AFIB (has (possibly) Saved my life!

[Towne]

This is my first contributory post & is quite long but hopefully will be useful to a few of you!

Yes - unbelievably AFIB ihas been a potential life saver as it uncovered a potentially life-threatening condition, this being a Dilated Aortic Root (which can develop into a thoracic aneurysm )

This was found during a precautionary coronary angiogram prior to a cryoablation I had on 18th May performed by Dr Petkar at New Cross Hospital (I’ll write a separate post about this to follow!)

In most cases aneurysms remain silent until either sudden dissection or rupture which are life threatening events. Due to the discovery (thanks to AF) I will now be having regular monitoring of its progression with the aim of having timely surgery (depending on rate of growth)

Some of you might be interested in my AF history leading up to this:-

I was diagnosed with Paroxysmal AF in 1975 (age of 15) although I remember having episodes when I was 11 years old when starting at secondary school. Most of the male side of my family had / have Afib so must be predisposed to this.

Initially had three cardioversions which provided temporary relief (few months) and then was prescribed verapamil to no effect, then amiodarnone in 1980 which maintained SR but was very debilitating and caused UV light sensitivity (sunburn) even if only exposed for a few minutes.

Eventually in 1984 was prescribed Flecainide (which was a pioneering new drug at the time) as a pill in the pocket. - 100mg + 100mg +100mg (about 1 hr apart up to max-300 mg which worked reliably for 16yrs then due to gradual AF progression was prescribed a maintenance dose of 100mg x2 daily (to maintain SR) and then additional + 100mg+50mg flecainide + 25mg atenolol as pill in pocket. Quite by accident i found that a brisk walk or any activity that raised my heart rate a little helped convert to SR (& still does today)

This regime was 100% reliable in converting back to SR for over 18years with AF episodes only around every 1-3 months up until I took early retirement in 2018

Most triggers up to this point were self inflicted - forgetting to take doses, too much alcohol, stressful situations at work (public speaking) & sudden bursts of effort (flight/flight) & dehydration.

Have always been active running, cycling & skiing ( non competitive) and am convinced that this provided a degree of long term resilience to AF)

However this changed for the worse since early retirement in 2018 when I took up club (competitive) running including a few 10k & half marathons races - and think I probably over did it running 30+ miles a week + efforts.

I Found that some of the training runs (usually effort sessions & longer runs often triggered AF with increasing frequency & duration which then set off a downward spiral & eventually had to abandon the running club after 2yrs. By this time the damage had been done and AFib progressed further with virtually everything triggering episodes ( both adrenic & vagal triggers) and spent the next 2 yrs trying to understand & eliminate triggers but to no avail as it was progressing towards persistent or even permanent AF

The flecainide and atenolol combination still worked but due to increasing frequency & duration of AF meant that the side effects of meds were debilitating for most of the time.

I was finally offered a Cryoablation ablation in May2021 on the NHS at the Heart & Lung Centre Newcross Hospital Wolverhampton which was performed on 18th May 2022 by Dr Petkar.

I initially agreed to the procedure to get on the waiting list & thought I’ll try every possible life style change in an attempt to avoid the procedure & with this website recommending a book called the AFIB Cure by John D. Day & T. Jared Bunch which I’ve now been religiously following since May 2020

This book has been quite a revelation & in following its guidance gradually the frequency and duration of episodes have reduced over the last 12 months to how It was about 10 -years ago & may have slowed progression to persistent AF.

In a nutshell the changes I made were :-

Mostly wholefood plant based diet.

Reduced sugar, salt & artificial sweeteners

Virtually given up alcohol

Coffee never later than 3pm

Eating meals only when hungry & to max 80% full (which has meant leaving food on many occasions and many doggy bags at restaurants )

Eating no later than 3 hours before bed

Breath through my nose.

Ensure I get 8 hours sleep a night (all the above helped this)

As a result I've now lost two stone in weight & blood pressure has reduced from 120/80 to 110/70

Never get heartburn or ingestion now.

Stopped snoring

Can now run & cycle at the low-mid aerobic range again.

This book helped me realise that I had quite a few unhealthy lifestyle habits which I now know have collectively contributed to my AF progression over the years. with the 2 years of competitive running finally tipping me over the edge!

Although these changes have helped dramatically reduce ‘AF burden’ I still get episodes so decided to proceed with the cryoablation but still intend to continue with these now habitual changes to give me the best chance of minimising AF over the coming months / years.

During my journey Ive concluded that AFIB is probably a consequence of our modern day lifestyle & could be regarded as an early canary warning sign to make healthy changes (and as in my case never too late!)

[Tilly1957]

Thank you for sharing your story x

[CDreamer]

Hi Towne - I wrote a reply yesterday but seems to have gone missing. How very inspiring your story is. I do hope your ablation is successful. Best wishes.

