I'll clarify. What Ralph is referring to is an AV node ablation. That is NOT recommended. If you have a bradycardia issue, you can have a pacemaker installed without an AV node ablation. The pacemaker will help or "cure" the bradycardia. It will not prevent afib.by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Michael, A pacemaker sets a floor to your heart rate. In other words, if it was set for 60, your heart rate would never go below 60. However it can go above and you can go into afib. Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
You'd like it to be hard? I'm guessing that people from outside of France that seek them out have done a lot of work and research to find out about them. It isn't like somebody without afib from Timbuktu is going to show up on their doorstep. Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom, "And why would the heart be the only muscle to exhibit errant behavior " Early on, I noticed eyelid twiching around the same time my afib was diagnosed. This can be a sign of low magnesium. It took about 3 months of mag supplementation for this to go away. My WPW ablatee friend with adrenergic exercise PAC's had foot cramps (her toes would curl under when she took herby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ron, Its in the iPhone app store, or Stress Doctor in the case of the one that costs $5. Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Gill, I have that app, but bought one by the same company for abouy $5 US called Stress Doctor. It plots heart rate vs. time, rather than just the pulse wave. When I've woken up at 3AM in what I thought was afib, but, in my denial state was questioning whether it was, I'd use this app. When the scale for the HR vs. time plot is 50 to 150 BPM, and the rates are everywhere inby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Jackie, You said, " if you don't have enough or are not able to produce enough heart energy (read voltage), you're heart will be prone to a prolonged refractory period - low potassium, typically - and after that comes ectopy and afib." Actually a prolonged refractory period is what we want. This is because the cells won't fire on their own during this period, anby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jenny, You might want to read this: <; First we are talking about triggers. Once you're in afib, afib is afib, basically. With an adrinergic trigger, increasing the heart rate, like with exertion or exercise can trigger afib. With a vagal trigger, it is the "slow" time when afib occurs. This can be after eating, while resting or whilst sleeping. Many long term endurby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you Gay! The researchers are rediscovering what Richard Moore, MD PhD published on in his book, The High Blood Pressure Solution . Essentially if you get a 4:1 potassium to sodium ratio on intake, it signals the kidneys to excrete rather than conserve sodium. This reduces blood pressure and stroke risk. Moore also notes that higher levels of insulin signal the kidneys to conserve sodby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
I've been using ginger for about 4 1/2 months. It has been very helpful, but not perfect. A quick history - I controlled my afib for about 9 years with 2 g/day potassium, 4 g/day taurine and magnesium to bowel tolerance (right now about 2-3g/day). I averaged about 1 episode/year during this time (and converted those with PIP flecainide - 300 mg). Then I went through the stress of divorce aby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ron, I don't have the data, but I think comparing either Natale or the Bordeaux group to your local people is comparing apples and oranges. This is because the types of patients handled by either "name" has a much larger component of very difficult cases. Unless you happen to have US insurance, I'm guessing Bordeaux will be much more cost effective for you. IMO with eiby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Noreen, A few thoughts, I'd increase your mag till your stools are soft. How much it takes to get there is highly individual. You must use your own body as a guide. Mine has fluctuated over time. In a person with normal kidneys, excess potassium gets excreted, so taking a lot of potassium should not be an issue. However without working on your mag, the potassium supplementation canby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Why not more external monitoring before an implantable one? Seems extreme to me. Just because nothing happened when you had the monitor on doesn't mean you need an invasive solution. Perhaps an event monitor, since you seem to be tuned in to when your heart is irregular.by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Murray, Recently a colleague had an operation for esophageal cancer. I went to visit him in the hospital. He is being fed by a stomach tube. He said - go look and see what they are feeding me. I picked up the package and the first ingredient was corn syrup solids! A few minutes later a nurse/tech came in and took his blood sugar as he is also a Type II diabetic. It was 337 mg/dl (18.7 mmby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
John, Five or six years ago, my cousin who lives in the Ft Lauderdale area was diagnosed with fib & flutter. The EP told him to just try a flutter ablation and it had a 95% chance of success and of curing the afib. I knew this was BS and strongly suggested he get a second opinion from Pinski. He did and was ablated by Pinski for both fib and flutter. He was very impressed by Pinski andby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barb, I'm one who found a way to keep my afib at bay through supplements (and occasionaly PIP flecainide when they failed). This last year, I went through the stress of divorce. The increased stress led to significantly more afib than in the previous 8 years of my afib career. All this time, I've continued to read and post. The increase in afib this last year, at one point, hadby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Larry, Most affibers have an underlying condition - blood pressure, heart disease & etc. Lone afibbers do not have an underlying condition and typically get into the afib world from chronic fitness. Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
There is the story of Dr. Mansmann, a diabetic and physician. He used very high doses of magnesium to reverse his diabetic neuropathy. Here is a search on my previous posts on Mansmann> ;by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Several months ago, I posted my experience with ginger <; I can say that my powdered ginger probably does increase my blood pressure slightly, however as my BP tends to be low anyway, this is not an issue. I recently measured it at 108/58 - this is a bit of an increase for me. It also appears to increase my resting heart rate by ~6-10 BPM. My resting heart rate is now 60+ rather than 50+.by GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom, I looked at the properties of viagra and cialis 8 years ago. As I recall they will give your either a vagolytic or promote a sympathetic response (I don't remember which). So they might be beneficial for a vagal afibber in this regard and contraindicated for an adronergic one. As I posted in your original question, former poster Gunnar from Sweden used cialis as a part of his afibby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Tom, A former prolific poster, Gunnar, from Sweden, used cialis as part of his afib remission program. Here is a search He also wrote a piece for the Conference Room As I recall, these kinds of meds have either a vagolytic or sympathetic stimulating property (and viagra and cialis are similar in this respect). Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lisa, I understand it differently. If your cells are "full" of mag then your body won't take much in from your gut. The mag that stays in your gut is very hydrophyllic (holds onto water). This hydration is what makes your stools loose. If your cells need mag, they will take a lot out of your bowels and constipation can be a result. Obviously sources of fiber will also comeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Marty, I take 2.6 grams of magnesium/day and am near but not above bowel tolerance. Bowel tolerance is highly individual. Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hello Tom, Thanks for the update. This is an excellent report! Great for you! Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
John, I agree with Peggy that the cramps and constipation are classic signs of too little mag. So yes, your afib and the crams/constipation could be related. I have a friend who puts mag chloride crystals in her water when she goes out for a day of exercise (ski patrolling, winter hut to hut trips, summer hiking). Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lisa, You are correct, pH is ph. Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
This piqued my interest and retested a WW concentrate solution I have in the fridge. It tested a pH of 7.4. Mag chloride water tested 6.4 as does the tap water I used to make this solution. Ground up Mag Glycinate (KAL brand) pills in tap water tested 9+. The WW solution is 4-6 weeks old, as I've been traveling quite a bit. I can't think of a reason why the solution pH would chanby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Nancy "concentrated Waller Water and it was 7.0" I've used various range pH Hydrion paper to test concentrated WW and it always tested at the 8+ end of the scale, I've not done it often or in a long time, but my memory is that the paper turned very dark blue. Also this paper doesn't seem to change much once it has a color. Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
John, "My question is , how long does it take to increase one's magnesium /potassium levels? " Potassium levels vary during the day and quickly. Early on in my afib games I had serum potassium tests taken 1) in the morning after a 12 hour fast and 2) 5 hours after taking supplements. The results were 4.2 and 4.8 mmol/l respectively. PC wrote "Diurnal Rhythm of Potassby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Marty, Have you tried ginger? It has been a godsend for me. <; Georgeby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM