Hi guys, I'm just trying to find out some of my AF triggers. At the moment I've found it's exercise and stress when it's at its worse. I used to be an active footballer (soccer player) for 7 years.
What is everyone elses triggers, out of curiousity?
Some people get it relaxing and others with stress and exercise. I usually get it when craving a drink. I'm an alcoholic and never go into it during a booze binge, it is always the next morning or afternoon,with the shakes and sweats.
Have you tried magnesium supplements?
Hi . Mine are preservatives. Food with preservatives takes up to 24 hrs to put me in AF. Fluids only a few hrs.
Alcohol.caffeine,too much sugar especially chocolate but mostly stress or getting overtired! Quite a few triggers really.
Thanks all.. it all makes sense now. Doctors say that exercise is good for the heart, but it always brings on AF - so is it really that good?
Also, Terence, no I don't take magnesium supplements, I take B9 & B12 supplements and currently take 9 tablets a day.
Maybe you need to take moderate exercise? Are you over 40 now?
And take magnesium and make sure you're well hydrated.
And just in case, steer clear of the hooch, it can only make things worse :-)
Hi XoMonkey, With me it's my Hiatus Hernia which can slide up through the hole in my diagphragm and trigger the AFib off. But, however, since the GP upped my dosage of Bisoprolol to 10mg I've had no problems. Only that I feel like zombie
Sounds like you have an electrolyte imbalance, since everyhting that triggers your episodes also cauuse the secretion of important electrolytes - magnesium and potassium.
In the USA, daily magnesium is listed as a minimum of 400 mg/day, but for potassium, and this is a shocker, it is 5 grams/ day.
To get 5 grams/ day of potassium you'd need to each 10 bananas and 10 avocados lol.
Really - all you need is the adequate levels of magnesium and potassium,. and most folks would nmot have afib - ever.
Problem is - if you do not enpough potassium and magnesium, then sodium and callcium will take their places, and that is where all hell brakes loose. The problem further is that calcium and sodium are everywhere.
Frank
5mgs makes me feel like that, I can only imagine waht 10mgs would feel like.
Can't win can we?
I'm 17. I exercise moderately and have to pay the price of discomfort after, all the time! I don't drink alcohol or smoke and hardly have energy drinks lol.
I've had all blood tests and they all came back normal regarding imbalances except B9 and B12 deficient which i've been taking supplements for about 6 months now.
Those blood tests are absolutely not acurate.
You need to have intracelular levels of magnesium and potassium tested, not the serum levels. The tests for magnesium and potassium are incorrectly done on the serum levels (because its a cheap test).
Better yet, go on a diet that has high levels of magnesium and potassium, and see what happens. It will not happen immediately, but within a week or 2. The Mediterranean diet is good for that - NO SUGAR! and lots of plants and nuts that have lots of magnesium and potassium.
Stay away from coffee, alcohol, sugar and stress, mental or physical, because they cause you to pee out your magnesium and potassium causing the imbalance.
Frank
Thanks Frank - I will try that!
You should check with your doctor or pharmacist about taking Potassium with whatever cardiac medication you are taking. Having too much Potassium can kill you!!! Having too much Magnesium just gives you diarrhoea. When l was on Sotolol my Dr said not to eat bananas. Just because you can buy minerals over the counter doesnt mean they are safe. Take care please.
Pushing myself hard physically always used to bring on an AF episode - halfway up a mountain, cleaning up after tenants moved out, deciding to scrub a floor or digging in the garden too energetically always used to do it!
For my brother it was alcohol and monosodium glutamate, oh and yes chocolate
I wonder why we have different triggers to misfiring in the heart?
I have no idea what my triggers are. I suffered Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome 8 years ago which made me develop the afib. I had one cardio version and on Amiodorone and atenolol evr since. My amiodorone level was low for awhile and low and behold one night while sleeping I went back in and stayed in for 10 days but was told to take higher levels of the amiodorone and it did put me back in. Caffeine may be a culprit and sugar. I walk alot and exercise so I hope that isnt a trigger. Its frustrating to say the least.
Yes yes yes,my hiatus hernia is my problem,I have to be very careful with my diet and avoid getting indegestion
Hi XoMonkey
I use to run and do a lot of active training at my gym I was doing this form of excersise the day before I had my stroke. Another time I had an AF attack was when a friend was coming to stay and I was working and planning the food menu. I was feeling stressed wondering if I would get everything prepared on time and was shopping in Waitrose when I felt extremely ill. They called an ambulance and I was taken to the nearest hospital. I had some tests and was left on a bed in the a& e department. A nurse brought me some tea whic I didnt like and a sandwich l wasn't hungry but it was a very kind gesture. I was in the hospital for approximately 4 hours and asked if it was ok for me to leave. Permission was given and at that point I did feel better. As soon as I got up and started walking to the door I felt very nauseous and weak. I had telephoned my husband to come and pick me up as soon as I was outside I began to be sick. When I stopped I felt marvellous just normal. The consultant said the next time I met him. Being sick had put my heart valve back into rythm. I gave up running and heavy gym work and took up swimming as my exercise and walking. I have not had another attack since I took up my new regime. All the best Therapy Girl
True - too much of anything, including air, can kill you; but so can too little. Without a doctor's advice we can at least make sure we are getting the RDA amount of potassium and magnesium especially since this fellow is an athlete, young and under a doctor's care..