Re: Been down so long it looks like up to me

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/5/04 5:07:46 AM Pacific Standard Time, shelbyck@...

writes:

<< I can watch the heart beats which show up on the screen as a little heart

at each beat >>

DUH! That's so cool ... I realized my monitor does that too only I didn't

realize it was in time to my own beats. I just thought it was telling me it was

taking the pulse reading too. DUH on me! Gonna go try it again and watch it

this time!

Toni

CA

[Guest guest]

Bill

Glad you went into NSR! But I think your amiodorone dose is way too high. I've

just come off high amiodorone dosing (as high as 600 mg) myself and have been in

NSR ever since (a week now and holding). The EP put me on verapamil-120mg and so

far it has worked like a charm. I feel good and activity raising my bpm to 130

or so hasn't thrown me back into AF. Every case is different but I wonder if the

high level of amiodorone wasn't provoking AF?

You also raise an interesting point re taking your pulse manually (I assume

digitally). Always when I try this I can a) find it and then after several

beats it stops and comes back intermittently-maddeningly. I could never take my

own pulse like this--or at least rarely if ever The monitor I've bought recently

doesn't do this and shows me when I am in NSR or AF- I can watch the heart beats

which show up on the screen as a little heart at each beat. It's much like

feeling your own pulse. I wonder if other fibbers have the same sort of

pulse-taking dilemma??

The wrist monitor is Walgreen's special made by Toshiba. It shows bp readings

and bpm simultaneously-also the little heart on beats. And it also stores 99

readings. Cost is $75 US plus tax.

Regards to all in AFib Land

Shelby

Been down so long it looks like up to me

That was the title of a popular self help book in the 60's, but it also

described the way I was feeling at the beginning of the week. I'd been in afib

since December 21. I was scheduled for a zap two weeks ago, but discovered

after I went in that my INR was way low and the cardiologist (justifiably) was

unwilling to proceed. After doing some work to get the GP and the cardiologist

on the same page as it related to optimal INR level, I waited for a rescheduling

of the bbq. Since the dragon who ran the cardiologist's office had quit, his

office was in disarray and no appointment had been made for the retry. I'd had

my drugs jacked up since neither rate nor rhythm were under control. (I'm maxed

out on amiodarone [400 mg/day], a situation that I don't like at all.) The

increased dosages weren't having any significant effect. I've had a referral

written for an appointment with an EP, but they're backed up and I'm still

waiting after a month to hear from them when I'll get in.

In other words, I'd had it. The pros weren't having any success in improving

the way I was living. So -- contrary to all of my instincts -- I decided that

I'd try a solution backed by anecdotal evidence on this board. I started taking

1200 mg a day of magnesium citrate. That was Monday. Last night as I went to

bed, I felt something uncharacteristic. I felt good. I took my pulse. I could

find one -- an uncommonly good sign. It went lub dub -- an amazingly good sign.

It was 60 bpm. WAHOO! I believe that I'm actually back in nsr for the first

time in over a month. I'm back to being paroxysmal rather than permanent. Such

are the small triumphs that we savor.

I'm not ready to throw my figurative crutches -- let alone my drugs -- away,

but it really feels good to feel good. If it's shortlived, so be it. It's

still a break and let's me know that I am in here someplace. Many thanks to all

who have sung the song of magnesium.

Bill Manson, Guelph ON, amiodarone bisoprolol warfarin AND magnesium

" Before you forgive Pete Rose for stealing the china, you should always count

the silverware. " -- Boswell

[Guest guest]

I've been reading lots on magnesium citrate... the only citrate I can find is

the liquid type that's used prior to having a colon exam (to quote the

pharmacist... " if you drink that whole bottle, you'd better be near the bathroom

for a while! " ) I did try that one night.. drank half the bottle over a period

of time (cherry - yum!) but I keep thinking that eveyrone else must be taking

magnesium citrate pills? Can someone clarify for me? I haven't found magnesium

citrate in any of my drug stores. I do take regular magnesium daily, but am

interested in this citrate that eveyrone keeps talking about.

