I have been one of the "lucky" ones because Multaq has worked really well for me. After 15 plus years of only 2-3 afib outbreaks/year I broke my ankle playing tennis and the adrenalin rush threw me into afib without the usually good response to liquid magnesium which had converted me all those previous years. Multaq stopped afib cold. I had an ablation two months later and went back onby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I take Diltiazem whenever my HR is over 110 and I am in afib and it drops nicely to around 80bpm. Feels so much less anxiety producing at a lower rate. I do take only a chip too and that is enough to lower my HR but not make me extremely sleepy. Good luck with this and all the rest.by karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I take one 1/3 dose when my heart rate has gone up to over 120 while in afib and it knocks it down to 80ish quickly. I am 71 and around 134 pounds if that helps. Is two rate control drugs typical? If so, maybe take them 12 hours apart? I take metropolol at night and actually it helps me fall asleep. I also have had great luck with Multaq (knock on wood) which is very mild and I am apparently a luby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have been on Multaq for about one year after my ablation on August 4, 2022 and it has held me in rhythm through intensely hot tennis matches of 3 hours, and other stressors. I don't think I have had flutter (yet) though. No side effects. I think I am lucky as it is such a mild medication.by karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am 71 now but for the last 15 plus years had afib from playing competitive tennis (meaning, local leagues but with younger players, state championships, etc.). Clearly adrenalin was the culprit because anxiety about wanting to win (versus "fun" tennis with friends) made a difference. Also, serious heat (I live in North Carolina) upped my chances. But still, I only had 2-4 known afib eby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
HDS, So you know, I had paroxymal afib for 15 plus years where afib would hit me several times a year. Held off on ablation until last August. There are so many good options now so don't get discouraged! Find a very very good EP and go from there. Good luck!by karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I started Multaq before my ablation in August 2022 and it stopped my afib cold. I took it after my ablation on 8/4 for three months but then had a bit of break through afib so went back on. In January I had 2 weeks of a holter monitor and it did not show afib according to my great EP, who said I could stop the Multaq. I am 71 but play competitive tennis and in the heat, I used to go into afib wheby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I was told not to play tennis for 10 days after my ablation, so I just walked. I did feel surprisingly good after a 6 hour ablation with Dr. Bahnson--no chest pain, heart rate fine, and even the wounds for the catheters healed well (which was the primary reason for the tennis delay). I was also on Multaq which I think was why it was possible to push without so much concern about break through afiby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Long story short, I met with Dr. Bahnson who carefully read all the Holter and Kardia results and said I do not have afib, flutter, or super ventricular tachycardia (actually sinus tachycardia the cardiologist misread on the print out but did not consider they occurred while I was playing tennis--not expecting a 71 year old was playing tennis at 2:00 pm 4 times a week?). My PAC burden is 3% whichby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you Carey for sharing your story. You are such a generous person to support us all on this forum. I am in awe of your perseverance through such a tough journey and so grateful you went to Natale for hopefully relief from flutter and afib! We all are pretty amazing as we negotiate the maze of doctors, drugs, cardioversions, etc. I will again put in a good word for Tristan Bahnson at Duke whby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
How reassuring Carey! Thank you for your thoughts. This helps me formulate questions for my EP on Tuesday. I was also wanting to coast with the Multaq for a while. I like having a lowered heart rate which actually helps my tennis and endurance walking my English Setter! I did not realize PSVCs were PACS. I have known I have those for years and know they are not that unusual for regular people mucby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for your thoughts and optimism after the realism of having a progressive condition! My EP took 6 hours on what had seemed a conventional ablation because he found so many breakthroughs. Before the ablation he thought I had an 85 percent chance of success. Obviously, there was more going on than anticipated. He has completed 2500 ablations at Duke and I know he is smart and highly competentby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I would appreciate advice from you wise souls on this forum, who have been a support to me for over 20 years, even though I am usually quiet (first with my husband, brother and now for myself). I had an ablation at Duke on 8/4/22 and was on Multaq afterwards. Tried to go off after two months but afib returned so restarted fairly quickly. Tristan Bahnson, MD and I decided to get through the holidaby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
