In late June/early July of 2005 I went to give blood for the first time. Since this was my first time, I was a little nervous because I HATE needles and I thought it would be painful. My wife, who was with me, assured me it was no big deal. We both sat down and as the nurses began outfitting us for the donation, my nurse paused, turned to another nurse and asked her if she could check my heart […]
READ MOREMy First Afib Episode (and I Didn't Even Know It)
This is going to be the beginning of a series of blog posts chronicling my “afib journey.” My hope is that by sharing my personal experiences, others might be able to identify with them and realize they aren’t alone. I believe my atrial fibrillation started in the summer of 2004 when I was just 31 years old or the fall of that year when I turned 32. I can’t recall specifically when it happened. I never made a record of […]
READ MOREReview: The HeartCheck Pen by CardioComm Solutions
I’ve always advocated taking responsibility for your own health. But until recently, it was difficult to monitor your heart without a costly visit to your doctor for an ECG, or the uncomfortable—and expensive—ordeal of wearing a Holter monitor for days or weeks. Now, the HeartCheck Pen, the only device of its kind cleared by the FDA for consumer use, makes it possible to monitor your heart health at home and get reports from a physician remotely, at a fraction of the cost.
READ MORENutrition and Atrial Fibrillation: Western and Chinese Dietary Therapies
This post is a paper I wrote for school. While it will probably be of interest mostly to other students of Chinese medicine and nutrition, I’ve decided to post it for the benefit of fellow suffers of atrial fibrillation. If you find it intriguing, I would strongly recommend that you seek an acupuncturist who also practices Chinese dietary therapy and herbology. I have found this combination tremendously beneficial in the management of my own atrial fibrillation.
READ MOREConversion to Normal Sinus Rhythm by Entrainment to a Normal Heartbeat
I have written elsewhere about the comforting experience of listening to my heart with a stethoscope. This morning I discovered that listening to a normal heartbeat while in atrial fibrillation may have the ability to restore normal sinus rhythm.
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