Hi Anneh
I have AF, have had for over 10 years.  It can be a real bummer to quality of life - an embugerance.  Where are you based. there are good email lists in N America and the UK. 
Try http://www.afibbers.org/ as a good source.  There is an excellent forum (hard to find on the site, scroll down for link), advice on diet, medication and an excellent monthly newsletter available on subscription.
Keep a diary of your AF, when it happens, does anything trigger it, what were you doing at the time: exercise, drink, meals, rest. 
Broadly AF requires: a heart liable to AF, the two parts of the central nervous system to be out of balance ( the vagal system and sympathetic nervous system) plus a trigger of some kind.  Triggers include caffeine, alcohol, stress, exercise, rest, sudden cold, shock, large meals.
AF on its own ie no other significant other heart issue: diabetes, high blood pressure, prior stroke or heart attack is know as lone AF.  In this case it is not life threatening, you have the same life expectancy as the rest of your age group. 
Treatment should vary between vagal or sympathetically started AF.  So beta blockers are not helpful for vagal AF - vagal system slows the heart which allows the heart to go into AF, beta blockers slow the heart making AF more likely.  In this case drugs like flecainide are more helpful. 
Everyone is different especially with AF.  There is no cure by drugs so my advice would be if a drug does not clearly help then do not take it - most of them have significant side effects.
You could try chelated magnessium supplements but not magnesium oxide - just makes you runny!  This helps many and carries no risk.  Again give it up if it does not help - hence the importance of the diary.
If this helps and or you need more info post again & I will get back to you.  AF can be most distressing and you are not alone.
By the way I have had significant AF about 10 years, have a bout most days and am in AF about 35% of the time - I have earned my t shirt.

Hi Annah: In the summer of 2009 had my first and very scary attack of atrial fibrillation - had to go to the hospital and was on IV for six hours. I was also experiencing rapid heart beat on occasion at that time. After the second AF experience, and after researching the topic online (I was also tested for hyperactive thyroid, had an echo cardiogram and a stress test - all of which showed up nothing) I started taking balanced magnesium/calcium supplements. Lo and behold within 6-8 weeks everything seemed to have settled down considerably and I have not had an attack since I have been taking the supplements.

For the record, I am 60 years old, 5'5" and weigh 148 pounds. I exercise regularly and am quite fit. These fibrillation attacks really broadsided me, but the magnesium supplements (balanced with calcium) really did help. (I also have sleep apnea and use a cPap machine. The rapid heart beat often occurs at night and when I'm not using my machine.)




Edited by Virginia - 20 Aug 2010 at 10:25am