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Re: Kardia Mobile and Low Heart Rate - 8 weeks ago

You don't need to feel your pulse longer than 15 seconds. Afib isn't subtle and it's never just a single odd beat here and there. If you're in afib, your pulse will be obviously irregular and it will be like that continuously. If KM isn't even trying to detect afib with a pulse below 50, I don't think you can interpret "afib not detected" as proof.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Kardia Mobile and Low Heart Rate - 8 weeks ago

It's unlikely you're in afib with a rate under 50, but if you want to make sure, just measure the distance between the R wave peaks (R waves are the tallest peaks). There will be some variation, but not much. Or simpler still, just feel your pulse and see if you can tap your foot in time with it. If you can, it's not afib.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Electrolytes - Dizziness - 8 weeks ago

QuoteQwackertoo My water intake hasn’t been excessive just more than I’m used to or normally drink. We’re talking 4-5 16 oz bottles of water, 2 12 oz cups of coffee, maybe 10-12 oz of low-sodium V8 (new intake) and perhaps 10 or so ounces of liquids with my smoothie being 1/2 & 1/2 of kefir and almond milk or some days cereal with almond milk. Nothing crazy. I count 124 oz or 3.6 liters

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Electrolytes - Dizziness - 8 weeks ago

QuoteThe Anti-Fib I question this, from what I see, fluid restriction is just a common front-line treatment for mild low NA+ (hyponatremia). They do give IV NA+ solution in the hospital for bad cases. Also according to Google AI and other sources, dietary NA+ supplementation is still being recommended. I wasn't going to delve into what a hospital might do for severe cases. That's en

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Electrolytes - Dizziness - 2 months ago

You can't increase sodium levels by increasing salt intake. The only way to do that is to decrease water intake, so you might want to back off the water a bit. Low sodium levels can be dangerous, so I would recommend doing that.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Is it possible to be in afib and NSR at the same time? - 2 months ago

I agree with Hugging but in the meantime, I assume that when you say you check your pulse and it's NSR you mean that it's a regular rhythm. That alone isn't really proof of NSR. What you're feeling could be flutter, which is a regular rhythm. How high is your heart rate when you're feeling this sensation? (Feel pulse for 15 seconds, count beats, multiply by 4.)

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia - 2 months ago

QuoteMarg The reason he wanted to try amiodarone and Multaq was because they are both able to prevent both afib and aflutter. Does flec also prevent aflutter? Yes. And people take Multaq with metoprolol all the time. It's really quite safe.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Anyone Taking Diltiazem? - 2 months ago

I take it for hypertension. No issues whatsoever. It's also commonly used for afib, especially in ERs. IV diltiazem is what most ERs will do first if you come in with afib. As for an irregular heart rhythm, I've never heard of that actually happening. The reason the doc wants you on that is it provides protection against a rare but serious side effect of flecainide known as 1:1 condu

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia - 2 months ago

I think you made the right decision. It's worth trying the Multaq before graduating to amiodarone. And if the Multaq doesn't work, I would suggest asking to try flecainide next, not amio. Amiodarone should be a last resort.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Osteoporosis / Calcium - 2 months ago

QuoteDaisy I switched to strontium This made me do a double take followed by a google search. The only strontium I was familiar with is strontium-90, which is radioactive and a hazardous material. Definitely not something you'd want to be ingesting. I didn't know there were other isotopes used medicinally.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia - 2 months ago

It's not that they can't cardiovert you, but rather just won't. I don't know if that's a protocol or policy of some sort, or just an ER doc's decision. How long before you can see your cardiologist?

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Update on my recent post about stopping Eliquis - with trepidation - 2 months ago

QuoteMikeN However, anybody know of any studies that show any benefit from a 1/2 dose? They would have to have conducted trials to prove a 1/2 dose is effective in order to get the 1/2 dose tablet FDA approved.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Question re bisoprolol dosage - 2 months ago

Glad it worked out for her. Glad she had a GP who knew what to do.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Update on my recent post about stopping Eliquis - with trepidation - 2 months ago

They never asked for your CHADS score because they're doctors capable of calculating it themselves. A CHADS-Vasc score of 1 makes it a judgement call. It's not clearance to stop the Eliquis and it's not a clear indication to continue it either. If you feel comfortable stopping it rather than compromising with something like a half-dose, then I think you should do what you feel is r

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Borderline ECG meaning - 2 months ago

What it says before that is "Borderline T abnormalities anterior leads... T flat or neg. V2-V4." But most importantly, what it says before that is "Low voltage precordial leads." In other words, the ECG is seeing low voltage in the chest leads, which means the electrodes may not be placed well. Poor connections could easily produce the flat T waves the machine sees, so it'

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Prolonged high heart rate - 2 months ago

Have you experienced this before? Have you been diagnosed with SVT or some other type of tachycardia other than afib?

