Way out there but not OT

[davidwdyer]

Since there is a considerable geriatric contingent on this forum, I'm risking asking for a possible solution.

The problem is atrial fibrilation. The solution? How about an electric device, somewhat similar to a self defense

shocking thingy, which would give a heart a little start (or better still stop) to stop the fibrilations? Maybe a small

capacitor which would discharge through two contacts placed near the heart? You know, sort of like a cattle prod.

I know that this is way out there and not approved by the FDA, but which one of you is going to tell on me?

Also, I don't live in the U.S. so there's less danger of the authorities becoming nervous.

In my case, the Afib only occurs when sleeping and in the early morning and stops when I stand up. I'm sure

many here will have some homespun cures too, but I would really like to know if a human cattle prod type thing would work.

Maybe only by trial and error? If I die, then it was too much current.

[Weston Bye]

If it only happens when you are sleeping, how will you know when to fire it off? There are pacemakers that do such things, and they apply a relatively small amount of current directly to the heart.

A "cattle prod" type implement may necessarily need to operate at higher power levels to reach the heart and will stimulate surrounding nerves and muscles as well as the heart. That will be uncomfortable.

There may also be some timing issues involved.

Once a fellow showed me one of those trick "shock" pens - the one that gives the hand a mild shock when you push the button to extend the ball point. This was soon after I had had a stent placed in my heart. Not thinking about the stent, I tried the pen. I'm left handed, and I swear, I felt a jab in the heart when the pen went off.

[flylo]

I'm glad stun guns were not around 30+ years ago. When we were married my wife used to wake me up all the time. I'd say what is it. she'd say nothing go back to sleep. After about 50 times I insisted she tell me why she was doing this. She said I'd go several minutes without breathing. She was waking me up to see if I was dead! LOL! I'm still here,I think.

[Thruthefence]

How's your weight? We tend to let it creep up on us with age, and it can contribute to sleep apnea. Do you think your sleep quality will improve with even a minor "shock" when your afib hits?

[boslab]

i think the reason that the afib is when sleeping is that the heart rate lowers, i suffer arrhythmia when resting and i can hear it if i press my ear the wrong way in the pillow, then you start listening for gaps or missed beats and that's not good for sleeping as you wait for it to stop beating altogether, you need to elevate the rate slightly so that it smooths out just like a car that runs 'lumpy' at idle or tick over, a misplaced shock will more than likely stop it altogether.
investigate meds, potassium levels might help too, if its bad then a pacemaker will take over from the faulty sinus node of your heart, get the doctor involved too.
hope you find a solution, or better yet the cause!
mark

[davidwdyer]

Yeah, well.... the weight could be less, that's for sure. I'm going to try potassium as soon as friend comes in a couple of weeks from the U.S.

with some I ordered. I'm also going to try something called taurine (I think) and see if that helps. Maybe I should just get one of Weston's "shock pens."

[michigan doug]

If everything else is perfect, good healthy weight, plenty of exercise, good levels of stress control, a healthy diet that has very little to no processed junk, THEN you should talk to your doctor about an implantable defibrillator. They work. My stepdad has one. They are not inexpensive.

If everything else is not perfect, why don't we fix the easy stuff first before we go shocking the crap out of your heart at night? When it goes off, he says it feels about like getting kicked in the chest by a mule.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

doug

[tdmidget]

You should be asking a doctor, not amateur machinists. To give any other answer is practicing medicine without a license. With this condition you don't need an appointment or anything else, assuming you are in the US. But if you are on the lam and can't post a location, just go ahead and die.

[Weston Bye]

Pretty harsh and uncalled-for comment, midget. Check David's signature line - he's in Brazil.

[davidwdyer]

You should be asking a doctor, not amateur machinists. To give any other answer is practicing medicine without a license. With this condition you don't need an appointment or anything else, assuming you are in the US. But if you are on the lam and can't post a location, just go ahead and die.

Actually, I'm working on dying. I'm now closer to it than I have been in years. Nobody is getting out of here alive you know. In fact, lot's of folks are dying to get out.

Perhaps I am on the lam, but I actually do post my location if you would care to look.

I am the son a doctor who spent his life at the Mayo Clinic. He was one Doc I greatly respected professionally and in other ways. Yet, somehow

with all the stories I've heard, I don't fully trust myself easily into the hands of doctors. Many have been harmed this way. Although I don't discard

their expertise and advice, I always weight it and try to check things out first. My preference would be a solution that doesn't involve beta blockers,

surgery, and other such things. I'm am exploring potassium as boslab said and am open to any and all suggestions. I still think a good shock once in a while might

not be so bad.