AF Triggers?

[greyarmadillo]

Hi,

I had a cryo ablation in August last year, which has been successful. I stay off alcohol, caffeine and confectionery or anything sweet.

Recently I have had two short episodes of AF, which flecanide reverted to Sinus Rhythm.

I think one was triggered by artificial sweeteners in a soft drink and one by breakfast cereal that I (wrongly) assumed was low sugar. Before my ablation I had an instance when a very small slice of homemade cake triggered an episode.

I’d be interested to know ifanybody else finds refined sugar or artificial sweetener is a trigger?

Thanks very much.

[jeanjeannie50]

It's good to hear that your cryoablation was a success.

Artificial sweeteners were definitely a trigger for me and I now do my best to avoid that and anything that contains artificial additives of any kind. When first diagnosed 17 years ago, I would have said sugar was a trigger, but not now. That's 3 ablations and numerous cardioversions later. I still have AF at a low rate 60-90, but it doesn't stop me from doing anything I want.

Here is a list I've made re things I've learnt over the years:

1. You are most unlikely to die from AF. I used to think that the way my heart bounced around I would surely be found dead next day. Still here though!

2. Changing your diet to a more plant based one, avoiding any foods containing artificial additives, not allowing yourself to become dehydrated, cutting back on sugar, alcohol and caffeine, also losing weight (if it's needed) will all have a beneficial effect on your AF. Artificial sweeteners were a sure trigger for my attacks. How I wish I'd known all of this before having any of my ablations. Would I have listened if anyone had told me? Probably not, because I believed ablations would cure me - three didn't! They have helped some people though and my AF now is not so severe.

3. This is a hard one, but looking at gadgets that show your pulse and AF will make you anxious and anxiety feeds AF. I was obsessed with what my heart was doing for about the first ten+ years of my AF journey and my attacks were so debilitating I'd end up in a hospital ward, it has taken me a long time to take my mind off this subject and get on with living. The less I think about it, the better I feel. Now I used to feel cross with people who suggested I stop looking at my pulse rate machines, I thought that their AF couldn't be as bad as mine and they didn't understand how poorly attacks made some of us feel. I would get cross with anyone who said they could still go on holiday and carry on life as normal. They made me feel evil, by not understanding how ill I felt! In our minds AF is only as bad as we have experienced, for some attacks are mild for others they're more severe.

4. Make sure you don't slouch, or unwittingly do shallow breathing, wear non restrictive clothes, such as tight waistbands, bras etc. If you do your heart will protest.

5. Try supplementing with magnesium (I use glycinate from YourSupplements and also take vitamins B12, D3, K2, and Taurine). I feel really well and there's nothing I can't do now, despite being in constant low rate AF. Or at least I think I am, I don't check these days.

I bought myself an Oximeter recently and made myself really stressed with the results of it, the alarm kept going off - help!! So I've stopped looking at that, accepted it's no good for an irregular heartbeat and put it away. I feel fine and that's what I'm going to go by.

Jean

[greyarmadillo in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks very much for all your experience. Like you I am generally plant based now. It’s good to hear how similar your triggers were and I’ll try the vitamins etc now too.

[secondtry]

I try to stick to 75% less sugar and gluten. With soft drinks watch out for quinine in tonics and any carbonated drink which can swell the belly and tweak an oversensitive Vagus Nerve.

[greyarmadillo in reply to secondtry]

Thanks very much. I’ll try the sugar rule.

[needlestone]

Yes, both aspartame and sucralose sweeteners cause mine. Wheat/gluten is another trigger. Sugar not so much.

[greyarmadillo in reply to needlestone]

Thanks for the reply. I’d definitely agree about aspartame and sucralose too.