Radiofrequency ablation 11 days later - Atrial Fibrillati...

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Radiofrequency ablation 11 days later

BobL123 profile image
12 Replies

For a little background I am a 53 year old that quit smoking over 15 years ago, former heavy drinker but practically nothing for over a year, and do battle weight control, but have dropped about 10 to 15% of body weight over the last 18 months.

After many months of trying to get my ablation scheduled I was so relieved to have it completed on April 22nd. For the next 5 days normal sinus rhythm and to be expected soreness bruising and effects from anesthesia.

On the sixth day I woke up with an irregular heartbeat assumed to be a fib it stuck around for about 3 hours.

On the seventh day I woke up fine normal sinus rhythm feeling relief of the heart failure I had been suffering. However as the day progressed I had three to four times for 10 to 15 minutes of irregular heartbeat. I completely expected and accepted this as part of the healing process based upon all of the reading I've done on this site and many others.

On the 8th day I woke up 2 hours earlier than normal with my chest pounding which felt like full-blown afib to me. 3 days later my blood pressure cuff still indicating irregular heartbeat and I now feel the effects of heart failure again. I finally got a EKG schedule and am awaiting results. Hopefully results from the cardiologist will be learned later today.

What I'm wondering is if this is normal. And I know that normal is a pretty broad statement because A-fib and the Cure is different for everyone. Personally I expected 10 to 15 minutes bouts of AFib I did not expect to go back into persistent A-fib as I was prior to having the procedure completed.

Would love to hear thoughts on my persistent A-fib now beginning my fourth day and obvious symptoms of her failure such as shortness of breath, fluid obvious in lungs, and fatigue that arrives far too early.

Thank you in advance for your input

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BobL123
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Dawsonmackay profile image
Dawsonmackay

On my third ablation, after five days in NSR, I returned to Afib for 25 days and then just as suddenly went back into NSR and have remained in NSR up to now, which is about 29 days. The suddenly description in this paragraph I owe to taking Ionic magnesium supplement in the form of a product called “Calm,” that you can buy on Amazon or Whole Foods. The magnesium calmed my heart within a day and I believe helped it at the right time to sync with the NSR.

BobL123 profile image
BobL123 in reply to Dawsonmackay

Do I need to clear taking magnesium with my cardiologist?

Dawsonmackay profile image
Dawsonmackay in reply to BobL123

That is a very large question! Some people have told their cardiologist and have been scolded. Others have told their docs and been approved. Others say that magnesium may interfere with the meds that one is already taking and thus good to check out with the docs. Others say, most docs could care less about a supplement. Why don’t you post all your meds and see if others take the same and also magnesium. Here in the US, 90% of the population is deficient in magnesium, so anyone with a heart condition, such as you and I, are beyond the 90%. All I know is that the magnesium help me regain NSR. I only take metropolol and Xarelto daily.

BobL123 profile image
BobL123 in reply to Dawsonmackay

Okay. I take tikosyn, entresto, Eliquis, Coreg, each twice per day and baby aspirin each morning.

I really have no idea if these medicines affect my magnesium levels. I can share that last test for magnesium was 2.2 mg/dL. Results show normal range 1.7-2.5 so it appears that I am well within range of so-called normal.

Do you know what your magnesium level was before and or after taking your supplement?

Dawsonmackay profile image
Dawsonmackay in reply to BobL123

Can you repost this question to the community? Like title it - question about taking magnesium supplement / and then list your meds and then state purpose to see if anyone has taken the same combination

Dawsonmackay profile image
Dawsonmackay in reply to Dawsonmackay

Actually Bob has the right answer. Speak to your pharmacist

Kaz747 profile image
Kaz747 in reply to BobL123

My cardiologist said that I should be taking magnesium (and I am and I believe it helps a lot)

Dawsonmackay profile image
Dawsonmackay

You may want to post a new question to the community: listing your daily meds and ask if taking magnesium will interfere with them

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer

As we state in our fact sheet on recovering from ablation it takes from three to six months for the heart to heal and this sort of thing can be quite normal. From your drugs you are obviously in USA so here in UK we are not able to make judgements. Since we are not medically trained your best option is to speak to your pharmacist regarding magnesium.

BobL123 profile image
BobL123 in reply to BobD

ok. I will discontinue posting

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

Hi BobL - the only way to know if you are deficient in Magnesium is to have a red blood cell test, however, it is estimated that most of the US population are deficient.

As far as contraindications are concerned you will find this article of interest. There are very few contraindications for conditions rather than meds - the 2 main ones are if you have kidney problems or Myasthenia - I have Myasthenia so it is obviously not for me but taking a daily supplement if you have neither of the above should be ok.

If you do take any supplements - do your own research and know what you are taking, for what reasons and why and what to expect. Pharmacists will be able to tell you a certain amount but Nutritionists are really the people to speak to or Lifestyle Doctor.

You may find these 2 links helpful

ancient-minerals.com/magnes...

And Dr Sinatra is a Lifestyle Medicine cardiologist who prescribes 3 supplements

heartmdinstitute.com/diet-n...

Not only essential for health maintenance, especially cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, magnesium has across-the-board applications for multiple conditions. Because it improves the metabolic efficiency of heart cells, magnesium is useful for treating angina, arrhythmia and sudden death, atrial fibrillation, arteriosclerotic heart disease, strokes, congestive heart failure (CHF), heart attack, high blood pressure, and mitral valve prolapse. As a muscle relaxer within arterial walls, magnesium alleviates chest pain and other symptoms of angina that are due to lack of oxygen to, or energy in, the heart. Ingested regularly, magnesium can help maintain vascular tone, and thus healthy blood pressure, and may also possible reverse arterial plaques. Magnesium is also useful for treating migraine headaches & helping prevent insulin resistance.

Please do keep posting! Best wishes CD

BobL123 profile image
BobL123 in reply to CDreamer

Thanks CDreamer. Appreciate your suggestions

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