Any update on Q10

[michou]

Background info: Last July before I knew anything about AF I knew I had problems with what I thought were palpitations and was awaiting an appointment for ECG; I was not sleeping and was very tired so I bought some Q10 for my tiredness (and not for the fast heart rate) the very same day I noticed my heart rate was back to normal at night and I felt better and I carried on taking it and felt very good. When my appointment arrived I decided to stop taking Q10 as I was worried it may be masking an underlying problem - I have not taken it up again.

The hospital person I saw referred me for more ECGs and completely dismissed what I said about Q10. My conditions has got worse since. My appointment at the arrythmia clinic is next week (yes that long and only because I phoned them up and chased them and still not really spoken to anyone about this....) but I am now on Rivaroxaban, 2.5 Bisoprolol after I was admitted to A&E in December with constant 250HB as hospital had been so slow in giving my doctor results which I had to chase myself.

I self medicate magnesium. I am completely exhausted all the time, am out of breadth, major problems sleeping (have always had that but worse now). I feel I have aged 10 years in 6 months.

Been spending a lot of time consulting Dr Google and this forum has been very helpful. I have no real expectations of my clinic appointment (Whipps X) as so far they have been dismal and it feels that it is now DIY medicine; I now remember the really good effect Q10 had on my well being - but that was before I was on the anti coagulants and beta blokers.

Anyone any recent experience of Q10 (got reliable make) and any interaction with the drugs I am on. I have googled it and read what is available but it is fairly vague and I am interested in actual experiences. Thank you very much for any info you can give me.

[BobD Volunteer]

I have been taking Q10 for years, (at least 12) and have no problems with interaction . It does seem to assist energy levels etc.

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

So is it safe to take with warfarin? I'd thought that it should be taken with statins for a long time now.

[dizzielizzie1 in reply to BobD]

Hi BobD, are you taking Q10 with one of the NOACs? I used to take this along with magnesium and hawthorn for my heart health, but cut it out after I read that it can enhance the effects of the anti-coagulant. I also used to take omega3 fish oil, but cut that out too, for the same reason. I wish I could get a definitive answer about what is and isn't safe to take. My GP just says don't risk taking anything that might thin your blood even further.

[Hidden in reply to dizzielizzie1]

That''s interesting. I take Q10, Omega 3 and magnesium and nobody has mentioned that it could increase the effect of Pradaxa. I've had a cannula in my arm without a problem.

[dizzielizzie1 in reply to Hidden]

Perhaps it IS safe to take Q10 and Omega 3 then. There's so much info out there online it's difficult to know what to believe. I looked up a drug interaction site to see if it was OK to take prescription Co-codamol( which I was given some time ago) and Apixaban( recently started) and the result was 'there is a severe interaction, do not use these together.' Asked my friendly pharmacist and he said there was no problem with taking those two drugs together. Always best to ask an expert.

[CDreamer]

Both my husband and I have also been taking Q10 (Ubiquinol) for quite a few years now and really notice the difference when we don't. We use Boots - seems to suit us but other known good manufacturers would be Solgar, Viridian, Lambert's or Biocare. Just be careful about the fillers and the amount of active ingredient contained in the capsule.

If you have a constant HR of 250 I am not surprised you fell tired all the time! I am so sorry you have had to wait so long, it really isn't acceptable is it? My EP positively encouraged me to take COQ10.

[michou]

That is fantastic - thank you for your rsponses. For clarity I do not have constant HR of 250 now but did have it for a while but my BP is up and down but often 120. I think I will go back on the Q10.

Yes the NHS has not been been great - my doctor has been trying but admits not an expert.

[Hidden]

My Naturopath said Mg compound (Nutri Mega Muscleze) and 200mg CoQ10 should be taken together and that's all he gives a Lone PAFer like me, which immediately made me feel better and I have been taking it now for 3 years. I was not brave enough for that alone so have been taking Flecainide 200mg/day as well, prescribed by my cardio.

I have blood tests (Red cell Mg and CoQ10) every 6 months to check levels nb the Mg test is not the usual one doctors do which is almost always OK.

Coupled with a host of lifestyle changes it has worked well for me with no more AF over 3 years and equally importantly good QOL without other drug side-effects.

I should add I advised all the medics who were happy with me taking the supplements although not exactly supportive. Hope something there helps, good luck.

