Afib Triggers: Mine is my neck or body position, yours?

Welcome to Connect, @akbooks45. I'd like to bring fellow members @dyannne @dsisko @success101 @loli @ryman @jimana @martishka and @predictable into this discussion to see if they notice any particular circumstances that trigger a-Fib.

Akbooks, how long have you had a-fib? What lifestyle choices or changes help you prevent a-fib?

Any liquor at all and caffeine are particular triggers. I could drink one glass of wine and my pulse would shoot up to 180 and I’d go into afib. Same with caffeine. Stress would be a trigger as well but I could also go into afib simply when watching TV.
I don’t drink at all now and I limit caffeine to an occasional piece of chocolate. I had an ablation in August and all is well, no afib at all. But I still am careful with triggers and don’t drink, watch stress, and limit caffeine.

Interesting. I have never heard of this.
And I'm short myself. I was diagnosed 10 yrs
Ago. The Cardiologist is still with me. And,tweaking my meds has helped so much.
Flecinade and xerelto have been very good to me.
My BloodPressure gives me issues.
And last week we opted to raise my diltiasm.
I'd like to say I've lost alot of weight.
Just had hip replaced and ankle operated
On two yrs. Ago. This will be a me year.
If, I continue to eat right. Going for yoga🤗

I really don't know what triggers my a-fib. I wish I could figure that out. I just do the things recommended such as no caffeine, no alcohol, no cough medicines. I keep my weight down. I exercise regularly, go to the gym and work out three times a week, including lifting weights and treadmill, about 1.25 hours a day. I try to live a conscious life avoiding as much drama as I can. I do a lot of art, painting and drawing. I think it's kind of meditative. I can get lost in it. I take my meds religiously.

Hello Dyanne, YourAfib case sounds just like mine...was. Like you and according to the cardiologist's directions, I drank no alcohol, no coffee, no tea, no chocolate, decongestants or dental stimulant drug, kept out of cigarette smoky environments and kept my stress levels down. The cardiologist said that my Afib was the worst he had ever seen. He was concerned because the dose to keep my Afib under control was at the max which he said could suddenly stop my heart. I actually asked my gynaecologist for estrogen because I had read that this could be the solution. And it did work and I was able to stop the beta blocker and I was Afib free!. But I was taking it 'unopposed'...which means without progesterone to balance it which raises the chances of a reproductive cancer. So I took progesterone with it and the Afib returned but I needed less beta blocker at least. I decided to stop the hormones and just take the high dose beta blocker since I didn't like the idea of being on 3 meds... Probably not the best idea since the beta blocker dose was at a dangerous level.
Plan B: For me the magic bullet was when I started going to the gym 6 days out of 7 and did aerobic exercise for 30 minutes out of the hour program. Every few days I lowered the beta blocker and for the first time in almost 2 years my heart remained stable. At the end of a month, I gradually (important) weaned myself off beta blockers...AND my Afib was 'cured'!!! I continued for 4 months going to the gym 6 days out of 7. The cardiologist told me that a cure was impossible and that the arrhythmia would be back. Well, here I am 24 years later and still no Afib. Of course, I am religiously adherent to the prevention strategies.
I see in your bright and cheery photo, your hair is the same colour as mine which means our estrogen and progesterone production/levels are low....and this leads me to a suggestion. How about going on low dose estrogen; maybe even the Estring/vaginal estrogen cream or vaginal pill? (I take it to prevent UTIs.) Of course, you need progesterone to counteract the estrogen and I would suggest bio-identical progesterone (remember Goldie Hawn?) which I have been taking for over 15 years. I go to a clinic that specializes i women's hormonal health...here in Montreal. The progesterone cream is made from sweet potato not chemicals and actually comes from the US. Bonus: I put the cream on my forearms before bed and sleep like a baby and wake up refreshed.
I hope this helps... Good luck, Dyanne!

Wow! That is quite a story, AFRobin. I've never heard of hormone therapy for afib. I'll ask my cardiologist about it. That's amazing. I'd love the benefit of sleeping like a baby! 🙂

I have had this for about 7 years now. The only thing I have done is to pay attention to my sleeping and sitting positions.
Postscript
When I took Armour Thyroid replacement, If I missed 1 pill, which I took before bed, my Afib would trigger at about 5am. I consulted a cardiologist about the connection between the thyroid function and Afib but he said "Duh, I don't know nuthin' about the thyroid." I suggested he Google it. When I switched to Synthroid, it is no longer an issue, even if I miss a couple days.

I have read this before, a thyroid condition can cause a-fib in some people.,

I was told that my afib is permanent and there is no cure. How do I live with this? Anyone, please help.

I had an ablation in August and haven’t had afib since.