Just about everything out there that you can eat, drink, or put in your mouth is bad for you in excessive quantities. Common sense and restraint are the control factors, and it takes many folks a long time to figure that out.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
After my first ablation which lasted 13 years, I occasionally had ectopic beats, but only for 2-5 second blips. I found this website and via recommendations I found here, started taking Magnesium, Potassium and Taurine daily, with additional Magnesium in the evening, but not at high levels. I have been doing this for about 13 years and have essentially eliminated the ectopic beats. I am now 3by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
What Cary said above: "No vaccine in the history of medicine ever prevented an infection." When exposed to a virus, if you have had a vaccine, hopefully the vaccine will fight the virus you were exposed to, and you will not get sick, or maybe a little sick as your body fights off the infection because you were vaccinated. The reality is - since viruses constantly mutate (likeby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
susan.d For me, it was either run on 3 cylinders forever, or find a trusted mechanic to do the repairs that were needed. There is always some risk with any and all medical treatments, but we are capable of making informed choices. If I had gone for a cryo ablation on either of my two ablations, neither would have been successful. I was asked to be in a clinical trial for cryo in 2006 for myby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
You have a four-cylinder car that is misfiring, and a rookie mechanic thinks it's a bad spark plug. One is easy to reach so he changes it and hopes for the best as it takes great skill and time to access the other three. Maybe he got the right one or maybe there are others not sparking correctly but for the moment, things are running smoothly. The experienced mechanic thinks it could beby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Just speculation, but it seems that ablations may cause a reduction in max HR if afib returns with no rate control drugs. Something I posted before, but my max HR (no meds or afib) is now around 120. Prior to afib and ablation, it was much higher. I even had a stress test to check it out and see if there was some other issue. I know age has an impact on max HR, but for my age, it should beby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
GeorgeN Were you on a rate control drug with the above recording? For me, in the beginning 20 years ago: HR without afib - 55 HR with afib, no meds - 180 HR with afib with rate control - 80-100, but I don't have a clear recollection. 13 years after my first ablation when afib returned: HR without afib - 55-60 HR with afib, no meds - 110 HR with afib, I didn't take anyby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Which begs the question - While in afib, without a rate control drug (my rate was 180) and high heart rate, is the blood flow / O2 better than it would be if taking a rate control drug, slowing the heart rate to around a 100 or so?. Not much of an issue one way or the other.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I would speculate that reduced blood flow while in afib varies quite a bit from individual to individual. During the 6 years of my diagnosed afib and over 200 episodes, I lived a normal life. I just avoided physically demanding things when in afib. But when going up a flight of stairs, there was a very noticeable increase in breathing, but that was no big deal. I did pass out once while in a sby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey Absolutely. It's hard for me to imagine someone not knowing or feeling what their heart is doing. I suspect how lean or fat one is plays a role in this. Maybe, but I know a guy who's a lifelong athlete and very fit. He's in his 70s and runs marathons. He has longstanding persistent afib that was diagnosed entirely by chance a few years ago during a routine physiby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuotePompon (...) Is it possible that many people esp sedentary never even know they are in AF? This is the way I think it goes. Athletes are used to monitor their HR or, at least, they 'feel' it. If it's going wrong, they know it. Sedentary people rarely mind their heart. Absolutely. It's hard for me to imagine someone not knowing or feeling what their hearby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I eat whatever I want and have a BMI of 21.9. 6' tall and 162 lbs, age 77. So what's the secret. Likely some heredity, but it comes down to calories in and calories out. I eat 4 times a day, but small portions. Exercise 6 times a week (golf, weights, walking, swimming, windsurfing). The greater the muscle mass, the greater the calorie burn. I found no relationship between diby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
No afib in my family that I know of, so it appears I am the first. Scratch heredity. Training for swimming could be a factor, but there are certainly a lot more endurance athletes without afib than those with it. Plus, a 30-year gap between the end of my endurance type training and the beginning of afib. Even if we knew that our afib was the result of heredity and or endurance training, whaby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
PavanPharter said: Genetics, lifestyle, negligence, etc all lead to a heart doing what it wants (irregular rhythm) because that's what a damaged heart wants. The healthy heart tried to want NSR but those other forces won out and here we are. Or the greater likelihood is that IT JUST HAPPENS and there is no way for most of us to avoid the problem. Which is the same with many if not most mby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Had my Pfizer bivalent booster (third booster so far) a couple of months ago and had a slightly sore arm for half a day. Got my flu shot in the other arm at the same time.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
