When you were first diagnosed with Afib, how many of you were given information by your cardiologists about the importance of electrolyte balance? How many of you were advised to supplement with magnesium, or to change your diet to include more natural sources of potassium?
I'm just wondering, because I know my cardiologist never mentioned diet. And I am wondering, do they know that an electrolyte imbalance can cause palpitations? Are they ignorant of this, or are they trying to hide this information from the public?
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I was simply told that I had atrial fibrillation. Over the few years since then, my cardiologist has told me that my electrolytes were normal and that there were no issues with thyroid or heart failure. I take this to mean that testing was done as a matter of course at diagnosis and along the line since then.
Diet was never mentioned, except as far as alcohol was concerned. It was from this forum and the AFA website that I discovered the dangers of processed food and all things artificial.
I don’t blame my cardiologist for the gap in information - he is overworked, underfunded and trying to do his best for all his patients.
It is very true that we need to inform ourselves as best we can and support organisations such as the AFA and others helping with the non medical side of all illnesses and their impact on our lives.
My cardiologists including the specialists EP's never mentioned nutrition!! In my asking questions they would net give a straight answer. However, whenever I ended up in the hospital, they ER doctor would make mention after reviewing my blood tests. I could never understand this myself.
Nutrition never mentioned by cardiologist. EP was only one who really pushed healthy lifestyle changes included wt loss, mediterranean type diet, no alcohol. I had to ask both re supplements especially magnesium. Both did not say supplements were good bit they were not opposed to them. My thing with supplements is here in the states they are not very well regulated so you dont know what fillers you are taking with your supplement for sure. I do take magnesium as I can feel the difference when I dont take it. It also calms anxiety and promotes sleep.
Yes, it is upsetting that doctors, who are supposed to be experts in human health, rarely ever discuss nutrition or diet when a person is ill. Seems to me like they would rather sell you a pill or surgical procedure, than work with you to get well naturally.
Most doctors only spend a few minutes with their patients. Seems all they care to do is look at charts and run tests. They treat patients like numbers, rather than like human beings who deserve to have a good quality of life.
I've seen 5 cardiologists and 2 EPs, none of them mentioned any supplement or possible causes. In fact, none of them care to look for the cause of my afib. If I didn't push for thyroid test and sleep study, none would be done either. I hate to know when the docs spent 10 mins with me before rushing out of the door but charged insurance 500 bucks.
I think doctors expect you to know what a healthy lifestyle is and to only consult them if all else has failed! Of course they are wrong...... I have noticed lately (at my practice in the UK) that there is now a much greater emphasis on self help and advice and a reluctance to prescribe medications.
I suspect few people really know what a healthy daily diet is, for example, and even if they do they don't follow it for whatever reason - thinking of my own family who were brought up on a fairly strict diet but don't follow it.
No one out of my cardiologist, EP, cardiac specialist nurse or GP have ever mentioned nutrition or electrolytes, vitamins, minerals or supplements. That’s with the exception of my EP who recommended high strength fish oil supplement, but very definitely negated my queries about the positive effect of dietary or supplemented magnesium, co Q12, vit b, D etc.
They bypassed any discussion of what I can do to help, or holistic considerations, and went straight for the beta blockers and flecainide (which it turned out I can’t use) along with anticoagulation and lansoprazole PPI. When I said I really didn’t want to be on a PPI because of the depletion of vitamins/ minerals, it was met with surprise. And rejected as of no significance.
I understand how overworked our doctors are. I just wish they would consider nutritional aspects to be as significant as I feel they are. (Or if not, I wish at I could afford to see a good nutritionist!)
The only person that has ever discussed diet, lifestyle ect is my community heart failure nurse (I have HF as well as AF). Consultant, EP, GP and AF nurse have never said anything, not even at cardiac clinic which is where you would have thought it would have been discussed. Most of the information on all of this I have gathered from this forum.
Hi Cassie ...Like you information I have gathered has been from this forum. I too have (HF and AF) what meds are you on Cassie....do you take any supplements ? Have you had any treatment done re ablutions etc ..I was abvised by Cardiologist after having monitor for 24 hrs I was in AF permanently I could have pacemaker, I said to him could we leave it ,it threw me for six don't want if I can get away without it, as I was feeling a little better I had started on magnesium a few weeks before.worse I feel is breathlessness (bad enough yuck)
How about you? By the way I am 80 told I don't look it ( tell my heart that ) like you just wish it would behave ! Hoping to hear from you ..All the best ...Celia x
I am on Nebivolol, Diltiazem, Ramirpril and Rivaroxaban. Also had breast cancer in 2014 so take medication for that, but that one will finish in 18 months time as it is a five year thing. Will be glad to stop that one as it causes a lot of nerve pain.
