Hi, does anyone know what mainly triggers AF episodes?
I am 6 months into AF now and have had 2 big all night episodes, and some palpitations sometimes. The 1st episode I think may have been caused by over-exercising and anxiety perhaps. The 2nd one possibly by a massive lunch in a restaurant that I got excited by. It is a rare thing for me to eat out, so I so ate too much! That night I had a bad AF event.
Any handy hints are welcome. Many thanks 😊
Good afternoon intheweeds!
You might find it interesting to read our 'AF Fact File' booklet here: heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...
There are all sorts of things that may trigger an episode of AF and some of them are discussed in the booklet.
You are absolutely right that over-exertion, anxiety, and large carb heavy meals may trigger an episode, but it really varies person to person.
It may be helpful to make a diary of events/meals/medications taken etc. when you experience an episode so that you may discover your own triggers.
Please feel free to contact our Patient Services Team if you would like any further info/advice/support : 01789 867 502 email: info@afa.org.uk
Thats so helpful thanks. I appreciate you replying to me and I will certainly read the advice link
dead link to the fact file
Good morning Winnipegsculler, the link appears to be working now, it will load a page with a redirect notice advising you that it is leaving the Health Unlocked site, if you click the link on that page it will take you through.
Tough one to answer I guess. I get tight chested and flutters after a big meal, also after sugar. My doc seems to think mine is caused by anxiety, as I’m quite new to my AF journey and worry about it a lot - it’s restricting my life a little but I’m sure things will settle
It is tough I know, as I am also newish to the world of AF...I never even heard of it until i got it! I am sure anxiety is a big thing here, so its a challenge for us to manage that. Thanks so much for replying.
A list - binge drinking, any alcohol, sugar, artificial sweeteners flavourings and colourings, overeating, eating the 'wrong' thing, anxiety, waiting for the next episode, lack of sleep, red meat, caffeine, over-exercising and on and on.
Some triggers can be avoided, depending on oneself but I have always thought that AF will start because it can and we are already pre-disposed to it. Having said that, removing the obvious triggers is a good place to start.
PS: I forgot to mention medication - in my case Salbutamol and adrenaline dental injections - and there may be more which affect other AFers.
Many thanks to you for this help. I wish I had taken more care of this when i was young, maybe I would have made different life choices. But I am ever hopeful that i will manage AF the more I know. Thanks
No need to beat yourself up about the past. AF does exactly as it wants. Something like 30% of the population has it and doesn't even know. I panicked when it started. I gave up caffein as the GP suggested that. I stuck to it too even now as I prefer it. But I soon realised that there were no triggers for me. It just happened randomly, when it felt like it. There was nothing I could do to stop it once it was going until it wanted to stop and there was nothing I could do that would stop it happening at all.
My dad had it from his 40's until he died at 89. His sister had it. His brother had it and one of that brother's children has it.
I have been in permanent AF now for several years and much prefer it to the random attacks. I barely feel it at all now. I just take an anticoagulant and a lowish dose of beta blocker. It does run fast, but I have thyroid problems too which might affect that.
My advise is to live your life and forget AF as much as you can. Know that it will happen from time to time and that it will probably stop again. If you are very symptomatic there are things that your doctor can do to help you.
My AF is nothing like the problem I have with my thyroid. Now that's a situation I would give anything to change. That has seriously ruined my life.
Everything and nothing! As my EP once told me "Chasing triggers is the way to madness. You have AF Treat it."
Obviously alcohol doesn't help.
Yes indeed. I know I should try not to obsess over it, as that can make it worse, or not! Thanks
perfect answer Bob. I picture a fib like a little creature that is evil and just runs around doing what it wants to us lol I don’t know if you have the Mucinex ad on TV there but they have a little guy in it a creature lol he is a fib to me, he does what he wants trying to cause chaos and it’s up to us to stop him
I found over eating is a definite trigger for me. Before I even get to the car, I am having a heavy a fib event in the beginning. I also discovered I can’t even have a few sips of my favorite sangria or the same thing happens. Then again, I can just be laying on the couch and have one start. The only thing certain about a fib is the uncertainty of it when it comes to events, but it sounds to me like you already knew what triggered it.
yes you are right I am sure, its so annoying not knowing when it can happen. Very uncertain and all we can do is try and live life and stay calm....and in my case dont overdo the meals. I never thought I had anything but good health, but shows I knew nothing.
Many thanks for your reply
we all take it for granted until we don’t have it. I never liked washing the dishes lol now to be able to stand there and do them and do laundry without feeling nauseous with pain in my chest would be amazing. I pray everything goes well. Monday I will feel as if I’ve been given a second chance of life. And someways this has been good for me lol I have probably cut my eating in half because who wants to eat knowing how badly you will feel? Stay with us here we are all family with this strange thing called a fib.
what a beautiful reply, thank you so much x
For me my main trigger is stress, and the anxiety it causes. I can go months without an episode, eat what I like, drink 3 cups of coffee a day, have a couple of beersor wine on a Saturday night and no have AF.
But put me under stress, can be work related, typical family life of raising a couple of teen age daughters, an argument, normal day to day stuff, and I know I'm in trouble. I can almost feel the stress hormones released, raising the heart rate. I've had episodes which have come on immediately following stress, or can go into AF half a day later. I read that the stress hormones can remain circulating in your system for hours after the stress event, ready for the "fight or flight" reaction.
In my situation I've learnt to talk my self through situations, not let things "consume" my thoughts. Breathing techniques, going for a walk to remove myself from a situation also helps.
Absolutely! I had gone through a series of horrid events when mine came back about five months ago, without a doubt, I believe that was the beginning again. We are human, so it is hard not to let things get to us. I tend to be very easy-going and roll with most things but sometimes it’s just too much. One day at a time.
