A few palpitations

[CDreamer]

Well what with all that excitement this morning about healthcare costs and cuts etc I got a little stressed today! I have been to a few meetings about NHS cuts recently and the politics involved have left me rather upset.

I have not felt my heartbeat since Feb 2014 so it was a bit of a shock when the thumping chest made an unwelcome return. I had to search for my Alivecor, haven't used it in so long, there was an irregular heartbeat and resting HR moderately high 100-120 for about 3-4 hours but my BP stayed up - yeah - no AF on the ECG and I didn't feel unwell in the slightest but did take some time to unwind and relax anyway. HR now back to normal thankfully so I do hope it was just a one off and not a precursor to the main feature!

It could be one of the meds I take for the autoimmune disease which have palps as a side effect, or the real coffee I dared to re-introduce this week after 10 years of deprivation - I guess it is time to ditch the chocolate & coffee again - long sigh.........

On the plus side - my treatments are starting to work and I am feeling much better generally since I lost a stone in weight and am starting to exercise very gently again. I am being very strict with my diet and staying off all wheat & dairy products. I eat only small amount of meat - lamb, venison, game & free range chicken and local fish (well we do live near to the largest fishing port in UK), almost no carbs but lots of organic veg & fruit.

No more constant double vision and my left eye only closes now when I have overdone things. Had no swallowing or breathing issues now for several months but I have had problems with arms and legs occassionaly and my face looks as though I have had a stroke when I get tired as the left side sags horribly but that is mainly just in the evenings - which is a HUGE improvement on just 6 months ago.

I am actually starting to feel well, at least for some of the time, so I really do hope the palps were a 1 off!

Best wishes CD.

[greengranny]

Shame about the coffee! Hope that was a one off episode.

Connecting up the NHS finances and your really helpful remarks about life style, diet, etc., it does emphasise how important it is for us all to take responsibility for those things we can control, and not just depend on the medical profession totally. And not to wait for government measures to tax sugar and so on. It's a shame that so much dietary advice seems contradictory, still I guess lots of veg is a start. I haven't seen anyone argue against green veg!

Coming back to the NHS, and my husband's Afib, at his last routine cardiology appt., last week, he saw a "houseman" rather than the cardiologist, who has been very helpful so far. There was a strong suggestion that the rivaroxaban, prescribed by the bossman which suits hubby very well, was very expensive and maybe warfarin should be considered instead.

Congratulations on taking as much control as possible over your health issues - it does inspire! I'm so glad that generally things seem to be going better for you. Long may it continue. Can I ask what auto immune condition you have?

[Susiebelle in reply to greengranny]

Green veg v warfarin ?

I am drinking dedafeinated tea & coffee & not drinking alcohol - does chocolate have cafeine in it ?

As said trying to alter the things you have control over, I think, is empowering.

The cardiac nurse I spoke to yesterday said change of any part of the diet can affect your INR but trying to see if the change can reduce number of AF episodes is so important.

We keep trying I guess.

[MarkS in reply to Susiebelle]

Green veg is actually just the sort of thing you should be eating if you're on warfarin. OK you need a constant amount of it but if you can do that then it will help INR control and also supply essential vitamins. Or you go the easy route (as I do) and take a Vit K2 pill which provides a constant amount and then you can eat what you like and have stable INR.

[Susiebelle in reply to MarkS]

Thank you - I have reduced green veg because of INR but maybe slowly reintroduce broccoli etc love green veg

[Rellim296 in reply to Susiebelle]

Broccoli is highish in Vitamin K but not a front runner. Way ahead are spinach, kale, spring cabbage (or collard greens in the US) and, far out in front all on its own, parsley.

But you can eat them all, as MarkS says. They will (or may) drop your INR so give it a go shortly before your next test. Your dose can be adjusted and you'll take a little bit more Warfarin to accommodate.

[Susiebelle in reply to Rellim296]

That is a fair observation and I do love green veg so shall do that gradually making sure I go for weekly tests to monitor it - thank you - wisdom & knowledge - amazing combination - thank you

[Rellim296 in reply to Susiebelle]

If I am persuaded to take Warfarin again (may be obliged to for an ablation) I intend to have a generous daily dollop of spinach!

