I get it. Solid info there, thanks much! I am learning constantly since I had my first big afib in ‘21 that landed me in the ER. Afib? What’s that? Haha it was like 50 cups of espresso and a tsunami in my chest. Now with the ablation everything is calm but only on the surface. My subconscious mind is busy repairing things and I have to chill. It’s hard work doing nothing. I wonder if my doctor plby Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, that is wise. Usually pains will tell you when you have pushed your body too far. In this case, though, where you are healing but it doesn't hurt, Intuition, or the sixth sense, will guide you. I hope you will be free of afib!by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, but here’s the weird part (or at least I think so). Apparently the inside of the heart has no pain sensors! How else can they punch a hole through your septum between the atria and then scorch the lining yet it feels fine? When my dermatologist burns off a growth it hurts!! As a result, recovering from ablation, you can’t tell if exercise or strain is maybe hurting you. I actually feel fineby Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks, all, for your thoughtful reactions to my post. I am learning a lot on the forum. I should clarify what I said about lifting weights. I don’t bench press 300 pounds! I go to the gym and do moderate strength training on exercise machines, along with cardio and stretching. I assume this will all be ok in a couple weeks, right? Who needs fibrosis on their left atrium??!!by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ok, I mustered my courage and did it! Wow was I nervous. My hands were sweating yet my body was shivering. Well, it was a piece of cake. And, not one afib or flutter in the 5 days since. No pain. Just sleepy. Should have done it long ago. And, dig this: the MRI showed an anatomical rarity: I have no left atrial appendage. What this means TBD but maybe no more Eliquis. They tell me to chill forby Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, the tech of ablation is truly awesome! A lot of work, brain power, money, time, trial, and error went into what we have today, no question about it. Yet it still seems primitive, doesn't it?by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
There are only a few sources of funding for research. Drug companies? Haha look at the struggles taking Eliquis generic. The Feds (NIH, FDA, etc)? Politics influences the flow of funds - there's no AF lobby. Philanthropists? Yes, they get to name an institute or medical center, but no interest until a billionare gets AF! Pure research? It doesn't exist in the real world. Medical sby Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
wow! that kind of scare can put you right into PTSD mode! that story brings us right back to the proper perspective. it's like a bad dream only worse because it's real.by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good points, all! I will certainly ask those questions. I am rather naive. They call it a 'procedure', but it sounds much more like an 'operation' to me!by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Your story is very encouraging. Especially the part where the first one didn't work, but the second one did. That took courage but also faith that it would work out. And also the part where you review the alternatives to having ablation now. I appreciate your candor. You know what I'm going through. Thank you!by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
I went this last week without any symptoms whatsoever. I felt great! So, I thought, maybe I have turned a corner, and afib is over. No operation for me. Wrong. Today I feel like s***t. My chest is thumping like 40 cups of espresso, I'm seeing flashes, getting a head rush when I stand up, and I'm weak. So glad I'm retired, I could never work like this. Whatever my reservations and fby Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks, Daisy, it was reassuring to read your message. My GP and my cardiologist recommend this EP doctor highly, he is very experienced, and we seemed to vibe together OK. So, I will be having the ablation later in March. It is scary, though.by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Later this month, I will be getting an ablation. How did I get here? After 3 years of afib episodes, feeling lousy, spending a fortune on Eliquis, trying supplements, breathing, meditation, losing weight, searching for causes, I gave in. My doctors (general, cardio, and EP) think it comes down to aging and it will get worse. They think that in 5 years I'll be too old for a successful ablatioby Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Many thanks for all the helpful comments here. I am finding the forum very informative.by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
And also... now that I know what I'm experiencing are PAC's, I'm wondering why I'm getting episodes of them that last, sometimes, for hours. I can't sleep, my heart is pounding and I feel like I drank 3 espressos (I don't use coffee). Is this afib trying to break through? Is this because I'm getting older (79)? Should I take an extra beta blocker? Should I worryby Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
I get it. Thanks for explaining it so well.by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for clarifying that. Can you feel the 'quivers'? How do I distinguish a PAC from an afib without an ECG?by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi. Two years ago I had a big afib episode. I was treated at the ER. A cardiologist put me on Eliquis and Metoprolol. This year I have had a few arrhythmias. They feel very much like the afib that landed me in the hospital. In fact, I had one in the cardiologist's office while taking an ECG. But the cardiologist called it a PAC, not afib. He said PAC's are benign. They sure feel uncomfoby Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Afib is new to me, as my first couple of big episodes a few weeks ago landed me in the ER. I felt like I had drunk 50 cups of double espresso. Now I am an afibber on beta blockers and blood thinners. Since the initial problems, I have had a couple of milder episodes, and these have stopped, trickling off to a couple of ectopics or skipped beats on occasion. Now I'm worried. Are the ectopicsby Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks! Including the direct links to the products on the iHerb site was extremely helpful. I'm considering making a cocktail of the three minerals, blending them into a jug of low-sodium V8, and staying out of afib.by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
What about magnesium taurate? Is that the best of both worlds?by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you, GeorgeN, I appreciate that you have so much knowledge and are willing to share your experience. I am wondering, are there particular stores, and specific brands of these supplements that you might recommend? And, what do you think, can you mix some of these powders together in a pitcher of V8 or something to sip through the day? Or is water best?by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am so glad to find this afibbers.org site! I followed the 'Vitamin Shop' link on the forum page, and - whoa! So many supplements, so many bottles, so many choices. Is there one particular brand, or one particular formula or combo that our members generally feel best about? I know that all our bodies are different, but is there general agreement on a winning strategy?by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi. I’m new to the forum, and new to having afib. I have read about magnesium, potassium, taurine, calcium. What are the right amounts to take? Is there a combo pill that people can recommend?by Mel-O - AFIBBERS FORUM