Just getting started-80 yr old female

[Arnold6694]

Looking to learn more about Afib and its treatments, any tricks of the trade, general info, and support.

[BobD Volunteer]

Go to AF Association main website and read till you drop then come here and ask any questions you have.

[jeanjeannie50]

Here's some general advice I give:

Having had AF for 17 years, three ablations and numerous cardioversions my advice to people who have just been diagnosed with AF is the following:

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, never wear tight clothing around your waist/midriff, or unwittingly do shallow breathing. If you do your heart will protest.

5. Try supplementing with magnesium (I use glycinate from YourSupplements and also take vitamins B12, D3, K, C, taurine and zinc). That sounds a lot of vitamins doesn't it. I would say the magnesium and D3 are the most important as we grow older. 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.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Jean

[Nan1 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Such a helpful reply Jeanjeannie. When you say you are in constant low rate AF do you literally have it all the time. I get about 2/3 episodes a week. Would that be classed as constant.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Nan1]

I have AF 24hrs a day, every day and my pulse is constantly variable between 70-95bpm when sat. Occasionally it will jump a little higher. I've just had my medication changed, have stopped taking Flecainide and Metoprolol and now just on 2 x 2.5mg Bisoprolol. My cardiologist thought that Flecainide was upsetting my hearts rhythm.

[Nan1 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

that’s so interesting as I think I will have to change from Sotalol as heart not stable and knee replacement was cancelled on morning of op because of it. Been suggested I try Bisoprolol and Flecainide but I’m really unsure about the Flecainide. Thank you for your reply Jean and trust you are better now after you were so poorly