[rosyG in reply to greengranny]

Don't let them push you to change from NOACS if you find they suit your husband- he is entitled to choose- quote NICE guidelines on this if needed!

[rosyG]

sorry to hear this but you seem to have made really good progress so hope you continue to improve-

[CDreamer]

Thanks Rosy, as you know it has been a long journey!

Susiebell - YES - chocolate is full of caffeine! I only eating dark chocolate as a treat as I cut all known added sugar also. It is very hard to find 1 treat that I can tolerate so I don't feel deprived. I do drink occassionaly but before ablation I couldn't take as much as a sip without flipping into AF.

I don't understand your comment re: Wafarin & green veg? I have never, ever been on Wafarin only NOACs for which INR is irrelevant as they work in a totally different way so you eat whatever you want without any effect. I am not anticoagulated at present but that may change if I have any further episodes and I will check my ECG through Alivecor regularly now for a while. Having never taken Wafarin I have no experience and only know I wasn't going to take it but the choice between Wafarin and NOACs is personal choice. In any case aren't you supposed to adjust your dose to suit your diet rather than vice versa? I would question your cardiac nurse a little more closely regarding diet and meds and don't assume they know more than you.

You are right we need to be as responsive and proactive with regard to our health as we can - I have a raft of other issues which mean I cannot take anti- arrythmia meds nor beta-blockers nor a lot of antibiotics, which as I am immune suppressed, makes on coming winter a bit of a nightmare! For me, If AF returns there are no further treatment options that I know of because all the treatments are contraindicated for the meds so staying well through lifestyle is essential.

[Susiebelle in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you for that - chocolate out which is ok because I am reducing my sugar intake as well as caffeine - Ho hum - all for the good as they say but will gradually reintroduce green veg because as you say dose should fit around diet - wise - thank you - this site is so good for keeping I check with other AFs & flutterers

[BobD Volunteer]

After a lovely breakfast at Carluccios with my wife recently I was inspired to get my old Gaggia machine out of the loft and set it up. BIG MISTAKE. Two frothy Italians later I was tachycardic for two hours. Lesson learned and just another thing to dust now. B----r! Back to decaf tea.

[CDreamer in reply to BobD]

Much as I hate to admit it Bob, you are right. I was SO enjoying a morning coffee again, started in Spain but I guess now I am back home I just have to resign myself......G..r..r.rrrrrrrrrrr!

[judyt in reply to BobD]

Bob, I was told to stay off Caffeinated coffee years ago because of PBC (liver disease) and Scleroderma as well as Rheumatic Heart disease causing some AF and other Palpitations. Anyway all these years I have been strictly on De Caf. coffee. Have found a brand I like and our home coffee machine gets a work out twice a day, after breakfast and after dinner. Don't often have coffee when we are out because the brands some cafes use are putrid. Anyway the purpose of my post is to say get your Gaggia down again, find a GOOD decaf. and give yourself something to look forward to in the morning.

[Rellim296]

Nearly all of that sounds really good. How encouraging.

There's surely a choice: continue with the coffee and see if there's a repeat or cut it out and see if there isn't.

[Offcoffee]

Hi at last some discussion of coffee! I was diagnosed a year ago with AF but have been sure all along that as long as I cut out all coffee, including decaf, Earl Grey Tea, chocolate etc etc and similar stimulants, eg licorice in herb teas, I can be perfectly well and have no heart symptons. I put a post on here about a drink called Organo Gold coffee which I was introduced to by a health club cafe, asking if anyone knows of any ill effects. They aim their marketing at sports people wanting to perform and it sure does have caffeine in it but it also has a mushroom called Ganoderma Lucidum that appears to neutralise the effect of the caffeine on my heart. Its amazing. I just love it and am getting a bit worried about being addicted to something there is very little information about. This is sold through pyramid selling (which sets off some alarms) so I am trying not to have it every day. It also gives me energy and suppresses my appetite enough for me to eat a lot more healthily. Has anyone else tried this?

[Susiebelle in reply to Offcoffee]

I drink decaf tea & coffee - caffeine free herbals

[CDreamer in reply to Offcoffee]

Very dubious business and ethical practice, thanks but I will give that one a miss and go back to herbal teas.