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AFibbers Database: Tom

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NameTom
LocationBoulder, CO
Age62
Diagnosed conditionlone a-fib (vagal)
Years with condition17
Frequency of episodesseveral episodes
Duration of episodes24, 12hr., 5hr, 3hrs., usually during sleep
Event preceding first AFsodium (movie popcorn), soy sauce, chocolate, surgery
General healthgood
Current statecontrolled except for recent virus (triggered)
Triggersalcohol ***
ozone (from air cleaner) ***
virus ***
sodium late in day***
stress
various drugs:
sympathetic reducers: alpha and beta blockers
statins: Lipitor ***
dehydration
Preventionsstopping Lipitor
changing electronic air cleaner (see below)
vegan diet (see "The China Study")
Current medications/side effectsPrescriptions:

Flecainide As needed
(currently 150 mg per day)
Testosterone gel 50 mg/day
Crestor 5mg every other day

Supplements:

Aspirin 320 mg/day
Saw Palmetto Extract 320 mg/day
cod liver or flax oil 1 tbsp/day
vitmain B12 500 mcg/ day

History of surgery2000 - strabismus
Future plansI have confirmed the connection between my vagal AF and Lipitor (see below), as well as ozone (air cleaner). Now am reducing meds further since I switched to a vegan diet (see "The China Study"). I am trying to reduce the Flecainide due to the side effects (see below, with iron).
Personal commentsGoogle: statins + "vagal tone" for more details.
My last extended vagal AF episode was in November 2009, which was eight months after stopping Lipitor (20mg/day), and three months after starting Crestor (5mg, every third day). Since then I have had infrequent short AF episodes. I have entirely lost that "on the edge", vulnerable feeling that accompanied vagal AF. I can now enjoy the occasional Guiness and chocolate with no ill effects. The change is so remarkable that at this point I feel that I can point directly to Lipitor as a root cause of my AF. Also, I had my cholesterol checked six weeks after starting Crestor, and my total cholesterol was 170 with good LDL. My strength and general health are coming back.
Because I am taking Crestor for cholesterol, I have switched to a vegan diet (based on "The China Study"). As a result of that, I have, with my doctors help, reduced Crestor to 5mg one every third day.

4/2012: I have had no a-fib now for over a year. So am trying to cut back a bit on the Flecainide. Because of my vegan diet, I thought that I might not be getting enough iron, iodine, and selenium. It feels like that has stabilized my heart rhythm somewhat.

7/2012: After the 4/2012 experiment I found that I needed the 150 mg of Flecainide a day after all. Still no problem with a-fib. I eat some Product 19 cereal for the iron. I'm still eating a pesca-vegan diet (see "The China Study").

10/2013: After the stress of the great Boulder flood and an accompanying virus, I had my first multi-day AF in years. Went to the doc who checked on ozone in the household air (from my electronic air cleaner which ran 24/7 after the flood) and saw studies implicating ozone and AF. So I got a new air cleaner, (see http://envirosept.com/) that produces no ozone. So far so good with the new air cleaner.

2/2014: Confirmed that new air cleaner solved the AF problem last fall.
Check list
crossacebutololcrossamiodarone (cordarone,pacerone)crossanisindione (miradon)
crossatenolol (tenormin)tickaspirincrossazimilide
crossbepridilcrossbetaxololcrossbisoprolol (monocor,emconcor)
crossbretyliumcrossbucindololcrosscarvedilol
crosscibenzolinecrossdicumarolcrossdigitoxin
crossdigoxin (lanoxin)crossdiltiazem (cardizem)crossdiphenylhydantoin
crossdisopyramide (norpace)crossdofetilide (tikosyn)crossdronedarone
crossencainidecrossesmolol (brevibloc)crossersentilide
tickflecainide (tambocor)crossgallopamilcrossibutilide (corvert)
crosslidocainecrossmibefradilcrossmetoprolol (lopressor,toprol xl)
crossmexiletinecrossmoricizinecrossnadolol
crossphenytoincrossprocainamidecrosspropafanone (rythmol)
crosspropranolol (inderal)crossquinapril (accupril)crossquinidine (quinaglute)
crosssotalol (betapace)crosstedisamilcrosstimolol
crosstocainidecrosstrandolapril (mavik)crossvalsartan (diovan)
crossverapamil (calan,isoptin)crosswarfarin (coumadin)crossasthma
crossdiabetescrossGERD/acid refluxcrosshypertension
crosshypotensioncrosshyperthyroidismcrosshypothyroidism
crossadrenergictickvagaltickfamilial
tickidiopathic/lonetickparoxysmalcrosspermanent/chronic
tickatrial fluttercrosscardiomyopathycrossCHF
crossPACcrossPVCcrossSVT
crosssyncopetickbradycardiacrosstachycardia
crossheart blockcrossmyocardial infarctioncrossrheumatic heart diease
crosssick sinus syndromecrossstrokecrossWPW
crosselectrical cardioversioncrossdefibrillatorcrosspacemaker
crossablationcrossbypasscrossmaze
tickMalecrossFemale 

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