I completely understand because it so hard live a normal life without some stress!As an example, i was recently asked to wear a holter event monitor to pick up AF over 2 weeks. But as soon as i saw it my HR went up and for the whole time wearing it i was getting frequent palpitations and insomnia. I guess wearing it made me always conscious of my AF and so it made me anxious. I have to also work hard to destress by doing yoga and walks etc.
Thanks so much for your great reply, and well done for raising your children. Good job!
Stress may help trigger it but I do not believe it causes it and you seem to be doing the right things walking at Cetera. There are times afib will just pop up for no reason. I have a feeling when it comes out it would do it with or without stress, but can just push us over the edge a little bit. That’s what makes this site so wonderful, we have each other, knowing that we understand at least partially what we are going through.
thanks. I totally agree this site is so helpful and makes me feel less alone with the AF and anxiety.
Lots of triggers. I overate tonight and had a short run of something -- too short to record on my Kardia. Looking at it more positively, controlling blood pressure, blood sugar and especially controlling you weight can go a long way at keeping afib away, as well as a regular exercise program.
Jim
I agree, it has made take a close look at myself. I do miss who I was before AF though!
I understand your comment. I don’t think we realized who we were or what a good life we were having until all of this took over. I did not realize in the beginning that this is a lifelong change for us and not for the better most of the time.
so true!
Mine is unpredictable. But there is a slight pattern toward more AF when I am exhausted, often from stress or lack of sleep.
I think that is the same with me. Tiredness makes me stressed and can bring in the AF.
You’ll hear that we’re all different. I can count on a bout within 24-48 hours of drinking alcohol or coffee, sometimes much sooner. Never sleep on my left side anymore either.
that’s interesting and I agree about the left side sleeping….I can feel my heart jumping if I do that sometimes.
wow I would be in trouble about sleeping on the left side. Just getting a pacemaker. I’ve been trying to lay on the right for the past week but when I go back to sleep, I end up on my left. Coffee actually makes me feel good. I only have one cup and I like it flavored, but somehow I feel more alert. After the first couple of times having one of my sangria when we went out to dinner, I learned it’s a definite, horrible trigger. If I do that, it’s not gonna be a very good night. I was still learning that a fib is not just a fib. It affects your entire life.
I dearly miss my coffee for the pick up you describe. Just started experimenting w matcha, it may have a similar kick but w/o the afib…
I love matcha. If you like a cold drink, or I think you can do it warm, try Thai tea Yumm it is similar to Chai. I buy mine on Amazon instead of going through filtering, etc. I buy the tea bags or you can actually buy tea bags and bags and do it yourself. I love iced tea but now I’m really hooked on this. It is not expensive like you might think. Enjoy. FYI, I love my cup of coffee in the morning. I drink flavored which also has less caffeine supposedly. Instead of giving me problems, I feel that it makes me better. Just thought I’d mention it. I have a tendency to like cinnamon or French vanilla something simple or caramel. Yum.
Alcohol, caffeine, anger, extreme tiredness, over eating are some of mine. The first two and the last easy dealt with. Anger usually born of frustration getting better through meditation, yoga and moderate exercise. The exercise also helps with the tiredness ie the better: fitter I feel the better I rest. …
Triggers are many and varied and you can take your pick from these and many more.
Overall at present I have mostly good days with the occasional PAF attack usually early evening which can last a couple of hours but then I go to bed early and rest which sorts it.
Good luck ..
wow, great reply thanks. It’s a tough gig but it sounds like you are understanding it’s ways. I am learning fast and trying to adjust my speed in life now. I used to do what I wanted but now I have to be careful. Onwards and upwards. We shall stay positive x
Also - I enjoy my life too. Despite PAF which I have to accept I have to deal with, by and large I’m content and more so than I have ever been.
I am finding going to bed earlier works well for me even if I don’t go right to sleep. It gives you a chance to decompress if you need to and it just feels good. I try not to concentrate on things I get upset over because the only one they hurt is me right now I’m so exhausted all of the time anyway that all my body wants to do is sleep. Come Monday once I start getting oxygen back and heart rate down. I am looking so forward to hopefully being the Me I was only better.
this is excellent advice, thanks 
I never found any triggers, it just happened. Randomly.
that’s for me too….today, just getting dressed my HR ramped up for no reason. Also have trigger episodes, just to add to the randomness of AF.
think about what’s in your head when you’re getting dressed and where are you going. Is it something stressful you’re headed to? Are you playing things in your mind before you go? It would be nice to be able to blank your brain out when you’re doing things like getting dressed but chances are you thinking about some thing. Don’t over analyze everything but for curiosity, you might want to think about what you were thinking about while dressing lol if that makes sense usually I’m thinking ahead.
yes I was in fact rushing and felt a bit flustered. I know that sounds ridiculous. I am learning to relax using meditation and it helps a lot.
Large meals and lying down particularly when accompanied by social excitement - tip: think ahead and resolve to eat lightly, stay calm and wait until fully digested and relaxed before lying down.
Over exercise is another common trigger - tip: deliberately downgrade to 50% of your capability; particularly beneficial is brisk walking x2 per day for 1mile+ to reinforce a steady heart beat.
Anxiety is for sure another culprit - tip: reducing this is a very individual task; for me it was reduce work & social & leisure stress, expand spiritual awareness and focus on doing good for other people.
good advice thank you. I am trying yoga and tai chi meditation, which helps me breathe properly. I used to be so physically active, running, jumping etc….now I am more cautious.
as soon as I can, I would like to pick up a video of tai chi basics. I have watched it on TV and it looks easy and good for us. It’s very beautiful. I actually saw one years ago Chuck Norris did it I may try to find that one lol.
I just started doing a simple one with easy moves. It helps control breathing and slows everything down, which is great
After I cut out all alcohol and most caffeine and carbonated drinks, I found that the trigger for my Afib is trapped stomach gas, usually preceded by a fews days of constipation. The less common trigger is from sleep apnea or not breathing often enough while sitting.
