AFibbers Database: Erling

Name	Erling
Location	Denver, Colorado, US
Age	74
Diagnosed condition	a-fib/ a-flutter, idiopathic, unknown whether vagal/ adrenergic/ mixed
Years with condition	~8. Perhaps a total of ~250 episodes in all, most very debilitating.
Frequency of episodes	1 week to 1 month
Duration of episodes	<1 hour to 20 hours, always spontaneously converted to NSR
Event preceding first AF	None (that I was aware of)
General health	Excellent; asthmatic when younger; no smoke; little alcohol.
Current state	Cured
Triggers	I never could identify specific triggers, but whatever they were most likely upset potassium/sodium balance and levels, which when reset by the kidneys would cause an episode to self-terminate. To me this is the most logical, perhaps the only, etiology of the 'paroxysmal' form of a-fib. Quite obviously something changes to set the stage for the arrhythmia and changes back to allow the sinus node's rhythmic firing to dominate (it's known that the sinus node continues to 'fire' during a-fib but is overridden by the electrical 'noise'). Another possibility is an upsetting of acid/ base balance out of the required very narrow pH of 7.35 to 7.45, thereby altering sodium/ potassium balance, and perhaps electrical conductivity of the extra-cellular fluids. None of this was ever checked during many (~10) ER visits.
Preventions	EPA/DHA oils, elimination of 'bad' dietary fats (to enhance 'fluidity' of cardiac cell membranes). Low intake of high-glycemic foods (to stabilize levels of adrenal cortical hormones, sp. cortisol and aldosterone). CoQ10 and L-Carnitine (for cardiac cellular energy production). Multi-vitamins (including B6, B12, folic acid, and TMG (Betaine) to reduce blood level of pro-inflammatory homocysteine). Vit. E: gamma, delta, tocotrienols. Vit C. Magnesium Potassium. Multi-minerals.
Current medications/side effects	None
Past medications/side effects	Warfarin: didn't want to continue because of minor bleeds and loss of Vit. K, an essential nutrient. Digoxin: quit because of 'drugged' feeling. Ca channel blockers (Diltiazem or Verapamil): quit because of tiredness and 'drugged' feeling. Beta blocker (atenolol): quit because it made a-fib worse.
History of surgery	None (appendix and tonsils out when a youth)
Future plans	AFIB solved ~6 months ago by nutritional/supplement means. I'll continue with proper diet and supplements since I'm now convinced that the arrhythmias that started at age ~65 were the result of certain nutrient/electrolyte deficits and/or excesses. I'm very fortunate to have not incurred any permanent heart 'remodeling'. Ejection fraction is greater than 70%, left atrial size is less than 4 cm.
Personal comments	The best advice is to correct, to the maximum extent possible, all internal chemistries before giving in to a lifetime of medications, pacemaker etc; these might solve the a-fib without correcting any other nutrition related diseases, present and/or future. Even if the arrhythmia isn't eliminated nutritionally one might be amazed at the improvement in general health and outlook for the rest of ones life. This is particularely true for anyone on a standard, awful, western, affluent diet, which probably includes the vast majority of respondents to this and other a-fib sites. It's not difficult to do; it does require a lot of reading and understanding, and ideally the help of an informed professional, but the knowledge is all out there.
Check list	acebutolol amiodarone (cordarone,pacerone) anisindione (miradon) atenolol (tenormin) aspirin azimilide bepridil betaxolol bisoprolol (monocor,emconcor) bretylium bucindolol carvedilol cibenzoline dicumarol digitoxin digoxin (lanoxin) diltiazem (cardizem) diphenylhydantoin disopyramide (norpace) dofetilide (tikosyn) dronedarone encainide esmolol (brevibloc) ersentilide flecainide (tambocor) gallopamil ibutilide (corvert) lidocaine mibefradil metoprolol (lopressor,toprol xl) mexiletine moricizine nadolol phenytoin procainamide propafanone (rythmol) propranolol (inderal) quinapril (accupril) quinidine (quinaglute) sotalol (betapace) tedisamil timolol tocainide trandolapril (mavik) valsartan (diovan) verapamil (calan,isoptin) warfarin (coumadin) asthma diabetes GERD/acid reflux hypertension hypotension hyperthyroidism hypothyroidism adrenergic vagal familial idiopathic/lone paroxysmal permanent/chronic atrial flutter cardiomyopathy CHF PAC PVC SVT syncope bradycardia tachycardia heart block myocardial infarction rheumatic heart diease sick sinus syndrome stroke WPW electrical cardioversion defibrillator pacemaker ablation bypass maze Male Female

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