At age 77 and after two successful ablations, my resting heart rate is upper 50s and maxes out around 125. In the beginning, I was on meds for six years that helped control the afib, but finally decided that it was having too much impact on my lifestyle (wanted to plan extended hiking trips in Europe) and had an ablation. Now, I am as fit as ever, with 2 one-mile swims a week, two rounds of gby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
PavanPharter said: MDs in 50 years will be telling patients the horror stories of how hearts used to be burned, scarred and sliced (Maze) and how far they've come since the dark days of AF. While waiting 50 years for a better solution, there is no reason to avoid an ablation from a HIGHLY qualified EP if you want to manage your afib. I have had two successful ablations (day surgery) thby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Over 25 years ago I had an irregular heartbeat on occasion and had an echo done, which diagnosed me as mitral valve prolapse, which was the cause of the irregular heartbeat. After 5 years of this, my "irregular heartbeat" was caught on an EKG and found that I had afib and not mitral valve prolapse. Now, after two successful ablations, all is well.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Susan, I am not suggesting that you should never consider anything as a trigger, only that the odds of actually proving that something does trigger afib is very, very remote. There is no reason not to test things if you are concerned, but coincidence is going to be the answer 99% of the time. We all would love to find "the trigger" and remove it, then be on our no afib happy way.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I use either Truvia or Stevia every day with my morning coffee. I have seen ZERO relationship between the sweeteners and afib. However, my afib did return 3 years ago after a 13 year break after my first ablation. When it returned, episodes were mid to late day or evening, not near my morning coffee. Then, afib free again after the second ablation three years ago and drinking my morning cup oby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I take - Magnesium Chelate (glycinate) - from the vitamin shop on this web site. Normally 100 mg 2xday and sometime 300 a day. Been doing it for 15 years and have had two successful ablation - first good for 13 years and the second going on 3. No issues whatsoever.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
One year after my 2 ablations, I was back to 100% normal as if I never had a fib.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Kwilk, What's your point? As far as I know, there is little if any data on ablation outcomes. I would speculate that when a patient has a "successful" outcome from an ablation, that patient's Dr. may be aware of the success assuming there was continuing follow up after the ablation. But I doubt that anyone in the office is gathering outcome statistics that could be usedby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
For all types of highly skilled medical technicians, word of mouth seems to be the only reasonable method of finding the best Dr. for whatever treatment you need. That's why this forum is a benefit for most people, not only to find the best technicians, but also for understanding the complexities of afib.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had well over 200 episodes of afib before my first ablation and only one ECV. I always converted on my own and was on rate control and blood thinner meds, so no more ECVs. No episodes longer than 72 hours, so this begs the question---- If on a rate control med and blood thinner, how long is too long to stay in afib? Why all the ECVs for some? An ECV makes sense if one is not on a blood tby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I know this doesn't work for many afibbers, but feeling my carotid pulse for 3-5 seconds easily identified my afib. When I went into an episode, I could always feel it, then confirmed with the VERY irregular carotid pulse.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
As an observer and occasional participant on this forum, it's clear that Natale gets 98% of all the recommendations on this forum. A handful of other EP's have been mentioned and praised, but there are so few, there is no way to make a list. Lots of folks have had "successful" ablations, but how many continue to visit this forum and post about their experiences in such a wayby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
With a rate control drug, your BPM of 200 will drop considerably. I am/was highly symptomatic with afib, but with a lower HR while in afib, I just moved on with a normal life. The only irritating issue while in afib was if I tried to sleep on my left side, it felt like I was on a vibrating bed, so I slept on my right side. I am 6' tall and weigh 165, so no excess weight. While in afib,by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Edda, While no two of us are exactly alike, RELAX. I had afib for 11 years (first five undiagnosed), then went on a blood thinner and a rate control drug. During those last 6 years, I recorded every episode of afib, and had over 200 lasting as long as 72 hours, always converting on my own. The afib did not impact my daily living. The only thing I avoided when in afib was moderate and highby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Pool swimming onlyby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM