Re:this is a VERY important posting

[Guest guest]

Ladies and Gentlemen-

I would like to share something so very important and valuable with you and

I warn you, it is to be taken VERY seriously!

Many of you know me, Ronnie Schultz- I live in NYC and am 48 years old- I

am a non smoker- a social drinker, of average weight and 5'3 " . I have an

otherwise healthy heart other than my history with AF and mitro valve prolapse.

I have been battling atrial fibrillation since 1995. I have been on many

many anti arrhythmic drugs- beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and

have had THREE ablations. I have been doing the best ever since my last

ablation of October 2003. I do have longer recovery periods than most and

have been told by my EPS that I have been his most difficult AF case in his

entire career. When I do fib, I never come out on my own and always have to

be cardioverted. I have been cardioverted probably somewhere between 30-40

times.

I have not been cardioverted in 7 months and for me that is the longest I

have gone ever. Although I do suffer from frequent PACs, PVCs and sometimes

atrial bigemeny I have not had any real (KNOWN) AF episodes to speak of. My

energy level is sometimes low and I cannot ever LAY on my left side- would

never even think of sleeping in that position. The few times I have rolled

over to my left side I am quickly awaken by weird rhythm and could almost

feel the weirdness of my own blood flow out my heart.

I live with my partner for 25 years and she is 5'2 " and overweight- she

recently went on the South Beach diet and I have been preparing the meals

of the house and doing the food shopping and basically controlling the

food. I am not overweight but as a middle aged woman if I lost 10 pounds I

would not be depressed. :-)

I decided after reading the South Beach diet book to go on the diet as

well. It is really not a difficult program and was written by a

cardiologist and I related to and respected much of what he says. He just

impressed me so and everything he writes and says makes so much sense! I

was a bit of a junk food eater, like many and most times go w/o breakfast.

He encourages eating till you feel satisfied and making the right choices

on your meats- veggies- fruits and grains.

Okay, here is the important information!

I went on South Beach almost 4 weeks ago. The first two weeks I was in

Phase I, the strictest phase and after two weeks I combined foods of Phase

I and II- never going into Phase II completely! I was never hungry and felt

terrific all over.

98% of my palpitations are GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have the best EKGs (I have had two in the last 4 weeks) in my adult life-

perfect NSR with no missed beats at all- a first for Ronnie Schultz EVER!!

EVER!!

I have lost 10 pounds- I am basically off white sugar and white flour. I do

consume good carbs- proteins and good fats. I am not eating any cookies,

cake and very very limited amt of processed food if any. Mind you, I was

never ever a health food nut but have come to realize the value of what we

put into our bodies. I have more energy- I am not getting up in the middle

of the night like I was and I CAN SLEEP ON MY LEFT

SIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And my blood pressure went from 150/90 to 110/70. I am a changed women- so

much that we have already taken away my calcium channel blocker which I had

been on since 1995 and will be lowering my beta blockers next month.

I actually FEEL different- and people tell me I LOOK TERRIFIC!!

I think this program is changing my life and is certainly changing how I

feel. Now obviously the ablations helped me- no doubt about that- so don't

think for one moment that I am saying SOUTH BEACH cured my A FIB, I am not

saying that at all. But in combination with my good medical treatment and

me changing how I was eating- I am a NEW WOMAN. I would like others to

acquaint themselves with the South Beach program and if any of you are in a

position to try it- consult with your medical team and if it is a program

you can try, you might consider it.

He has changed my life!

I had to share this with all of you and if there are any questions you may

have feel free to contact me on this board or directly.

I am a SOUTH BEACH JUNKIE!!

-Ronnie Schultz

NYC

and loving life

[Guest guest]

Hi Ronnie,

I also live in New York with Lone Atrial Fib. which is becoming too

frequent. Did you have your PVA done in New York? My EKG's have

shown three arrythmias. Supra ventricular tacardia, atrial flutter

and aphib. The conservative doctors want to ablate the atrial

flutter and supra ventricular tacardia to see if it will fix my

aphib. What do you think?

Thanks...

[Guest guest]

Hi Ronnie,

I also live in New York with Lone Atrial Fib. which is becoming too

frequent. Did you have your PVA done in New York? My EKG's have

shown three arrythmias. Supra ventricular tacardia, atrial flutter

and aphib. The conservative doctors want to ablate the atrial

flutter and supra ventricular tacardia to see if it will fix my

aphib. What do you think?

Thanks...

[Guest guest]

> - as it was explained to me when I had a run of SVT (which

felt

completely different from my regular afib).. SVT is just a type of

afib... it's not a separate arrythmia as such.. flutter and fib are

different, but apparently there are lots of " types " of afib all

lumped

together.. SVT being one of them. I think I'd get a second opinion

on

ablating for SVT.

> Stef

I think you've got things flipped. SVT stands for supraventricular

tachycardia, that is, a fast heartrate originating above the

ventricles in the atria. It is a generic term for tachycardia

resultant from a variety of arrhythmias, including AFIB. I've heard

AFIB, AFlutter, sinus tachycardia, etc., all termed as " SVT " .

There are a variety of AFIB classifications: vagal mediated afib vs.

adrenergic afib (roughly, resting afib vs. activity afib), then there

is paroxysmal afib vs. chronic afib vs. permanent afib (which pertain

to frequency and duration of episodes). Most afibs appear to

originate in the right atria around where the pulmonary arteries

enter. Whereas SVT may originate anywhere in either the left or

right

atria. There is ablation treatment for most forms of SVT with

differing risks and success rates. I agree, consulting a second

opinion when uncertain is always a reasonable step to take.

-- Steve

[Guest guest]

Oops! I did my own flip. Afib is a LEFT atria critter,

which, to me, is my other RIGHT. (Thanks ).

-- Steve

>

>

> > - as it was explained to me when I had a run of SVT (which

> felt

> completely different from my regular afib).. SVT is just a type of

> afib... it's not a separate arrythmia as such.. flutter and fib are

> different, but apparently there are lots of " types " of afib all

> lumped

> together.. SVT being one of them. I think I'd get a second opinion

> on

> ablating for SVT.

>

>

>

>

> > Stef

>

>

>

>

> I think you've got things flipped. SVT stands for supraventricular

> tachycardia, that is, a fast heartrate originating above the

> ventricles in the atria. It is a generic term for tachycardia

> resultant from a variety of arrhythmias, including AFIB. I've

heard

> AFIB, AFlutter, sinus tachycardia, etc., all termed as " SVT " .

>

>

>

>

> There are a variety of AFIB classifications: vagal mediated afib

vs.

> adrenergic afib (roughly, resting afib vs. activity afib), then

there

> is paroxysmal afib vs. chronic afib vs. permanent afib (which

pertain

> to frequency and duration of episodes). Most afibs appear to

> originate in the right atria around where the pulmonary arteries

> enter. Whereas SVT may originate anywhere in either the left or

> right

> atria. There is ablation treatment for most forms of SVT with

> differing risks and success rates. I agree, consulting a second

> opinion when uncertain is always a reasonable step to take.

>

>

>

>

> -- Steve

>

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

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