When my heart rate is too high while in Afib, I literally take 1/3 or 1/4 of a cardizem/diltiazem tablet to slow it down, along with my liquid magnesium, to help me convert, which has worked for 15 years! If I took an entire diltiazem, I would sleep for the rest of the day. If my HR remains too fast, I take another chip and then know I will be napping! Please know that this approach was not sby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I thought sinus tachycardia was between 100-140 beats per minute? And that it was benign particularly if exercising? The 6 lead Kardia may not record enough information to determine flutter?by karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had my ablation on 8/4/22. Took Multaq for two months and weaned off (my idea) to once in the am for five days, which ended on 10/8. On 10/12 afib hit at 6:00 a.m. I took my liquid magnesium and converted back about 5 hours later. Restarted Multaq that night. Back in afib yesterday around 6:00 a.m. but did not feel bad enough to not play in a USTA tennis match. Not my best but converted back inby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Please read my post from a few days ago: Apparently Successful Ablation at Duke. Dr. Bahnson successfully ablated my husband's flutter and afib, another friend who had been in persistent afib for years, and is the doctor who trains other Duke doctors on ablations! He has completed over 2500 afib and in the 1990s had already completed a 1000 super ventricular ablations if I recall correctly.by karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
That was my thought, Carey! The ablation took about a total of 6 hours and then I had to rest my two catheter incisions for another 3-4 to assure they healed well (which they did)! I stayed overnight which was fine with me as it was 6:00 p.m. when I woke up in the recovery room (I had been in there about 1.5 hours I think). He uses 4 catheters with one being an ultrasound one. And Dr. Bahnson hadby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
After over 20 years I am so glad to donate. Did not realize this was an option! Karinby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I wanted to let folks know that I had an ablation on August 4 at Duke with Tristram Bahnson, MD. I have had highly intermittent afib for more than 15 years that has always converted in less than 24 hours with liquid magnesium and chips of Cardizem. I load on Chelated Magnesium (4 250 mg delayed release capsules) daily, along with Taurene, and Potassium (2 when playing tennis). Hard competitive tby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Just reading this post. I want to offer Tristram Bahnson, MD, at Duke as an extremely experienced and brilliant electrophysiologist who worked with Natale in the 1990s when he was at Duke. My husband had his first Afib ablation with Dr. Bahnson around 1997-1998 when Dr. Bahnson was already closing in on 1000 afib ablations. By now, the numbers must be far far more! He did two afib and one atrialby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
George, A great (but should have been obvious to me!) suggestion to pre-load my liquid magnesium, which I also do before hard exercise in heat! Thank you! I did read on line about massage techniques to get OUT of afib which may have included your reference. Your knowledge base is far deeper than mine! I will write you about the PDF. Thanks for offering. Kyra did a lot of neck work whereby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I found a wonderful massage therapist who is quite good BUT I noticed some palpitations after one session and two weeks later I had a weird heart rhythm (meaning, not quite afib--maybe lots of PACs) at 2:00 a.m. that my liquid magnesium disposed of fairly quickly. I mentioned my curiosity to Kyra about whether she might have impacted the vagal nerve, as I know that I some of my infrequent lone aby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tristram Bahnson, MD He performed two Afib ablations with my husband and one flutter and thankfully, he has been Afib free for over ten years.by karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
My electrocardiologist at Duke---a physician who is brilliant, trained with Natale, has performed 1000s of ablations, and is more than up to date on current research (and participating in some at Duke) also strongly advises me to take Eliquis, despite the fact that I was in Afib 4 times last year for less than a total of 20 hours, because I am 69 and a female. I am fit (e.g., tennis at least 4 tiby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Madeline, I am encouraged to read that Dr. Natale recommends PRN Eliquis for you. I see a great electrocardiologist at Duke (Dr. Bahnson) who did two Afib and 1 flutter ablation for my husband and saved his life as he had an AVM that burst and a hemorragic stroke that would have killed him if he had been on a blood thinner. My brother had afib for 20 years as his not so hot doctor told him heby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have used Cardiovascular Research's liquid magnesium for years to convert from Afib to sinus rhythm. I know that sounds crazy, but it has worked 100 percent of the time. My husband had Afib for 15 years before me, and it helped him too to convert until ablations were a more permanent fix. I also take it before playing two hours of hard tennis (for a 68 year old!) in the heat and I can feelby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Carey nailed it throughout this topic as usual! Totally agree with all his advice! So true about Natale not being around forever. Hope he has some great disciplles! Good luck and enjoy Austin, Karinby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for the article! What is aggravating is the date of this article!!! 10/7/16!!! My electrophysiologist and I had a LONG discussion about Eliquis last month and no mention of this article! As I was in Afib about 16-20 hours across the ENTIRE year, I am resisting starting this drug, even though I have the risk of being over 65 and a female (which my MD thinks may be related to the fact woby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Cardiovascular Research liquid magnesium is $17.00 for eight ounces on Amazon so since you only use 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces of liquid it is a good deal! Truly you should try it in orange juice rather than water. I am so impressed by the sophistication of so many of you on this forum and appreciate all the thoughtful responses. Truly, it has pulled myself and my husband (both with intermittent fib)by karin - AFIBBERS FORUM