Need some advice ......

[Mrchips]

Hello all, I need some advice please. I believe there has to be a trigger for my PAF. Ive read about potassium or magnesium deficiencies. ( it's happened in the past and I've been told my bloods were low on these). My question is what other vitamins or mineral deficiencies could trigger PAF off ?

[icklebud99]

Hi MrChips, as I am not medically trained I can only go on what helps me. I don't take any supplements other than Magnesium Citrate which has really helped me with my PAF.

[sepine in reply to icklebud99]

My triggers are more obscure. Refined bakery products, like digestive biscuits, cakes , etc, And just recently this triggered me on two separate days and quite badly .... Lidle ... Lemon sorbet , so at least I can avoid these products,. Luckily no effect from ice cream.

[secondtry]

Taurine, CoQ10 & Vit B has I believe helped my Lone PAF with Mg

[C66t in reply to secondtry]

Hi if you are on anticoagulation meds check with pharmacy before you take any supplements. I m on sotalol and Elequis and was told to stop vit b and co q10 by the hospital pharmacist when I was first diagnosed. It is very important to check all suppliments when you are on prescribed meds. Carole

[secondtry in reply to C66t]

Thank you for adding that Carole.

[cuore in reply to C66t]

Hi C66t. I am on Eliquis, so I checked with my pharmacist about taking C0Q10. He said that it was fine, and that it is only if you are on warafin that you shouldn't take it. I also checked with my EP who also said that it was fine. I am also taking vitamin B.

[C66t in reply to cuore]

Geepers that s good to hear. I wonder is it that they don't know enough re coq10 and other suppliments and err on the side of caution. I wish there was a definative answer. Since I stopped coq10 and b complex I get mouth ulcers, not sure if there is a connection. I was told its ok to take epo which I understand thins the blood its confusing to say the least. Best of luck.

[Hidden]

Please check this out because I'm not medical, but my doctor was very concerned when my potassium levels went up to borderline levels. She was concerned because (she told me) it causes heart arrhythmias. I had to have a number of blood tests to monitor my potassium level until it came down.

We still don't know why it went high, could be our borehole water. I don't take any supplements.

Koll

[Dodie117 in reply to Hidden]

Mine is also slightly above recommended levels and has been for some time. However doctor was not concerned. What steps did you take to bring it down.

[Hidden in reply to Dodie117]

I started drinking bottled water (and making tea with it even) instead of our tap water, which comes form our borehole and the water is extremely hard. At the next blood test a few weeks later and it was back mid-range, so hence I thought it might be the water.

Mine was right at the top of normal range or just inside the danger zone, can't remember exactly.

It's still above average and my doctor is happy with that also.

Of course it may not be something I'm eating or drinking, it could be something not working properly (kidneys?). I'll wait to see what happens next blood test.

Koll

[Dodie117 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. Agree and also wondered about absorption rates. Anyway will trust doctor - maybe!! For now!

[Hidden in reply to Dodie117]

Forgot, as I don't have high blood pressure, I also increased my salt (sea salt etc) intake, because if I remember correctly, salt counteracts potassium and our salt intake at home was low. Again, I issue the warning that I am not medical and also have a poor memory, so needs checking!!!

[CDreamer]

Any imbalance of electrolytes could be a trigger, as can dehydration, sleep apnea, vagus nerve, over exertion in some people, resting in others, alcohol consumption, virus etc, etc.

Genes play a big part and even if you identify a trigger - and in my experience every time I think I got it taped, it changes.

I tend to not use any mineral supplements but I do bathe once a week in sea salt. I have upped my salt intake - I use a mineral rock salt, take COQ10, Complex B supplement, Vit D,Vit C & eat a varied diet with high quantities of potassium rich foods, green fibre, protein and fats and low in carbs.

On the whole it seems to help but I just had a very bad few days because of virus and bacterial infection.

We all seem to respond very differently,

[Mrchips in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks for that info. I agree we all have different triggers. The reason I was asking was that I had 3 alcoholic drinks the day before and I had PAF early yesterday morning. Now I've had the exact 3 alcoholic drinks in the past and nothing happened the next morning so there is no rhyme or reason to it. So I must have been low on something. I've also had more alcohol in one evening than 3 drinks and again nothing happened The next morning .... So my body must be lacking something I believe which triggers the PAF off. Just frustrating when u believe you have it under control 🙄

[djmnet in reply to Mrchips]

If alcohol was the trigger in this case, the AF would have appeared almost immediately -- NOT the next day.

