I have readily seen a connection with stress and afib in my own case and since certain days of our cycle increase our sensitivity to stress, it may all come down to stress. Has anyone had any luck with anti-stress meds in regards to reducing a-fib? Or perhaps anti-depressants since some ADs do address anxiety? Just curious. I have been toying with the idea of using rhodiola for this purposby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Darcy, Perhaps you could call it estrogen dominant, but my estradiol is where it should be but my progesterone has left town. My progesterone in my follicular phase is .69 and the normal range is 1.9-12.5. So I have post meno. progesterone levels and pre meno estrogen. I had used compounded progesterone from mid 2008 to mid 2009. The first six or nine months it really brought me back to feelby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have noticed that most of my episodes occur in the first seven days of my cycle. I also had one that occurred the day after ovulation. I am greatly disappointed to hear the conclusion of Hans' survey. My dr. just ordered some progesterone cream for me and now I am hesitant to try it.. Hans, did your survey reveal if episodes were reduced or shortened once hormone replacement was disconby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie: Just curious, what was the cause of your friend's asystole. Did he have an underlaying condition?by Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Liz, it is nice to hear from someone who has had success. I must have forgot to list the fish oil 1000 mg. Plus a combo oil from Barleans with omega 3 and 6 1000 mg.by Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lynn-Not to worry. Hans advice definitely makes sense. From what my EP has said it is not life threatening, very little likelihood of clotting, and if I let my rhythms get too high it can cause thickening of the heart, but that is reversable. Which is why my mindset has been to avoid drugs which seem to have a bigger downside than the condition itself. Logical I think. My EP rationalizes takby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well that is both interesting and distressing. What is an afibber to do. First line meds are beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers. Next step seems even more risky. Does anyone just not take anything when they have an episode? What is more confusing is the fact that my cardio. told me not to be afraid to take two or three of the 40 mg. fast acting verapamil if I have an episode. My EPby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks Jackie. I will do a search. I am wondering about calcium as well. Don't we have to be careful with that with the a-fib. If so, how do we balance that with the need to maintain bone density.by Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie: For the past couple of years I have been taking 800 mg. of magnesium glycinate and if two bm's a day indicate tissue saturation I am there. I am more concerned with potassium. The couple times I have went the the ER in a-fib my potassium has been borderline. So I have to work really hard at keeping it up. I get about 25mg from my multi and try to drink an organic version of V8 eby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
I haved been doing Verapamil PIP. In fact my two prior episodes I took nothing because the rate did not seem too high. My EP thinks if I did a daily dose I would not get these conversion pauses. I'm inclined to not take a calcium channel blocker again ever because he admitted that with the Verap.caused my hearts own pacemaker to be slow to react. I also have 10 mg propranolol to use asby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
I finally found the info on the EXA test and showed to to my dr. She seemed to favor a micro-nutrient test by SpectraCell. Does anyone know if there is any data out there that supports the accuracy of the EXA? I ran across this post from another site, but linear regression analysis is not my area of expertise, perhaps Hans could comment. "I did some more research into this EXA stuff andby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
I know that I saw somewhere on this board a test to determine mineral levels. I have a dr. appt. today with my integrative dr. and want to speak to her about that issue. What is the name of the test that Hans recommends?by Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for your responses. The only thing I am on is verapamil which I only take as needed. I was just thinking about the possibility of it being a reaction to the medication. About two years ago before the a-fib really started I had a couple of episodes which when I think about it seem similar. I was laying in bed and had the sensation that I could not breathe, had head pressure then a racinby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hans, Yes that is the name. Do you know if it more effective than other products?by Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Margie: I can't answer your question, but I find it interesting that the xanax stops the flutters. I have often thought that my a fib (I get a lot of flutters too) was at least in part anxiety related. This really kind of proves that yours is anxiety driven. Has anyone else had success treating a-fib with anxiety meds?by Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Darcy, sorry. I saw Jackie's name in the topic and assumed I was replying to her. Oh, well, you know what happens when you "assume".by Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie, My ferritin was 7 last August and now just tested at 16.74 so it looks like we both gained approx. 