Since adjusting my diet for my recently diagnosed celiac disease, eating less and losing 30 pounds, sleeping on my right side to avoid sleep apnea and being alert to get more oxygen while resting, I have gone over 3 months without any Afib. I was having episodes every 2 weeks to a month that would last 12 -24 hours (40 hours once!) before.
I also now walk an hour each evening and do a fairly light workout with barbells. I am 78, so I only use 10 and 25 pound barbells.
So far, so good. I wish you well with figuring out the changes you need to make to reduce or eliminate Afib. I really believe that some sufferers can do that, even though my EP told me it would not work!
great advice and I will look at how to tweak my own routine as yours sounds pretty good!
I think this forum is great for handy hints like yours and to be honest I am glad I found it. Thank you.
Same here …alcohol, trapped stomach gas, constipation! I complained about potty issues on this forum and one gentleman suggested prune juice with a tablespoon of flaxseed and chia seed mixed … well, l started doing that each morning immediately after awakening and l haven’t missed one day going to the bathroom and zero afib attacks!! Of course, l exercise six to seven days per week … no alcohol, small meals, no red meat, try to be more understanding and less demanding of myself and others. Seems to work.
Road to madness searching …. My nighttime AF appears to have been triggered by; exhaustion, dark chocolate, peanuts, carbonated drinks, caffeine, some colourings, alcohol.
sounds more like mid time munchies of things that aren’t helping. I no longer buy bologna because I love it and if I get up in the middle of the night, I will eat a slice or two. Nothing is good for you and baloney when searching for munchies, we just want some thing fast I actually have a good cereal that I enjoy and I will have a cup of that. Lol I do not add milk or anything. I eat it like a snack
I think you have nailed it! Over eating particularly late at night, over drinking alcohol and stress. That is my experience.
you are right. What a journey it is, dodging triggers!
dark choc is my vice and hard to give up, but I can see it can be a trigger. Thanks for reminding me and I will endeavour to be stronger….hard though!
I have a cure for dark chocolate. Have you read any of the recent exposures about dark chocolate and what’s in it? All these years they told us it was good for us at Cetera. It gives me heartburn anyway, but that had not kept it out of my mouth, however, this latest study will keep it out. Time to find new flavors to enjoy like fruit.
Anxiety for me. Try to manage it with exercise, oops another trigger. A quick beer after work - trigger. Comfort food - trigger!I'm very much an all-or-nothing person so work was a target driven over achieving anxiety festival. Exercise was a quick 10k after a gym session. A quick beer often turned unscheduled session finishing in a different town after the last train had gone. Comfort food - a full on proper 3 course Italian with appropriate wine.
Afib has put an end to that life, mostly. That and general old age and decrepitude. But seriously, it's the anxiety that is the major trigger for me. The tools I use to manage it now have to be very carefully handled so as not to compound the misery.
being Italian and coming from little is Italy in Boston I understand that meal and then some lol I think you’re missing a few courses on that. We can still have that meal. It’s everything in proportion. I’ve started using a smaller dish. It is still a dinner plate, but much smaller which reduces my portions. You can have your salad or antipasto. Have you ever heard of Dreamfields pasta? I love it and it’s only 4 g of digestible carbs. It’s not like some of the others that are like eating cardboard. Watch your sodium use more flavors like spices. Don’t fry your meat either cook it in the sauce or bake it same with eggplant etc. it will only change your life if you let it we just have to put more thought into what we do now. Getting my pacemaker connected soon I am looking at a second chance in life pretty much and I am going to appreciate it even washing dishes and doing house work lol for over a year now I have not been able to do more than get across the kitchen floor not walking not even picking things up off the floor. I have to dump things like laundry on the bed to sort out because if I have to bend my heart rate can go to 140 within a minute of bending. I want to keep all of this in my head so if my pacemaker does what my doctor thinks it can do I am gonna be so grateful.🙏🏻.
good luck with the pacemaker, stay happy
Thats is very interesting to me. I also had a different life pre AF. I was working in very tough jobs where I was running on adrenalin mostly. Comfort food and over exercising. Stopped all that overnight and now i am missing who i was before. But my heart health trumps previous lifestyle. As you say anxiety is the trigger to watch for, which aint easy!Many thanks
Surprised there has been no mention of my biggest trigger, dehydration. I should add that since my ablation I haven't had any AF, but I'm still susceptible to various arrythmias and not drinking enough plain water is a surefire way to get them going! Do try drinking much more water than you normally do for a week or so and see where it gets you. Obviously follow the recommended guidelines, as drinking too much can flush nutrients out of your system. But most of us don't drink anywhere near the recommended amount and it's most important to those of us with arrythmia problems in my opinion.
A good point many thanks
Hi
With you it sounds like the Vagal Artery problem.
It runs near the heart. Big meals puts it too close to the heart even putting pressure on it.
Other possibilities stress, thyroid problems hyper/hypo, high/low BP, high H/R,blood clot. Alcohol. over doing exercise.
You know things that could have triggered AF.
Now eliminate one by one.
Wear a 24 hr monitor, have an echo too.
cheers Joy. 74. (NZ)
Great reply thank you. Good practical sense. I agree with everything you said.
I've never been able to find a particular "trigger" but I have tried hard to understand what might set off not only my own currently infrequent AF, but my long-standing, and worsening frequent ectopic beats. In the end, I've decided it's likely both inherited and also age-related.
I've had ectopic beats since my 20s and a cardiologist back then (I'm now 69) told me that with luck they would remain harmless that but that worse arrhythmias would always be a possibility. I find his comments interesting since I read often on this forum that everyone gets ectopic beats, even children, and that they are harmless (i.e. "benign"). I wonder, if that is so, why I was told that my own ectopic beats might one day lead to worse arrhythmias?
I've come to the view that the chance that ingredients or additives in food (i.e. in the bloodstream) trigger AF is not that likely, or at least, the time between eating the food and it arriving at the heart would be so variable that a link would be hard to prove. That said, some ingredients, such as alcohol, are rapidly absorbed and do act directly to stimulate the heart via the adrenergic (i.e. sympathetic) nervous system, thus increasing its rate. This can set off ectopic beats, and in prone individuals, those can trigger AF. Also, a few people do have true food allergies, and this will stimulate the adrenergic system and thus increase the heart rate.
It's also been shown that if the heart muscle is physically deformed, for example from stretching or crouching, or having a bloated stomach, ectopic beats can form. It seems it might also just be that those of us with naturally slightly larger hearts might be at risk of them, so extra tall or large people are in that group. Enlarged hearts from disease also can develop AF, I gather. It's interesting that obesity goes hand-in-hand with AF, too, and there’s some evidence that losing weight will reduce the heart’s size and lessen AF. I'm not overweight, but I am tall.
It will be interesting to see what others have to say. A common claim is that coffee is a trigger, but the science proves that to be not so. A large study has shown that most people with AF could not identify any triggers, but the commonest that were identified, as I recall, were eating a big meal (and thus perhaps pushing the heart about from bloating) and going to bed (and thus altering the digestive system physically, or by reducing the heart rate as the parasympathetic nervous system dominates during rest).
Steve
Most interesting. For me i think that just lying flat in bed to go to sleep can set it off, or getting up again. I have alwaya over done the exercise so am pretty sure i am paying the price now in that i probably damaged my heart in some way so as to cause the AF.Many thanks for your helpful words.
I certainly feel the “missed” beats far more even I lie down. I gather some unlucky souls can hear their heart beating away, too. That would be hard going.
I shouldn’t think that you’ve done any actual damage, but I suppose it’s possible. Just getting older and having a parent who passed on a particular set of genes might be the main cause. That’s what I think in my case as I remember mother always saying how she wrote often felt the sense that something awful were about to happen and she would touch her heart area as she said this. She was never diagnosed with any heart issues, and she put her feelings down to worry, but I suspect otherwise now.
Steve
it bothers me that they give these lists of the things that cause it except for education to people without a fib it doesn’t really help us much in my eyes. By the time we reach the age of a fib or anything else it seems it is too late. I carried weight as a child. Oh it was baby fat and on and on it went. I also carried it well because I was muscular and stayed fit but I was still overweight. Those same muscles and now are helping me the bottom line is I can’t change that I had extra weight or that I ate the things I ate. We also didn’t eat processed like we do now, but wow do I remember the family meals and I’m sure everything on it is considered a Nono these days. My mother was the butter and salt queen. It was in everything. I am Italian, but northern Italian, which means farming and meats, such as big roast beef‘s, etc. everything else you can think on the dinner table and let us not forget dessert. That was just how people ate. Don’t blame yourself for what you eat, etc. no one knew. I never knew anything about a fib really until I got it a couple of years ago.
they say a fib affects over 6 million in the US. They expect that number to double. They should really be putting that out there. So many of us may have had signs and just ignored them because we didn’t know about horrible a fib and the fact there is no cure. It should be right up there with cancer, because you only get one heart. Once you have a fib and start going to those doctors etc. you will see just how many people around you have the same thing. It just hits them in different ways. Living in the Houston area I cannot even explain what the medical center area of the city looks like And that includes giant heart hospitals. I go to the heart center an hour away from me, and again a huge complex dedicated to people with heart disease. The good thing I see is how serious they take it especially for women these days. They have come to realize we show in different ways . A fib is not one size fits all anyway.
The good thing about this site is that being with all of you I feel like we are almost holding hands supporting each other. As long as everyone remembers at the end of the day, you need your doctor and we can throw you ideas and tell you about us but you are an individual and your doctor has all the keys to what’s really going on with you.
it seems that more is being learned about AFib so I am thinking it’s lucky this is now and not years ago when nobody knew anything!
and they are still so confused about it out there even the doctors I have seen that already. I spent six months on a medication that was useless to me according to my new doctors. It was only good if you were in sinus rhythm. That doctor actually stopped the good one and kept me on the useless one. they seem to have different opinions on many things. I like my doctor because he seems to have opinions that mesh with mine. The pacemaker I have inside me right now is a model only a couple of years old or less. Previously the run-of-the-mill pacemaker would not have worked for people like me . That being said I would’ve continued in heart failure. I also just read up on the type of it and not only is it new but really quite the thing I really do feel like the bionic woman lol I won’t be able to do anything but my pacemaker will. I’m going to post or try to post the link about it so that if anyone has interest or has it they can share. It is called HIS pace, bundling and that meant nothing to me when I saw it on paperwork. They also sent me a card yesterday to keep with me. it has three parts to the pacemaker on the card it has model numbers, etc. my doctor info very important things in an emergency and even before you get an MRI. Most pacemakers can handle an MRI now but it depends on the machine they’re using on the car to give us the number they must call before they do anything to me. Now if I could tattoo the card on me I would feel safer lol
When my AF began, I associated it with a Vitamin D deficiency also discovered at that time. As we age, it seems Vitamin D is not absorbed as well through the skin, and supplementation is now a commonplace medical recommendation for the older population.
I would ensure you include Vitamin D in your usual blood tests.
Vitamin D crucially reduces inflammation throughout the body (including the heart).
Since I raised my Vit D level from 22 nmol/L--->107 nmol/L, my previous monthly episodes of AF have reverted to an AF free period of 5 months now. (Touching wood as I write though)
Here's one article about the importance of Vit D ... medscape.com/viewarticle/98...
You might need to join Medscape to read the article, but it's free, and I've had no follow-on issues after joining.
Highly recommended reading.
Thats easy for me to do so i will look into it. I am never sure how much i should take or even what i actually absorb from a supplement tablet...there is so little info on a tablet container.Thanks for your help
There are no recommendations from any health body to take more than 400IU per day, from what I can find. It seems up to 1000IU is considered quite safe though. And even 400IU is, for people who get out into the sun, recommended only during the winter months since sun exposure produces such a lot of the vitamins naturally.