My Af is also permanent, asked many times since diagnosed in 2014 to be referred to an EP but hospital would not, said I was okay on medications, I went to see an EP privately last August because I was getting no where with hospital. After a six months battle I have only recently been put on Nebivolol (was on Bisoprolol and made me breathless, I also have mild COPD) Cardiology would not prescribe it but my GP did eventually. Have been on it for 6 weeks and it is much better. Outcome with EP is that my only solution now is a pace and ablate (threw me at the time too) so am still mulling over this, I have been put on his NHS list now. Have never been offered any other interventions.
Supplements - I take VitC, Emmu Oil capsules (omega oils) magnesium oil (tabs donn't agree with me and vit D sometimes. I am 71 and often told I look years younger, just wish I felt it. Good days and I am fine, but do have to pace myself, other days just feel rubbish and cann't do much, makes planning outings a bit of a nightmare.
There is now some concern over omega oil supplements, that they are not compatible with anticoagulants. I asked my chemist bout this, he looked up Rixaroxaban and no contradiction there then he looked up omega3,6,9 oils and all the noacs and warafin were on there as may affect them. I am still taking the Emmu oil as it is for my arthritis , and have been for 15 years and only thing that seems to help it.
Thank you Cassie for replying, well done for overcoming breast cancer one less medication for you at least. I have a friend had same 5years on medication just finished also. You certainly have been through the mill Cassie, hope things can get a bit easier for you soon ,a real (Pain in the heart very true ...but being polite) this A/F feel it's time more research should go into it..we should be enjoying our retirement not hindered with ill health, like you it restricts me making arrangements to go anywhere.had a few lousy days feeling crap all we do is trust we can enjoy what good ones we have..enjoyed hearing from you ..take care hugs Celia
Cardiologist no, EP questioned me about my lifestyle and offered outline and referral to dietician, not nutritionist. I was aware of necessity of electrolytes and we had a discussing but I wasn’t offered advice directly other than saying the AF burden could be lessened by Mediterranean diet, exercise, sleep & relaxation - the 4 Pillars. I saw a nutritionist anyway for autoimmune condition.
I am assuming from your post that you would like more information, support and advice around lifestyle and I agree! It is coming, but very, very slowly!
One of our GPs has recently qualified in Functional Medicine and is giving talks locally on nutrition but also on specific information based on testing for various diseases. She has managed to get my own GP to monitor my bloods a lot more closely, especially B12 - for optimum not just ‘normal’ range, ferritin, folate, HG, cholesterol - HDL/LDL/TG ratios as well as FBCs, inflammatory markers, kidney & liver functions. I have monthly bloods.
I recently had a conversation with my EP who said that up until very recently treatment had been only about interventions but that it was changing. Trouble is that there isn’t the money for trials as mostnresearch is funded by Pharmaceuticals - but there is MUCH, MUCH more awareness and it is growing and changing very slowly.
Well, I have to say I got the full menue. From initial sleep study which confirmed sleep apnea, to a thorough briefing about life style changes, nutrition, weight reduction, alcohol and stress management.
Having a 3 month follow up cycle after my ablation I do spend quite some time with my EP and he takes his time for questions and answers.
Maybe thats because I live in Bangkok and with a private insurance have access to top health care were patients are treated as humans not numbers.
You are very fortunate. I have had insomnia for over 10 years. I told my GP about it. She said she was going to put in a referral for a sleep study. But I haven't heard back from her.
Oh how frustrating If I were you I’d push back when things don’t happen ... we shouldn’t have to, but it’s true that no one has as much invested in our life and health as we ourselves do
I don't think doctors deliberately withhold information about diet, I just don't think they know. Lifestyle and diet is a very minor part of their training. I was told eat a good balanced diet and there is no need for supplements but I err on the side of caution and have always taken supplements, rather more now since diagnosed with AFib.
This seems to have brought out some very bad, and to my mind ill-deserved, comments about doctors. I had a heart attack and hence a quad bypass in 2010 after which I received a full rehabilitation course including advice on diet. Despite this I did eventually go into AF, as my surgeon had warned was possible. My cardiologist advised me to try cutting out foods one by one and amongst other triggers was farmed salmon, which surprised him as much as me. I have had countless blood tests for everything including all electrolytes, so many that the nurse now sometimes struggles to find a vein to take blood ! Eventually I had an ablation which was 100% successful, but I am still regularly monitored by my GP including ECGs looking for any changes.
