Hi Barb - You asked, "is it ever possible to zero in on any one cause or is this usually a combination of things?" It is not only possible, in fact you already have zeroed in on the one cause underlying the AF and the BP swings, namely a too high intracellular (IC) sodium concentration relative to IC potassium. The science supporting this assertion is solid, and is in the combination of the thrby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Barb - Good questions! High dietary salt (sodium) intake can adversely affect the ratio between sodium (Na) and potassium (K) within the atrial muscle cells (actually, almost all cells) and initiate arrhythmia, probably via reduction of the cells voltage and consequent increase of excitatory IC calcium. My understanding of Flecainides action as a sodium channel blocker is that it favorabby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
In another thread Jackie mentioned these conditions. It would seem important for anyone with AF to have the possibility checked out by a competent nephrologist: What is Bartters Syndrome? Bartters Syndrome is an inherited defect in the renal tubules that causes low potassium levels, low chloride levels, which in turn causes metabolic alkalosis. Bartter Syndrome, is not a single disorder but rby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
A-fib, migraine, magnesium, beta-blockers. excerpt: For example, magnesium was first shown to be of value in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in 1935. More than seventy years later, there are now numerous double-blind studies showing magnesium to be of benefit for many types of arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation, ventricular premature contractions, ventricular tachycardia, and severby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Justine and others, Important advice is to be sure kidney function is evaluated and verified as being 'healthy' before commencing electrolyte supplementation. Here is a reminder from expert researcher Dr. Burford-Mason: CAUTION: EXCESS MAGNESIUM No adverse effects have been reported for magnesium intakes from food (1). Most reported adverse effects from nonfood sources have been with intravenoby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Justine, the following information and protocol for magnesium-based IV Myers' Cocktail might be of interest. Dr. Gaby, an exemplary physician and medical writer, always reminds that nutrients work best as a team. From: Alan R. Gaby, MD, MS Biochemistry Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis 1994 Prima Publishing. ISBN 1-55958-298-7. Read reviews: Page 41: This combination of injectedby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Frank, This magnesium/ bicarbonate water, nicknamed WW by Jackie, has been my principal dietary magnesium source for more than 8 years. I began making and using it shortly after ridding myself of A-fib in '02. This 'cure' came about by reversing magnesium deficiency and its myriad consequences. The article by Hans that I referred to, 'Recipe for Magnesium/Bicarbonate Waterby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi, Josiah and all - I wonder if anyone here was ever told by their cardio or EP that a magnesium deficiency had likely caused cardiac fibrosis, consequently a likely cause of their Afib? Certainly I never was in my 10 year struggle, and that's exactly what it was. But Dr. Seelig said so in 1980, and she relied on research by others many years earlier. Josiah's posted article by Arminby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Rahmulus, Thank you for this important article. Here are excerpts relevant to this discussion on vitamin C, specific to atrial fibrillation: In a relatively small study, 100 patients who had received preoperative β-blocker therapy were randomized to receive vitamin C or placebo. Vitamin C was given in a dose of 2,000 mg the night before the procedure and 1,000 mg twice daily for 5 more daby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Lynn, Putting your values in the format used on the test report (as below) makes it much easier to compare with the interpretation guide Jackie referred to: If you were to plug in the rest of the values, something else might be revealed: is the low K/Na ratio caused by low K, high Na, or both? I'm guessing low K, as K/Mg is also quite low, while Mg by itself is nicely mid-range. As Jackby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Greetings, Everybody! This forum being specific to the topic "lone atrial fibrillation", it necessarily focuses heavily on some specific nutrients known to be involved in its etiology and amelioration. So as not to lose sight of nutrition's Big Picture, here is a pretty good view: ================================= Abbreviated from : An essential nutrient is a nutrient required fby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ken and others, Elevated homocysteine is the primary cause of arteriosclerosis, not cholesterol. The reason doctors don't often know this, and tell us, is that they're not told. Dangerous anti-cholesterol 'statins" are a multi-billion (dollar, yen, pound, franc, whatever) money making machine. Homocysteine is easily controlled with non-patentable, inexpensive vitamins B6, B1by Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Cyndie, It's good to know that you have been studying the books in Jackie's important Observational Report, aka The Strategy- What Metabolic Cardiology Means to Afibbers. The combined science within those books provides a deep understanding of how to proceed with the management of a-fib, its amelioration, even its cure. In fact, my reason for the opening post was to emphasize the iby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
