A-Fib Patient Story #93

Prayer and CyroAblation: A-Fib Free! But Now Persistent PVCs

By AGL, December 2016

AGL first shared his story with A-Fib.com readers in August 2016 (My A-Fib Story: The Healing Power of Prayer, #88). Here, he shares the rest of the story…up-to-date and expanded.

In early 2011, I had my first heart episode. I sat down at my desk at work and my heart rate did not slow down. I was sitting there but my heart felt like I was jogging. I thought I’d sleep it off, so I went home and took a nap.

My First A-Fib Episode

It didn’t go away.

I eventually went to the ER where they said my heart rate was 235. They used adenosine which broke the episode, and my heart rate fell to 130s–140s.

At this point they thought I had SVT [Supraventricular tachycardia], since my heart rate was so fast. If it was A-Fib ―it was difficult to determine due to the skewed heart rate graph. Since that was my first episode, I didn’t make any changes [to prevent future episodes]. I couldn’t be sure if it was simply a fluke or not.

Not a One-Time Fluke

But after a few more episodes within a year or two, I knew this wasn’t a one-time fluke.

I went to see a cardiologist who gave me three choices of proceeding: 1) do nothing 2) take medicine or 3) have an ablation. He didn’t recommend I go with an ablation due to risks involved.

I began taking 120mg of Cardizem, but that did not help―it simply slowed my heart rate and lowered by blood pressure. I was also taking 81mg of aspirin daily [for risk of stoke].

A-Fib Confounded by Sleep Disturbance

I wasn’t making progress in my A-Fib battle―and I was sleeping terribly. For three months I woke up every night at 2:30 a.m. Then, the rest of the night’s “sleep” was sketchy. (The sleep disturbance wasn’t caused by my A-Fib.)

After I came across an article online NSAIDs―The Unintended Consequences, 

I learned that NSAIDs [Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen] can suppress the release of melatonin―affecting one’s sleep. Once I stopped the baby aspirin, I began sleeping better.

Another decision is made, I told my cardiologist I was finished with taking Cardizem (120mg). I asked how I could safely stop it—did I need to wean off it or just stop cold turkey? He said, with a 120mg dose, cold turkey was fine. After I stopped taking the medicine, I was sleeping well.

A-Fib Episodes Every 4–6 Months

The A-Fib still hadn’t left. I had an episode every four to six months. My heart rate would go up to about 180 bpm and my heart felt like it was a fish trying to push through my chest.

I’d call 911 aach time and they’d come and either hook me up with Cardizem in my kitchen or in the ambulance to slow my heart rate. Then, while at the ER, my A-Fib would convert on its own.

The medicine they gave me never helped my heart rhythm―only heart rate. My heart rhythm would convert from A-Fib to sinus on its own.

My Pastors Pray for My Healing

As I shared before, being a Christian and believing what God says in the Bible about what He can do―I asked my pastors to anoint me with oil and pray over me for healing―as laid out in the book of James. They did that, and I did not have another A-Fib episode for 15 months.

God touched me and stayed the A-Fib for that amount of time.

God’s Timing: Considers CryoAblation

After 15 months I had another A-Fib episode. This was around the beginning of 2013. At that point my cardiologist recommended I consider the CryoAblation.

Now that I look back on the timing of things, I think God chose to get me through the 15 months so more advancements could be made on the CryoAblation procedure for it to be safe for me to have it performed. He has His own reasons for sometimes miraculously and permanently healing some―and not permanently healing others.

I read about the CryoAblation procedure―mostly on StopA-Fib.org. The statistics proved good success rates and low risk―besides the obvious of it being invasive―and involving the heart.

Choosing an EP: High-Volume=Lower Complications

I had read that cardiologists/EPs who perform Cryoablations regularly [20 to 50 ablations/year] had increased safety statistically than compared to the ones who performed only a few. Well, it turned out my EP had performed 50 of them before mine. So, that made me feel a lot more comfortable! [See our article: Catheter Ablation: Complications Highest With Low-Volume Doctors]

So, in mid 2013 I had a CryoAblation for my A-Fib. And, I’m happy to say that the ablation was successful. I have not had an episode of A-Fib since!

I’m A-Fib Free! But Now Persistent PVCs

Life has been uneventful heart-wise until recently.

I have had persistent PVCs for a few months now. I basically have them 24/7…sometimes minutes apart sometimes seconds apart―but I don’t have any side effects except an occasional slight flush feeling in the face, but that’s it.