1 point per month. I haven't seen my dr. about these results yet so I'll let you know if she thinks this indicates a problem absorbing. I am using blood builders which is a whole food iron supplement. Someone on another board mentioned a liquid iron supplement, but I canby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am fairly new to a-fib, but thought I had gotten past the point where it could scare the life out of me. This incident was very unusual and I am just wondering if someone else has experienced this. Yesterday I had an episode of a-fib while we were away from home. It started out as fluttery and was going in and out of NSR every ten minutes or so. We were touring a college and had a walking tby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Life Extension Foundation publishes optimal ranges for all kinds of blood work on their website, including thyroid. I know that their range for T4 is 1.3 - 1.7, and for T3 is 3.4 - 4.2 If you dr. only tests tsh find another dr. to help you with your thyroid issue.by Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Perhaps something to support the adreals would be good. I use ashwaghanda, Paradise brand. I'd tried another brand but I found to too relaxing, perhaps it was a different strength.by Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Darcy-I would be interested to know what approach this cardio. took to balancing your system. As far as T3 here is my story. A couple of years ago after the cardio had me quit the glandular supplements from my chiro (had been off 10 months after having THS of <.01...first a-fib episode) I had been feeling real lousey, my TSH was over 4.0. I began supplementing with Thytrophin ...cardio wasby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Darcy-Where on earth did you find a naturo cardiologist? Is there an association for those? My cardio is the reason I was off thyroid meds for a year. He is employed by a large hospital group and if your TSH isn't over 5.5 you do not have a thyroid problem. Duh, didn't they change the ranges? I have visited that website in the past, It is really on target. I guess I didn't lby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Has anyone noticed a connection between hormonal cycles and/or thyroid levels and their a-fib? My first a-fib episode was about 3yrs. ago when I was using glandular supplements to support my hypothyroidism and became thyrotoxic. After that I was off all thyroid meds for about a year,and was beginning to feel really lousey. On of the many symptoms was nonstop pvc's and sinus tach. As my lby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks everyone for your advice. I made it through the prep without a problem. Here is what I did. The day before my fast a made a big pot of chicken soup. Because the procedure was not scheduled until noon the following day, I took some liberties and had pea protein powder mixed with water the morning of my fasting day. The rest of the day I consumed chicken broth and O Water (a healthy fby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am concerned about going through the prep for a colonoscopy. They want me to stop my low dose asprin and fish oil 5 days prior. The asprin I am ok with, although I believe that a day earlier is all that is necessary. However, the fish oil is a concern. I went one day without fish oil last week and the following day was constant pvc's. Also the blood surgar issue is a concern. I usuaby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
The Life Extension foundation is now recommending DHEA for everyone over a certain age. Personally I am a bit cautious when it comes to hormones. Just wondered if anyone with a-fib has been able to tolerate dhea. Were you experiencing episodes back when you used it or was that prior to a-fib. Just curiousby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Jackie: I am pretty sure that I have weak adrenals. I am taking desiccated adrenal supplement and taking lots of vitamin C. I've been thinking of asking my integrative dr. for dhea, but I know that people with heart rhythms problems are not generally advised to take dhea. I've not had the test run, because according to my dr. we are doing everything that we would do if it came backby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks so much for all your replies. I suspect that the recent episodes are thyroid related. I am thankful for my integrative MD and endo. for being astute enough to monitor T4 and T3 and use it in fine tuning. My problem is my cardio. To begin, he doesn't think I should be on thyroid meds because in his records my TSH has only been as high as 5.05, so he has not had proof that it wentby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had one bout of a-fib about three years ago when I have been prescribed too much thyroid glandular supplement by a Chiro. I have been without an episode until last month and had another this month. My cardio. had perscribed verapamil (fast acting) on an as needed basis and now wants me on the sustained release every day. I am very reluctant to do this. Especially since right before the episby Lynn - AFIBBERS FORUM