Hi Brian, How often are your episodes. AF sucks. at any age. sounds like your episodes are symptomatic. my first episode I was 30, as an elite athlete. I'm 53 now. Canada has some excellent, skilled, EP surgeons. Essentially, I concur with mjamesone; 'take pause and wait' and, yes, similarly to many others here,like Will1789, warming up to intense exercise has been a key paby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
So I've read research that suggests that the risk for stroke in AF person is not only from the AF episode (causing blood to pool due to poor heart function), but that those who have a propensity for AF can have a structural propensity for stroke, regardless of AF or not. This was recent news to me, and I don't recall the source. This would make me think I should be on blood thinnersby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
interesting. I'm conservatively managing my heart which is now in NSR (shh i don't want to jinx it), post 3 months of chronic AF post ablation for Lone AF, after amiodarone yuck, with 40 mg sotalol BB if I sense I'm worn out or high risk that day (stress)... seems to be doing ok. I have low drug tolerance in general, and respond poorly to daily meds. Resting HR in morning aroundby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
so fascinating, tobherd. That your pulmonary veins had 'ablated' or somehow grown scar tissue to stop the electric misfiring. sounds like you've had a 2nd ablation from Natale and how long have you been free from AF episodes? may I ask your age? thanks, RRby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello. Anyone have knowledge or experience with multiple jumpstarts ECV-electrocardioversions - I must have had at least 15- 20 over the last 10 years. Paroxysmal AF in a fit 50 year wmn. Had an ablation finally in September, I was in AF then for 7 weeks following ablation, before another ECV gave me 10 days reprieve in glorious NSR... my question is: my EP cardio insists that the ECV has noby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Speaking of cardioversions. I've had somewhere between 12 - 20 ECV in last 13 years. It depolarizes every cell in the body. I love it, because it nearly always works. Recently (day 6 of my longest ever episode AF) I've been to 2 local hospitals who explain that the risks outweigh the benefits of ECV. I'm "low rate" (still high for me) according to all their protocoby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
I've found expansion of ribs, and opening the lungs with breathing techniques, have helped the whole heart area and reduced episodes.by strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
so interesting. I'm amazed that your EP condones the use of xarelto as a PIP. especially with your TIA herstory. I am now 50, had lone AF for 20 years, managing well (knock on wood, no episode since july 2020) with lifestyle / direction changes over the last 7 years. My cardio EP actually allowed me/ gave me blessing .. to do the same thing w blood thinner, but only on my request, baby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
So it's 9 days since you posted, I'm curious whether you went ahead Ingrid? I'm 50, i've been an elite athlete, first episode when i was 30, Paroxysmal AF, averaging AF every 2 months; episodes last at least 2 nights for me. I follow similar to George's protocol, and have been thru years where I had to have regular cardioversions, but now am starting to self-revert to Nby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Citrate has been the one that has impact for me. Chloride, too, if I can stand the yuck taste of the solution.by strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi George, so awesome to hear you and son doing well, keeping in NSR. I'm curious, in the 2, hour episodes you mention - did you use PIP Flec? or the out-breath hold, or...how did you revert? I had 4 episodes last year that I self-reverted from, but recently (last 5 months) have had 2 multi-day episodes that required ECV. Flec PIP hasn't been so useful in the past for me, but I willby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
My cardioelectrophysiologist tells me that often "Sick Sinus Syndrome" accompanies AF. I have found that I can still do sprints or high intensity, but I need to warm up into it. And gradually ease off out of the intensity, in order to not trigger AF. And yes, general de-training has helped.by strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