I followed a recommendation from someone a while back to take a high dose and ended up with what my GP said was likely a kidney stone so care is needed.
Steve
Your reply is a welcome reminder of the complications that often arise with ingesting various medications and supplements.
However, I am still faced with the recommendations of the respected Israeli Dr Cohen, an associate of our (beloved) Dr Campbell of YouTube fame ...
healthunlocked.com/redirect...
Dr Cohen mentions the importance of K2 when higher doses of D3 are taken. Did you take K2 with your previous higher dose?
Yes I did - pretty much following that same kind of advice. It's entirely possible the kidney stone was unrelated, but that's what my GP said. As for Dr Campbell - well, he's making his fortune from his followers, I gather - a massive income if the rumours are to be believed, but there we are - that's online life and social media for you!
Steve
Well those rumours have thankfully passed me by, along with social media. Are you saying that just by watching his videos I am adding to Dr Campbell's "rumoured massive income"?
And yet he can't even afford the best Vit D tablets, as he buys a cheap version from his local supermarket. Strange!
What is the “best “, I wonder? Having spent years in the industry, once even testing the stuff, I would say it’s all the same, whatever the final retail price.
As for Dr Campbell, I only know what I see and read online. What I’ve heard from him regarding covid, I disagree with, but good luck to him if he can “monetise” his vlogs or whatever.
Steve
interesting thanks. It seems a challenge to find a suitable vitamin form and amount. I will find out about the gel form. Don’t want a stone!
There is no consensus except to take low doses; reading online shows that research is ongoing and unsure. What is known is that high doses of vitamin D increase circulating calcium and phosphate ions, and that these are an aspect of plaque formation in atherosclerosis and are dangerous in a kidney condition such as uraemia, brought on by the likes of diabetes. Conversely, and confusingly, an active ingredient in vitamin D, calcitriol, seems to reduce arterial inflammation and calcification.
On balance, and in confusion, we both here decided that we could easily be unaware that, getting older, we might easily be silently developing diabetes, so we plumped for 1000IU over the winter months only, which seems to be safe and effective.
Steve
Most helpful. thanks so much for info. V useful.
Get a vitamin D blood test - before starting. You need a base line to work from.
Mine was similar to ozziebob - after five years its 124nmol/L and I take 5000iu
My experience is not to take the tablet form of Vit.D3 or K2M7 as these contain calcium , but to source out the softgel form which seem to not create stones.
This is after having stones and looking at how much calcium I was unknowingly ingesting via my prescription drugs and supplements.
yes I am going to look into this as it’s a subject I am confused by, as the medical people tell me nothing about supplements. Thank you very much.
even if it’s on the container, it is usually so tiny you cannot read it and they use different words at times
I need to speak to my doctor about the vitamin D because I have always had problems with that and run about 12 when they do my blood. I have taken vitamin D and LOL I lived in Florida for 20 years. You would think that would help but unfortunately we don’t spend that much time outdoors like you think we would many of us like the AC.
I have not taking anything other than my prescribed meds these days except for a pain med. I did ask about Co Q 10. My doctor said he has no problems with me taking it, and I might feel better. They are very careful when it comes to over-the-counter stuff not to really put their stamp on it. I had also asked about turmeric and he mentioned there are no studies indicating it’s helpful, but I made it clear to him. I meant for inflammation not heart. Right now I have too much going on, so I’m trying to stick to basics with my meds. When the time is right, I will ask about adding some helpful supplements. It’s so hard to know what you need right now because if you’re like me, you never feel right anyway, so how can you tell what you’re missing, yes my doctor does blood work, but that doctor has not mentioned taking anything additional. I also watched my cousin with a counter full of supplements, and yet he always has some type of issue, whether it’s a rash on his head, or some kind of pain or something. I think we need to be as careful with those things as we are with anything else. I just suggested to him stopping everything and adding them one by one to see if he has any interactions. I don’t know how to stop him from buying into every ad on TV , I’m afraid many things he takes are duplicates also.
is there a list anywhere of good supplements for people with a fib? I have a question for you that have had a pacemaker put in.
Where do we fit in who are we once we have the pacemaker and our heart rate is under control because of it. My doctor explained that I will always have a fib, but it doesn’t matter. With the AV node: my heart will only listen to the pacemaker, including what my heart rate should be. Sometimes I feel confused about this because it almost seems like a cure. He said there’s even a possibility no promise of the beginning of my heart failure turning around. I have had so many different testings. That is how they know it is really new. It also shows how fast heart failure can start. Anyway, if any of you veterans that have a pacemaker could share it would be great so that I know what I’m coming up against next.
Does anyone here have HIS pacer, bundling pacemaker? That is what I have and will have when it’s all put together. I’m still trying to understand it all. My doctor said it was special and I finally found some info and I can see it is different.
Just in relation to the fact that you said you were unable to raise your serum Vitamin D level either by supplementation or sunlight, I received relevant information on this in a previous communication with Auriculaire.
Frustratingly, I can't find a link for you at the moment. However, she said there is a prescription only medication available to overcome this complication, of which she has personal experience.
Perhaps you could PM Auriculaire (hope she won't mind) and ask for that information.
thank you so much right now I’m not taking anything because of the surgery, etc. but as I said I want to get even healthier my numbers for almost all of my blood tests are good. The one exception is my sugar and my doctor is not concerned I have always had A1c of six or lower since being diagnosed and taking meds. He said, with all the other medication’s you really can’t get a true reading even when fasting. I also had steroids in me and I found previously they raise blood sugar and it takes about a year to get it out of your system.
Because the past year and a half has been so bad I really don’t know it’s dragging me at this point hopefully Monday I will start getting oxygen around this old body again and then I can see what I really feel like. I walked 5 miles a day and loved to swim. I could swim and exercise in the pool for hours, and felt so good. Now I can barely make it to the kitchen. It’s amazing what a fib does to you. It has been less than three years. Anyone who exercises knows you can exercise every day but if you get the flu or some thing and you have to stop when you start over again, it’s really like starting over again.
