Doctors & patients are saying about 'A-Fib.com'...
"A-Fib.com is a great web site for patients, that is unequaled by anything else out there."
Dr. Douglas L. Packer, MD, FHRS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
"Jill and I put you and your work in our prayers every night. What you do to help people through this [A-Fib] process is really incredible."
Jill and Steve Douglas, East Troy, WI
“I really appreciate all the information on your website as it allows me to be a better informed patient and to know what questions to ask my EP.
Faye Spencer, Boise, ID, April 2017
“I think your site has helped a lot of patients.”Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, MD
No Way Am I Having an Ablation! Seeks Alternative Treatments
Saul Lisauskas of Encinitas, CA, was 62 years old when he first detected something wrong with his heart. After his A-Fib was diagnosed, he started to note his episodes were associated with stress and getting angry, along with dehydration, too much caffeinated coffee and foods containing MSG.
He was disappointed by doctors who offered only drug therapy with no advice about nutrition and the benefts of an improved, healthy diet. He decided to educated himself on the topic: Saul wrote:
“I read a few books on the subject of food and the interaction with our body. The best book was The China Study. It will give you an education about food, its sources and dangers.”
Looking for Alternative Treatments: A Vegetarian Diet
While avoiding his A-Fib ‘triggers’, he decided to go vegetarian but eating fish (a pescetarian) to reduce exposures to foods laced with unhealthy chemicals. (As a bonus, he lost 20 pounds in 3 months.) He was feeling better, but his A-Fib was still active. In his A-Fib story, Saul shares:
“The cardiologist explained to me that the real solution lay in having an Ablation procedure. I was willing to do anything to avoid that surgery.“I was willing to do anything to avoid that surgery [catheter ablation].”
But with time, my A-Fib episodes increased along with longer periods of activity and stronger symptoms.”
During my ordeal leading up to my Ablation procedure, I was taking various meds in order to control my A-Fib.
However, the meds would make me dizzy and slow down my heart rate to dangerous levels to the point that such levels in fact were counterproductive. My system would compensate by sudden increases of adrenaline and consequently place me in A-Fib mode.
Consequently, I had a pacemaker installed to prevent low levels of heart rate.”
After nearly 8 years since his A-Fib diagnosis, Saul writes about his decision to have a catheter ablation:
“I was getting tired of and frustrated with all these meds.
After too many episodes of A-Fib forcing me to go to the ER, I capitulated against the Ablation surgery and had it done.
Today I am feeling well and doing my daily activities. …I feel that I may be cured well enough not to have to have another ablation.”
― Saul Lisauskas, Encinitas, CA, A-Fib free with pacemaker and catheter ablation
Since his ablation, Saul writes that he remains cautious not to run the risk of stress, dehydration, too much caffeinated coffee or getting angry.
To read more about Saul’s story, see No Way Am I Having an Ablation! But Diet and Meds Disappoint—A-Fib Free After Ablation.
Lessons Learned
When asked if he had any ‘Lessons Learned’ to share, Saul offers these insights:
”Doctors do not have a solution for everybody with A-Fib…We need to carefully educate ourselves as we follow the doctor’s recommendations and observe how our body reacts. Do not follow blindly the doctor’s recommendations.”
Saul certainly did everything he could to avoid having an ablation—identifying what triggered his A-Fib, a vegan diet with fish and all kinds of meds.
His experience with meds was unfortunate. The meds Saul was taking slowed his heart rate to the point where his doctor had to insert a pacemaker to keep his heart rate normal. It’s crazy to think about it. If this happens to you, talk to your doctor about changing meds (or change doctors).
Unfortunately, once the heart starts to produce A-Fib signals, it’s hard to turn them off. Saul faced the decision that many people have to make. He bit the bullet and had a catheter ablation―with successful results. He’s now A-Fib free!
What’s the Best Treatment Options For You?
A-Fib is not a one-size-fits-all disease. Your Atrial Fibrillation is unique to you. Along with various treatments, you may need to address concurrent medical conditions (i.e, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea). Likewise, you may need to make lifestyle changes (e.g., diet, exercise, caffeine, alcohol, smoking).
In addition, your heart is a resilient muscle that tends to heal itself, so you may need a repeat procedure.
To learn about options for Atrial Fibrillation patients, see our pages under Treatments for A-Fib. Then go to: Decisions About Treatment Options. And remember…
Always Aim for a Cure!
