but the current consensus is that ablation is the recommended first line treatment rather than drug therapy. The drugs almost always stop working eventually and they all come with a boatload of side effects.

There's no huge rush, and you can choose a self-treatment plan like George outlined, or you can go the more traditional route, but I think you need to acknowledge that your afib has progressed and will probably now head gradually toward persistence.

"In 2021, I again had a material increase in episodes associated with (note I did not say caused by) vaccinations"

My EP says 10% of Vaxxed patients developed Myocarditis, and my Mom's Cardiologists says many of their patients have developed palpitations or arrhythmia after getting boosted, thus they are advising against further Vaxx for anyone with these issues.

This would make a good survey, everyone ask their Cardiologists/EPs how the Vaccines have effected their patients. Don't ask it in a leading way in either direction, just ask from a neutral position, and then report back the findings.

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czk
I have tried a few supplements during the last 3 months, but have not tried organic powdered ginger so I will have to give that a try. .

Here are some links on ginger from our site (both positive and negative):
[www.afibbers.org]
[www.afibbers.org]
[www.afibbers.org]
[www.afibbers.org]
[afibbers.org]

For me, chronic fitness/endurance exercise was my path to afib at age 49 (now 67). Basically the product of intensity times duration. Long duration & high intensity led to delayed vagal triggers.. I've found that limiting long duration exercise to a Zone 2 intensity made exercise not a trigger. I can do short duration high intensity (like Tabatas { 20 seconds max: 10 seconds easy} on my Schwinn Airdyne fan bike).

I've also found that electrolytes are another part of the equation for me. Magnesium supplementation to bowel tolerance, potassium as 2 tsp of potassium citrate in a liter of water consumed over the day (my version of timed release) and 1/2 tsp taurine powder. I also limit calcium intake to 4-500 mg/day. Steve Carr posted about calcium here: [www.afibbers.org]

Zone 2 links here: [www.afibbers.org] & [www.afibbers.org]

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The Anti-Fib
My EP says 10% of Vaxxed patients developed Myocarditis, and my Mom's Cardiologists says many of their patients have developed palpitations or arrhythmia after getting boosted, thus they are advising against further Vaxx for anyone with these issues.

As a posted here, my friend got afib from the virus.

Thanks everyone, I’m hoping I’m just going through a tough stretch and the weekly episodes will calm down. I have two appointments in September with new EPs that I would really like to get to before I make a decision about proceeding with the ablation. This forum has been great reassurance and mental clarity for this situation, so glad I found it!

Your getting great advice here CZK + as Carey said it is not going to get any better so my 2 cents is cont. on your PIP Flec. routine to KO it as it pops up but take nothing as a daily dose of anything...try taking Mag. Glycinate/Malate/Taurate all together to help your heart stay calm or calmer + as said start planning ahead in the near or very near future for an Ablation as I like most who had success at that procedure have said looking back "WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG TO DO IT...I SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS A LONG TIME AGO"

GL

Very interesting on the vaxxed related issues! I have not had an afib episode since 2018 (thank God) but within the last year and half, I've been experiencing PVC-HELL! And I'm wondering the coincidence between the vaccines and increased PVCs. I was hospitalized with covid in 2020. In 2021 I got the first & second vaccine. Then received the two boosters this year. My GP says I'll need to get 3rd booster in Sept/Oct because my A1C went to 6.6 last year and she started me taking Metformin since I'm now considered diabetic. I have cardiologist appt this Monday, and EP on Tuesday. I will be sure to inquire if they know of any cardiac related conditions with the virus or vaccines. I will report back with what they say!

As promised, I checked with my cardiologist and my EP at my visits this week. BOTH reported no knowledge of vaxxed related afib or irregular beats or cardiac issues among their patients. My EP believes it would have raised its head immediately after the injection. I tend to disagree since I've known some people having reactions a day or two later. I was hoping they would agree the vaccines and/or boosters did initiate palpitations or irregular heartbeat because it would fall right in line with my intense increase of PVCs this year. So, I got the usual pat on the head, sent me away with the "learn to live with it until it gets worse" instructions! In the meantime, I'll continue to seek comfort and advice and information from those here who are somewhat ahead of me (for now).