Testing for Magnesium Deficiency

After some research online, it seems like magnesium deficiency would be something to investigate first. But the common blood serum test [Red Blood Cell Count (RBC)] to determine magnesium levels is unreliable (your body works to keep your blood serum levels consistent or your heart would stop).

What you want tested is your intracellular level of magnesium―which the Exatest [Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis] measures. That test is performed by a lab in California named Intracellular Diagnostics. I had that test done, and my intracellular Mg level was 34 while the lowest number within “normal” is 32. [See: Serum vs Intracellular Magnesium Levels]

But, according to an article on livingwithatrialfibrillation.com, Travis’ doctor says that “normal” can be different per person. So, although I’m within the defined “normal” range…maybe my personal normal is 36 or 38 or something.

Electrolytes in Normal Range—But Not Magnesium

For what it’s worth, the majority of my other electrolytes within the test were spot on in the middle of the “normal” range―while Mg was not. So, I’m taking that as meaning I may be Mg deficient.

So, I have been taking Natural Rhythm’s Triple Calm Magnesium with three types of chelated magnesium. I’ve read it takes a while to raise your intracellular levels of Mg, so it will take time to see if this works or not.

Also, for what it’s worth―my PVCs seem to be affected by the vagus nerve. Sometimes sitting down seems to magnify the PVCs. They also seem more pronounced after heavier meals sometimes. This is an interesting 2011 article about the vagus nerve and PVCs.

Asks God for Guidance

I’ll continue to try what I can, and ask God for guidance all the while. After all, He made the heart! Too bad that in this fallen world it’s susceptible to malfunctioning at times―partly due to it simply being a fallen world and partly because we don’t follow His ways that are designed to keep us from disease.

I’ll hold onto His promise that says:

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NKJV)

AGL, ayatingl@gmail.com

Editor’s Comments:

Magnesium Deficiency: Congratulations to AGL for investigating his magnesium level and going beyond the common blood serum test to measure his intracellular level of magnesium.

If you have A-Fib, it’s safe to assume you are magnesium deficient. Most everyone with A-Fib is. Magnesium has been depleted from the soil by industrial scale farming. It’s hard to get enough magnesium from today’s food.

Consider taking magnesium supplements. It takes about 6 months of taking magnesium supplements to build up healthy Mg levels. For more about A-Fib and Magnesium Deficiency, see our articles:

• Cardiovascular Benefits of Magnesium: Insights for Atrial Fibrillation Patients
• Mineral Deficiencies/Magnesium
• Low Serum Magnesium Linked with Atrial Fibrillation

PVCs and PACs (Extra Beats): PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions) and PACs (Premature Atrial Contractions) are often considered benign. Everybody gets them occasionally, not just people with A-Fib. But A-Fibbers seem to have more problems with extra beats than healthy people. After a successful A-Fib ablation, patients seem to have more extra beats. But, unlike in AGL’s case, they usually diminish over time as the heart heals and gets used to beating properly.

But the sources of PACs/PVCs signals can also be mapped and ablated just like A-Fib sginals. Also, beta blockers and antiarrhythmic drugs may help diminish those extra beats.

Catheter Ablation can make you A-Fib free: The options AGL’s cardiologist gave him in 2011 really weren’t equal.

• “Doing nothing”. This was impractical for AGL considering how badly A-Fib affected him, how often he had to call the paramedics and go to the ER.
• “Take Medications.” AGL tried Cardizem (a Calcium Channel blocker rate control drug), but it didn’t work for him. He might have tried various antiarrhythmic drugs, but their record isn’t good.
• “Ablation, but not recommended.” Though there is risk with any procedure, even AGL’s cardiologist eventually recommended he get an ablation in 2013.

An ablation is a low risk procedure with a high rate of success. Currently it’s the only option that offers hope of fixing one’s A-Fib and becoming A-Fib free.

A-Fib begets A-Fib: Atrial Fibrillation is a progressive disease. The longer you have it, the greater the risk of your A-Fib episodes becoming more frequent and longer. Over time this can lead to fibrosis making the heart stiff, less flexible and weak, reduce pumping efficiency and lead to other heart problems.

Don’t let your doctor leave you in A-Fib. Educate yourself. And always aim for a Cure! To learn more, read my editorial, Leaving the Patient in A-Fib—No! No! No!

Back to top
Return to Patient A-Fib Stories

If you find any errors on this page, email us. Y Last updated: Tuesday, February 7, 2017

The post Prayer and CyroAblation: A-Fib Free! But Now Persistent PVCs appeared first on Atrial Fibrillation: Resources for Patients.