Mom's got AFIB and will be getting treatment soon

So my mother has AFIB she is in her 80's the doctor is suggesting they may need to shock her heart back into rhythm, among other possible solutions. Just a tad concerned...has anybody had experience with this? what should we expect

a reply to: putnam6

I have / had afib due to another issue. But there are food born causes as well.

MSG, carrageenan, soybean oil, and "especially" Maltodextrin will throw me into afib for days regardless of how much metoprolol I take.

Last time I had a good dosing of Maltodextrin I was in intermittent AFIB for 5 straight days and that crap is in a ton of processed food. Gravies, Jellies, Jello, canned foods, etc.

Metoprolol works great for me otherwise.

a reply to: putnam6

Me. Chronic AFIB. Arythmia, Chlosterol, Blood Pressure and thinners meds. 2 surgs. 1 couldn't close hole, the other Cardiac Ablation. That worked. 12 years now...God bless her n you...pm me if ..?

a reply to: putnam6
My mother has AFIB,had the ablation was done and it worked out fine.She is in her 70s.Previous options didn't work for her.MIL has it and the ablation didn't work so she is having more procedures.

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: putnam6

I have / had afib due to another issue. But there are food born causes as well.

MSG, carrageenan, soybean oil, and "especially" Maltodextrin will throw me into afib for days regardless of how much metoprolol I take.

Last time I had a good dosing of Maltodextrin I was in intermittent AFIB for 5 straight days and that crap is in a ton of processed food. Gravies, Jellies, Jello, canned foods, etc.

Metoprolol works great for me otherwise.

Yea she has been on Metoprolol and she hasn't gotten any better, they did mention possibly putting in a pacemaker

low magnesium is known to cause afib. check her levels and take a magnesium supplement. other deficiency can also cause heart rhythm problem. make sure she is taking a good vitamin

For what it's worth - you're in my prayers.

May God bless you, and your mum.

originally posted by: HODOSKE
low magnesium is known to cause afib. check her levels and take a magnesium supplement. other deficiency can also cause heart rhythm problem. make sure she is taking a good vitamin

Yea they have her on some supplements at one time she was on potassium, I'll ask about magnesium.

originally posted by: halfoldman
For what it's worth - you're in my prayers.

May God bless you, and your mum.

Thank you, sir, it's appreciated.

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: putnam6

Me. Chronic AFIB. Arythmia, Chlosterol, Blood Pressure and thinners meds. 2 surgs. 1 couldn't close hole, the other Cardiac Ablation. That worked. 12 years now...God bless her n you...pm me if ..?

Sent you a PM with some background...

a reply to: putnam6

Metoprolol is for blood pressure. 1 arythmia med is Flecanide (Tambocor)...Im on both. Still 12 yrs ltr

a reply to: putnam6

I know, I did. Ck yours.

a reply to: putnam6

Have had a-fib issues for 20 years.....avoid the obvious....nicotine, pot, caffeine , alcohol and even chocolate . I had an ablation and it only lasted a couple months. I'm on small doses of metoprolol and flecainide acetate. Most of my problems stopped when I quit smoking everything and quit drinking . There are other ways to convert to normal rhythm besides stopping and restarting your heart....I never went that route. My only suggestion is getting exercise and watch her weight. Of course anxiety and stress can be a factor also.....I hope she can get back to normal rhythm....if she can't soon she should go on some sort of blood thinner.......to prevent strokes.

a reply to: putnam6

Try PM again. I resent.

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: putnam6

Try PM again. I resent.

Just checked and got 3 copies of your 2nd reply but no first reply, weird

I watch some video's on the electro-shock thing, I could see my mom perhaps being bothered by it potentially though the 75-year patient seemed to respond fine.

Afib increased risk can be caused by multiple things. Certain foods can trigger it if you consume over moderate amounts of them and it is an accumulative thing, eat a lot of any of the group of them and you can increase your risk...but usually when you quit overloading the system the risk drops back down to normal. a few kinds of meds increase risk, so can stress.

I guess they can shock the heart back into rhythm and that does work most times, but on rare occasions it can really screw things up. I can't say whether to do it or not, that is a determination a doctor who works with this kind of stuff should make to her. They have checked her out, someone who has not seen her can only give information about how it works and risk factors.

Discussing this with a doctor who knows her and has seen the evidence is probably what should be done. Hopefully the doctor has taken everything into consideration.

a reply to: putnam6

They should be considering a pacemaker. She may also be having small blood clots being produced. My grandmother was 93 when they placed her pacemaker, she lived on till 98. She had 5 boys, she wasn't ready to give them a chance to get out of line.

When you have a chance to see her, take her by the hands and talk to her. Even if she unconscious. Being by her side and talking gently to her will help she and you.


I pray for your grandmother and yours. She couldn't be in a better place.


Edit: shocking back into a normal sinus rhythm may help for now. It's common practice. We give the patient some Versed before shocking the patient. It's worked many times.

But depending on her course of action and the doctor, see if a pacemaker is possible. It will shock the heart back into normal when needed.

a reply to: putnam6
My friend who has it mentioned that it can get worse if the vagus nerve in the neck gets compressed, not in the sense of eliminating other treatments but that she can tell when it gets worse from sleeping on one side of her neck.

Thanks for all the replies. Keep them coming, good suggestions to ask her doctor. Been researching a bit more

Pretty sure everything is still on the tables as options here, pacemaker, meds, electroshock.FWIW she has a great cardiologist. We all have expectations she will be fine whatever the procedure. Still, I do like to know what is going on and be able to talk to her about it all if she wants to. It's normally not her nature though, she had stents done years ago as well as other surgeries, she did her hip surgery great a few years ago.

a reply to: putnam6

electroshock.FWIW she has a great cardiologist. We all have expectations she will be fine whatever the procedure

Keep you're spirits up. She's in good hands, and you're there.