auntymo:

Here is a list from another afib forum:

Potential Afib Triggers
As you read this list of commonly-mentioned triggers, keep in mind that:
This is only a list of possibilities, compiled from our personal experience. Remember that your afib is unique. Its likely that only a small number of these will apply to any one individual.
Triggers can be variable. You may be sure X is a trigger. It could have no effect on the next person. You may be sure X triggered you today. Twice as much X may have no effect on you tomorrow or next week.
For many of us, moderation is the key to reducing the number of afib episodes. Proceed with caution and figure out what triggers apply to you. If you identify the ones you need to keep an eye on, you can enjoy everything else.
Food and Drink
Alcohol.
Coffee, tea, energy drinks, and other drinks containing caffeine. Decaf coffee contains some caffeine but is OK for some people.
Chocolate.
Refined sugar. Fruit and naturally occurring sugars are OK.
MSG.
Spicy food, salty food. Beware or avoid processed or restaurant fast foods.
Extremely cold food or drinks like ice cream, snow cones, or a slushy drink.
Gluten or carbs if youre sensitive to those food categories.
Red meat. For some people a small amount is OK but a big serving causes problems.
Artificial sweeteners of all kinds.
Medicines and Other Chemical Triggers
Note: Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking a new medication, even OTC ones. Drugs.com has a useful interactions checker.
Certain OTC meds including cold and allergy pills or sprays that include decongestants, asthma inhalers, some colonoscopy prep solutions.
Some antibiotics and other types of prescription meds including diuretics and asthma treatments.
Low potassium or magnesium levels, high potassium levels out of normal range.
Some local anesthetics. When having a procedure, ask for epinephrine-free formulas.
Smog, smoking, and second-hand smoke.
Cocaine, marijuana, and other recreational drugs.
Lawn chemicals and insecticides. Always wear a mask and protective clothing when working with these chemicals.
Certain personal hygiene items including hair dyes, colognes, and sunscreens.
Physical and Emotional Triggers
Untreated sleep apnea.
Overeating, eating too close to bedtime.
Sleeping on your left side.
Getting overtired, not getting enough sleep.
Being sick or run-down. Colds and flu are triggers for some.
Hunger, skipping meals.
Bending over, indigestion, coughing fits.
Getting out of bed, especially getting up at night to go to the bathroom.
Lying down in bed.
Sudden movements.
Relaxing in the evening.
Stress, emotional upset, being startled or frightened.
Exercise, especially in extreme heat or cold. Exercise stops afib episodes for others.
Breathing very cold winter air.
Getting dehydrated in the heat, when exercising, or from dry airplane air.
High altitudes if youre not acclimated to them.



petey

Hi auntymo

Welcome to this great group.
I think one of my triggers is chocolate. I can trink decaff caffe in moderation, at times overeating was another one, and somtimes I can't firure out what the trigger was. Are you on any medications?

Because of the randomness of Afib, the longer you have it, the more triggers you'll think you have found.

Wow Petey, that's quite a list. Thanks.

Gotfie - Thanks for your warm welcome. I'm on 100mg of flecainide (Tambocor) each morning. Have been for a little over a year. Wasn't fun the first few days of taking it, it was as if my battery was drained and I had to sit, couldn't walk far. Used to it now though.

eb2340 yes, I'm sure that diet is part of the picture for me too, and yes how we feed our gut micro flora and even what organisms are in us or absent is a factor in health.

I think it's the "what if ?" scary factor or having my heart go out of rhythm that I find hardest. Trusting that it will come back into a steady regular rhythm and being oh so grateful when it does!

Welcome to the site, you will love it here! Best people on earth!

I think most here agree on the food thing, chocolate is a big one for most of us. Eat healthy and you will notice a difference all the way around.

Welcome to the site!

I'd say the number one trigger for me is stress!!

Alcohol is the Only thing that is guaranteed to put me in afib. Nothing else seems to....Oh Epinephrine gave me a month of off and on afib
( mostly on)

I am a believer in "Afib Happens"

I'm beginning to wonder it's just a matter of time passing. For the past 3 years I have had 2-3 episodes/mo. Originally I thought I just get fed up with "being good" and had wine or a cocktail with dinner out or wine /champagne at parties. Alcohol is one of my identifiable triggers but not always? Last night late after ushering I had an orange. I also like the rind which I guess is less digestible. AF episode began between 3-4 this AM. I'm in AF now. Minimal symptoms- dehydration and irregular pulse. HR below 80. I'm on no meds except warfarin.
This too shall pass as I continue with my regular activities and ushering tonight.
I won't be able to test out my theory by avoiding any of my known triggers until 2014. 12 days from now turns out to be on New Years Eve when I will definitely partake.

Annette

Because I go into afib weekly for 2-3 days and do not take any rate or rhythm control drugs, Ive been able to do a lot of experimenting with triggers. Ive found that beer is not a trigger for me but if I have drunk more than 5 commons beers right before going into afib, it does increase my heart rate over what it is normally during afib. For instance, when in afib I normally bounce between 80-130 but after catching a beer buzz it can hit 150 for short periods. There is no effect if I keep my consumption down below 4 beers. Of course, microbrews with high alcohol levels change that somewhat. Actually, for me, I havent really found any triggers. I have experimented with coffee, chocolate, exercise, altitude, cold air, hot air, bending over and so forth. I havent found any supplements/vitamins that make a difference either. Yesterday when I was in afib, I ate a bunch of homemade tamales and about an hour later I went back into NSR. So now Im thinking I should eat tamales every day now. LOL

Burt I'll keep looking, might even try some bentonite.

Welcome aunymo!

What triggers me

- stress, such as lack of sleep, upsets or arguments.

- MSG, which is hidden in lots of food, especially Chinese food

- wheat gluten. For me, it takes a while to happen. Now that I eat gluten free, when I do have something with gluten in it, such as a piece of pie one meal then the rest of the week gluten free - no problem. But if I eat gluten containing food such as bread for 3 days in a row, a simple piece of pizza will trigger me. And I'll be super-sensitive to anything gluten until I resume a gluten free diet for about a week or more.

- GMO foods. Corn especially. If I have a plate of nachos it will trigger me. Yet, last year I was a month in Europe, had lots of corn, no problem. Back in Canada, having such triggered me again. I wonder if the gluten issue is related as much of the wheat products available to us has been GMO modified.

- Alcohol. I can have, perhaps 1 or 2 glasses of wine with a meal, perhaps once or twice a month without problems, but not more. Scotch, my one time favorite is now a problem as is beer. Sigh.

- Caffeine. I even switched to herbal tea, it affects me that much.

- If I've pushed my luck and had some gluten, like a piece of pie, a glass of wine or two with the dinner and not enough sleep, if I try to sleep on my left side, that can trigger me. If I don't sleep on that side, I may feel afib "almost starting" by my heart beating "harder" as if I've run for a block or two. I've found taking the homeopath medicine Nux Vomica can settle me down in those cases.

If I'm careful and avoid most of the above, I can go 6 weeks or more and no afib. If not, I'll need a 300mg of Rythmol to restore normal sinus rhythm. Taking Vit B complex with that, pico magnesium and Nux Vomica will help me get back to normal faster, sometimes within an hour. I mostly stay sitting, lying down listening to music or other non physical things during my afib episodes.

Petey's list is spot on and you can probably add another dozen triggers to it. I guess ther real question should be what does "not" trigger AF?

This condition/disease seems to effect everyone in many different ways. From having sex, to breathing certain fumes to drinking a particular brand of diet soda.

My personal experiences have been a combination of dehydration, low mineral/vitamin levels, lack of sleep and stress - all at the same time. Best to keep track of what does and doe not work and share this info with your Dr.

All the best. ;)

I'm new to this, (relatively), so I'm learning little by little. My first episode was Dec. 22 of last year. I was in the process of quitting cigarettes and had had a few glasses of wine for supper, then smoked half a cig after I ate. Within an hour or so, I had my first episode.
The second time, I had been sick with the flu, and also had had a very busy week that ended with a house warming party. No alcohol or tobacco were consumed this time, but I had been taking Nyquil and Dayquil.
The last time was just last week, Dec. 20. I had bronchitis, but made sure my doctor knew about the afib and he said I could still take Robitussin. He also gave me an inhaler, which I didn't use but once because I think that isn't a good idea, and a ZPack. We are also going through buying land and a manufactured home, getting ready to move, Christmas,my father in law's bout with cancer and eventual passing and funeral.
I'm guessing my triggers are stress, cold meds, alcohol, and tobacco mostly. I haven't had alcohol or tobacco since the first episode. I asked God to take a way my craving for cigarettes. Be careful what you wish for. lol

Great list Petey! I only wish I knew about the lawn chemicals sooner; might have been a great excuse to get out of lawn work. On exercise, great point about exercise causing Afib and resolving an episode.

Aunty Mo, you mentioned the hunching in front of the computer and I would go into Afib doing just that. In fact, as my Afib became more frequent, I noticed that postural changes were more likely to cause an episode than anything else. I could trigger one by bending over too fast,

Finally, I always wondered if thinking about getting an episode could cause an episode. But since I have never gotten one after reading posts from everyone here, I have ruled that out :-)