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
Reader With A-Flutter Advises Two Lifestyle Changes
Todd in Minneapolis wrote me that he developed intermittent A-Flutter at age 54. He’s had to learn to live with it as two EPs found too much scar tissue for a successful catheter ablation.
Since then he has arrived at the best outcome for himself by making two lifestyle changes. Today, his symptoms are MUCH reduced. He shares his story with us and some advice:
“I have intermittent A-Flutter (not A-Fib) which manifests in a couple of different patterns.
With catheter ablation ruled out due to too much scar tissue, I have been electronically cardioverted 6 times. (First charge always works). Chemical cardioversion (300mg flecainide) has worked 3 times. In the summer of 2015, I was needing one or the other about every 2-4 months.
I haven’t needed either for 14 months (as of Dec 2016). What has changed? A few things.
I started paying much more attention to staying hydrated. I stopped taking Multaq (I’m off all A-Fib medications). And now my alcohol consumption is only occasional; 1-2 beers or one glass of port. I stopped drinking bourbon a couple of years ago―that was definitely a trigger.
Today I drink water all day and a little before bed.
My monthly A-Flutter episode. I go out of rhythm every 4 weeks or so. Each time I have not been sufficiently hydrated. I’ll usually drink some water and lie down. But, sometimes I can’t take a break and have to keep working.
Either way, the episode goes away spontaneously within 1-6 hours. That was not happening before when I paid no attention to hydration.
I take only Eliquis now as a precaution.
My best advice: I advise everyone with A-Flutter/A-Fib to stop all alcohol consumption and stay hydrated. At the least, it could have a positive influence on the number of episodes, their severity and length.
It worked for me. I’ve learned to live with A-Flutter and I’m fit and very active.”
Dehydration Can Trigger A-Fib Attack
As Todd has shared, there’s a link between A-Fib episodes and dehydration. To learn more, see our article, How Drinking Too Little Can Trigger Your A-Fib.
What’s working for you?
Thank you, Todd, for sharing what’s working for you. What about you and your A-Fib? Do you have something to share? Something that’s helping with your A-Fib symptoms? Email and share with me.
