Replies to @glaoming and I tend to present different sides of the issue because our experiences are very…

← Return to AFib just diagnosed at age 74 female

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Heart & Blood Health | Last Active: 3 days ago | Replies (9)

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@windyshores

@glaoming and I tend to present different sides of the issue because our experiences are very different, and my case is so far paroxysmal. That said, my afib has not progressed in 10 years. I have dramatic episodes once a year on average, with heart rate around 200, and land in the hospital.

So far I have declined meds and some doctors have come to agree with me. I take magnesium, potassium via low sodium V-8, and do tai chi for stress. I have identified triggers and don't eat after 6, don't recline after eating, don't lie on my right side etc. Alcohol, caffeine and stress are triggers for many and risk factors are weight, diabetes, high blood pressure, age, and in the CHADS score, female gender is one point against.

I do not consider myself immune from progression and when I do I will do a search here for all of @gloaming posts as well as @harveywj.

Do you know your CHADS2DS2-VASc score? I recommend the book "The Afib Cure" by Day and Bunch although I think the title is unfortunate. It does cover ways to mitigate afib but also meds and ablations.

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Replies to "@glaoming and I tend to present different sides of the issue because our experiences are very..."

harveywj | @harveywj | 4 days ago

@windyshores I like your perspective. I tried the same approach you are successfully doing but eventually progressed to where I need to take DOACs regularly and then eventually 2 Afib ablations. But that doesn't mean you or anyone else are guaranteed to have the same medical experience as me. Too many people seem to think that just because they had a certain medical experience then the person next to them is going to have the same experience. There are some who willingly push their experience as "gospel" when they really are misleading other people with incorrect information. I used a PIP for DOACs for a couple of years before I had to do it regularly because my Afib was happening more often. At 6?-10? months after my 1st ablation I went back on PIP with DOACs and that lasted 4 years until I started to having Afib events every 3-6 weeks. Even then I decided to take DOACs regularly as my doc did not push this on me. I have a clotting factor call Factor V Leiden that increases my risk of clotting. So I am now just a mere 4 months post 2nd ablation. I have had a couple of brief episodes of AFib in the first couple of months. It is too soon for me to get off DOACs . But I, like you have a method to my madness :).
BTW during this time I have avoided taking virtually any heart medications (sans DOACs) that are given as the usual and customary drugs to people with intermittent Fib.

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