Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

A question about Apple watches offering ECG heart rhythm tracking:

My background: I'm 81, have occasional SVT and AFIB. Saw three different Cardiologists this year. The first two, seeming very aggressive, tried to sell me on surgically inserting a Loop Recorder above my heart for 24/7 HR tracking. The third, a Veteran's Administration Cardiologist, appeared just the opposite, too nonchalant. Said " Just continue doing what you've been already doing." (Just 25 mg of Metoprolol)

Heeding the advice on many on this forum, and abhoring any kind of surgery, I declined the Loop Recorder idea, but decided to track my HR 24/7 with an Apple watch. Many of you raved about how great the Series 9 is, and is being accepted by more and more doctors. Someone mentioned that the ECG tracking was discontinued by Apple due to patent infringement. Yet now, in looking for a watch that offers both ECG and fitness tracking, I'm finding the Apple Series 10 claims to offer both, and has nice upgrades as well. My question: which watch should I purchase? Is there something wrong with the ECG tracking on the Series 10 that I should be aware of? Thanks in advance.

Hello to all,
I’m a 74 year old female who had a Mitral Valve repair in 2018. Everything was fine for 2-3 years and then I started to have SVT episodes. Cardiologist increased my Metoprolol to 25mg and added Eliquis. Everything is fine again until recently. SVTs increase in strength and duration.
Just from doing my own research and keeping a daily log I discovered I have become extremely sensitive to dehydration. As long as I limit alcohol and caffeine and load up on electrolyte drinks(not just water), I can control/eliminate the SVT episodes. So far so good. It’s been 8 months without a problem.

Hi I'm Sarah, I was just recently told I might have Afib. I was born with a rare heart defect. I have done fine most of my life. Things have really taken a turn since I had COVID in 2023. Has anyone been able to control their Afib with diet & exercise? The medications for it look like they have some scary side effects. That scares me & I truly don't want to take them if I don't have to

Sarah, I know of people who have to limit their exercise, not do more of it. I know a person who must watch calcium from all sources, and because he is a 'magnesium dumper', he must ingest a lot of it, up to 800mg daily in one of his concoctions or another in order to keep free of AF and also drug free...which he is with a 20 year history of managing his AF that way.

Some can't do caffeine, some alcohol, some not get indigestion....it goes on and on and on... Each person must forge a pathway for themselves through the electrically disordered heart of theirs.

While diet may help, especially if you tend to be hypomagnesic or hypokalemic (low magnesium and low potassium), low iron might also be a problem, and you need to find out occasionally through blood panels if you are one of those who needs to watch, or to actually change, their diets. Even anxiety and stress of money, relationships, local noisy construction,...all sorts of things can make a heart fibrillate.

As for the medications, I was widely read about all of the ones prescribed for my own case of AF, including the dreaded amiodarone (which I was obliged to take after a failed index ablation). None of 'those things' happened....to me. Others report a helluva time as soon as they get enough of a new drug circulating in their system. This goes for statins as well. Again, it's gonna be YOUR journey, and your story afterwards....whatever it is to be. I hope it isn't a horrible experience for you. My symptoms when in AF was much worse than anything I could imagine experiencing with amiodarone or metoprolol. So, I chose to be optimistic, to trust the experts, to be informed, and to take the darned drugs.

One final note. If one drug fails to do what you need it to do, ask for another option and give it a decent trial, at least two weeks with doctor's approval and guidance. Unfortunately, there is a tendency for the rate control and rhythm control drugs to lose their effect over time. This means increased dosages, and that can bring on other problems, or you must try either another drug or a mechanical repair such as catheter ablation. I have had two of the latter. The workups, and all the appointments, and travel, are, to me, worse than the actual catheter ablation. It's a day procedure, and next day you are fine and walking, if being careful about heavy lifting and overdoing it. After my second ablation, I have been in normal sinus rhythm (NSR) for coming up to 2 years. All the workups, all the meetings, all the unsettling symptoms, the anxiety....all gone.

Please consider reading up on the drugs. The FDA had Vioxx removed because a few people developed heart problems. My female clerk at the Canadian National Defence Headquarters found it a godsend for her arthritis, and was sickened when she realized she could not acquire it any longer. She and many tens of thousands.

Thank you so much for your knowledge. It is greatly appreciated. They talked about putting me on Tikosyn. The side effects to me look just as bad as Afib. I had an ablation done for Tachycardia once & that worked well but I don't know if they will consider that this time. People say to me yeah but those side effects are rare. Let me tell you, anything that is rare comes my way. Hence I am terrified for more new meds! The stress of the meds certainly is not helping my Afib.

Sarah I declined meds 10 years ago and have diltiazem and Eliquis as "pill in the pocket" options for when needed. I am fortunate, since I have an episode about once a year, though they do land me in the ER via ambulance due to low bp. I have taken diltiazem at home maybe three times and have never done Eliquis. The ambulance does a diltiazem bolus and the ER does a drip.

I have been taking magnesium 600mg/night for years, and drink low sodium V-8 for potassium (cans are over 1200mg, I have gone down a bit on the level). Calcium 800mg (I can't eat dairy). I never eat after 5 or 6, never recline after eating, take Gas-X (simethicone) if I am gassy, avoid heavy lifting, do tai chi for stress, walk every day, and have some Klonopin on hand when I get a certain feeling (rarely, and I take 1/4). I also avoid loud alarms! I have accumulated these methods after identifying triggers over the years.

I use a Kardia and two years ago did a patch monitor to make sure I wasn't having undetected afib- none at all in two weeks though some brief and rare SVT, PVC's and bradycardia.

After years of this I found cardiologist John Day's book "The Afib Cure" (co-author is also a cardiologist) that discusses finding your triggers and avoiding them, as well as any other lifestyle changes needed. They also discuss supplements and meds.

My first cardiologist wanted to put me on blood thinners and beta blockers in 2015. My CHADS score was kind of borderline and still is. When I turn 75 I will have more pressure to go on blood thinners and if episodes increase, I will of course. I do not expect to be different in terms of things getting worse at some point but I have been able to hold the line for 10 years- probably some luck!

That first cardiologist later told me that I was right to decline. We always had good discussions and it isn't like we ever argued, but it was nice that he said he had been thinking that he had maybe been overmedicating. My feeling is that doctors have a whole lot less liability if they medicate than if they don't.

Your situation may be entirely different from mine. I am a lay person and fellow patient and only sharing my experience which may not apply. But I do suggest buying "The Afib Cure" which is a pretty balanced discussion despite the title. Also, @gloaming knows his stuff so definitely read his posts carefully!

Thank you so much! Yes I will buy that book! I am on so many meds from Long COVID. Hence why I don't want any more meds. I am currently working with my PCP to use more supplements and get me off of some of these drugs. To be honest I think my Afib is a combo of the Long COVID and too many drugs in my system.. You are all so sweet to help me & tell me these things! I also have to get my emotions & the stress of that under control as well. I just started a beginners pilates but I can only do so much as I have bad pain in my ribs. Which in all the research I have done. I now think the rib pain is from a bad nervous system from COVID. I am also working on taking some supplements to rebuild my cells. Research I have read & shared with my PCP shows Long COVID is possible damage at a cellular level. I have a hard time sleeping so I do research. Funny I started doing research thinking it would bore me to sleep. Now I find key research studies, write them down to look into further during the day. That knowledge makes me feel better then I can sleep. 😊 I will be 50 next month. I can't work any more so I research. I'm too young for all this crap. I will find something to help me & others! I have to. I loved working but it's too stressful and my brain doesn't work as well after COVID. Anyways I can't thank you enough!!!