Wexin Keli to treat AFib

[Yogi59]

Has anyone tried non traditional approach to AF treatment, like Chinese herbs Wexin Keli or acupuncture?

[CDreamer]

I used to have acupuncture - helped with anxiety but didn’t affect AF.

I wouldn’t try any herbs without expert advice and monitoring and with your doctors’ advice. I had to look up Wexin Keli and looked interesting but as it has antiarrythmic properties and will not have been approved in UK or US I doubt you will find a cardiologist with the knowledge and experience to be able to monitor you safely. All substances which can help can also harm - that is true of the pharmaceutical antiarrythmic drugs as much as the OTC supplements which is why monitoring is so important and why your doctors need to know everything you are taking. In China it appears to have been used to treat CVD but I couldn’t see anything that indicated it would help with arrythmias other than use as anti inflammatory.

I tried to avoid all medications and there were a few I just refused and searched for anything that would help and some did, temporarily but AF always returned and gradually became more symptomatic and more frequent.

The only things that halted AF for me were ablations and then pacemaker prior to AV node. The pacemaker worked so well that I didn’t proceed with the AV node ablation. My PM is ReSynchronisation therapy and it was the best thing I ever did!

Lifestyle changes did help and some find that AF goes away with Lifestyle changes alone work so look at improving resistance to stress, improve sleep, exercise, eating and breathing first, it’s been very successful for some.

If you are a Yogi you probably do most of that anyway

[Yogi59 in reply to CDreamer]

It is Yogi in Yogi Bear unfortunately, my husband is having all issues with AF but he also has underlying Cardiomyopathy.Pacemaker was supposed to help but because of AF they say it cannot work properly so suggestion is to try AV node ablation that scares us a lot. Thank you for your suggestions CDreamer

[CDreamer in reply to Yogi59]

If your husband has cardiomyopathy it’s likely that will be the cause of the AF so I doubt that any type of alternative will help. The AV node ablation will not stop the AF either but what it will do is take over the pacing of the heart so that his pulse will remain stable and doing that will reduce his symptoms of AF and that means an improved quality of life and hopefully it will extend life.

What exactly is scares you both about that? There a quite a few people on the forum who have had this procedure and really benefitted from it.

Once AF becomes established really nothing much stops it - note that I said tapping helped in my early days to stop AF episode but it always returned.

[Yogi59 in reply to CDreamer]

What scares us is that the heart becomes completely dependent on the pacemaker, what if it malfunction, battery fails ?There is no back up.

[CDreamer in reply to Yogi59]

You are left with enough function n the AV node that you would survive long enough to get emergency help. Batteries these days don’t fail and they are monitored - mine on an app on my phone so I can see at any time how much battery life left. Today I’m at 8 years, was implanted in 2018. I had all those questions but my EP sat with me and went through the statistics. The risk was minuscule and the benefits excellent.

I’d go for AV node ablation now in a shot - if my AF returns and is symptomatic.

[Yogi59 in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you, it is very uplifting information

[Figbar in reply to CDreamer]

Insightful reply.Can you elaborate on Re Synchronization therapy?

Thanks

[CDreamer in reply to Figbar]

It’s a type of pacemaker which paces both ventricles to keep them in sync. When only one is paced there is a possibility that ventricles go out of sync which may then lead to heart failure. RST pacemaker involves putting a pacing wire to left ventricle & it’s difficult to do that successfully so it makes the implant a much more complex procedure so often not performed unless there are appropriate risk factors already present for heart failure.

[Figbar in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you for this great explanation.It seems to be working well for you! Nice!

Stay well

[CDreamer]

PS - In my early days of AF I could stop an AF episode by using energy medicine - exercises and tapping - but it was only ever temporary.

[Yogi59 in reply to CDreamer]

I have heard of tapping, will investigate that more, thank you. Any exercise in particular ?

[CDreamer]

Ha ha, yogi bear….used to love that show as a child! Never make assumptions…..(note to self, not you). X

[secondtry]

As CDreamer says take care! I consulted a London Naturopath who was experienced in Chinese remedies and had some AF patients. He did not approve pills from Big Pharma (I was and still am on Flecainide) and said he treats all his AF patients with a Mg compound (Nutri Mega Mag Muscleze) and CoQ10, which I have also taken for the last 8 years. My approach to keeping AF at bay is to combat it with a range of weapons including many lifestyle changes; so far so good.

[Yogi59 in reply to secondtry]

My husband takes Pycnogenol with CoQ10, but because of his cardiomyopathy it is more complicated. Stay healthy, and we will try our best too, thank you

[Figbar]

I tried to find Wexin Keli from reputable sources in the US and failed. I didn’t feel comfortable buying on Amazon and ultimately decided against it . Let us know if you decide to take it and how you fare.

[Yogi59 in reply to Figbar]

I buy Pycnogenol with CoQ10 from Amazon, they do not have Wexin Keli in US, CDreamer is absolutely right, because of cardiomyopathy as a source of AF it will be challenging to do much with alternative medicine, so probably will not pursue this line. My husband takes lots of prescription medications but they cannot reverse his cardiomegaly.

[Figbar in reply to Yogi59]

I hope you and your husband will find solutions for your health issues.It seems we all are on the same road to our best health with each reacting differently to the mass of information and medications/ supplements available!

May we all be granted patience, wisdom, and understanding ( always my prayer!)

Enjoy this day

[Yogi59 in reply to Figbar]

Thank you, I am so glad I found this side, it is a great support

[Daisaku]

Any one here tried dark chocolate and what effects does it has on afib?

[CDreamer in reply to Daisaku]

I have dark chocolate every day - we have a phrase in our house - chocolate makes everything better.

Has no affect on my AF as long as it’s good quality. My husband bought some Bourneville chocolate recently but that had SO much sugar in alongside the chocolate that it did unsettle my heart so just beware what you buy and avoid anything with emulsifiers in.

Having said that - you really can’t go on other people’s experiences as we all respond very differently.