Re: Afib Triggers

[Guest guest]

Slice, we share a lot of the same perspective.

I've been on this board about 5 months and it looks to me like there are about

three schools of fibbers (and, I suspect, doctors). There are the naturalists

who tend to be very concerned with triggers and non-medical (diet, position,

etc.) solutions. There are the folks who prefer the medical (i.e. drug based

solution) and there are the mechanics who look for a physical route to the cure.

I'm certainly in that latter category (although the list's influence has moved

me [no pun intended] to taking magnesium supplements and I'm on the nastiest of

the drugs [amiodarone] while I'm waiting for my ablation. Sounds like you're a

fellow mechanic.

One of the things that seems to be the case with this condition even moreso than

most, though, is its diversity. The effects on each of us differs wildly. I

seem to be immune from the fear response that afflicts so many of the folks

here. On the other hand, the depression and mental slowing that comes with a

prolonged attack (my worst was six weeks) is debilitating.

Cause, effects, cures all different. This list's motto should be " Whatever

floats your boat! "

Bill Manson

" When [] put on a uniform, something happened to him. He turned

into Manson's cousin, Manson. " -- Ken Kaiser

[Guest guest]

Slice, we share a lot of the same perspective.

I've been on this board about 5 months and it looks to me like there are about

three schools of fibbers (and, I suspect, doctors). There are the naturalists

who tend to be very concerned with triggers and non-medical (diet, position,

etc.) solutions. There are the folks who prefer the medical (i.e. drug based

solution) and there are the mechanics who look for a physical route to the cure.

I'm certainly in that latter category (although the list's influence has moved

me [no pun intended] to taking magnesium supplements and I'm on the nastiest of

the drugs [amiodarone] while I'm waiting for my ablation. Sounds like you're a

fellow mechanic.

One of the things that seems to be the case with this condition even moreso than

most, though, is its diversity. The effects on each of us differs wildly. I

seem to be immune from the fear response that afflicts so many of the folks

here. On the other hand, the depression and mental slowing that comes with a

prolonged attack (my worst was six weeks) is debilitating.

Cause, effects, cures all different. This list's motto should be " Whatever

floats your boat! "

Bill Manson

" When [] put on a uniform, something happened to him. He turned

into Manson's cousin, Manson. " -- Ken Kaiser

[Guest guest]

slightfade wrote:

<<I think it may be level of electrical activity or chemistry that

builds to the point of triggering an episode and then it's just a matter

of whatever's handy to trigger it...In the end I am not sure how much

control we have>>

I agree. Have thought for years that my heart has built in capacitors

for storing electricity, just like slightfade says. When they build up

to their release point I'm either going to have PACs that generate AF,

or PACs that exhaust themselves without generating AF. In either case,

the electricity will be discharged according to their designs, not mine.

AF has a mind of its own. " My old friend " , I call it, sarcastically.

- OU alum in MI

[Guest guest]

Bill, I aggree with your analysis. I spent time in each of those camps.

Immediately, the drugs scared me. I could not focus on them. So I stopped

them all except for maintaining coumatin level and atenolol only during

afib. I took every vitamin,supplement regimine and they seemed to help for a

while. Then I went chronic and just used the coumatin. Finally, I visited

Doc Natale and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in the same weekend.

I can talk about depression. I was thrown for a loop and called everything

into question. Finally with the help of Cognative Therapy I learned a new

and healthier perspective. Cognative Therapy is sort of a mechanical

approach to depression.

http://www.cognitivetherapy.com/basics.html

In the end, my afib has made me a much different and I dare say, better man.

Re: Afib Triggers

Slice, we share a lot of the same perspective.

I've been on this board about 5 months and it looks to me like there are

about three schools of fibbers (and, I suspect, doctors). There are the

naturalists who tend to be very concerned with triggers and non-medical

(diet, position, etc.) solutions. There are the folks who prefer the

medical (i.e. drug based solution) and there are the mechanics who look for

a physical route to the cure. I'm certainly in that latter category

(although the list's influence has moved me [no pun intended] to taking

magnesium supplements and I'm on the nastiest of the drugs [amiodarone]

while I'm waiting for my ablation. Sounds like you're a fellow mechanic.

One of the things that seems to be the case with this condition even

moreso than most, though, is its diversity. The effects on each of us

differs wildly. I seem to be immune from the fear response that afflicts so

many of the folks here. On the other hand, the depression and mental

slowing that comes with a prolonged attack (my worst was six weeks) is

debilitating.

