What alternative treatments do you use to moderate arrhythmia symptoms? Did anyone manage to get rid of AF and how?

[Petra_J]

[EngMac]

When I was told that I had AF, these were my first questions. I thought surely these questions have definitive answers. I searched and searched on the web. This forum provides the best answers that I have found. AF as you will see by reading the entries in this forum has a broad range of impacts. Each person can be affected in a slightly different way at different ages depending upon their overall state of health, what they eat, whether they exercise, etc. Natural cures seem illusive, drugs can be a bit of a crap shoot, ablation sometimes helps, GP's, cardiologists and EP's have different approaches, even countries employ different options, etc. The most complete answer to this question can be found by thoroughly reading the forum entries since a simple answer is likely not possible and the answer that works for you may be one that you need to find for yourself.

[Hidden in reply to EngMac]

G'day EngMac,

Well said, especially your last sentence.

Aussie John

[Hidden]

G'day Petra,

I have been relatively fit all my life but prior to AF I had, for about 3 years, been on simvastatin (a cholesterol fighter) and ramipril ( to tame my blood pressure). After AF, my party bag of drugs still included these two but my Cardio Cons.added Bisoprolol (to tame my heart rate) and warfarin (to ensure my blood is appropriately coagulated to ensure my chance of getting a stroke is minimised). 2 weeks after discharge from hospital I attended for cardioversion but my heart had returned to NSR on its own - nevertheless- for the 15 months from this point on I was the usual sufferer of AF. I then began to relate the onset of an AF event to my diet and food intake. I suffered badly and painfully from bloating which I could feel directly stress the heart and bring on an AF event, other symptoms were burping, intestinal gurgling (very loudly) and diahorrea. Whilst these symptoms existed so did my AF - go on and on. My GP carried out some tests for IBS and Coeliac Disease but all came back clear and I choose not to pursue this on NHS. I took myself off to a nutrionist and was put on GLUTEN FREE DIET and also the FODMAPS DIET.

Slowly, I turned the corner, now, roughly 3 years after going on these diets I cannot remember my last AF event.

I would like to think I am clear of AF but it is a very mongrel condition, highly untrustworthy and of course into the future as I age I know not how it will behave. But for now at least - I'm clear with no medical intrusion other than drugs.

Diet is something I closely monitor and control myself.

In my case I account for the cause of my AF was due to my carrying my mobile phone in my shirt pocket, right over the heart - for about 2 and half years. In that same time period I had massive, massive palpitations. Then one day - AF hit. Looking at my family history I see a genetic link and therefore maybe I have a predisposition to AF. But I am convinced genetics and predisposition aside my initial cause could well have been caused by my electro sensitivity to mobile phone radio waves.

Hope this answers your questions.

Aussie John

[Petra_J in reply to Hidden]

Hi John, thanks for your reply. At least one of those many that has a positive answer! May I ask how did you look for the nutritionist? How did you select him? I am based in London, Uk and really keen to change my diet to see.....I am after ablation that did not help, made it even worse so really scared to go for another one. Meditation, acupuncture, no alcohol and coffee seem to help to moderate symptoms and sometimes I can go without AF for weeks. But when I get it it is bad....I am really young and before getting AF I used to be really active so having this condition changed massively my life!

[Hidden in reply to Petra_J]

Hi Petra,

Firstly, my apologies for late reply - been flat out at work last 2 days. Sorry. My Osteopath referred me to this Nutrionist she knew in Woking, Surrey. The Nutrionist herself also receives referrals from a local Gastro Consultant. To find one near you I would suggest you contact the British Association for Applied Nutrion and Therapy (BANT) - telephone; 08706 061284 or bant.org.uk and go into Practioner Search.

Frankly, alot of my personal beliefs centre around the concept of mind, body and spirit and ensuring the body needs to be balanced around these entities. If these three are not in balance and harmony then the body can be said to be in a state of dis - ease. Next, again for me - comes the need to listen to my body. This is most important, your body will tell you what it needs of you. Mine did, but, it took me 15 months before I 'twigged' what was going on. Got there in the end though !!!!

I was diagnosed at the age of 65 having had a relatively fit life apart from some digestive issues when I was in my mid 30's, the removal of my right knee cartilidge at the age of 51 and the occasion bit of DIY carelessness which saw me attend A & E from time to time. I am now approaching 70 and still working, but not in a full time permanent position. However my daughter has been diagnosed with AF and she is 32. Waiting for her to tell me about her latest encounter with her consultant in Melbourne. She has a really positive attitude and does adrenaline pumping kick boxing work outs at her local gym. She uses it as a form of therapy and she also uses it in a sense - to work through her AF.