My biggest trigger is not drinking enough water, and, like you, eating a huge meal, but there are lots of things that can start it off, and you’ll find out in time what does it for you. Good luck.
Thank you for this. How much water is enough do you think?
Well I keep a medium sized bottle near me all day, and try to get through 2, but don’t always, because I don’t really like drinking water much. That seems to do the trick most of the time, but there are other triggers which I haven’t found out yet. Only definite thing is that this AF is a pain in the butt lol.
Thanks again
they say at least eight glasses a day but there’s also a formula going by your weight. It is also said by the time you feel thirsty, it’s too late you are already dehydrated. The problem with us our medication’s often make us feel dry. I drink, mainly water. We have horrible water here, so we drink bottled spring water so it’s easy to keep track. Thankfully, I grew up where you always had a glass of water on the table.
when you consider how much of your body is made up of water, you can see why we need it
However it's easy to drink too much water and flush all the minerals and electrolytes away which is bad for us. There has recently been an about turn on how much water we should drink a day and it's gone down to less now. Drink when you are thirsty and with a meal is a good plan. Don't wait until you are really thirsty though. First time you think about a drink, go get one.
yes, they say by the time you are thirsty, you are dehydrated
I simply gave up believing in 'triggers'. Chasing a mirage . . .
Found out the hard way acid reflux was triggering my Tachycardia. Been taking a PPI in the am and lighter meals at night and no laying down till a few hours later. So far no more flare ups for about a month.
Keep staying strong and thanks for your words. I am sure you are right about big meals and then lying down.
I eat what I consider a brunch a healthy meal late morning. When I say healthy, I mean my eggs and fruit may be cereal or a grain etc. it is not skimpy but it’s not ridiculous. And yes, a couple of times a week. I have my bacon or sausage or whatever again in moderation I like the flavor I don’t want it overwhelming me. Dinner tends to be lighter. It may be a piece of fish and vegetables or meat, sometimes a hearty bowl of soup is enough. Overall I feel much better eating this way. We used to go out to dinner almost every night. It would be later and of course the meal would be heavier. I found not only did I not feel well, but I had trouble sleeping because of it. Even the next morning, I was not hungry so that threw me off of my next meal living in the South for as long as I did, I found dinner is usually quite late as late as eight or nine at night. Obesity is up and health issues. I have a feeling I know why.
I was first diagnosed with afib in 2009. I took Flecainide all that time, as a prophylaxis. Yet I still had the occasional oubreak. Not that I have had that many in all these years. I was told to stop drinking Coffee and Tea and caffeinated beverages. I was told never eat Chocolate again. Then a few years back, I read that Caffeine had absolutely no effect on afib! So I experimented. I tried 50/50 Coffee with no symptoms. I gradually went back to drinking my favorite espresso, without any problems! Just this past year I started experimenting with Chocolate, same story! I moved to Germany four years ago, and the first thing I noticed was, the Cardiologist here did not seem to worry as much about it. He told me, "remember, it will not kill you! So do not let it worry you when it comes on". In the four years that I have lived here I did not have any events at all! I had stopped worrying about it! I was enjoying my life! Two months ago, my Cardiologist told me to discontinue taking the Flecainide, at first it worried me. I had two short episodes lasting less than an hour. I decided to stop worrying, and for the past month, have had no episodes. A few flutters now and then, mostly after eating, or when I am over-excited. I have decided that my two triggers are over eating, and over worrying. I suggest you stop concentrating on triggers, and get on with life!
Your comment has given me a lot of hope! I am so pleased your AF has abated and i love the common sense attitude. I will try that. Thank you!
I too started with bad AF six months ago.
My latest investigation rabbit hole - get your Ferritin level checked. I use a company called Thriva. Too much iron in the blood can cause AF and mine’s becoming too high. I’m taking quercetin and milk thistle (thank you to whoever on this forum suggested that!), and so far have done six days clear, which is unheard of for me. 😀
Stress is a biggy for me. I can identify times when I know for sure it’s triggered it. For the last week I’ve been listening to Joe Donovan vagus nerve reset course. It’s brilliant - I’m sleeping well and floating above everything that could stress me out . Highly recommend him.
I don’t eat Chinese food any longer. Too much MSG. 😟 They call that “Chinese restaurant syndrome“. 🫤
Too much food in the stomach, sugar, alcohol and pretty much be everything everyone else has mentioned.
Thank you. I will look into this and learn more about it. I am on a learning curve with all of the AF stuff. You have given me a great lead there.
Careful. Ferritin is your iron store and is vital to good health. Many of us have low ferritin, not high. Always test, a full iron panel is best, to see where you are. NHS reference range is woefully low. Ferritin below 70 and your hair will start falling out. Aim for a level over 90. It's vital for good thyroid health, or for good thyroid medication uptake if already diagnosed as hypothyroid.
thank you
testing first is always the best idea you need to see what you actually need to supplement not just throw it in there because someone said so or you saw it on TV. As important as these things are to our bodies too much is not good. It will be either flush out anyway or it will hurt you. Another thing we all need to remember is that any OTC stuff supplement or not can really cause a problem if you land in the hospital. Many supplements have natural things in them. A perfect example is digoxin which is very strong and also known as foxglove or digitalis. To me, I believe less is more. I already have seven medication‘s right now twice a day. I really don’t want to swallow anything else unless I need to. There could be something in your supplement that is also a blood thinner of sorts, these are the dangers you could face not knowing what you’re doing. Just be careful we have enough headaches with a fib. Self doctoring is not a smart way to go.
Some people have no triggers. It just happens, especially if inhereited.
I am sure that can be so. I just have a 'fix it' mind and always looking for reasons and solutions, even if it is just bad luck. Thanks for replying
Hi,
My experience starting Afib was over-exercising and bringing my heart rate too high. I didn't rest long enough after a cardioversion and went back into Afib 10 days later. I believe the key is to rest your heart much longer than two days to remodel itself. If I get winded or out of breath exercising, I slow down. I rested 6 months and have been Afib free for almost 2 years. Good luck!
