I am 57 and in relatively good shape. I have serious restless leg syndrome and on January 2nd started taking a full spectrum CBD gummy at night for sleep help. After about 2 weeks I noticed that the RLS had significantly subsided and I was getting better and better sleep. Then right after 2 weeks I woke in the middle of the night with a first time ever AFIB. Went to the ER and it took 24 hours to reset. I do drink daily (never more than 2 drinks) Now I am on Metoprolol (25mg 1x a day and Eliquis 2x a day 5mg) I stopped drinking and stopped the CBD (no THC) and the restless legs are terrible at night now. Can I take the CBD or was that the cause of the AFIB. My doc doesn't seem to have an opinion on the CBD either way so he says maybe just don't take it but it really seemed to help before? Anyone have any experience with AFIB meds and CBD?
Appreciate it
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Michaelwmd
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Maybe, maybe not. It appears to be helping the restless leg syndrome, so it's risk versus reward. You will find out soon enough. Personally, I wouldn't, but then again I have no problem falling asleep. There might be other alternatives.
Hopefully, the bisoprolol is only temporary. I'd hate to see you on it for life based on a single episode, but unfortunately I've seen that happen. I didn't start taking daily meds for my afib until my afib progressed to almost weekly episodes.
As to the Elliquis, if your ChadsVasc2 score is very low, I also question daily thinners, other than for a few weeks after the episode.
Have you tried Magnesium supplements? Magnesium deficiency can trigger both AF and restless leg - I use a Magnesium Oil directly onto my legs as I can’t take oral Magnesium and find it works very well. If you put Magnesium in the search box you will multiple posts regarding Magnesium deficiency. You will have to watch your BP & HR because Magnesium supplements can increase the efficacy of the Beta Blockers in some people.
Keeping your electrolytes in balance is most important if you have AF so I would urge you to research - and please do bin the alcohol & CBD - the longer term risks are just not worth it.
On the balance of probability, CBD probably wasn’t THE cause of your AF. You already had an underlying susceptibility for AF and it was probably going to happen at some point. I would imagine you will be referred for an echocardiogram in the near future and there could be an explanation such as mitral valve regurgitation and/or atrial enlargement. These are common findings in AF and cardiologists are never too worried if these findings are borderline or mild. These findings are also more common as people age. I don’t know if you have a history of ectopic heartbeats. I did, but not everyone has many ectopics before the onset of AF. Whether self help and lifestyle measures help your AF is far less important than what you can do to look after your long term overall health. You’re not getting any younger and the risks of many conditions increase with age. Having AF won’t exempt you from these risks either. Find a way that works for you and be consistent. BTW, I was acing all my health checks before AF and took as good care of myself as I could but it didn’t stop AF from showing up. It’s not a personal failure. It’s genetics, environment, stress levels, air pollution, etc etc etc. I’m not a believer in the single “root cause” theory. These conditions are always multifactorial. Take your healthcare seriously.
thanks so much for the insight. I did have an Echocardiogram and happily it was all normal. I didn’t feel stressed in general which is why I was so puzzled and feeling like the CBD was really improving sleep. I know age is upon us all and only goes one way.
I did a sleep study last night to see if there is sleep apnea or some other issue as well and will see those results in a week or so. After that I think I will talk to my Cardiologist amd likely try the CBD again I may try the one with zero THC versus the one with “trace” amounts.
Very good that your echo was good. Sleep apnea is very much connected to AF. The quality of CBD is an important consideration so you need to be sure of where you’re buying it from and its purity, and so on. Unfortunately there is a lot of CBD oil “fraud”, as there is with other products such as Manuka honey and even extra virgin olive oil.
My mother 83 has been taking CBD oil regularly for some time now with no effect on her AF. I would be more inclined to stop the drinking before the CBD. Alcohol can cause RLS and CBD can reduce it ....sooo....?? Definitely agree with the magnesium advice though. Magnesium Glycinate is the way forward in my opinion as a carer for someone with Paroxsysmol Af which is now recently transitioned into Persistant AF.
I'm intrigued to know if your mum is on anti-coagulants for her AF. I've been toying with the idea of having cbd oil at bedtime to help with sleep but so far resisted in case of interactions with Rivaroxaban. I don't take any other meds.
