Can reversing afib without meds be normal?

[Gtmoshi1]

Hi guys I am new to the a fib family. I had my first episode two years ago, in which I needed to go to the hospital, they converted me back to sinus rhythm with Flecanaide. My second episode was one year later and which Flecanaide reversed again.

Third time was six months later in which I stayed home and reversed it with Flecanaide myself. Fourth and fifth time I learned to sit up right, and take deep breath’s and reversed it without any medication within 5 to 10 minutes.

Is it abnormal to reverse a fib all on my own with simply breathing exercises and staying calm? Or am I just getting lucky?

[BobD Volunteer]

Probably what you did helps but there is no natural response which can guarantee reverting to NSR.

[CDreamer]

Perfectly normal for me, works sometimes and not others but helps me cope anyway.

As Bob says - we all have differing modus operandi so what works for one person, may not for another.

[doodle68]

Hi Gtmoshi welcome , how can we know for sure if something we are doing stops an episode of AF or if it just stops on its own.

I have never been prescribed a rhythm control drug just rate control and I sit it out and wait for my episodes to stop. One thing I am pretty sure of is by staying calm and doing breathing exercise I am helping my body to cope with the AF by preventing the release of stress hormones . Also by learning to stay calm I don't feel as ill as I used to.

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi GTmoshi and welcome to the forum.

You would be surprised at all the weird and wonderful ways various people on the forum have said they get their heart back into normal rhythm. If something works for you then I'd say do it. What I can never quite agree with though is putting yourself under hard physical pressure to do so. For example, some have said they cycle up a steep hill to get their heart back in rhythm. I can't forget a keen cyclist telling me about a member of his group racing up a hill, well the others followed and found him dead at the side of the road. His heart had given up. Nor can I forget my son-in-laws cousin who dropped dead while playing football. I suppose you could say that extreme exercise can kill or cure, but I'd be too afraid that it would kill.

Your method sounds good. Please let us know if it continues to work for you.

Jean

[Gtmoshi1 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks jean, knock on wood! I’m 10/10 so far. Even panicky locations, once in a plane, once on a highway when my tire went flat, once at at an amusement park. I was given a test each time with every location having its way of delivering more stress and panic, but I go into calm mode, and start my slow in/slow out breathing. Stay calm, believe in yourself back to NSR. The moment I begin to worry, the harder and faster my heart beated. So back to slow calm breathing I went, and thank God I always revert to NSR. Take care!!

[secondtry]

Hi Gt, I think the key point here is that your AF could be increasing and there seems common agreement that more AF begets more AF. So If I was you I would look for your AF triggers to avoid and work on lifestyle, diet and supplement issues while you have time to reduce the episodes to zero asap; even consider daily 100gms Flecainide (after cardiologist advice) while you do that.

[Gtmoshi1 in reply to secondtry]

Thanks secondtry,

I am currently working very hard on my lifestyle change. I juice daily, (greens), I walk 1 mile a day, and ride my bike 1 mike a day. My cardio recommended to only take Flecanaide when I’m having an af I cannot revert on my own. You mentioned I could work on making my occurances down to very little? Do you mean by losing weight ? Thanks

[secondtry]

No not just weight, all the things under the banner of lifestyle - my analogy which I hope helps is that a variety of bad things can go in to your AF pint glass until it overflows with an episode e.g. could be just one thing like overtraining or hi stress makes it overflow or a number of factors poor food, low exercise, low magnesium/Coq10, stress, genetic predisposition etc etc. Good Luck!