Cause, effects, cures all different. This list's motto should be

" Whatever floats your boat! "

Bill Manson

" When [] put on a uniform, something happened to him. He

turned into Manson's cousin, Manson. " -- Ken Kaiser

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/1/2004 5:20:34 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

bobc4750@... writes:

<< One tends to blame

themselves, oh, I shouldn't have had the pizza (I was sure that

pepperoni was a trigger)or I should have sat up straigther when I ate

the pepperoni, or I should have heated my gatorade !!!! In the end I

am not sure how much controll we have and it's pretty easy to feel

depressed when an episode happens. >>

Some of us have found that we can control our afib by avoiding some of the

triggers mentioned above. Because afib affects each individual differently and

triggers are different for each person, it's very difficult to generalize

about the role of triggers in precipitating afib, I think. I don't think it's a

matter of blame or guilt. It certainly isn't morally wrong to eat pepperoni

pizza or drink cold Gatorade! :-) For some people it's a simply fact,

unattached to blame or guilt, that the use of certain substances or experiencing

certain activities seems to trigger afib. For others, it's a fact that no

matter

what they do, they will experience afib. It's simply a question of listening to

our individual bodies and analyzing our individual habits to see whether

there could be a connection to afib. That approach has worked well for me, but

I

would certainly agree that it wouldn't work for everyone. All I can say is,

for me, hold the heated Gatorade :-) Yuck!

in sinus in Seattle

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/21/04 3:59:07 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

stevel227@... writes:

> notice that no one here on this board mentions sexual

> activity as a trigger. Has anyone experienced that?

>

Ah, Steve ... you missed our previous discussion on that topic! I decided

nothing was worth giving up sex for, even a-fib. And I was in full a-fib during

a rather lengthy session ... and was hoping that having orgasms would stop

the a-fib. Alas, it didn't, but it didn't kill me either ... and I was able to

try not to think about the a-fib (which tends to scare me when it goes on too

long) and enjoy myself enormously. I've never had sexual activity trigger it

.... or stop an attack ... but it didn't interfere either. And I won't let it.

Life's too short already, you know?

Toni

CA

[Guest guest]

Steve - it was actually suggested to me, by a cardio, that sexual activity

DURING afib MIGHT bring one back into rhythm... that's along the same lines of

some people here who go into afib and then exercise vigorously and get themselve

back in rhythm!

My own husband vowed to avoid all " activity " while I was in afib.... said he was

sure I'd die during it and then my family would blame him for killing me Not

that I really felt like it with a heart beat at 180.....

but you're right.. no one has ever mentioned that as a trigger...

Stef

kokapelli227 wrote:

New poster here. Male, age 56, good health, similar pattern to

some ... felt funny stuff in my chest off and on for a long time,

till it culminated in a 160 fluttery pulse rate that drove me to doc,

then to cardio unit with billions of tests. Gen'l diagnosis was AFib

with RBBB and no other noticeable heart irregularities. Lifetime of

very low BP (95/60 is typical). Am now on a calcium channel blocker

and 325mg aspirin. Was given Amiodorone by cardio, but when I read

up on it before starting, I opted out until I learn more. I'm

finding that I am flooded with deja vu feelings of times in my past

where I thought I was tense or nervous or anxious or hungry because

of this weird feeling in my chest .. and now realize that all those

times I was just experiencing AFib or some ectopics. Sure wish I had

known that at the time. And now I just relish those days when I am

in NSR and feel so good.

Still get periodic flutters and ectopics, and like many new AFibbers

am trying to figure out the triggers. No clear patterns that I can

discern. I notice that no one here on this board mentions sexual

activity as a trigger. Has anyone experienced that?

Steve

Web Page - http://www.afibsupport.com

List owner: AFIBsupport-owner

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Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should be

acted upon without consultation with one's physician.

[Guest guest]

Steve wrote:

> [snip]

> I notice that no one here on this board mentions sexual

> activity as a trigger. Has anyone experienced that?

Hi Stef / Steve,

Of the 450 entries in the database

(http://www.dialsolutions.com/af/database/index.html?All=3 & Adv=1#results)

sex doesn't get mentioned all that much.

3 entries say sex is a trigger and 1 says it helps revert back to NSR.

It may be a matter of timing though - I believe it's quite common

for many triggers to also help AF revert back to NSR.

The thing that adjusted the hearts timing in a way to put it into AF can also

adjust the heart timing to get it back out of AF a few hours down the line.

I think the key to getting out of AF is to get your heart to do something

different. If you've been laying in bed for many hours - try get up and walk

around. If you've pretty active try laying down for 30 minutes. A large meal

late in the evening will often put me into AF but a larger meal 10+ hours

into AF will often get me out.

It's my experience though that I have to be in AF for many hours before any

of these methods will work. I suspect the timing for success will vary from

individual to individual so trial an error is the name of the game.

--

D