I have been sitting and thinking about my journey with PAF and medications over the last five years and have come to the conclusion it was like a boxing match.
In the blue corner AF is standing mighty and tall. In the red corner out comes digoxin, weaving and ducking trying to get a killer punch in to end it all......wham! AF swings a mighty blow and knocks digoxin out of the ring.
The red corner sends in Sotolol who dances around, strikes a few blows scoring a few points. The wham! another killer punch and Sotolol is on the canvas wondering what happened. AF parades around the ring looking very smug urging the red corner to send out the next victim. The red corner retreats and thinks. They send out the master blaster Amioderone, who lasts three rounds before AF knocks his block off.
The red corner are sending out hopefuls thick and fast. Their final assailant is Flecanaide......weighing in at 300mg he rushes out full tilt and hits AF fair and square on the chin.....AF barely flinches....hits Flecanaide with an uppercut and thats the end of him....RIP meds.
I hope you get a smile on your face after reading this......it's good to have a sense of humour.
Barry
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tibetan36
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Loved it, tibeten36: if we can laugh, we can better live with AF.
So, in your five year journey, you started off with the rate control drug digoxin which "slows the speed of electrical activity from the atria to the ventricles." It seems that rate control was abandoned rather quickly for three rhythm control drugs. However, the first choice sotalol was a segue since it is "both a beta blocker and a potassium channel blocker. That means it controls both heart rate and heart rhythm." Its effects lasted a while. Amiodarone , also a potassium channel blocker lasting your three rounds, "slowed down the electrical conduction in the heart. They do so by interfering with conduction that occurs through the potassium channels in the cells." The last one you mentioned - flecainide - is a sodium channel blocker drug to help control heart rhythm. It focused "on electrical activity in the sodium channels of the heart cells. "
Disclaimer: I am not medically trained; the above is research.
RIP meds-- so what is your next move -- are you considering an ablation? And, did you manage to stay in paroxysmal AF during those five years without progression to persistent?
I am so pleased to read this, only pleased because it runs so parallel to my experience and gives me hope that perhaps the AV ablation and pacemaker may not be such a scary option after all. Thank you.
A man finds himself standing on a river bank . In the river are lots of crocodiles and on the plain in front of him a pride of lions. Two men approach him one a cardiologist the other an electophysiologist.
Don't worry says the cardiologist I have some drugs which will make the lions go to sleep and you can walk away. But some of the lions don't go to sleep and continue to prowl backwards and forwards.
Don't worry says the electrophysiologist I have a rifle and I will shoot the lions and you can walk away.
Hold on says the cardiologist . sometimes he misses!
I almost hate to comment since most people on this site probably think I am crazy and reject common approaches for AF. Yet, as I continue my quest with chiropractors, I am making more progress than what many people seem to make with the recommended treatments. I am on my third chiropractor and this one is more trained than the first two. He is more focused on very specific vertebrae. And after only two treatments, I can manage heart rate and extra beats by changing my back. I have the EKG charts to prove this. Before these latest treatments, I had AF at least once a day. Since then, I have had AF once in 6 days. It seems a slight vertebrae adjustment, has made the difference. The chiropractor said it will take a year to fix my neck and back. I am 69 so wear and tear has probably taken its toll. If the results keep being positive, a year will be nothing. I figure it is worth a try.
What I have learned is the nervous system gets compromised by subluxations in the spine. Sometimes the impact takes years to become problematic. It seems that it is wise to have a chiropractic adjustment on a regular basis just as it is to have an eye or dental exam. If our nerves send and receive incorrect signals, the body cannot function as designed. The negative bias about chiropractors will take a long time to overcome but it will happen. And I have also learned not all chiropractors have the same skill and training. This one I am now seeing has extra training on the bones in the head and the top vertebrae of the spine. He says he needs to fix the top vertebrae, some vertebrae in the middle of the back and those at the bottom of the spine. Any chiropractor should know where the nerves that influence the heart are located in the spine.
So tibetan36, you might want to visit a qualified chiropractor. Maybe a chiropractor will be a better sparring partner. None of them are likely allowed to say they treat AF but all likely know about the nerves that influence the heart. Depending upon many factors, it will likely take time to get results. Don't bother with a chiropractor who does not think he/she can do something to help the nerves that affect the heart. New technology helps chiropractors identify areas where nerves are impacted; so they have more tools in their too chest now. And the great thing about chiropractors is they don't use medication or surgery to get positive results.
An interesting aside that I learned is crib death in babies may be caused by tension on the neck when babies are extracted during the birthing process. Apparently, 90 pounds can be applied and 110 pounds will sever the spine. It is thought that the spine of these babies might have been compromised and something happens later that causes death. Every new baby should be checked by a chiropractor. Often adjustments can prevent or fix colic, ear and other problems. A friend of mine, told me this 35 years ago from a personal experience he had with his daughter. He told me that I should see a chiropractor for a maintenance check-up. Maybe if I had done this, I would not have AF today.
I agree with Engmac on cholesterol, the stuff I have read suggests that the mainstream medical establishment will be doing a U-turn on cholesterol levels soon. Of course taking pills may be necessary if you have other issues but if not I would stop now.
I am 63 and have kept records of my levels for the last 15 years which is stable around 7. Ten years ago the medics said we strongly recommend you take statins thank goodness I declined the invitation. Two years ago as part of the AF tests I had heart and carotid arteries checked - surprise surprise all completely clear.
Thank you for your posts Engmac, I always find them interesting.
All our body reactions are so interrelated, I am not surprised medics just give up trying to get to the bottom of problems and stick to safe ground. You may be interested to know that I have some confidence in a Qigong exercise (I posted details of the exercise here recently) relieving pressure on the Vagus Nerve. I have found it has strengthened my neck muscles and allows me to tie up my shoelaces without feeling uncomfortable.
Hi Tibetan36. I don't take any medication at all at present. Beta blockers and anti-arrhythmic drugs did not work. Dr. Gupta mentioned in a recent YouTube video that anticoagulants may not be needed for vagal AF. So many opinions. Also there are new thoughts about cholesterol. Higher levels and whether cholesterol is even the culprit are being talked about now. My cholesterol is above the recommended number but when my arteries and heart were checked, I was told I had arteries like a child. Yet, the heart pharmacist still wanted me to take cholesterol medication. So you need to do a bit of research and get some more info if you are concerned about cholesterol meds.
I just realized that it is likely that chiropractors are unaware that they can help with AF. They know that adjustments fix other nerve issues but may not be aware that adjustments can also impact the heart. You may need to work with one to explain just how the vagus nerve impacts the heart. Then, a chiropractor may be willing to check for subluxations in areas where the nerves that impact the heart exit the spine and you can tell this person if the adjustments helped. This is my experience at least. When they find out they can do this, they get really interested.
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