First, this is to highlight our Fearless Leader's enduring theory of why a paroxysmal afib episode eventually stops, and also to commemorate the very beginnings of the Conference Room: Cunference Room Session 2: LAF AND THE HORMONE CONNECTION Jan 15 Jan 31, 2003 ; You are all invited to attend 'A play in three acts: The LAF Cycle or The Theory of Everything' by Hans Larsen. =================by Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Western Civilization. That's it. Pure and simple. You can slice it, dice it, look at it from any angle, from the most basic level of detail to the most complex; take it apart, puzzle over the cell membranes, P-cells, gap-junctions, the vagus nerve, the mitochondria; you can medicate it, burn it, cut it, do clinical trials on it, write scholarly papers on it, earn PhD's on it, build a caby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Steve, you started it. Can you thinkers/ researchers come up with a good illustration(s) of muscle tissue, showing details of its structure and organization -- cells, nuclei, mitochondria, fibers/ bundles, terminal end plates, nerve (axon) connections, capillaries, etc., including descriptive text? For cardiac muscle it will be important to also show the gap-junctions. Even further down in detaby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Double Aaarg! Of course! It's http: not http;by Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Aarrg! Of course: the full 'prefix' is . <http;//www.postchronicle.com/news/health/article_212315233.shtml>by Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Elizabeth, I learned the hard way that sometimes the prefix http:// has to added. Let's see if it works now: <http;//postchronicle.com/news/health/article_212315233.shtml>by Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Isabelle, Osteopenia being pre- osteoporosis, the best time to reverse it is of course before damage occurs -- and it definitely is reversible. Witness my friend Fran who was diagnosed with advancing osteopenia 2 years ago and now has perfect bone density. Highly recommended reading is 'Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis' by Alan R.Gaby, MD, MSc Biochemistry, one of my all-timby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Mike, It seems reasonable that your low Mg/Ca ratio is secondary to your low Mg, even beyond the obvious reason. It would be helpful if your full exatest results were here too, in the original format. You're gonna get there, Mike - I can feel it in my (mag rich) bones! ===================================================== Hi Steve, I'm taking the liberty of posting your exatest reby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
From MAGNESIUM - DESIRABLE INTRACELLULAR REFERENCE RANGE: 33.9-40mEq/l Adequate intracellular magnesium is essential to normal tissue and organ function. Next to potassium it is the most abundant cation in cells and tissues. Measurement of intracellular levels with the EXA test is vital to maintain and treat many medical syndromes. Serum levels, RBCs and lymphocytes do not adequately reflect cby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Circulation, Vol 87, 1806-1815, Copyright © 1993 by American Heart Association ARTICLES Intracellular calcium homeostasis in cardiac myocytes WH Barry and JH Bridge Division of Cardiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City. Calcium homeostasis in cardiac myocytes results from the integrated function of transsarcolemmal Ca2+ influx and efflux pathways modulated by membraby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ray, continuing: >"For the past six years I have had weekly episodes of afib lasting about ten hours. I have never been cardioverted nor converted with drugs. I would like to ask directly, if I go into afib because Im lacking, for example, magnesium or potassium, why does it convert on its own without taking any magnesium or potassium supplement, and not have another episode for a week?" 'Backby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Liz, Thanks for your comments. I'm puzzled by "How do you account for the millions of people walking around with low electrolytes and without afib?" Does that mean that having low electrolytes might be good? That's not logical! (Spok)*. You must have missed the point of my post which was about the all important ratio between intracellular potassium and sodium (K/Na) as regby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Mike, Good that you came up with the required info! I wish you success! Anyway, thought it might be a good excuse to re-post the following wisdom of Alan Gaby, MD, MSc. It is magnesium based IV, not IM, but can be administered in a willing doctor's office via syringe. Dr. Gaby always reminded us that nutrients work best as a team. Good luck! Erling ===================================by Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Copied from INTERPRETATION GUIDE FOR EXATEST THE INDIVIDUALIZED REPORT FORM IS INTENDED FOR PROFESSIONAL INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES (FROM CURRENT MEDICAL LITERATURE), TO ASSIST PRACTITIONERS IN CHOOSING APPROPRIATE TREATMENT AND IS NOT INTENDED TO RECOMMEND TREATMENT OR TO MAKE SPECIFIC DIAGNOSIS BASED ON SUCH DATA. DECISIONS ON PATIENT CARE SHOULD BE BASED ON ALL LABORATORY TESTS, HEALTH HISTORIEby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi! Here's hoping this will be helpful: For some time my blood pressure had been rising. I tried many things to control it, all the time reading up on the subject -- various drugs and their action, the RAAS, salt (sodium) restriction, diet. Studying 'The High Blood Pressure Solution' by Richard D. Moore, MD, PhD, I gave his reasoning a trial by upping potassium (K) intake "by Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Sharon! Cheers and congratulations on your diligent and wise approach to "health care"! I am delighted reading your descriptive post, and in particular these statements: "My Mom has an appointment with Dr. Natale in January but hoping we won't need his assistance by then". "Wish most doctors knew how to really search for the root of the problem instead of juby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM
(click here for text with included references) THE TRUTH ABOUT VITAMIN D TOXICITY John Jacob Cannell MD Executive Director, The Vitamin D Council 2003.09.05, updated 2009.06.20 Vitamin D Toxicity Fears Unwarranted Is vitamin D toxic? Not if we take the same amount nature intended when we go out in the sun. Vieth attempted to dispel unwarranted fears in medical community of physiologicalby Erling - AFIBBERS FORUM