I am with you on this...I over exercised my whole life, as nobody mentioned this could happen. I feel quite stupid that I did that all on my own to my own heart. I only do moderate exercise now!
Thanks so much
I knew the second it happened when I was panting and heart palpitations never calmed down. As I age, I've learned I don't have to push myself to that level. Good luck and stay well!!!!
I know. Its so odd how it just arrived with me also. Thanks
Stress and caffeine are my triggers. Alcohol is not a trigger for me. I try and usually succeed getting 8+ hours of sleep a night. This seems to help.
i would love to get 8 hours sleep! I find this AF has turned me into a bit of a light sleeper, so its a catch 22 sometimes. many thanks
That's probably because you are subconsciously worrying about it all the time because in your own words you are a "fixer" and are trying to fix it. It's quite likely that is making it worse. You need to learn to relax and let it go. To stop thinking about it. To stop reading about it. To get on with your normal life. Seriously, you are kind of fixated on it right now and that's the worst thing to be.
I am sure you are right. I will settle down with it eventually hopefully
hello intheweeds, sorry you are having Afib it sure isn’t fun. The thing that helps me is do your best not to get upset at stressed. If you find yourself there just breathe. Breathing helps me more than anything. Do proper breathing exercise!! Best to you and remember stay calm and take care of your ❤️Patsy
Thank you so much for your support, it means a lot x
Iv tried pinpointing triggers for my afib for years and gave it up as a bad job.!!!
Last year whilst on holiday our hotel caught on fire in the early hours after a lightning strike. and the exit procedure out of the hotel was a joke as in no staff anywhere. People were running around all over and it was getting pretty scary as the smoke was rolling down the corridor ceilings.!!! Me and my wife made it outside and was greeted by an army of firefighters running in. Adrenaline pumping, fear and relief but NO AFIB at all even for rest of holiday in a different hotel.
Did some building work at home and hand filled a skip with bricks and rubble for 3 days . NO AFIB at all or missed beats.
But yet I have been sat at home reading all relaxed and BOOM. afib kicks in, or I start with 3 days of ectopics.!!!
That is a lot of stress. But as you say it was when u least expected it. Same here for my last episode, but wondered if I triggered it somehow unknowingly. Onwards we go...
many thanks for your excellent reply
yes I know what you mean.! And Sometimes i often wonder whether it was because I was at rest.? 95% of the time I got/ get af when I’m resting or asleep.! I started taking magnesium supplements about 2 years ago and it’s made a big difference in the amount and the duration of any Afib episodes I get.
But at around the same time give or take 6 months I made a change to my behaviour/nature too (not easy) so I started stressing less and started taking things slower and NOT going that extra mile and doing everything all the time.👍 so I don’t know whether it’s magnesium or my new adopted mindset.? Iv kept both things going and do feel a lot better 👍
I am also taking magnesium and I am sure it helps. The anxiety is a challenge because of the AF but I am determined to conquer it if I can. Thanks again
I know It’s easier said than done but if you can learn to live with less anxiety then you’re on a good road. It’s taken me a very long time indeed to start thinking in different ways and sometimes being abit on the don’t give a ——- attitude but it’s worked. Don’t get me wrong I still natter about certain stuff but not how I used to do. I thinks that’s come with age too.? Anger was a big problem for me for decades.!! Real anger where I had an outburst and no matter what I did the anger was there for weeks until it slowly faded day by day.! That can’t have done my heart any good over the years I’m sure.? I’m glad I’m a middle aged slow plodder now😂
I know what u mean. Slowing down is not easy! I am making effort with that so maybe it will help. Thank you for great advice again
👍
I learned that for me AF as a condition/potential began with a specific substrate in my Atria, brought on by stretching and scarring (genetics and endurance exercise). However, the condition for me is triggered by perturbations in my nervous system in response to stress (Good and Bad). Inflammation, Getting overly sore/achy from a weight workout, large meals, spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine (but not always), lack of sleep, work stress, family stressors, worry/anxiety, cutting the grass, etc. My EP would not even entertain a search for triggers because anything that stresses my electrical system could set it off. I try to live in moderation with balance but once I saw that I really can't avoid stress in all it's forms,...c'est la vie, Ablation it is. For instance, I have observed repeatedly that if I crash skiing or biking and I wrench my neck, I get a whiplash soreness two days later....like clockwork,....an ectopic storm that lasts an entire day, then swelling resolves and I'm good to go (no AF again - Ablation 1.5 years ago). Having said this a sanity check where you methodically document and experiment with known triggers as listed in 'The AFib Cure' might be your ticket to fewer episodes...?
am glad you are living quite an exciting life with bike and skiing. Thats inspiring for me as I dont want to give up running, even though I actually stopped when I got 1st Afib episode. I plan to get back to it and keep calm and carry one. Thats my plan anyway
A lot of good info and experiences shared in the responses! For me, main triggers seem to be alcohol, exercising, and stress - usually all put together. For example, if I go out, have some drinks, then ride my bike home vigorously, then stress about what an arse someone was or what I said or didn't say, or what I need to do the next day, etc... Afib seems to want to sneak in. This isn't universal or happens every time, but notably has happened a few times. It's sort of evil that way: A regular symptom of Afib is causing anxiousness in the body, and a main trigger for many people is anxiousness. What a cycle that can be. I know some folk who any time they go for a long run they go into Afib, but can drink alcohol and coffee as much as they want. Some people just the opposite. As has been said here, it's fine to be aware of such things and see if there are any common threads to your episodes, but truly there is a randomness to AF also that everyone endures. Go down the treatment road, possibly either drugs or ablation, etc., and get to feeling better for long periods of time...then be as healthy as you can (classically less alcohol, less stress, better exercise patterns, less rich or processed meals, etc.). And if possibly try not to beat yourself up over it, which is hard. It is way more common a thing than I ever knew until I had it myself...I didn't even know what it was until I was thrust down this path like many of you. Different meds and an ablation later, I continue the journey. At first I felt confused and pretty alone in this, but more information and time and experience and sites like this one have helped. Good luck! Stay strong.
exactly same for me. I never imagined that I could get this as I was doing everything right! But clearly I was overdoing exercise, anxiety and probably some hereditary in there as well.