After 23 days of a-fib, I'm ready to try anything as well... even if I do have

to be near the potty!

Stef

Bill Manson wrote:

That was the title of a popular self help book in the 60's, but it also

described the way I was feeling at the beginning of the week. I'd been in afib

since December 21. I was scheduled for a zap two weeks ago, but discovered

after I went in that my INR was way low and the cardiologist (justifiably) was

unwilling to proceed. After doing some work to get the GP and the cardiologist

on the same page as it related to optimal INR level, I waited for a rescheduling

of the bbq. Since the dragon who ran the cardiologist's office had quit, his

office was in disarray and no appointment had been made for the retry. I'd had

my drugs jacked up since neither rate nor rhythm were under control. (I'm maxed

out on amiodarone [400 mg/day], a situation that I don't like at all.) The

increased dosages weren't having any significant effect. I've had a referral

written for an appointment with an EP, but they're backed up and I'm still

waiting after a month to hear from them when I'll get in.

In other words, I'd had it. The pros weren't having any success in improving

the way I was living. So -- contrary to all of my instincts -- I decided that

I'd try a solution backed by anecdotal evidence on this board. I started taking

1200 mg a day of magnesium citrate. That was Monday. Last night as I went to

bed, I felt something uncharacteristic. I felt good. I took my pulse. I could

find one -- an uncommonly good sign. It went lub dub -- an amazingly good sign.

It was 60 bpm. WAHOO! I believe that I'm actually back in nsr for the first

time in over a month. I'm back to being paroxysmal rather than permanent. Such

are the small triumphs that we savor.

I'm not ready to throw my figurative crutches -- let alone my drugs -- away, but

it really feels good to feel good. If it's shortlived, so be it. It's still a

break and let's me know that I am in here someplace. Many thanks to all who

have sung the song of magnesium.

Bill Manson, Guelph ON, amiodarone bisoprolol warfarin AND magnesium

" Before you forgive Pete Rose for stealing the china, you should always count

the silverware. " -- Boswell

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/5/04 9:40:20 AM Pacific Standard Time,

quarteracreorchids@... writes:

<< Can someone clarify for me? I haven't found magnesium citrate in any of

my drug stores. I do take regular magnesium daily, but am interested in this

citrate that eveyrone keeps talking about. >>

I didn't even know the magnesium citrate came in liquid form. I found it

easily in the vitamin aisle of a relatively small grocery store locally. I

think

the only difference in the citrate is that it metabolizes more quickly or

something. I'm still taking regular magnesium in the a.m. as I'm not going to

waste the 2 bottles I already had. I take the magnesium citrate at night. You

might just try grocery stores or call around first ... I was actually

surprised how easily I found it and how readily it's available. Of course, I

can't

find the magnesium taurate anywhere (which is supposed to be even better), but I

also don't want to get dependent on something that's so difficult to find, so

I'll stick with the magnesium citrate as it's easy to find ... for me

anyway. I mean, this is a SMALL grocery store ... I'm not doing the Von's thing

till the strike is over (I'm in California) ... so I go to a small off-brand

store for now and they even had it. Good luck! Hopefully you'll find it

easily!

And by the way, you STILL need to be near the potty if you take over

about 1200 mgs of it ... but worth it to stop the a-fib.

Toni

CA

[Guest guest]

Quarter Acre Orchids wrote:

After 23 days of a-fib, I'm ready to try anything as well... even if

I do have to be near the potty!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are ready to try anything then try an Epsom Salt bath.

(magnesium sulfate) Approx. 2 or 3 pounds in a regular size bath

tub, in very hot water for at least 20 minutes.

It worked for me at the beginning of August and I haven't had any

afib since. At that time I started taking magnesuim and potassium

daily and it completely eliminated all signs of AF for me.

Who knows, you too may be one of the lucky few whose AF is caused by

a mineral imbalance.

Sincerely,

Otis Price

odprice@...