Fasting with Congestive Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation

#41

Gday Tom
Did you exercise while fasting?

(Bunny) #42

Thought I would pass this resource along if you are interested in other therapies or methods also:

One thing I know about stem cells is that they will heal (highly potential) any part of your body that has problems when injected directly into the blood stream.

Stem Cell Therapy for Congestive Heart Failure CHF – Heart Regeneration

#43

Thanks for the info.I’ll have a look

(Tom Seest) #44

Sorry. I’ve been buried working two full time jobs right now.

CBC stands for Complete Blood Count, and is a basic blood panel or series of test that they like to run here in the United States.

(Tom Seest) #45

I did lots of exercise, while fasted, before my heart challenges. I did very little exercise while I had the heart problems last year. I averaged about 2.5 miles of walking per day, and I rode about 400 miles on my bicycle.

(Fred Glave) #46

Hi Tom,
What was your echo cardiogram show your ejection fraction to be when you were first diagnosed with CHF? What is it now after the fasting regiment?

Thanks,
Fred

(Tom Seest) #47

My ejection fraction upon diagnosis was 27% in September of 2017. It was 49% in February of 2018, right before my subsequent cardioversion after 14 months of constant A-Fib. I’ve had a normal heart rhythm and rate now for about 160 days. Based on how I feel and my subsequent blood lab work, my ejection fraction would be close to normal, although I have not had it measured since then.

(Fred Glave) #48

Tom did you consult with anyone regarding the fasting with heart failure? Im just curious because Im wondering if the cause of the heart failure is a factor or not. Regardless, your story is remarkable. I had HF due to a stenotic bicuspid aortic valve. My EF was 12% when it was replaced and a ICD implanted. My EF rose back up to 53% in about a year. Now it’s down to 34%. Thanks for your info!

(Tom Seest) #49

No. I did not. I am sure that determining or knowing the cause is important. I would have had to alter my methods significantly with challenges like yours.

(Tom Seest) #50

The cause for the heart failure is the most important thing to know. If you expect to reverse remodel the heart, you can’t do it without knowing what is causing the heart failure / remodeling to occur.

In my case, it was evident to my cardiologist that the pneumonia and related inflammation or scarring was gone, based on his TTE and examination of my blood markers. I wouldn’t let him perform an invasive examination of any kind, but that was his determination based on what he could see using the tools I allowed him to use. He indicated that my heart failure was only being maintained by the high heart rate, and that the high heart rate was caused by my A-Fib with RVR which was being maintained by the Heart Failure. Very circular in nature. His theory was that if we could remove any remaining inflammation and lower the heart rate, that the heart failure would go away. But, he also wanted me to have an ICD put in, and take a variety of medications to stem the effects of the heart failure, and get on a transplant list, because he had little confidence that my heart would recover. He specifically told me not to fast.

But, my instinct was to fast, because I felt it would deal with any of the inflammation coming from the heart failure, and my subsequent n=1 experiments with fasting and with recovery seem to have proven it out. The beta blocker that was ineffective at lowering my heart rate at the beginning of the year, was able to lower my heart rate another 10 to 15 beats per minute, and I believe the ability to get my heart rate lower for a majority of the day ultimately led to the reverse remodeling that I needed.

Ultimately, I’ll never know what worked, or did not work, but the combination worked, or seems to have.

I’ll hope to get a follow up TTE this fall just to see where things are at with my heart, and will be able to verify my heart function then. But, as of today, I’m grateful that my heart rate and rhythm remain normal.

(Fred Glave) #51

Thanks Tom and Good Luck!

(Tom Seest) #52

Just a quick update in passing here.

Today marks the one year anniversary of having a normal sinus rhythm…

While I have had anxiety off and on regarding the heart rhythm, whatever is working, be it diet, fasting, sleeping, prayer, continue to work, and I continue to be thankful.

When I started, my cardiologist told me that it wouldn’t work because I wouldn’t take the meds.

Science told me that my odds of success were about 96% for the year.

And, science was correct…