There are many, many people out there who keep working through their AF by being active or indulging in sporting activities of different sorts. Have you considered how/why you ever got AF in the first place ? I found acupuncture didn't work for me, but, meditation does help. Genetics comes into it of that I'm sure, so does a predisposition to it, my 2nd cousin has had it and was successfully ablated at Papworth Hospital. I have it and (as I have said) so does my daughter. Both my parents never had any cardiac conditions at all, other conditions yes, but not cardiac.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

Aussie John

[Petra_J in reply to Hidden]

Hi John, thanks for your answer and I agree with all of your approaches to observing the body etc. Would you mind sharing with the details of your nutritionist I would like to have a chat with her and maybe even travelling there. It is only around an hour in the car anyway. I would rather work with someone that has treated a patient with the same condition. Thanks Petra

[Hidden]

Hi Petra,

Some people use the Valsalva manoeuvre - best to Google that to get a description! It can work with mild AF. There have been all sorts of theories, if you look back through forum posts you will find quite a few. Avoiding triggers like caffeine and too much alcohol can help, and I am trying to keep a bit fitter than before. However, EngMac is quite right, it's a condition that's different for everyone and I'm pretty sure there's no absolute 'cure' or we'd have heard about it - unfortunately...

Lis

[steve60]

What an excellent post and oh so true. Had my annual cardio visit yesterday, told him there had been no change to my symptoms (into Afib each time after a weekend enjoying myself with alcolhol !!), informed that could have an ablation if I wanted, said I'd stick with the asprin for now and see how I feel this time next year as AF to me is a nuisance not a life changer, so not going down the surgery route until I can stand the nuisance no more !! or failing that give up drinking !!

[mumknowsbest Volunteer in reply to steve60]

I was wondering why you are on aspirin?

Eileen

[steve60 in reply to mumknowsbest]

As I understand it most men over 50 are prescribed asprin as a blood thinner, all part of the ageing process, plus with afib, thinner blood does not tend to clot.

[scotcitz]

I think the real problem with Afib diagnosis/treatment is that Afib is on a cellular level, or so I have read. People with Afib, even one episode, have demonstrated that their hearts contain cells the 'misfire' the electronic signals that keep the heart beating. In Afib, the electrical signals in the heart go haywire, firing so rapidly that the upper chamber beats out of rhythm and much too fast. As a result, blood can pool and tiny clots can form that are then distributed over the body. Physicians seem incapable of repeating this explanation. So the issue is the cells -- burning them off through ablation can sometimes get rid of them if they can find the right cluster but then the irregular cells may just grow back. People with afib seem to inherit this tendency to grow irregular cells; other people appear to also get them as they age (and cells tend to mutate as we age as our bodies/cellular regeneration gets wonky anyway). And -- oh joy -- if you have a tendency toward afib you are really like for it to get worse as you age. What will kill you with Afib is generally the strokes, although of course you can't really feel that happening until it's almost too late. I think doctors just hate saying 'we don't know' so they put us on a lot of drugs without telling us the pros/cons. The reality is that you may never have another afib attack for years. The reality is that afib triggers vary widely for people, so there is no real 'one size fits all' piece of advice. The reality is that many people cannot really tell when they are in afib, so they can't calibrate their own lifestyles effectively (although from reading this forum I think a lot of people have managed to do that, but it's been mostly trial and error). Here is what you CAN do: learn to take your pulse and tell when your heartbeat is irregular. Afib gives a very distinctive pulse pattern (see elsewhere in forum, but think random raindrops instead of a steady drumbeat). Check it regularly. If it is irregular, get a heart trace. If you're in afib pretty regularly (i.e. at least once a month), go on blood thinners to minimize your chance of a stroke. Become your own advocate, because evidence in this forum and my own experience is that otherwise you'll get shunted around, pushed pills, and no one is going to tell you the truth about afib -- it's a bet and you gotta work the odds. You can better your odds by monitoring it yourself and getting on blood thinners when you find it is persistent.

[steve60]

'At least once a month' what a joy that would be, I'm probably in Afib for 3 days out of 7 all the time.!

[scotcitz]

Hi Steve60, well that gives me perspective and probably everyone else who has occasional afib some too!

[Petra_J]

Thanks to all of you for all your comments! Really appreciate any feedback. One of my triggers is the time just before I am due to get my period. I can go on for a few weeks without arrhythmia and then when those days come mostly I get AF back. Anyone out there with the same experience and what did you do?