So for the third damn time in a year I’m drinking a milkshake late at night when I’m tired and I go into a-fib. I’m drinking only decaf tea from now on and warm… but does anyone suffer from this too? It’s starting to get old since I’m young (21).
Not sure if a-fib is what I have but from the description it is a possibility. It randomally happens to me after sprinting. Has happened since I started playing football in middle school (I’m 27). Told my Dr about it a few yrs ago and he seemed like it was no big deal. It’s happened to me during runs with my HR monitor on where the bpm reached 215, stayed there for a few seconds and then after taking deep breaths will settle back down.
My afib is controlled perfectly by lower caffeine intake (not all gone just less) and one med. Search other forums on this; there are a few. Late at night might indicate you are exhausted and a lil dehydrated but let’s not diagnose on the twitch. Don’t think the late night milkshake is stimulating you in to fib. It’s usually the other way around. Vagal stim performed to slow a fast rate.
is it a chocolate milkshake?
chocolate has caffeine, so maybe?
my brother-in-law was going through this very thing and recently just went through an ablation to (hopefully) fix the problem permanently. If you search that term on here you’ll find a few who have gone through this. His was a situation where he has a low heart rate and when drinking something cold would go into A-fib … had to be cardio-verted more and more frequently, hence the invasive procedure. The doc’s went in through a vein in his groin (!) and entered the heart, searching for the cells that would trigger the a-fib and burning them off. Fortunately for him, he’s a surgeon and new the risks/reasons/methodology of the procedure … it’s still a bit scary when they go in and mess around with your ticker. too soon to tell whether the ablation fixed his issues …
if it’s not serious, medication can treat the issue … but this is all second hand info …
does anyone suffer from this too?
I was diagnosed with this, too much stress seems to be main one, including from too little sleep.
Also, drinking really cold beverage too fast definitive trigger for me, seems the sinus node is close to the esophagus and can react to sudden cold. Was that shake really really cold?
FYI, lots of threads on a-fib here, try a search.
Yup. I’ve found that my trigger is to drink something too cold too fast, often times if I’m dehydrated.
Also, if it kicks in, I’ve realized that going out and running hard takes care of it. That said, you should see a cardiologist, and possibly an electrophysiologist before trying that, and just to ensure there is no underlying pathology.
Are you sure its not SVT we could do with a bit more info on what your symptoms are in any case get it checked out by a cardiologist?
M@TTY
I was having frequent afib episodes up until 8 months ago. Then I found an article on www.douglassreport.com and followed the advice given there and have not had it occur to me since.
He advises taking 8mg of folic acid daily. He finishes the advice with- 'if folate isn’t doing the job on its own, then I would add 800mcg of B12, 100 mgs of niacin and 200 mgs of B6. But don’t stop taking the folic acid, there may be a synergy between all of the nutrients that causes the improvement in cases of AF"
He also advises only moderate exercise, but I am 70 years old and back running up to 10k and hoping to go longer as I get fitter and biking quite strongly as well and so far so good
I just take the 8mg of folic acid and that suits me so far.
I have also cut down coffee a bit and go easy on the ice cold drinks.
I am not a doctor, just a retired cleaner and very interested in nutrition, good health and longevity.
Hope this helps all you who are unlucky enough to suffer from afib.
If your cardiologist or EP starts talking bout an ablation, make sure it’s not an AV Nodal ablation, but a pulmonary vein ablation/cryoablation…if it is indeed afib. Sadly, most of the EP’s are still stuck in the stone ages with afib and 30 minute ablate and pace procedures are the norm which is a horrible option given the technologies available today. PM me if you want to chat about it, spent 14 years on the industry side of EP and cardiac devices and still have a few EP pals I hang with who LOVE talking about all the new advances they are part of: go figure, a doc who likes talking about himself;)
Just so you know, if your afib is truly vagally mediated, and of the ‘lone’ type (no underlying pathology) most reasonable EP will suggest to work on finding the triggers rather than ablation therapy…
So, go see a cardio/EP, make sure there is no underlying issue, find the triggers, and no need for ablation therapy. And if it kicks in because you drank something cold, use this as an excuse to do an extra workout 
(after being cleared by doc)
I’ve realized that going out and running hard takes care of it
To the OP - this has worked 1 out of 2 tries for me too, but when I told a cardiologist about this solution he gave me a concerned look and suggested I not try that again. Not sure why not, seems better than getting a jump start, which I’ve (fortunately) never had to resort to yet.
I think the issue is whether you see an EP/Cardio who really knows the difference between regular AFib and VMAFIb…it may sound surprising but the first 2 I saw (I had 4 episodes in 6 years) didn’t and suggested things that made the Afib worse, including one at UPitt Hospital who gave me beta blockers after I told him I thought it would make it worse, and then resorted to cardiovert me.
Anyhow, it seems that with VMAFib, baring underlying issues, if you pass some threshold, then it kicks back in regular rhythm. Somehow it does make sense for VMAFib.
I have had to deal with A Fib for several years now
Thought some of my triggers were alcohol caffeine
but very inconsistant if they are. Now I am thinking
hydration(?electrolites) and stress. My cardiologist
feels ablation is not for me at this time because of the
overall low success rate and he does them and learned from
the cardiologist that developed the proceedure. Early
on he olaced me on betablockers but that caused a TIA
so needless to say was stopped. Now I an on propafenone
as needed and converts to sinus rhythm every time
My episodes are sporatic any where from 2/wk to
greater than 6mo
good luck in your quest and as suggested get it correctly diagnosed
by a cardiologist.
I think the issue is whether you see an EP/Cardio who really knows the difference between regular AFib and VMAFIb…it may sound surprising but the first 2 I saw (I had 4 episodes in 6 years) didn’t and suggested things that made the Afib worse, including one at UPitt Hospital who gave me beta blockers after I told him I thought it would make it worse, and then resorted to cardiovert me.
Anyhow, it seems that with VMAFib, baring underlying issues, if you pass some threshold, then it kicks back in regular rhythm. Somehow it does make sense for VMAFib.
And there is the dilemma for patients. You know what they call you when you graduate last in your class in Med School? Doctor. That’s right. A Board Certified EP doesn’t guarantee anything. If I had a penny for every pacemaker I checked in an ER or doc’s office that didn’t need it due to a lazy man’s approach(ablate/pace)…I would have a fleet of P4’s, one for each day of the week.
Remember these two terms: Sympathetic and vagal. Very different treatments, but unfortunately they don’t get the attention they deserve or at least in my time on the industry side I didn’t see it. The EP’s are busy, they make more money doing a 30 minute ablate and pace, they don’t have to come in and cardiovert you…it’s a lazy approach to pump you full of drugs and jam a single chamber pacemaker in.
Just ask lots of questions. When I started in the biz there was no internet to use as an education tool…use it!
I appreciate all the feedback but I guess I should have elaborated further regarding this… I’ve had a heart study, seen two highly recommended EP docs, have had an echo cardiogram, and have been cardioverted (paddled 4) times… happened again last night after a cold drink of milk too. That marked number 4. It looks like an ablation may be in my future.
I know it sounds stupid but the cold temps late at night is literally the reason considering I have felt the heart drop out of rythem right during the cold drink all four times. Also, I take absolutely no stimulants, do not drink alcohol at all (some people have trouble drunk with a-fib I heard), and suffer from no abnormalities regarding my heart.