A f and me

[Thanks55]

Hi everyone I have af I have it badly am on meds and will be getting ablation in a few weeks

I have stopped

all caffeine

All red wine

All cream

I wondered if there was any more tips I could follow someone mentioned sleeping and also pillows but I can’t find it again. Can anyone offer suggestions of other things I may not be aware if

[Threecats]

Hi Thanks55

I think I can do no better than suggest the book “The AFib Cure” by Dr John Day. It’s very thorough and gives lots of suggestions on things to help - I have certainly found it very useful.

It sounds like you’ve made a great start already, certainly any alcohol is a trigger for me, as is having too much calcium in my diet, so I’m careful in that regard. Stress and anxiety are also big triggers - although I must say I find it hard not to be anxious when my heart’s thumping away trying to escape from my chest in the small hours! Sleeping position is another challenge - sleeping on my left side triggers episodes and I believe does for many. The only other thing I can think of at the moment is to ask if you’ve had your thyroid levels checked recently, as that can certainly cause problems with AF.

Off to bed now but hopefully there’s some suggestions above that will be useful to you.

All the best, TC

[Thanks55 in reply to Threecats]

Thanks for all your information I will definitely order that book

Yes I have an under active thyroid since I was in my twenties and am in medication for that also

I think everything I have wrong with me is related to my thyroid although my doctor just sighs when I mention this to him

I read on one of the posts about the pillow you sleep on and now I can’t find it and of course I have forgotten what it said 🤣🤣 I just live in fear of an episode as each time they come they last longer and take longer to recover from

[Threecats in reply to Thanks55]

I’m sorry to hear your episodes are so debilitating, I certainly know where you’re coming from on that one!

I must say, I’ve never heard of a pillow that would help with AF but then again, I’m still relatively new to it and still learning. I had a particularly bad episode during the night last week, despite being on meds. Tried everything I could think of to stop it and eventually had the brainwave to have a sachet of electrolyte powder that I had knocking about in the back of my first aid box and reverted to NSR 20 mins later! Just wish I’d thought of it 9 hours earlier 🙄 Probably a coincidence but certainly one I’ll be trying again!

I do think it would be helpful to push for further checks on your thyroid levels in the circumstances, as, if that is out of whack my understanding is that it can cause AF and, with your ablation coming up you want to do everything you can to optimise your lifestyle to give the ablation the best chance of being successful. Although, again, only based on information I have gleaned, it’s often necessary to have a touch up procedure following a first ablation, I understand.

There is another forum on health unlocked dedicated to AF and other heart arrhythmias, called the AF Association. There are many on there far more knowledgeable than I am, so it might be worth you posting your pillow question and any others you have on there, too.

Good luck to you on your AF journey, TC

[Thanks55]

Thankyou for your reply I really appreciate it I will try those electrolytes I would try anything mine last over 24 hours with my heart just quivering funny enough I have been on thyroxine for over 30 years but this started 12 years ago

[H-ar4row]

Have you thought of magnesium supplements? It does play a role in heart rate and it is difficult to accurately check the levels. A banana a day might help!!