It's quite the list of things that don't cardiovert. Acupuncture has calmed me, but has never reverted me, either. My 2 cents, as an OT, and someone observing my own lone AF for 20 years, would be: Have you tried patience, and kindness. Seriously. Internally, for you. You say it with a laugh, but it may be your best bet, short of an ablation. And even with, or in preparation for,by strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'm 49, i've had paroxysymal AF for 20 years (average a 36 hour episode every 2 months). Somatic Experiencing therapy has radically changed my stress response, along with some very practical-minded counselling sessions with a Mental Health Occupational therapist. In these sessions I have identified the body-mind state that is liable to switch me to AF, and... this last year I am reverby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Carey, you're right; "how do you rectify that" Ideally, you need to take anti coag even if you revert yourself; the risk is the same (so I've been told by leading electrophysiologist) whether you have a successful cardioversion, or self-revert. Even injecting or taking an anti-coag at AF onset, if you've been slack (non-compliant) in taking the blood thinning drugby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Patrick, sorry, not sure how to do the little square quote box thingo, but: yes, that means I've had AF for 19 years. no ablation. Good on you, getting yourself to a counsellor. However, deep behavioural change doesn't always happen instantly (sometimes it does!), and it can take the nervous system a while to catch up with your positive change, so the fact that you've yby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Patrick, I'd be seriously reflecting on your sense of "safety" or "threat", and how to keep yourself in ''safe zone" mentally / emotionally. My first AF episodes were at age 30. I'm now 49. I'm fit and healthy. I eat well, I take Magnesium and Taurine, I breathe only thru my nose... etc. All of those lifestyle changes have reduced myby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Ingrid, Reading this thread reminds me that it would be useful to at least know the age of onset of AF for each person posting, and gender; there are so many variations on the AF theme. Until recently, most research on AF targeted elder males and did not address my demographic (relatively young, fit healthy woman, no enlarged heart). I think it's important to keep that in mind when doiby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Madeline, I only take a quarter, sometimes a half of the 80mg sotalol... and then, only if I observer myself to be at risk of AF trigger. I have paroxysmal, so if i'm low on sleep, or approaching a potentially emotional or confrontational or adrenal-kick event that day, I'll take a half of the sotalol. Seems to work, tho sometimes i wonder if there isn't a bit of placebo eby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
How old are you? I am female, 48, athlete. I take xarelto on an as-need basis... which, now that i have a host of strategies to reduce my afib load, is becoming rarer. I do tend to take the bloodthinner once weekly...that's with no evidence other than my thoughts of 'keeping my body used to taking it'. And, if i suspect i will be in at risk for an AF episode, I will pre-emptivby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
I concur with the advice / support offered here so far. Just to add: I've been a circus artist my whole life (now 48, female), lifting people, and my own bodyweight, and I've found that if I jog on the spot, in order to gradually increase my heart rate, before basing a 3-hi (2 people standing on my shoulders), and then, when it's over, I keep the slow jog going, I can avoid the AFby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Jackie, Dean, Colin... I'm getting confused as to the overall purpose of Natto; originally I understood that it actually reduces the chance of going into AF, due to anti-inflammatory action. After reading here, it seems prized for it's fibrinolytic properties. Does it work both ways? (I get paroxysmal AF, and take xarelto as soon as I'm in an episode. Otherwise I takeby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi George, Thank you for your clarity. I'm v interested in your management strategies, as I enjoy mountaineering and hiking a fair bit as well. I'm curious about how you determined that it was the increased Calcium intake from cheese, rather than emotional stress (maybe a combo? ) that made you susceptible to triggers for AF. I've just had an episode, after some hiking with fby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Anne, triggers for me (age 47, athlete, female, paroxysmal low rate AF episodes for last 17 years): -going from zero to max intensity in exercise, with no prep / warm up. instant trigger -lack of sleep -stress, particularly the kind where i try to do too much, or am emotionally caught off guard/ get angry with someone . delayed trigger; the AF will come on sometimes days later, wheby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
Australia folks: Melbourne : Prof Kalman at the Royal , and Kissler at Alfred/ Cabrini. both are excellent. I have friends who've been ablated by each of them. I'm on the waitlist w Kalman, but if I can sharpen my lifestyle prevention factors even more, I would love not to go under the knife.by strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM
I've had AF paroxysmally for 17 years - starting at age 30. Apart from the weight issue and nasal breathing (and female!), my diet is similar to yours. However, you get a lot of AF episodes for shorter periods. (mine is generally 3 days long, approx every 2 months; I've been cardioverted lots, as well as self-reverting). Do you know how long your AF lasts? From personal experiby strongHeart - AFIBBERS FORUM