hi. I’m recently diagnosed with PAF so still have lots of questions.
Do beta blockers stop AF or just keep BP low during AF?
My last episode started directly after eating a Chinese takeaway , maybe a food trigger?
Then last night, I went out for a meal and when I got home I was feeling like another episode was about to start. Still feels like this morning. I fortunately have a smart watch to keep my eye on things. So far so good
Beta blockers control rate, they do not stop AF.
MSG (monosodium glutomate) a common "flavour enhancer" in Chinese and other foods is a well know trigger for AF.
Also alcohol and preservatives and sugar substitutes 😕
I’ve totally knocked alcohol on the head and swapped tea for caffein free. Doing what I can
Best to avoid caffeine free tea/coffee as the decaffeinated process can be an issue. I drink just peppermint/herbal teas after a meal. I have also reintroduced green tea but have been AF free for 10 yrs so think I am stable enough for that.
I like your reply as I’ve found caffeine free tea/coffee sends me Straight into AF and strangely I was up almost all night last week after drinking a cup of peppermint tea
Oh no, thought I would be ok with decaff tea. Seem to be ok with one coffee a day, no more.
I have swapped to decaff coffee and found no problems. No doubt an individual thing..
In my experience they stop it at first. However, I have been given an increase in dose every year since (I was on 1.25mg Bisoprolol initially in 2019 and am now on 5mg). The 5mg is not stopping it, but it is less severe when it does occur. I have been told that I am probably now intolerant to it and need to be referred to the arrhythmia clinic. They won't see me until I have had a 5 day heart monitor which is scheduled for 31 August, which is really frustrating. Stress can trigger mine, but equally it can start whilst I am sitting in a chair.
Since joining this forum a few days ago I have found out more information and advice than I have in the last four years. Thanks everyone.
As others have said Bisoprolol reduces the heart rate not the irregularity. Flecainide does that. I first took it as a PIP when it was first prescribed by an EP but now take it regularly twice a day and hardly ever have an episode which can be stopped within a couple of hours with an added PIP.
Thanks for that. I have never heard of Flecainide. I am finding it impossible for my surgery to get back to me at the moment, but when I eventually do persuade them to make contact I will mention it.
A Chinese takeaway (any takeaways and restaurant meals for that matter) is probably larger than your normal meal size, more fat/oil, more salt, possibly containing MSG so a lot more work for your body, more to digest and metabolise. The MSG might have been a triggger, or some other ingredient, or just the total extra work your body had to do. It’s impossible to pinpoint exactly what the culprit definitely was.
My only advice is to be sensible about the quality of the food you eat out or order in. I know that as an older person my digestive system/metabolism isn’t as efficient as it used to be and an excess of anything doesn’t sit well with me. It doesn’t necessarily mean an episode of AF, but I’m more likely to feel sluggish and a bit off. Or I might get a bit of reflux if I overdo it, and that’s quite unpleasant.
With lifestyle changes, it’s better to go one step at a time and that way the changes you make are more likely to be sustainable. You’re not going to be missing out on all the fun. It’s the company and the occasion that matters, and the food less so.
I find the same. My digestion is not what it used to be . We eat out about once a week and always at lunch time and usually that is not a problem. I feel full after eating a much smaller amount. Holiday eating has become a problem. The pattern of meals and type of food differs so much from how we eat at home that any more than a four or five day trip is impossible. Even then I am having to resign myself to always leaving a good amount of food on my plate no matter how delicious it is. Some waitresses jokingly tell you off! My husband is much better than me in the digestion department despite being 8 years older . He always used to finish off what I left but now can't though he usually finishes his own meal .
Rather than leave food ask for smaller portions.A lot of restaurants offer this
Not here in rural France. We do ask at one of our local restaurants - it makes no difference they still give far too much. The French have a lifetime training on pigging out in restaurants. You would not believe the amount of ads they have round Christmas and New Year ( when 6 and 7 course meals are traditionally consumed ) for indigestion and constipation remedies. These ailments are considered a price worth paying for la gastronomie. We are considered weird because we don't eat bread with our meal and never eat the cheese course if it is part of the set menu.
I see your problem .
Beta blockers are for rate control. If you have an issue with BP then you may need BP tablets as well, as in the case of my wife.
thankfully no problems with blood pressure. My heart is in great condition I’m told
1. Beta blockers reduce the heart rate not the irregularity.
2. Chinese meals contain an additive that is known to trigger AF ( sorry have forgotten the name but someone else here will know!)
3. Large meals are not a good idea either.
My understanding is that Beta blockers are primarily intended to limit the maximum rate that your heart might achieve during AF. As you can imagine, beating at rates in excess of 200 times a minute would do your heart no good, if not actual damage, and certainly cause damage in the long term. Beta blockers slow that down and prevent the very high rates being achieved.
As, with PAF (paroxysmal AF) you don't know when and for how long the occurrence will happen, and also since Bisoprolol and similar beta blockers take some bodily adjustment (habituation) it's best to take them all the time, and put up with the symptoms of the reduced heart rate when not in AF.
As said before, Beta Blockers will reduce the heart rate. Anti-arrhythmics help with the rhythm. For some people, their afib makes them tachycardic (heart rate over 100) - EVERY TIME. So sometimes a beta blocker can be effective because by slowing down the heart rate the heart has a chance to slip back into a normal rhythm. Afib is an electrical problem. Signals are randomly being sent to the upper chambers (Atria-hence Atrial) of the heart. The atria then pump irregularly because they are getting mixed signals. The Ventricles (the two lower chambers) try to keep up with the Atria and this speeds up the heart rate. Not all afib is the same as I'm sure you have gathered by all our comments here. Some people are in afib and don't know it because their heart rates don't get tachycardic. The risk of stroke when in afib is because when someone is in afib, the atria aren't beating in a strong rhythmic way. This can cause blood to stagnate in the Left Atria or specifically an area called the Left Atrial Appendage. Notice I said "can" stagnate. It's not an absolute for all people. If blood sits it clots, if it does, then the clot can move and travel to the smaller vessels in the brain and cause a stroke.
The longer someone is in afib, the more likely they are to have a clotting issue. To use an analogy for risk. If you are driving your car down the road and following all the rules of the road, you can still have an accident because you can't control what the other drivers (your bodies systems) are doing. You can be the best driver and still get into an accident. Now if your car (your heart) is in perfect shape and condition, you have furthered your odds to never getting into an accident (stroke). But if your brakes (atria) aren't working properly, well, you have just increased your risk of getting into an accident. It's not to say you will, but you are increasing your chances just the same. Eventually the brakes are going to get damaged. So you go to your mechanic (doctor) and he says you need to add some brake fluid (medication) Your brakes may work better. However, if your brakes are worn (damaged enlarged heart), then you are going to need more than brake fluid. You may need to replace the pads (surgery, ablation, etc.). Sometimes it depends on how your drive your car (lifestyle) that determines how long those brakes (your heart) will stay in good condition. There are many variables. Is your mechanic (doctor) truly knowledgeable about your brake (heart) situation. Perhaps your mechanic only works on specific cars (cardiologist) or maybe he works on all cars (GP) or maybe he/she only works on brakes (cardiac electrophysiologist). To make things even more confusing, you might have issues with your fuel pump (circulation) too! And you maybe have an older car (age), so you need to make sure your brake mechanic is familiar with older cars specifically. Depending on how knowledgeable your mechanic is, you may find there is more than brakes you need to fix. To end my analogy- say you are the perfect driver, you get your brakes fixed and you check the brake fluid on a regular basis. It's not to say that you might get into an accident anyway, because other drivers (your body) are individual and it's hard to say what they might do. All you can do is keep your car in as perfect condition as you can and it should last you a very long time. Heck, there are still a few model T'S (100+ years old) out there! 😁
Yes this is exactly what caused my husbands stroke was the pooling in the heart and travelling up to the main artery in the neck up to the brain
Hi
Sometimes Spicy or high Fat like Butter Chicken cause your stomach to react.
I have the Beef Chop Suey takeaway and been fine. Someone added a jar of Butter Chicken to chicken and oh no two of us were not good. But I did not have AF then just without a Gall Bladder.
Yours could be the V.... Artery response.
BB Beta Blockers control my BP. CCB Calcium Channel Blocker control my H/Rate. But separate them CCB AM and BB PM. Together they keep irregular responses controlled but not heal the. Take your anti-co.agulant daily.
cheers JOY. 74. (NZ)
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