Atrial fibrillation /flutter: non-medical non-dietary solutions?

Dear BHF community, I had a 5 graft bypass operation last September, a week after a heart attack. Whilst in hospital I developed atrial fibrillation/ flutter. Since 'getting back to normal' with the aid of various prescribed drugs, heart rehab gym etc my GP recently advised to come off Ramipril and Bisoporol due to low blood pressure and heart rate. Now the AF/ flutter has returned more permanently and I wondered if anyone here who is suffering from AF/ flutter has found ways of improving their heart regularity using exercise / breathing techniques / yoga etc?

[Ianc2]

Regular daily exercise every day without exception will improve the tone of your heart and make the flutter less noticeable. Have you considered an ablation?

[Hidden in reply to Ianc2]

Thanks for responding. I think I need more regular exercise and yes, I have considered a Catheter Ablation, but every time you surgically go into the heart there's a risk, of course ❤️

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

I was wondering why you say non-dietary? A friend's AF/ectopics were virtually eliminated after he cut alcohol, caffeine, chocolate and spicy food from his diet...

[Hidden in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks for responding, Michael: I've tried the dietary angle and it made no difference to me.

cardiosmart.org/News-and-Ev...

My AF/ flutter appears to be completely arbitrary, regardless of what I eat/ don't eat, do/ don't do.

I think it's caused by bypass surgery and it's medical consequences.

[Ianc2 in reply to Hidden]

I agree. I had flutter after a heart valve repair, which was fixed by a straightforward ablation. The cure lasted well until I picked up a rather nasty virus on a cruise ship and I slipped into AFIB, which is firing off in a part of my heart that is not easy to get to, with a 30% risk of damage as it is in a part of my heart wall that is very thin and close to a major artery and nerve.

If I was younger I might have considered it.

What I can do is to follow a healthy diet and take regular exercise. I usually clock up between 8-10,000 steps a day, watch my weight by weighing every day and avoid alcohol and strong coffee.

It is not a complete fix but I take the ramipril and warfarin that I am prescribed to protect against the risk of stroke.

[Hidden in reply to Ianc2]

Thanks lanc2 : valuable input!

It seems that I am now in continuous Atrial fibrillation, so Catheter Ablation is being offered as the most effective treatment. Problem is (as you mention) that there are risks and often more than one procedure is required. Plus I don't fancy going anywhere near a hospital at the moment for various (Covid-19, bypass surgery last September, endless nhs- triggered cancelled appointments etc) reasons. Great to hear about your down to earth, realistic approach 👍