[Towne in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks C Dreamer! Ill be posting details of my procedure soon then regularly update.

[Threecats]

Hi Towne,Welcome to the forum!

Thank you for sharing your story. It’s good to hear how much lifestyle changes have helped you - the book is good, isn’t it. Like you, I have been following it and implementing changes since being diagnosed with PAF last year. I’d like to do what I can to delay needing an ablation for as long as possible, in the hope that new and better techniques will eventually come along.

I completely agree with you that AF can act as the ‘canary in the coal mine’. For me, developing Af was a warning that things need to change, in my case my blood pressure had been creeping up, unknown to me and I also needed to start addressing my lifelong anxiety issues - something I’d been in denial about for a very long time! So I’ve also looked on AF as a positive, as well as a pain in the proverbial at times😊

I wish you a speedy recovery from your ablation and hope that, plus your lifestyle changes, slows the progress of your aortic root dilation.

All the best to you, TC

[Singwell in reply to Threecats]

This sounds similar to my journey!

[Towne in reply to Threecats]

Thanks Three cats! You’re fortunate in that it’s relatively recent onset for you & with the knowledge & experience from this forum & you acting acting in good time will hopefully help keep it in check. I wish I had known what I know now years ago- Good luck! Towne

[secondtry]

Hi Towne, great post highlighting the main advantage of AF - avoiding chronic or acute future issues through test and lifestyle changes....its not all bad!

The lifestyle changes, I have also followed successfully.

Very honestly you confess to over exercising......another common trap as we get older and want to prove we are not over the hill.

I have found overall you have to accept that eating, exercising, socialising and business all have to be moderated with changes as part of the 'new life'. I don't regret this and in fact find it quite liberating from the old ways.

Let us know how you progress. Best wishes.

[Towne in reply to secondtry]

Thanks secondtry. I totally agree- we must be clones! But I suspect you came to the same conclusion before me! I’ll post soon about my ablation- then keep updating. Good luck with your ongoing lifestyle changes!

[Singwell]

Thank you, so interesting and thought provoking in a good way. Must reread the book as I'd missed the bit about eating to 80% fullness. I think I mostly do this anyway but good to be consciously aware when eating out etc. Especially if one is a guest. As a matter of interest, while working through the book how open was your GP to organising all.the blood tests they recommend? I'd really like to have our GP run more thorough tests but it seems the NHS doesn't do many of them.

[secondtry in reply to Singwell]

Two bits of advice from my parents I now attach more importance to......never too late!! From my father, at the end of the meal, you should be able to eat the same again and from my mother eat a little bit of everything and what you fancy does you good.

[Towne in reply to secondtry]

Thanks SecondtryWise words - appreciated!

Regards Towne

[Towne in reply to secondtry]

Hi SingwellI’ve also re-read the book.

As I eat mostly plants now I asked for a range of tests specifically for vegan/vegetarians which included all of the 10 key tests recommended, except:-

CRP

Homocysteine

BNP

HS-troponin

I arranged Private tests for the above at ‘Summerfield Health’ + also Omega 3 which I have read that too much or too little of can affect arrhythmias. (my result was very low so now take an omega 3 algae based supplement.

You might be interested to know that I was at the low end of the scale for Iron & Liver enzyme was slightly elevated (probably due to what I thought was moderate alcohol intake which has normalised since giving up alcohol.

Regards Towne

[secondtry in reply to Towne]

Low end of the scale for iron is I believe good for reducing AF.

[Towne in reply to secondtry]

Thanks for this! I will look into it before considering iron supplementationRegards

Towne

[Cliff_G]

Hi Towne, interesting post, thanks. Very glad the new regime is settling your AF. Keep going!

My own story is very similar, though age 40 when the AF started and my dilated root was found. It sounds like you've had some good advice regarding that. I was being monitored over 20 years for diameter by echo, then added CT scans in when I got to 4.5 cm ascending, but no-one really explained the risk, or the huge uncertainty around using diameter and rate of growth - below 5.5 cm does not mean safe! Have a read of my story at aortichope.org/post/survivo... (please forget the video, it's an electronic reading of what I wrote and hadn't realised it would be done. It's definitely not my voice!)

Again, my AF probably had a genetic aspect, with my Dad having AF. His cause of death was also not totally certain and the cause got put down (in 1987, so early days as to aortic disease understanding) as an MI, but looking back his death could have been an AD.

One other thing I have learned recently from seeing a consultant about my cholesterol and lipids levels, which is that I have a very high level of a cholesterol-like blood fat called Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). This can cause sclerosis independently of cholesterol levels, has some association with aortic disease, and when found at those levels could be familial. It's not a test that is done routinely when cholesterol levels are taken. So perhaps worth having it checked. Arteriosclerosis will increase inflammation and accelerate degradation of the aortic wall.

Whilst your AF may be improved, your aortic situation will need to be monitored long term.

Best wishes for your continued good health.