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Re: afib progression - 3 months ago

My personal experience, 20+ years in, is that progression does not have to happen (as I had a 2.5 month episode in my first 4 months of presenting with afib and most subsequent years my AF burden has been < 0.05%). However my experience is not common. However, atrial fibrosis can progress, though if you've previously had episodes typically you'd see more episodes with progression.

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Newbie sharing his story and probably some questions - 3 months ago

QuoteTHEVGE General question about alternative chemical ways of controlling my AF: - Would it be helpful to try blood pressure medicine? Normally when I am calm my BP is OK, but an AF attack often starts with a "rush through my body" where I am unsure if this is a steep BP rise or a stress hormone rush. This feeling of a rush is pretty new for me by the way. - Would it be helpful to t

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Newbie sharing his story and probably some questions - 3 months ago

QuoteTHEVGE - Any exertion more than normal walking (I think anything above 120 bpm is high risk for me). - Alcohol. - Stress/anxiety. - Simply lying on my left side in bed. - Eating (also healthy food). - And totally random attacks...... Yes, these can be common triggers. You appear to have both adrenergic (sympathetic nervous system) and vagal (parasympathetic nervous system) triggers,

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Four weeks!! - 3 months ago

Praying it stays this way for you and your headaches abate as well!

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Biofeedback to relax while having a bad arrhythmia - 3 months ago

QuoteCarey Tenormin is atenolol. What you're saying is the same as saying acetaminophen doesn't work for you but Tylenol does. What you're experiencing may be nocebo effect. I'm in the category that not all generics are equivalent to either other generics or brand name meds. Here is an interview on the topic: "In this episode, Katherine Eban, investigative journal

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Vitamin E as blood thinner? - 3 months ago

Quotegloaming Others would want to do martial arts, cycle, or ski. True. There are also risk levels within all of these activities. For example, I avoid large or inverted aerials while skiing (or skiing fast through the trees). I also avoid large whippers while leading in rock climbing & so on. One of my climbing partners is a neurologist. We've had blood thinner discussions.

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Rectal thermometer conversion and other methods:-) - 3 months ago

Here is the writeup on the farmer's escalating conversion protocol (i'm attaching the image file in case you want to download & zoom in):

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: afib and ED meds - 3 months ago

Here is what Chat GPT 4 says: Sildenafil, commonly known by the brand name Viagra, is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor primarily used to treat erectile dysfunction. Its cardiovascular effects, particularly concerning atrial fibrillation (AF), have been a subject of clinical interest. **Potential Association with Atrial Fibrillation:** - **Case Reports and Observations:** There

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: afib and ED meds - 3 months ago

Quotegloaming What is ED med? Is it Emergency Department or is it a co-pay....not sure. Think what meds sildenafil or tadalafil treat.

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: AFIB and Hockey or Sports in general - 3 months ago

QuoteDano I really want to continue playing hockey as a lot of you do want to continue to be active You may want to read this thread. Hi Dan, I'm a 69 year old guy whose path to afib 20 years ago was from chronic fitness. Now I know your objective is to continue to play hockey. What I'm suggesting is that the hockey could be a trigger and possibly changing things a bit might mit

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: The association between remnant cholesterol levels and the risk of atrial fibrillation: A deeper dive into a dramatic reversal in findings - 3 months ago

Looking at the afib vs time graph, time/age seems to be a MUCH bigger factor than the Remnant Cholesterol (RC). RC is basically Total Cholesterol minus (LDL + HDL). It is usually mostly triglycerides. Low RC is generally associated with lower heart disease.

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: EP recommendation near D.C.? Medstar? - 3 months ago

Not exactly what you are asking for, but reasonable traveling distance is Pasquale Santangeli, MD, PhD at Cleveland Clinic. He's in the top echelon.

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: AT after AF ablation? - 3 months ago

QuoteNancy9 I am considering an early ablation (PVI) for AF, but I also have fairly minor (so far) atrial tachycardia. I assume you'll select a top notch EP for the job - not just one who does PVI's. Most top people will use isoproterenol (IPN) to induce arrhythmia after the PVI and ablate those problems, too. Try to get everything you know about addressed in the first procedure.

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: AT after AF ablation? - 3 months ago

Quotegloaming d. The longer your heart is beating uncontrollably and chaotically, the more it remodels itself. Remodeling might, probably will, make all but an SA/AV node ablation and implantation of a pacemaker all that's left. This scenario can certainly be true, if someone is in persistent afib for a long time. However, from what Nancy has posted, she's far from this and plenty o

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Goodbye CHADSVASc: Sex Complicates Stroke Risk Scoring in AF - 3 months ago

My takeaway is that women to have higher stroke risk than men, however this only presents once the Chads2Vasc score is 2 or greater (at which point the person should be on anticoagulation anyway). Another takeaway: "The newer direct oral anticoagulation is “a much simpler therapy,” he added. “There is very little monitoring, a similar risk of bleeding as aspirin, and yet the ability to

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: PACs are getting really annoying. - 4 months ago

QuotePompon For some, excess calcium may even lead to AFib. I think GeorgeN has mentioned that several times. In my case, excess calcium "lowers the bar for triggers." Meaning that situations that are never triggers can become triggers when my calcium intake is higher. As well "no trigger" afib, which almost never happens for me, can become common.

