Big Payoff: An A-Fib Diary Helps You Cope

Pat Truesdale’s Atrial Fibrillation was very symptomatic and she could not tolerate any of the medications. In her personal A-Fib story, she shares how keeping an A-Fib Diary helped her cope. Through interpreting her log entries, she learned what triggered her A-Fib, what signs indicated an A-Fib attack was coming on, and some actions she could do that helped her during an A-Fib episode:

Pat Truesdale, now A-Fib free

“…I began to learn what activated my A-Fibs and what helped during my episodes. This was a real discovery about me! I learned that ice drinks, full meals, and caffeine all triggered my A-Fibs. I started a diary to record all my symptoms.

With Steve’s [Ryan] suggestion and my local cardiologist’s, I now know I have Vagal Lone A-Fib. This means certain conditions can trigger my A-Fib attacks. This is what I learned triggers my A-Fib:

• Iced Drinks
• Caffeine
• Heavy meals
• Quiet times relaxing
• Sleep time at night
• Medicines
• Blood pressure going up
• Low pulse

Here are some symptoms I discovered that are indications an A-Fib episode is coming!

• High blood pressure
• Belching
• Heartburn
• Frequent need to pee (also ISH symptom—Isolated Systolic Hypertension)
• Low pulse while exercising (A-Fibs never happened during exercise)
• Flutters or skipped heart beats
• Light headache (BP is higher)

Here are some things that help me during my A-Fibs:

• Knowing A-Fib would occur after exercising while I am resting.
• Take a tablespoon of Mylanta
• Yoga breathing
• lf ice water brings it on, ice water sometimes reverts it!
• Drink plenty of water all day
• Blowing into a straw lowers the pulse rate, but does not stop the A-Fib
• Don’t Panic – Have a “This Too Shall Pass” attitude
• Walk around, but don’t exercise since my pulse is too high already
• Take 200 mg of magnesium 3X a day 
• Take a B complex vitamin every day

Doing her detective work helped her make a treatment choice:

…I wanted to get this procedure over quickly. I wanted to start feeling like a normal human being again! So, I trusted my local cardiologist’s choice and had the [ablation] procedure.”

Pat’s diary of her A-Fib triggers is not unusual, especially for people with Vagal A-Fib (though not everyone will be affected by the same triggers).

But the symptoms she describes as predicting or forewarning her A-Fib attack are new and very insightful. (Thanks for sharing, Pat.) Her list of things that helped her get through A-Fib episodes may also be helpful to you.

Be a Sleuth: Keep an Episode Diary

Share your log with your doctors

You, too, may be able to predict when you’re going to have an A-Fib attack. Start by keeping a log or diary of your A-Fib episodes for three or six months. When an episode occurs, note the day & time, duration and what you were doing, eating or drinking.

As you collect data, scrutinize your log entries for patterns and specific triggers. This may lead you to lessen or eliminate certain foods or beverages or even activities that appear to trigger your A-Fib. You may want to share your log with your doctor.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t find a pattern, not every log will be revealing. A-Fib seems to have a mind and schedule of its own that’s often hard to predict.

A-Fib Cured in Record Time

Pat probably has set a record for getting cured of A-Fib in the shortest time. Current guidelines recognize catheter ablation as a first line therapy for treating A-Fib (remember: she couldn’t tolerate the medications). After only eight weeks of being in A-Fib, she had a successful CryoBalloon Ablation. To read Pat’s personal A-Fib story, go to Active 64-Year-Old with Family History of A-Fib Gets a CryoBalloon Ablation Eight Weeks after First A-Fib Attack.

Michele Straube, A-Fib-free after 30 years.

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