[danwalter]

To see how they do it at Johns Hopkins, Google "Adventures in Cardiology"

[Cameron]

What a scary article!! Thanks for posting it. I have always been rather skeptical about the medical profession and their arrogance in dealing with patients who value alternative methods of caring for their health. That said, I do feel that they often do lifesaving procedures and more and more are becoming open-minded about non-conventional treatments. I had a very benign form of afib that came on with a vengeance about a year ago. I found myself short of breath, unable to fall asleep without feeling that my breathing was about to stop and extremely weak and unable to do the usual chores to keep the homestead going (I'm retired). I went to a doctor and had all the prerequisite tests performed - stress test, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, etc. and luckily I was informed that my heart was in good shape. So why did I feel so lousy? The doctor said it was simply the afib. To me it felt more like congestive heart failure. Well to make a long story short, I did a lot of research (including this forum) and went on a vitamin regimen of fish oil, magnesium, hawthorne, coQ10 and the usual multivitamins and lots of C (2000 mg per day). Well it has worked for me. Though it hasn't cured my afib it has controlled it to the extent that I'm leading a normal life for someone of my age, 74, and though my doctor tells me that I'm in constant afib he says that I may have the kind that my body has adjusted to. Figure that! A year ago we were talking about cardioversion and possibly beyond. But if it ever comes to it, I would have to have no other choices before I would ever consider ablation therapy, especially after reading the article you cited. Thanks again.
Cameron

[danwalter]

Thank you.

[danwalter]

Thanks. Best to you. Another good source of info: Hans Larsen's AFIB Forum.

[Cameron]

Yes, I'm familiar with Hans Larson's AFIB Forum. I actually downloaded one of his e-books, Lone Atrial Fibrilation about a year ago when I was having a difficult time with afib. Lots of good stuff in it. I'll reiterate, what's been working for me is a daily regimen of heart oriented supplements (magnesium, coQ10, hawthorne berries, vitamin C, fish oil w\EPA-DHA), some mild exercise and meditation. So far so good. Anything but invasive heart procedures like ablation though I'm sure it's worked for some. I wish I could recommend a sure-fire cure for afib, but there's nothing that I"m aware of. And best to you too.

Cameron

[AnnetteG]

Hi All! Cameron, I am curious, have you ever been on any of the blood thinning drugs? Coumadin? Aspirin? You do it all with just the supplements?
I have been diagnosed with A-Fib. By an EKG. I also have Graves Disease which they think may have triggered it. But I know different. My numbers with the Graves are stable and good.. but I DID recently find out last month that I am violently allergic to Aspartame...Equal, NutraSweet...all those artificial chemicals.
I was having terrible breathing attacks when I had some...whether it be in my coffee, or cereal or in diet soda. The allergist told me there was no reliable test for this but to rechallenge which I had already done with a stick of Orbit chewing gum. Within 5 minutes, I was gasping for air. So.. every time I went to the doctors in this state, I was hooked up to an EKG and given this terrible diagnosis.. you are A-Fib. Ok..so now.. I discovered the allergy on my own.. been breathing perfectly for about a month and am trying to see if this goes away. So far no good. They ( I went through 4 doctors!) all came up with this Coumadin and BP meds. I tried them and that was terrible. Got off them and now am on Atenlol.(sp)..
I would love to do what you do.. I noticed when I take the Magnesium (500mgs) my heart seems to calm down. I want to add the others you take as well.. Do the doctors (Rrrrrr) say this is good to do? I am so at my wits end, filled with terror and fear a stroke like you can't believe but don't want to do that Coumadin. I am 61.. female.. At this point.. I am afraid to go to bed at night and even more afraid and don't want to wake up! I don't want to get depressed..but I am heading there fast! Thanks!

[danwalter]

I would love to do what you do.. I noticed when I take the Magnesium (500mgs) my heart seems to calm down. I want to add the others you take as well.. Do the doctors (Rrrrrr) say this is good to do? I am so at my wits end, filled with terror and fear a stroke like you can't believe but don't want to do that Coumadin. I am 61.. female.. At this point.. I am afraid to go to bed at night and even more afraid and don't want to wake up! I don't want to get depressed..but I am heading there fast! Thanks![/quote]


Magnesium helps my wife as well.

[Cameron]

Hello AnnetteG. From your post I certainly sense you're fear and confusion and that's perfectly normal. When I had an attack of afib about a year ago I felt the same as you. My doctor was recommending all the conventional treatments: cardioversion, coumadin and medication. Well I accepted the medication but said no to the coumadin because I had heard and read bad things about it. For one, you have to be closely monitored when you're on coumadin, a blood thinning drug. And once you start, I think you are on it for life. Now I know people who are on it and they say it's no problem but I choose not to be though my doctor keeps telling me that with afib I'm risking a stroke. Instead, I take a baby aspirin every day and of course my vitamin supplements which so far have worked very well for me. One of the supplements I take is Ginkgo Biloba which has blood thinning properties. I also take at least a gram of fish oil every day which contains EPA and DHA, two fatty acids which are good for the heart and depression as well. If your doctor is open minded perhaps you can discuss some of these alternatives with him. I take a blood pressure medication, Diltiazem and the supplements I take don't seem to conflict with it. Good you're taking magnesium. it's very important for heart rhythm and I also find the herb Hawthorne Berries to be helpful and calcium too. The thing I like about these supplements is that there are no bad side-effects, at least not for me. I'm a great believer in taking responsibility for ones health. I read what I can about alternative ways of treating my problem and then I "experiment" a bit. You just have to find out what works for you. I wish I could suggest a "sure fire cure" for you, but there isn't one that I know of. No one seems to know how afib originates outside of a genetic connection. I don't know if you mediate or know much about it but that's another avenue that you could look into. I find that it really calms my heart when I do it but like everything else, one has to put a little effort into learning to do it. I hope these few suggestions are helpful to you. Like everyone else, I'm trying to learn more about taking care of my health to maintain my quality of life. And don't worry yourself sick if you can help it.
Cameron