Thanks for great reply, it helps me face this less alone.
Red wine was a definite trigger for me. Also overeating and it just kept getting more frequent until many meals were giving me ectopics also. Finally decided to get an ablation a year ago and all has been well since then. And I can drink red wine again!
Really glad to hear your ablation worked. Many thanks
Good morning weeds. I was diagnosed with lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, nearly 3 years ago. It first surfaced during a 60- minute cardio workout when my heart rate jumped from 145 to 235 bpm. After research I learned that it is probably due to inflammation and scarring in the area where the pulmonary veins enter the left atrium and is likely a result of a lifetime of intense endurance training in rowing and sculling. Like you, I was devastated with the diagnosis. My cardiologist initially recommended a course of beta blockers, which did a little to calm my AF and made me dreadfully lethargic. Following this, he prescribed flecainide which has been extremely successful. I also take Apixaban to reduce the likelihood of stroke and a statin to keep my cholesterol level low. This combination of drugs has had practically no side effects and has kept my AF in check for about 2 1/2 years. Before I started flecainide, I found that alcohol and high intensity exercise were triggers. I keep my alcohol consumption down to one or two glasses of wine or beer a week with no ill effects. Getting back to training in the gym and on the water was a bit unnerving for the first year. I began with very low intensity workouts and gradually wrapped them up, paying particular attention to my heart rate. I strongly recommend wearing a chest belt heart rate monitor so that you can do this in real time. I noticed that the Flecainide, which is a sodium channel blocker, holds my maximum heart rate at around 130 bpm. Trying to increase the intensity of my workout will not move my heart rate much above this and so I no longer try to. A person on Health unlocked recommended that I look at Phil Maffetone’s maximal aerobic function, method of training. In a nutshell my optimal computed MAF is about 35 bpm lower than 220 minus your age method and it’s pretty much what I discovered suits me through trial and error. So if you wish to save yourself some time and anxiety, look up Maffetone on the Internet, and/or buy one of his books. You could also look up training with AF here on health unlocked to get some useful information. The people on this site are incredibly supportive and caring! A final comment is that what works for one person does not always work for others and it will take some time for you and your cardiologist/EP to determine what works best for you.
thank you for such a detailed and useful reply. I will certainly look into what you suggest. I am in my village rowing club and so hope I can return to it this season. I have been worried that I would have to leave. I spent my life this far doing high intensity workouts and now I am sure I am paying a price for that. But I am determined to be positive and learn as much as I can about the condition. I am learning more on this forum from people like yourself than I could have imagined.
Hello in the weeds. Mine is breathing 😕
Keep breathing though
ha I’m trying so hard. Keep smiling
Artificial sweeteners and wheat/gluten set mine off instantly. Alcohol causes it if I overdrink. A couple of drinks I’m not too bad, but more than that could be up at night. And high stress, I have a neighbor that is nuts and tries bullying me and that will set it off. I try to ignore her to keep my heart in check, but not always successful.
stress seems to be a common theme here. I am thinking that if we can sort that out, it will be easier. Many thanks to you.
Hi, Seems everyone has a different story about AFib. I’ve had it for years and have found stress is my biggest enemy, some of my other triggers are caffeine, too much sugar, not eating healthy and getting overly tired.
Good luck, it’s doable
I think stress is a tough one for us to fix, but you are right and also the sleep issue. I find it’s a circle where anxiety causes no sleep and then AF can appear making more anxiety!
But I agree it’s doable. Thank you
In addition to what others have already mentioned, I want to add MSG and any chemicals in the food is my trigger. I stay away from all the junk and am careful eating out. Trying to stick with real food. One never knows what is really in some of the food. Some of the craziest things have chemicals in them. Wheat in breading or sauces. On the occasion we do eat out I will ask for things plain, like chicken wings. Sauce on the side. Everything is suspect. I should mention if you can learn to muscle test yourself it is a great help.
for sure you are right. I avoid junk food and try only to eat healthy food, but even then I am never sure what has been added in say a condiment. I am not drinking and not overindulging in comfort food….apart from the one recent time I went to the restaurant and overdid it! Lesson learned there, I have to be more aware now. Thanks so much
I don't seem to have regular triggers but have noticed stress, tiredness and large meals may cause or contribute to episodes so I try to avoid them .
Me too. Its a hard thing to avoid stress though, even when i dont feel stressed. Thanks
stress triggers AF. Also any foods which give you indigestion. I have found that since I have been taking lansoprazole dailyI very rarely have AF and if i do its food or stress which causes these attacks. So avoid over eating and note the foods which upset your digestive system and avoid them
yes I agree with you. Stress, too much food or wrong food. Or random. It’s something new for me to live with, so I am liking this forum, as I can learn from this community. Thanks for your reply
Dehydration and broken sleep for me.
the sleep is the hardest thing for me…I do all the right things but still find it hard to get to sleep!
When I was first diagnosed with AF I had several severe symptoms. Over time these have definitely reduced (prescribed Bisoprolol and Apixaban) but I personally discovered that stress definitely is a trigger, as it seems other negative emotions can be, such as anger. I take one Magnesium Bisglycinate tab (or two, if I have palpitations) at night and these calm my heart and give me a lovely sleep. I suggest not letting worry or anxiety take control, and taking daily or 2nd daily Magnesium. I love the effect and have had calm sleeps as I don't think I've had before.
Great advice many thanks
My pleasure!
Af with no apparent trigger 
AF Triggers - empty stomach? 
AF Triggered by Thyroid Problems.
Can cheese trigger AF?