[Hidden]

Forgot to add re sleep improvements, I take half+ of my Mg supplement at 9.30pm.

[Arveno]

Simillar excellet experiences with supplrementing Mg taurat and ubiquinol Q10 as described above. I allways check for possible interactions with my husbands medicines (Sotalol and Xarelto). If you would use too much magnesium you will get diarrhea and in that case decrease your daily volume. Q10 is natural part of bodys enzymes system but it is decreasing with age. That is one of reasons why we are using Q10 for my 76 years afib/diabetes husband. You can google on everything. MD or CD usually do not recommend anything except what is standart measures. Recommending something except of that could not be good for their carrier. Unfortunately for patients. You can also look at Stopafib.org forum. There is bunch of extremely knowledgeble afib-people. Some of them are MDs. Even doctors can get afib....

[canadiananna]

what is Q10?

[Polski in reply to canadiananna]

CoQ10 is the unlikely name of a substance which our bodies make naturally, and need, but which we make less and less of as we grow older. Also, statins block the pathway of chemical reactions which lead to it being made, so anyone taking statins will benefit from taking some.

The body uses it, I believe, in the process of 'making' energy from oxygen, so if we lack it we are likely to be more tired. As the heart uses a lot of energy in order to beat reliably, increasing our supply of CoQ10 is likely to improve it's action, and hence how we feel. It can be bought as a supplement from any health food shop, or online.

It is also often found to increase the health of our gums, and, no doubt, has many other roles in the body.

[canadiananna in reply to Polski]

thank you.

[Peddling]

You will get a complete description/definition if you google.

[Plantwords]

I have been taking CoQ10 for 7 or more years. I stopped taking it for 4 months while I was on Xarelto after my ablation, and, resumed it the next day after I stopped the Xarelto. There was a potential but minor question of an increased anti-coagulant effect. My naturopath said I could continue with it but I wanted to sidestep any possible issues so I stopped it and other heart related herbal remedies until I stopped the Zarelto.

[michou in reply to Plantwords]

I was told at the hospital that I would be on anti coagulant for the rest of my life - so if one has an ablation and it is successful one can come off them?

[Plantwords in reply to michou]

In my case, my EP put me on Xarelto for 4 months after the ablation and then took me off. I know, from this forum, that other folks have been advised by their cardiologists to take anti-coagulation for longer periods, and, some, maybe indefinitely. I am not aware of any research that advises long term anti-coagulation therapy after ablation as a requirement or 'gold standard'. Again, a person's situation may dictate long-term therapy. I have been advised to take aspirin if I have AF, and, if the AF continues longer than 24-48 hours, anti-coagulation therapy would be re-evaluated. I also take a high grade fish oil daily, and, my diet includes 5 servings of sardines weekly. This nutrition helps with blood viscosity.

[michou]

Thank you - I will have to ask when I go to the clinic this week and see whether they will consider ablation; given that I have waited 8 months for my first appointment at the clinic I am not holding my breadth!

[Paige70 in reply to michou]

Hi, I am quite new to this forum, but have found it so helpful since having a cryoablation at the beginning of January. I believe that they have an Arrthymia Clinic at Whipps Cross which is led by an EP Consultant from Barts, so if you are in that clinic you should see someone who is helpful. They also do cryoablations there once a week. I see an EP Consultant at Barts and chose to have the ablation there with the Consultant knew.I do hope that you get the help and support you need.

Interesting about CoQ10.

Hope all goes well.

[AliElli]

My professional nutritionist recommended Lamberts 200 coq10.

[Hidden]

I've been taking Q10 for years: 200mg daily when I was running and in the gym six or seven days a week, reducing to 100mg daily when I was in the gym three days a week. As far as I could tell it didn't have a positive or negative effect on PAF, nor did it prevent a stroke. The same goes for magnesium supplements.

[Polski]

If you are short of a substance then taking it will probably help, but if you have enough in your body it won't make any difference. So if you have been taking CoQ10 or magnesium for years then these are unlikely to help. A general multi-vitamin-and-mineral for three months might help, as that will ensure that there is nothing basic which you are lacking - all the vitamins etc work together, so a shortage of one leads to poor use of others.

Unfortunately research on vitamins etc, rarely tries to find out who is short of the substance concerned first, before giving it. It will only be helpful to those who are short. Consequently the research often appears to show that the substance is no help, but if it was only given to those who needed it, then the results would probably be very different.