So I am 100% satisfied with my UK based healthcare.
No surprise re farmed salmon when you research and find out what they have to do in terms of sprays & feed to keep them alive in such crowded conditions when fully grown. I haven't touched it for years now. There is no such thing as cheap quality food, the best plan is to go back to the % of income people spent on food 50 years ago.
No one has ever mentioned diet or nutrition to me, I assume because I am a perfect weight and generally healthy except for IBS/diverticular disease for which I have been supplied with detailed diet advice. I have had blood tests whenever I was in A&E and questioned about alcohol and possible infections as infection markers have come up. I assumed the tests would show if I was significantly low in anything but nothing has ever been mentioned.
I'm in the U.S. Had years of PAF and then permanent afib. My first EP never said a word about electrolytes or nutrition, and when I asked him if losing weight might help ameliorate afib, he looked at me like I had two heads and said, basically, that weight loss was not related to afib. Only later did I find the research out of Australia about the benefits of weight loss and exercise for afib. I quit that EP because he was kept around to generate revenue for the hospital via ablations, because he had zero real interest in his patients' welfare.
My second EP is a totally different type of doctor, but still he did not volunteer any information on nutrition or diet. But at least he didn't actively discourage my interest in dietary changes to control afib. I struggled through several more afib drugs and cardioversions and was finally put on Tikosyn, which has to be initiated during a 3 night hospital stay. The first night I was given potassium IV. I asked why, and they said I was "low." Nobody had ever said that to me before, despite years of blood tests.
The Tikosyn seems to work well for me, and I still have the possibility of getting an ablation if it fails. The few times I had a break-through bout of afib over the couple of years I've been on Tikosyn, (usually when I'm badly dehydrated), I've taken about a half teaspoon of NO SALT, which is a widely available salt substitute sold in the U.S. grocery stores, which is pure potassium salts, and within a couple of hours, am locked back into NSR.
I also take a bunch of other supplements, including Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin K2, Resveratrol, Quercetin, nicotinimide riboside, and many, many more. I am 68 and still able to do heavy farm/garden chores for hours each day.
My EP at first visit talked at length re healthy lifestyle change and emphasized no alcohol. His words were " I cannot promise you your a fib wont comeback but if you make these changes, it should be less aggressive". That really hit home with me and in 2 yr, I found it to be true. Ive been slacking off this winter re diet/ exercise, and a fib in the last month has reared its ugly head. Coincidence? Who really knows but Im putting down the fast food and sprite.
They aren't trained in dietary matters though some have an interest in the connection as there is one Ab fib is a disease of western countries and virtually doesn't exist in some communities! Dr John Day an American EP has a good website with lots of lifestyle and diet tips !
Later did see cardiologist for ablation - unsuccessful- and subsequently no more advice - just take the pills. No follow up - 9 years ago. I had PAF, now permanent AF. I find it very frustrating that we don’t get more help.
All I’ve learnt about AF, nutrition, foodstuff to avoid etc, has been through my own research! Lots of exclamation marks because I’m lucky in a way as I’m boring, do research and help myself. Others may not and therefore are not as aware of things to avoid or try out!!!
No advice was offered by any heart specialist voluntarily. But my anaesthetist said magnesium supplement was a good idea and when I asked ...as I was going to sleep... what sort, she said a multivitamin would do it over time. When I raised this with the EP he was sceptical and said magnesium was best taken through lots of leafy vegetables. When I said that I was only having small helpings of leafy greens because of warfarin, he said I should increase the greens and increase the dose of warfarin! I concluded that doctors are more interested in fixing the problem if they can and not so much in prevention.
I was told by cardiologist to avoid alcohol and eat a banana every day as it is a good source of potassium. I asked about magnesium and he said my electrolytes were fine but it would do no harm to take it if I wanted to.
Hello Clarrie, yes bananas are a good source of potassium,. My daughter eat loads of bananas as she has had to have a hole in her heart patched 3 years ago. My husband was offered cardio re abilitation , it is the cardio nurse and the cardio rehabilitation physios who advised him about his diet. not his GP.
I think it's the same in the US. Unfortunately, these doctors are subsidized by the pharmaceutical companies. So they don't want people to know how to heal themselves.
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If I were you I’d push back when things don’t happen ... we shouldn’t have to, but it’s true that no one has as much invested in our life and health as we ourselves do 
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