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: PACs are getting really annoying. - 4 months ago

Quotekliving I understand they are supposed to be "harmful" but they do drain the energy out of me. This has gradually gotten worse again over the past two weeks. My EP has suggested Tykosyn to be the next thing to try. Anyone have any experience with it and PACs? I'm not fond of trying it, but I guess it is the only way to chase this down. Several of my friends have had success

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Vitamin E as blood thinner? - 4 months ago

How about sparring headgear? Like Carey, I wear a helmet for most activities. I also have a genetic predisposition to Alzheimers & those genetics also make it harder for my brain to recover from head injury. I definitely pay attention to that risk (I played US football in college and am lucky I didn't get brain damage from that).

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Vitamin E as blood thinner? - 4 months ago

Quoteaikidorobbins My major form of exercise is a martial art so I am opposed to taking blood thinners because I would have to give it up and that would profoundly effect my quality of life. I'm 69 and very active. I'm on Eliquis, 5mg 2x/day. Rock climbing on sharp rock, I commonly rip the heck out of my arms, also knees and two weeks ago was belaying barefoot on sharp rock. The c

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Complications associated with pulsed field ablation versus radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation - 4 months ago

QuoteNBeener What I didn't see -- at least not in the cite to which you linked directly (ie, I didn't look for the full paper) is the level of experience with PFA that the PFA-providers had vs. the level of experience the RFA providers had with doing RFA. From what they stated in the abstract: "We conducted a search of the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience databa

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Successful Ablation - 4 months ago

Great news! Hear is to long term NSR!

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Odd Kardia reading - 4 months ago

The 3rd contact on a 6L is on the back and is used on the leg. Wonder if there is lotion or some other substance on the leg; if the contact and the leg skin are not damp; and/or if pressing too hard on the leg. If it was electrical interference, I would expect that to happen to all the contacts, not just the one on the back. Lastly, could the back contact be dirty. {edit} Having some salt

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Where can I buy brand name Tenormin? - 4 months ago

Quotesusan.d Maybe I need a computer but the link doesn’t allow me to put it in a cart and I don’t see the option of getting an in-house Dr write a Rx. I’m terribly symptomatic right now and will try. My GP canceled again stating he is ill. So I need a Rx from someone else. Thanks George You need to be logged in first, before you can put in cart. On checkout, it will ask these questions:

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: AFIB burden, measured by Apple Watch Series IX - 4 months ago

To Carey's point, the HR vs time examples I posted here, the first is NSR with lots of PACs, the second is afib. Both would have had very high HRV. I would also be suspect of the accuracy using plethysmography vs ECG data for this. I believe when you have to touch the watch with your other hand is ECG data, otherwise the watch is using plethysmography (blood flow pulses) for the afib dat

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Where can I buy brand name Tenormin? - 4 months ago

Quotesusan.d I’ll try your pharmacy once I get a Rx (if he is willing to write one because he never heard of brand). . If you can't get an Rx, get a Goldpharma doc to do it. It is what I've always done. The cost is nominal. I even ordered naltrexone for my wife. She'd been using low dose naltrexone (3 mg/day) from a compounding pharmacy, so ordered the normal naltrexone (50 m

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Where can I buy brand name Tenormin? - 4 months ago

Quotesusan.d Anyone know where I can get brand name Tenormin shipped overseas? Susan, I checked and they carry it. They are a broker and your order will go through an EU pharmacy. In this case, AstraZeneca GmbH is the maker and Tenormin 50mg 100 Filmtbl is the product. The leaflet is in German. My only question is whether they'd ship to your location. I've used them to

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: The Rising Tide of Atrial Fibrillation: Is Primary Care Ready? - 4 months ago

QuoteTodd Looks like AF is the gift of Inheritance.. Search it some more. Yes, however the odds ratios quoted aren't guarantees, just a greater prevalence.

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Accuracy of Kardia Mobile?? Frustrated! - 4 months ago

QuoteMyticker I’ve even had Drs saying low HR is saving beats for later in life when I need it. However, as I’m older I no longer exercise nearly as much as when I was even in my 40s and still have resting HR low 50s and in 40s. Scary to think what it must be when sleeping. Chronic endurance exercise was my path to afib 20 years ago & my first four months of my afib career had a 2.5 mon

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Accuracy of Kardia Mobile?? Frustrated! - 4 months ago

I completely agree with Pompon. The p waves are very distinct.

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Accuracy of Kardia Mobile?? Frustrated! - 4 months ago

To illustrate Carey's point, here is an extreme example of NSR. Years ago, Mark, an optometrist from the UK sent me a PDF with a whole bunch of images of his unfortunate rhythms. NOTE, these are NOT ecg's, they are heart rate vs time graphs. EP's sometimes make them from Holter monitor data by plotting the time between R peaks in an ECG. This time can be converted to beats per m

by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM