Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group
Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.
Well contrary to recent studies that weight loss can help afib, it has done exactly the opposite for me. Just my luck too...lol.
I'm 5'11" and I peaked at 218 pounds about 3 months ago. Since I was a kid my diet has consisted mainly of fast food and junk food - and a lot of it too. I was probably consuming 3,000 calories a day of pure junk. When I was "heavy," I was getting one episode a year - and sometimes I would go even longer.
I decided to get control of my weight and have dropped 22 pounds. Today I eat healthier than I have ever eaten and I keep my daily calories around 1,600 (until I reach my goal weight of 190 anyway). The end result? More afib than I've ever had before! I'm getting weekly episodes now. And I can trace my increased episodes directly to when I changed my diet and started losing weight.
I wish I was part of a study or was a biologist because I swear my weight loss correlates directly with my increased afib. I have a theory that my body is hardwired for the amount of calories and junk I was giving it for so many years. Suddenly I change it all up after many years of bad eating and my body freaks out. Sounds crazy I know but it's just a hunch.
I'm tempted to go back to eating fast food and junk food again just to see what happens but I've worked so hard to change my lifestyle and lose weight that I don't know if I could do it...but I'm very tempted. Wouldn't it be a riot if I put the weight back on and my afib got better?
Travis
I'm 5'11" and I peaked at 218 pounds about 3 months ago. Since I was a kid my diet has consisted mainly of fast food and junk food - and a lot of it too. I was probably consuming 3,000 calories a day of pure junk. When I was "heavy," I was getting one episode a year - and sometimes I would go even longer.
I decided to get control of my weight and have dropped 22 pounds. Today I eat healthier than I have ever eaten and I keep my daily calories around 1,600 (until I reach my goal weight of 190 anyway). The end result? More afib than I've ever had before! I'm getting weekly episodes now. And I can trace my increased episodes directly to when I changed my diet and started losing weight.
I wish I was part of a study or was a biologist because I swear my weight loss correlates directly with my increased afib. I have a theory that my body is hardwired for the amount of calories and junk I was giving it for so many years. Suddenly I change it all up after many years of bad eating and my body freaks out. Sounds crazy I know but it's just a hunch.
I'm tempted to go back to eating fast food and junk food again just to see what happens but I've worked so hard to change my lifestyle and lose weight that I don't know if I could do it...but I'm very tempted. Wouldn't it be a riot if I put the weight back on and my afib got better?
Travis
Again, not speaking as a doc, but I am going to propose another possibility. When we "diet," we put our bodies through a great deal of stress. I think that may be the case with you here. Cuz the EP (or cardiologist) is going to tell you to lose weight if you are too heavy, cuz obesity is one of the factors that causes ablations to fail. Now it doesn't sound like to me that you are anywhere near obese, but if you have the middle age gut they say that is bad for the heart. BTW, I am VERY impressed that you can stick with this healthy lifestyle thing. When I found out I had afib, and was on the drugs and constantly tired, I just went to food as a crutch. I think I was up to 243 (6'4" but NO muscle). After they told me my bloodwork showed I had metabolic syndrome, I came back to 218...but now am back up to 228 and cannot break my addiction to sugar. Are there any lawyers on this site? Can I sue Dairy Queen cuz their ice cream is so darn good? It isn't my fault after all, it is society's fault that I LOVE milkshakes! Oh, I have to stop talking about it now...cuz suddenly I think I REALLY need a banana split...oh, where were we? Yes, Travis, good luck with that diet thing, and do NOT go back to the dark side! Even though McDonalds is offering buy one get one free Big Macs...
Hungry Bill
You are just remodeling in regardless of weight loss.
Anyone who tries to put any rhyme or reason to afib is just engaging in an exercise in futility IMHO.
Sorry to break this to you it's just the nature of the Beast we live in.
McHale
McHale - ya, you're probably right. Although I think Bill is on to something about the stress thing. I may be remodeling but the added stress of this new lifestyle must have sped up the process because the increase in my episodes correlates almost exactly with my new diet and weight loss.
Travis
Bill with the metabolic syndrome I hope you are working on your adrenals and try a candida diet for two weeks and see if that does not curb your addition to sweets. Good luck to both of you!
Will have to ask the wife about what a "candida" diet is, she is up on all that stuff. Dr. Mercola says that sugar has the same addictive power as cocaine, and I believe him. The past two weeks have been on a sugar binge, which I know I MUST stop. DQ, Gino's Milk Shakes, Breyers. Trying to go cold turkey right now, didn't have any ice cream last night, replaced it with popcorn for a snack. Hope I can keep that going. I have gone off sugar before, sometimes for several months, but like any addiction, there is the "one bowl of ice cream can't hurt" voice in my head, and bam! Next thing you know, I am direct depositing my check to DQ!
Again, thanks for the advice on the diet and I will check with my wife on that.
Banana Split Bill
Wow! It's so weird that you are writing this post right now as I am also changing my diet to lose weight (my doctor also told me weight loss can reduce instances of AFib) and exercising more. I also just bought the book "How to beat your AFib" and a book on how to deal with fear by an author named Shoshana that people on this web site recommended. I'm hoping there will be some good advice in the books. Anyway, I am also getting more PAC's than I used to and it seems to correlate directly to weight loss and change in diet. I am still going to make it my goal to lose weight but it's weird, when I was drinking wine, eating fast food and sweets, I swear I felt great! I was happier than I am now although I did get monthly bouts of PAC's that lasted a week or so. One thing I know is that AFib causes me frustration, depression and takes me on a emotional rollercoaster. I am currently seeing my therapist and she is helping me deal with the fearfull thoughts and anxiety. I just thought I would share as I seem to be going through a similar experience as you.
I'm not discounting anything but just when you think you figured something out you get smacked right upside the head again and again.
The stress I've been under this past year should have put me in a looney bin with mom breaking her hip and a GI bleed, her permanent afib, aortic valve replacement, diabetes etc..my new job responsibilities doubling my workload and consolidation, not to mention running my small business too but I must say NO AFIB! 17 months out!
Yes Natale is GOD in my book and many others!
McHale
I am new here-just diagnosed with afib in September. My story is the same-lost 30 lbs and 2 episodes so far. Scares me to death. Really don't like this thing that takes over my life. Will look for the book on fear. Do you ever get over the fear? Have an apt with an EP in November. Reading about all the meds scares me more than the AFIB.
Darlene
And some mild exercise to help relieve stress and it seems to help.
Good luck to you
I refuse to believe that losing weight and getting healthier is a contributer to a fib, having said that, I also believe that except for the triggers we identify along the way that are very personal the cause and the rhyme and reason of a fib remains a mystery, so it becomes a very personal journey with our own solutions, ways to control, triggers and fears. Since having breast cancer and developing a fib....I have lost over 50#, my BP is normal ( though it was never very high ) my cholesterol is in normal range, I am fairly active though when it comes to excercise I dont challenge my heart rate in a way to send it above 120 , I am as you know a flecainide girl and my episodes.....FOR NOW, and for a good bit of time are controlled completely. I am not foolish enough to think my afib wont return in its own good time , Im open to ablation if and when that happens , Im open to increasing my flecainide dose a LITTLE , and Im open to an anti coagulant ( preferable Eliquis ) Im NOT open to a lot of playing around with other anti arrythmics. In the meantime I live my life and I read all of your wonderful comments here and I try to lose any focus that a fib commands in my life. Just keep trying anything that is good for you , adjust adjust adjust and never let fear be in the driver seat. Best thoughts and wishes to all of you today and everyday.....jan