Afib Link

Hi everybody:
Someone sent me this link, and I thought it was concise, simple and graphic and might be of some help. There are also a couple of good links at the end.

[heartdisease.about.com]


Pam

Pam,
I thought this was very informative and look what it says about going to ER.

When you have an episode of atrial fibrillation, you can wait for up to 6 hours to see if it stops on its own. If it does not, get medical attention. Make sure the doctors get you back into a normal rhythm within 12 to 24 hours (don’t let them take the “wait and see” gambit too far), because blood clots begin to form in the atria after this much time has passed. If you do not convert to a normal rhythm on your own, insist that they cardiovert you before 24 hours has passed.

If you have frequent episodes of atrial fibrillation lasting more than 12 hours or so, discuss the need for anticoagulation with your doctor. Medical science is not definitive on this point, but many doctors believe that people with such episodes need to be anticoagulated to reduce the risk of stroke – and they may be right.

because it is just the information he has been looking for. Superior find, ladies.
Peggy

Wow. If I went to the E.R. every time my episodes went over six hours I would be there every 3 to 4 days for the past several months!!!!! Yet another reason why I can't wait to get to my appointment with a new EP!!!!!

The more I read, the more concerned I get about my very frequent 36-39 hour episodes.

Hi everybody:
Of coarse they have to say something about 6 - 8 hours to go to ER because of liability concerns. They can't say "don't bother to go to the ER". I just thought it was an excellent, simplified explanation of afib.
Cathy, who are you seeing in December? How are you doing? I hope you are having a good day. I am concerned about you also, since you remain without any anticoagulation. Hans claim is that those of us with LAF and are under 65 y.o., aren't at any increased risk for embolization. I did try to find information to the contrary, and couldn't really find any.
I suppose in one way I am fortunate in not having to make that decision, since I have a prosthetic mitral valve, I have to be on Coumadin for life. However, my episodes have never lasted as long as your do.

Pam

I have fought Afib for 30 years and keep it under control three week ago it kicked in fast heart rate 182 the doctor increased my Toprol to 200mg per day it has slowed my heart down to about 100 but it is still in Afib my doctor says that I may have to learn to live with it.(constant Afib) Has anyone ever heard of that? I have been researching on the web and getting a little worryed Hugh

Hugh

It does seem to happen that long standing PAF can get chronic. I had AF 20 years the last two being chronic. Here is the good news. By turning around my diet to only eat natural foods and low carb - nothing processed and making sure I was getting a wide selection of nutrients I knocked AF in the head. I have been free for almost two years now and don't take meds. AF doesn't have to be a life sentence. But it does take a concerted effort to learn and understand your own body.

Read all you can on this site and if you have any questions about how to help yourelf through natural means ask away.

Fran

Fran
I certainly am interested in what you did and how you did it. Is there a web. site I can go to ,to get more info? I am at the point that I will try about anything to beat this. I appreciate any help you can give me. thanks Hugh

Hugh:
Did you open some of the links and go through all four pages? There is some discussion about what happens when PAF becomes chronic Afib. It did seem to me that they were a little out of date with not much discussion about PVAs. I am very impressed also with the newer approach with the 4 PVs and the linear ablation in the left atrium. Statistics say they are much more effective. (10 - 20% > success)

Pam

Hugh:
Did you open some of the links and go through all four pages? There is some discussion about what happens when PAF becomes chronic Afib. It did seem to me that they were a little out of date with not much discussion about PVAs. I am very impressed also with the newer approach with the 4 PVs and the linear ablation in the left atrium. Statistics say they are much more effective. (10 - 20% > success)

Pam

The last time I was in ER quite a few years ago while still on Sotalol and getting panic attacks the Doctor told me not to come in to ER unless my afib lasted for 5 days, but that is just another sampling of the Dr.'s we have in this town, my husband call them "Army Rejects"

Ella

Thanks, by far the best overview I've seen.

-will

Cathy,

I had an ablation (twice) which has, so far, been successful. Before that I, too, would have literally lived in the ER if I had gone each time I went over even 8 hrs. Each time I did go I said I would never go back because it took so long for them to do anything at all except wait for lab. results and record heart monitor readings. I personally think coumadin is good insurance (even under 65)...particularly when the episodes are extensive. Just my opinion; we each have to make that decision, with help from a doctor. Best wishes to you.

Hugh

There is not one web site that deals with eliminating AF through my means. Although a very good starting place is to understand what many of the additives put in food do to stress the body over time.

For me I found the worst culprit to be MSG and all its hidden forms. MSG and Aspartame are known as excitotoxins and a lot of new medical research is focussing on glutmate receptors in the body and developing drugs to block them - as high glutamate is now known to be involved in many disease processes. The excitotoxins are neurotoxic eg toxic to the nervous system and can actually excite cells so much that some die.

There is a very user friendly site about MSG at

[www.msgmyth]

and

[www.msgtruth.org].

For more scientific analysis I have posted many links before but my computer they were stored on has given up the ghost. So I am hoping that Richard still has the James Butler link about excitotoxins. Also go to the conference room and read all the research there. Glutamate crops up very frequently.

Hope that helps a bit.

Fran