Just 3 weeks ago when I was seeing a massage therapist my heart went into some weird flutter/fib for about 15-20'seconds when she was working my neck muscles. Stopped as soon an she moved on. So I'd say, yes, your nerves in the neck and back can absolutely be pro-arrhythmic. I think Med school has its equivalent of a "senior skip day". That would be the day where they teachby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
How many per day would you estimate? You can certainly ask for a low dose anti-arrhythmic if they are particularly bothersome, but that is swinging a large hammer so to speak.by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteGeorgeN If you are vagal, I recall Rythmol as having beta blocking properties and Hans recommended against it for vagal afibbers because of that in his first book. He suggested Flecainide instead. George I can attest to that. I was vagal and Rhythmol was "middling" at best. Plenty of AF breakthroughs. In the end I actually found it worked better if I drank beer (DONT do thiby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
For the record, Xanax is crap and should be avoided. I found it did ZERO for me in terms of getting to sleep and it left me with a hungover feeling the next day. Heck, I'd rather drink. I may get the hangover but at least I'll sleep!by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
PACs are normally inconsequential on their own but in us a-fibbers they can be the precursor to an episode. Sort of like the first few popcorn kernels in the popper before it really gets going. They won't remodel your atria just on their own, though.by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Try Gatorade as opposed to water for hydration. Keep up with the electrolytes. Speaking as a vagal AFer, yes, beta blockers (such as metoprolol) are not helpful. They aggravate. And, anxiety = AF = anxiety = AF... You get the picture. Break the cycle. Tough as it is, try to relax. The mind can control the heart just as much as the opposite, sometimes.by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jennifer, Get the GoLytely and force it down the best you can. I didn't have any problems with it as far as arrhythmia is concerned. As for the anasthesia, you'd have to ask that beforehand. I'd call them right away if you want a different option than the pretty much standard propofol. If you wait until the day of the procedure then you'll probably just get bumped to a lateby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Had the procedure today. No problems to report. I could only get about 2/3 of the GoLytely down. Tastes like seawater.by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, I would experiment a bit with lower K levels to see if that improves your bigeminal rhythms. As for BMI, you can safely ignore what the government says. 6'0" and 170 lbs is actually kind of low. That's where I was when my AF started. You might actually be a little malnourished at those levels, which contributes to arrythmia. I've found that low blood sugar will triggerby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
2g potassium? Isn't that a bit high? That would be about 20 tablets if you are using the OTC brands. Roughly 50 mEq if I did the math right. OTC stuff is not likely extended release like the prescription KCl. Have you discussed the KCl with the EP staff?by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Just stop the mag oxide and start another one. 600 mg is a fine starting dose. You shouldn't have bowel issues at that level.by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
If it's happening at night, it's possible you have a vagal trigger. AF can fall into two broad categories - adrenerigic (activity triggers it) and vagal (rest triggers it). For me, as I am a runner, it was vagal. I would go out of rhythm seemingly randomly during the evening and nighttime hours whilst doing nothing more than sitting on the sofa or lying in bed. Sleeping on my left sideby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Welcome the club we all hate! Heavy drinking is murderous on electrolytes, specifically magnesium. Other than the "binge" episode, can you figure any triggers for the others? We're you active at the time? Resting? Dehydrated?by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Great report! If mine ever comes back, I'm flying to Austin.by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mine looked like it was going to go away on the 2nd night, one day after tamiflu. Then, overnight, it rocketed back with a vengeance and laid me out with fever of 104F on day 3. Thought about the ER, but the forecast here was for a brief return of winter with overnight lows of 25F so I shut off my heat, opened the windows and slept al-fresco. That broke the son-of-a-gun and it whimpered away yestby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Perhaps Gallic cardiology differs from our more Puritanical, American form! It really sounds like you could benefit from careful adherence to our supplementation strategy. Specifically the magnesium, but also taurine and potassium. The former two can be experimented with in dosage up to bowel tolerance. The latter not so much as it can cause other arrhythmias. Now would be an excellent time tby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'm guessing "cheeky" G&T drinkers live in England! If your AF triggers are adrenerigic (which it sounds like they are given the exercise reference), then alcohol is very likely to be another upsetting factor. Mike is correct in that ethanol itself actually isn't a toxin, rather its first metabolite is. Our bodies quickly cleave ethanol into acetylaldehyde via the alcoby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Day 2 and no ectopics to speak of. I guess this med is OK for us, although I think next season I'll be getting the shot!by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
My "arsenal" only includes store-brand D3 and EmergenC packets. I actually ran out of zinc last week As usual, perfect timing!by wolfpack - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
Thanks for the reply. I woke up feeling bad at 5:30 this morning, and I just took the first tamiflu dose now. So it's been a little over 12 hours. Here's hoping it works!by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Influenza virus causes massive release of inflammatory cytokines from infected cells. My HR right now, lying in bed, is 30bpm higher than normal.by wolfpack - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
Any thoughts on taking this? My 6-year old has the flu and gifted it to me. I've got a 5-day RX but haven't taken it yet.by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
GoLytely is what they gave me. I didn't specifically ask for it, but I did tell the nurse about my AF history so maybe that's why.by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Delightful subject, I know... Are there any precautions one should take regarding the prep solution? It's basically miralax and magnesium overload. I worry about the dehydration that is guaranteed to occur as a result, and how that, coupled with the darn anasthesia might trigger a storm of ectopics. I'm planning on taking some peppermint oil a few hours before the exam to calm theby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Anton, The refractoriness is in the AV node between the atria and ventricles. Conduction ratios of 2:1 and 3:1 are common. Perhaps you're more like 4:1, so the ventricular rate is slow. Add some adrenaline to the mix (exercise), and that ratio will lessen but should not go 1:1. You'd be on the floor if that happened.by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes. Let me emphasize that. YES. Stress beats the crap out of your adrenal glands by forcing them to make Cortisol (the stress hormone). At some point the poor little things are going to exhaust their ability to make it and start goosing you with adrenaline instead. Whammo! Heart flutter and palpitations. Your electrolytes are also not in a good place. Definitely supplement and fix thby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Magnesium in blood equals magnesium in blood and nothing else. It's 2% of what's actually in your body. So for it (serum, or blood, levels) to be "normal" really doesn't give any indication whatsoever about the intracellular magnesium levels in your heart, liver, or any other organ in your body. The best supplement in my experience is the chelated magnesium glycinate.by wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dr. John does a great job at confusing people! I thought about backing out of my scheduled ablation two years ago partly because of his obfuscations. The decision is yours in cooperation with your EP/Cardio team. If you seek out the best possible practitioner at the best possible facility that you can find and afford for yourself, you'll find that there is almost always a very good chanceby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
As Shannon always reminds us, the statistics really argue for one to seek out the most highly-skilled practitioner at the most reputable facility one can find. The broad-based statistics will include the leading EPs with the more pedestrian ones who only do a dozen or so procedures a year. If you isolate your research to the top tier facilities and practitioners, you will find that not only are sby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM
Alice, You're not going to die. And if Dr Natale is your EP, I'm sure he will be there to take care of a 3rd ablation if in fact such is necessary. In the meantime, try the supplementation route Jackie has suggested if you aren't already doing it. Not participating in life is a terrible price to pay for this darn thing we know as AF. I hope that's not the case for very longby wolfpack - AFIBBERS FORUM