[rosyG in reply to Mrchips]

alcohol is said to be bad for AF sufferers

[momist]

Hi Mrchips . If you search on this forum for 'trigger' I'm sure you will find far too much to read. Everyone seems to be searching for their trigger for AF, it is searching for a magic bullet really. I don't believe that there is one. If anything triggers my AF, I would guess at it being lack of carbs and getting cold, but I don't actually believe that, it is just coincidence so far.

Yes, I take supplements, always did before I started AF. We all choose our own course through this, I think.

[Lovethatlast]

I believe that many things can trigger AF. One is defiencies of potassium and/or magnesium, a stressful event, high BP, stomach gas. Me personally, not keeping my digestive tract clean. I have diverticulitis. My heart seems to be healthy, however, certain events in my body can trigger an AF ATTACK. For me, Solving my triggers is much more productive than medications. For some, High blood pressure seems to be mutually agreed trigger for AF.

[Hidden]

Out of interest and just following up what my doc said, I looked it up potassium and heart rhythms on the web, and found articles like this one below explaining why Potassium being out of range, low or high, can both lead to heart arrhythmias....

escardio.org/Journals/E-Jou...

[Swamps]

Whilst I was actively seeking anything to make things more effective for my arythmia and Tachycardia I quizzed my cardiologist relentlessly and he warned me that it’s the valence of potassium and other minerals that counts and too much is as bad as too little! Fortunately for me I have had a very successful ablation which worked first time. And in conjunction with a lifestyle change and renewed fitness regime with regular runs I have been AF free and no meds’ for 3 years now! Good luck with the future. Hope it goes well for you

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

Triggers are always a big question mark and topic of conversation. While there are different things that may consistently result in AF for each of us, the thing to keep in mind is that a trigger would not matter if we did not have the AF substrate within our hearts. I am a firm believer that anything that keeps us heart healthy, and generally healthy will help to reduce episodes of AF. Getting good sleep, managing stress, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grains, and getting regular exercise will all help to keep your body in rhythm, which in turn can only help to keep your heart in rhythm.

[Hidden]

Have you looked into sleep apnoea? I moved from the U.K. to the US where AF and sleep apnoea are seen and treated as one syndrome. Since I began using a C-PAP machine, I have not one instance of AF. If you are in the U.K., most NHS medics will downplay the relationship between AF and sleep apnoea, so you will need to fight your corner. Good luck.

[CaroleF in reply to Hidden]

Interestingly (in the light of what you say), I went to the GP surgery today (in UK) and there's a new electronic message board in the waiting area. One of the messages was about the symptoms of sleep apnoea and was encouraging people to mention it to their GP if they experienced one or more of them. It also mentioned the link between sleep apnoea and heart arrhythmia(s) (not the words actually used but I forget what it actually said; it's what they meant though)

[Hidden in reply to CaroleF]

Worth checking out. My PAF would last 12-15 hours at a time before the CPAP. I sleep well now and am not bothered by chronic fatigue associated with my AF.

[Mrchips in reply to CaroleF]

I'll mention it to the docs next week and see way they say !

[Oldcarol in reply to Mrchips]

I have had sleep apnea 20 years. Wear a cpap every night. Seems corrected sleep apnea shouldn’t be a risk factor, but I ended up in afib almost 2 years ago. Had a successful ablation. Only occasional episodes of afib lasting seconds. Restful sleep is so important. Check it out.

[djmnet]

In my experience, the "trigger" for AF can be many things, and yet never the same thing twice. You can try giving up everything you like/love if you believe it triggers your AF, but you still have no guarantee that you won't find that something ELSE that then triggers it. I've gone into AF without any identifiable trigger whatsoever. Live you life as you want to live it; it's impossible to give up every single thing that MAY (or may not) trigger an episode. And what kind of life would you have if you never again have lemon sorbet? Or a bakery product?