I'm about 2 months into my realization of how important potassium-sodium balance is for me. My pvc's have basically disappeared during this time that I have focused on it, and my afib has reduced by more than half. Knowing this could be transitory, I'll cautiously offer my thoughts. My main potassium supplement is a banana, and occasionally (once every couple of days or so) a teby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Wow! Do you folks watch Fox News? A few years ago I would have written a long insulting diatribe, but now I'll just say Wow!by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'm surprised no one responded to this post Nancy. It is very interesting and relevent. I'd love to hear some analysis of it.by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
I remain thoroughly confused by the references to constipation from Magnesium consumption (and earlier references to it "bulking the stool"). And I don't understand how someone can take several grams a day without suffering complete malnutrition from diarrhea. I guess it just shows how many moving parts (going in differing directions) there are in each of us.by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
I don't have a cardy meter, but I have about a dozen blood tests dating back to 1990 (8 in the last 3 years). My Potassium Serum level has been in a very narrow range - 4.1 at the lowest (1990), 4.2 when afib kicked in 3 years ago, and 4.6 at the highest readings. In fact, an exact 4.6 reading happened more than 1/2 the time. Obviously, the Cardy meter is not measuring serum level, but Iby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Duke, you need Sodium - you will most certainly die without it, though I suspect it would be impossible to avoid completely even if you tried. The correct ratio of the 2 electrolytes is not properly understood I suspect because of marketing tactics. Let me explain. The term "Recommended Daily Allowance" that is referenced on product labels doesn't mean the same thing for Soby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
When I look at my blood tests from when my afib has been its worst (10% overall burden), my levels have been around 4.2 - well within "normal" levels, but lower than the 4.6 levels from when my afib has been better (1% overall burden). Recently, I decided to follow the thread of this seemingly minor discrepency - For all the talk about Potassium, there is so much other questionable advby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'll chime in on this one. My vagal afib, in which 98% of my occurences are after I go to bed, is not disabling physically for me. I am very active in the garden, on the dance floor, and in other random activities (basketball, performing music, etc.) as they do not bring on afib for me either in the moment or in the aftermath. I would say though that afib could be considered a partial emoby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
George N: I'm not following you - you said "Magnesium is known for its laxative properties. Magnesium is hydrophillic, so any mag not absorbed in the gut absorbs water and bulks the stool". Isn't it the opposite - it doesn't bulk the stool - it results in loose stool if it is not absorbed by the gut. Am I misunderstanding something? Personally, anything above 200mgby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think the stat at the very bottom is more re-assuring - a .07 mortality rate in an analysis of a 2012 European registery of 1300 ablations. In other words, 1 of the 1300 people died. The .6 percent figure in the body of the report means effectively 1 in every 167 people who had a catheter ablation died in the hospital (some for unrelated reasons), which is a little frightening. Of course, soby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Any research or personal knowledge or experience on whether ablations for afib also eliminate ectopics? I can imagine they might do so with PAC's, not sure how it would help with PVCs. For me at this point with only occasional middle of the night afib, ectopics, which are primarily daytime and more frequent, are close to as big a hassle psychologically. If I knew they were going to be gonby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Shannon. That is extremely helpful to me. You say that the SEVERE consequences are well under 1% with experienced providers (I will go to Natale if and when the time comes - have already seen him in consult). Any more exact data by chance (for strokes, PV stenosis, phrenic nerve palsy, tamponade, esophageal fistula heart puncturing, etc.) ? 1 in 500 odds is five times better than 1 inby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Shannon. Any statistics on how many of those 513 patients had compliations from the ablations, and of what severity? Or any other studies that speak to that? I recall 1 - 2% was the norm for somewhat nasty complications, and if that is still the case, I'm not sure why it gets overlooked in the push to ablate.by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
George, I'm curious how you know that it reduced your need for mag from 4g to 2.4g. Are you saying that before if you went below 4g you would have symptoms, and now if you go below 2.4g you have symptoms?by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Kurt. Just an observation - you say you added COQ10 and things got worse again. I have found no positive association with COQ10, and I believe others here have surmised that it can worsen symptoms for them. Maybe just stop taking it, but continue with the Mag. I'd pull out all the other things you say you added as well and try to return to the time when you were just taking the mag 20by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Not believing in a left-side trigger is almost enough to get me to look for another EP. I get that it must be hard hearing antecdotal stories all day long - some people are not very good at tracking things (or worse) and doctors don't have a good way of knowing whether I (or you) am one of those people. So I'm giving him a pass on it, although I will register one mark in the Arroganceby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Here is a link from Pete's that says it is usually about 100mg per 6 ounce, so 200 mg for a "small" 12 ounce cupby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
To add to that - Starbucks doesn't even serve 8 ounce coffee anymore (they might if you special request it). The standard small at Starbuck's, Pete's, et al. is 12 ounce - a 12 ounce at Starbuck's is 260mg of caffeine. Coffee used to be served in 5 or 6 ounce cups - not anymore except maybe at a diner. I think a reasonable estimate for a cup of coffee as most people drinby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Straight from the Book of Ron apparentlyby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hard to believe someone is advocating censorship on this site. For me, it seems that caffeine and coffee are not a trigger for afib (obviously it is a trigger for some people). Sometimes coffee can get my stomach overly contracting and gurgling, which when I'm in a sensitive part of my cycle, sometimes leads to pvc's. That is about the only connection I can make for myself. Going wiby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'm pretty certain Shannon suggested that taking TOO MUCH melatonin could result in TOO MUCH suppression of Cortisol, leading to a hypoglycimic state (not sure why that would happen), which could result in the body producing Adrenalin to adress that situation. That could of course trigger an afib episode.by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Both of your responses were appreciated by me Peggy. It was some of the other responses that seemed off-point. I've used 1mg the last 2 nights with slightly noticable effect. I'll probably try 2mg tonight, though I'm pretty sure the main ingredient for me is going to be retraining my mind.by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
I was just asking whether melatonin might cause a problem for a vagal afibber like me (some drugs or supplements can increase or decrease vagal tone). I appreciate reading through all the info but it doesn't seem very relevant to me. I'm not suffering from insomnia - I don't lay awake for more than a minute or two - just in the habit of waking myself up into a conscious state eveby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Anyone know anything about the effects of Melatonin on the ANS? I read a little about it modulating the Autonomic Nervous System. I'm vagal all the way, and don't sleep well partly because I have trained myself to be vigilant about going into afib. I would like longer uninterupted sleep, and my m.d. suggested Melatonin.by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you Hans for making this board happen, and for all your contributions to it. Best wishes for your retirement. Ralphby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have the Alivecor monitor for my iphone 5 - works very well for me and the other people who I have had try it. The frequent software updates have it working better (less chance of it loosing the connection) than it did when I got it in June. I got it because I wanted documentation of my afib episodes - it tells me nothing I can't already clearly feel about my afib and pvc's.by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi David. I think inflamation of some sort is involved in my flare-ups, but I don't think I have an HH. There are some people on this forum that want to tie any self-reporting of symptoms by others into their own story/belief of progressive afib and the need for an ablation. They are overly vocal it seems, and I would caution against being unduly influenced by them as the ones with differby Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
What makes you think Parasites are particularly active at night? What do you mean the body is trying to "clean house" during sleep? What do you base your opinion on that it may be the one of the most common sources of a racing heart at night? They all sound like pure speculation to me in support of a theory you are championing.by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM
Calcium is one of the many things I've focused on and found no relationship with causing the susceptible state.by Ralph - AFIBBERS FORUM