My mother has been on Apixaban 2.5mg morn and night. She was taking CBD oil before the starting on the meds. Now we give it to her usually mid morning after everything else is done. To be honest, I've never looked into the interactions with meds. I have perhaps made an assumption that if anything it improves her condition therefore she requires less pharmaceuticals. I use a full spectrum oil 900mg from the US called NuLeaf NO THC ... if that helps? Only other med she takes is Diltiazem for rate control. GP recently suggested Phenergan for her itchy head at night and to help her sleep through... we only give her 5mg and it's enough - so far so good.
I believe that some Af medication can react with CBD so you need to find someone who can help you with this. I tried CBD for chronic pain as I couldn't take NSAID's for my pain when taking Af medication. Luckily I asked my pharmacist and he knew another pharmacist nearby who was researching this so I went to him and started taking CBD and using CBD cream. Unfortunately the CBD had no effect on my pain - even in higher concentrations - we worked up slowly to find a concentration and dosage that would work but it never did. Hope you find something that works for your restless legs - is there not a safe prescription medication that you can use that doesn't react with the medication you are on?
I can't comment on AF and CBD but I asked my GP about taking it for my very severe spinal pain. I was concerned because I'd had a heart attack. He said he would normally be in favour of trying it but there simply hasn't been enough research done on its effect on the heart to take the risk. I know a few people who have had tremendous results for pain relief but none of them have heart problems.
cbd oil uses the same pathways in the liver to metabolise, therefore it can affect how anticoagulants are metabolised and how much us in the body at any given time (either too much or too little) . I think you can use a topical cream as that is supposed to bypass the liver process, so I read. I used to use cbd oil for pain relief while I was on warfarin with regular INR testing as warfarin nurse said if the cbd was affecting it, they could adjust the dose, but now I am on xarelto and, although there is now a suggested upper limit before it starts to become an issue, there still isn’t sufficient research in relation to anticoagulants and I no longer take it. It’s a minefield x
I don't have any experience with either Restless legs or CBD. I was told that both Alcohol and Caffeine are triggers for AFib. Wish I could be more help.
I have glaucoma as well as AFib. CBG. Is supposed to lower IOP as well as help you sleep, have RLS as well so some night I can’t do anything but rub my legs. Asked my electrophysiology about taking couple drops of CBG under my tongue at bedtime, told me he didn’t know, no studies done with folks taking Eliquis, so I didn’t use it. Gabapentin did calm my legs some EP suggested that. I worry about my memory with this drug as it’s one of the side effect. Guess you just can’t win!!!!!
But was it the THC in pot. CBD oil has only a tiny amount of THC as it helps it work I believe. My local health food shop guru said she couldn't recommend if on anticoagulants as not enough research on anti coagulant effects of CBD or interactions yet.
Hello,Sorry to hear you are having a rough time with this, I do not know about the CBD and other meds. I do know alcohol increases your chance of afib and you should not have alcohol with eliquis. Hope someone can help you figure it out. Take care.
I developed terrible restless leg syndrome and eventually leg cramps after being on statins for a couple of weeks. I stopped taking them and they went away. They came back after I restarted statins a couple of years later. I have worked with my Dr. and I don't seem to tolerate it. I have read that it is fairly common. If you take statins raise that issue with your DR. There is a genetic test that can indicate if you are more likely to be intolerant to statins.
I self test my INR being on Wafarin. My INR goes up fairly quickly (0.3-0.4/day) taking 1:40 CBD tincture if I don't either take more vitamin K via Kale or cut back my Wafarin dose.
Unfortunately my cardiologist says alcohol is not good if you have fib. His quote is: A couple a week is good. None is better.
Canada Health now says 2 drinks a week is the healthy upper limit. I think recognizing the health risks of drinking is about where recognizing the health risks of smoking was 50 years ago.
Don't mind me. I'm just grumpy because I don't drink any more.
I get restless legs some times, plus I have fibro which gives me random levels of pain and sleeplessness. Last summer I was luckily enough to pick up a weighted blanket for free from my local recycling group. Initially I used the blanket just across the end of my bed, covering to just over my knees - it was summer, and I got too hot pulling it up further. In the colder weather, I use it over my duvet and find the weight helps amazingly with restlessness, better sleep, my legs don’t hurt so much. I have it right up to my shoulders during the cold weather. It is supposed to help calm the nervous system……it certainly does something beneficial!
What did you decide on the CBD? I had been using CBD for years to help with sleep. I cut it out completely with the AF diagnosis, my sleep has been steadily declining since. I am scheduling a sleep study for Sleep Apnea. Thanks
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