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Borderline ECG meaning - 2 months ago

What is it about this ECG that concerns you? I see only normal sinus rhythm.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Question re bisoprolol dosage - 2 months ago

Okay, so it is afib. I just wanted to mention the possibility of flutter. If she knows the maximum daily dose she should keep upping her dose until she gets near that. (She might want to keep an eye on her BP while she's raising it.) And if she's still in afib with tachycardia, a visit to A&E is in order. She can't just let a heart rate that high continue indefinitely.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Question re bisoprolol dosage - 2 months ago

Are you sure it's afib? Could it possibly be flutter instead? I ask because flutter is often resistant to beta blockers. The obvious difference between afib and flutter is that flutter is very regular while afib is very irregular.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Stopped Eliquis - with some trepidation - 2 months ago

What's your CHADS-Vasc score? You can't make this decision or even talk about it without knowing that. I'm in a very similar situation: Been in NSR since 2017, had a Watchman implanted in 2018, and on Natale's advice and my local EP and PCP's concurrence, I remain on half-dose Eliquis today and can't see any reason to ever discontinue it.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: TachyBrady vs Bigeminy or Tri or Quad - 2 months ago

I would guess that all the rhythm issues are due to -- or at least exacerbated by -- the thyroid problems. Both hyper- and hypothyroidism can cause havoc with the heart, so I hope you're seeing an endocrinologist regularly.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: TachyBrady vs Bigeminy or Tri or Quad - 2 months ago

QuoteQwackertoo The Cardiologist and EP had me do a special manual upload from my HLM on Jan 21st and consulted with each other but no urgent "please come in ASAP" and just scheduled me with the EP on Feb 18th so it doesn't seem urgent/emergency level based on that or are they just shuffling me thru the system. That's the part you should focus on. No, they're not shuff

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Ziopatch and 2 ER EKGs. Thoughts? Opinions - 2 months ago

Nothing to be concerned about. Almost certainly due to the illness.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: PVCs on EKG 11 years after ablation (AV Block type 1) - 2 months ago

Just so you know, I split this post off from the original thread and made it a new thread. That's because the original thread was 2 pages back, which made it very hard for people to find.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Flecainide and Diltiazem - 2 months ago

Not being able to find case studies doesn't mean much. If you search google scholar for terms like "flecainide atrial conduction tachycardia" (without quotes) you'll find numerous articles describing the problem. Most of them are old articles, dating to when flecainide was a new drug, but they're still relevant. It's a real threat and it really happens, just not very

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: The need for reappraisal of properly selected supplements to possibly prevent recurrence of AF after ablations , electrical cardioversion and anti-arrthymic medications - 2 months ago

I don't disagree with something you said. I said it because we don't appreciate repeated posts here pushing an agenda. I understand that you have a protocol you think works and you want to inform others. That's fine. You've explained it and you've published a book, which I let you name. So you've done what you can to inform others. Leave it at that. If others ask you

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: The need for reappraisal of properly selected supplements to possibly prevent recurrence of AF after ablations , electrical cardioversion and anti-arrthymic medications - 2 months ago

QuoteHugging I may repeat this long response as a topic so more people can read it. No, please don't do that.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Flecainide and Diltiazem - 2 months ago

Yeah, most EPs who prescribe flecainide will prescribe a rate control drug to go with it. The 1:1 conduction issue is very rare, but it's also potentially lethal, so I think it would be foolish not to take the precaution.

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Thoughts about preventing recurences of AF after ablations - 2 months ago

QuoteGeorgeN Visual inspection will show that what you are saying is correct, at least for afib, but maybe not for atrial flutter as HRV tends to be low for flutter. It's going to be low for all the supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs) with the sole exception of afib, and that's simply because the hallmark of afib is an irregularly irregular pulse, so that's naturally going to ha

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM

Re: Are EP’s routinely offering Watchman as an alternative to thinners? - 2 months ago

QuoteKenai My sister was a nurse and knew two males who had the Watchman procedure, developed complications and died. To add a little perspective here, two anecdotal deaths is meaningless. There is no invasive medical procedure with a zero death rate, not even filling dental cavities. That said, the complication rates for the Watchman are extremely low and deaths are vanishingly uncommon. In th

by Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM