12 week post ablation update

[MickN]

Hello All

Would appear my joys of a great holiday and no AF episodes were slighly premature.

Seen the AF nurse today, EP was not present which peed me off no end and was told that was a six month appoinment, not what I was told on the 17th of February.

However, it would appear the missed beats/ectopics I have been experiencing (had an episode earlier this morning) are more likely to be AF episodes (albeit very mild), as anything else would of probable stopped within the 12 week period.

Deflated to say the least, although the ECG was fine today, I now have to wait 6 weeks for a 24hr monitor to be fitted, ASTONISHED at the wait time, by all accounts that will define 100% if AF or not.

So looks like 2nd ablation pending, gord knows how long that will take.

[jennydog]

I also saw a nurse at 3 months post-ablation check. She wrote that I suffered from light headedness, which is not true and it caused a lot of trouble.

Please do not have a 24 hr monitor. It is a total waste of time for PAF. You need a 7 day monitor. Mine picked up a 2 hr AF episode in the middle of the night on day 4. I had been aware of this episode of irregular heartbeat and was unsure about what it was as the feeling was very mild compared to previous AF.

Your post-ablation experience sounds very similar to mine. I have had to use 100 Flecainide just twice as a p-i-p. it works quickly.

Best wishes.

[MickN in reply to jennydog]

Jenny, thanks.

Soz, typo error, I meant a 7 day monitor, hence the waiting list.

I use 1.25mg of Bisoprolol as PIP when mine starts also works very quickly, probably about five times in the last month, was on 2.5mg daily as instructed by EP, came off daily usage around beginning of April.

So are you on the 2nd ablation route now?

[jennydog in reply to MickN]

No, it is not an option for me due to fibrosis which was probably caused by radiotherapy to my left shoulder. My next step will be a pacemaker. I can cope with very infrequent episodes of mild AF and p-I-p Flecainide. I take 2.5 daily Bisoprolol and am on Predaxa anticoagulant.

I am glad you are down for the 7 day monitor. I hope the weather isn't too hot when you have it fitted as that will make it itchy.

[MickN in reply to jennydog]

Sorry to hear that.

Ha, to hot, I live in the North east of England, to hot never happens up here.

[Jason1971]

Sorry to hear that Mick, you're not alone mate, cos I know exactly how you feel.

I have my three monthly appointment in 6 weeks times, which incidentally makes it over 4 months. I expect the same outcome. I've had 5 runs of AF over the past few weeks, but I would say most of them were my own fault. Eating too much too late on a couple of occasions and two weddings where I over did it on the beer (I say over did, it was nowhere near the copious amounts I used to drink, but more than I have since prior to my ablation). Unlike you, taking Flecainide brings me out within two hours (A positive). Other than that, I have been absolutely fine, so in some respects I would say my ablation was mostly positive. The decision I now have to make is a lifestyle one. I'm a sociable person pretty much like yourself and even though I've been pretty much unsociable over the past 6 months I guess giving up some of the leery events I attend will have to stop. I'm going to keep my nose clean until my delayed follow up appointment and if there is no AF, I think I may opt out of a 2nd ablation and try to keep things ticking until there comes a time for follow up procedures. If not, then I'll be more than happy to don my robe and climb on the Cath lab table.

Take it easy mate you never know, it may just have been a blip.

[MickN in reply to Jason1971]

Hello Jason

Same as on the beer, although I drank daily whilst on hoilday, not even close to what I would normally drink on a two week holiday, and TBH I am glad I did, this AF cannot dominate our lives, i never drank a drop from new years day up until my first beer easter weekend, two bottles to be precise.

AF nurse stated that drinking the small amounts i did whilst away would not impact on the ablation either being a success or failing.

TBH I will stick my name down on the list for a 2nd ablation as soon as I can and don that robe.

Likewise mate, take it easy, and good luck going forward.

[PeterWh in reply to Jason1971]

Jason. My thoughts are that even if you only have some AF and they are willing to do an ablation then take it because from what I have been told and read is that if some cells are triggering and conducting rogue signals then other cells will be affected and then they will encourage others to become rogue. That is why EPs say it is much better to treat paroxysmal AF then persistent AF and it is quite a better success rate for those with paroxysmal AF. During my ablation when going into one of my veins for the first time my EP said "this one is a hive of activity!!!

[BobD Volunteer]

Mick don't get ahead of yourself, it is still early days and things may still settled down. It takes at least three and often six months for the heart to heal properly. I was still getting ectopics and short runs of tachycardia a year later. Still do very occasionally but no AF.

A second ablation if needed isn't a bad thing so relax and don't get down about it.

Bob

[davegm]

Mick I was just about to echo what Bob has told you.

I am 10 months post ablation and was certainly getting ectopics and runs of ectopics up to the the 6 month review and a little beyond - I was unsure if these were very short runs of AF - and still am to some extent. Some of these were recorded on the 7 day monitor I had and the EP confirmed them as ectopics that are benign. Everyone gets ectopics but we are much more sensitive to noticeing them.

I think the statement made by the AF nurse is incorrect (regarding the 12 week period) and I would question it with your EP.

Hope all is well for you.

[MickN]

Thanks Bob and Dave

I agree hence why my original post noted how peed off I was the EP was not available today, I too think perhaps the AF nurse was probably misreading what I was telling him.

Can't believe I will not see the EP until September, will be compiling an email over the weekend to the EP and his secretary outlining my extreme disappointment on the post ablation follow up due to the contradicting timescales I was presented on dismissal from my ablation.

[Therealsue]

Hi Mick. With the greatest of respect to the AF nurse, I don't see how she/he can say whether what you are experiencing are ectopics or AF. I'm now nearly one year post ablation and get loads of missed beats and ectopics, but I don't believe them to be AF. I had a 48 hour monitor back in January and had episodes of 'these things' while I was wearing it and they came back as benign ectopics and nothing more. Don't lose heart and certainly don't let it govern your live. For what it's worth, for me, alcohol never brought on an AF episode and while I didn't drink for well over six months last year, I now do drink mainly wine. So enjoy the beers! Sue

[MickN]

Hi Sue

TBH not sure why I seen the AF nurse that was never conveyed to me at time, yes agree with all due respect I doubt they have the knowledge in such a minefield that is AF, and probably only seen him due the workload of the EP.

As for alcohol certainly never triggered AF on my holiday, so I will continue to have a drink albeit not everyday as was the holiday, however from past experience if AF is active then alcohol in my case certainly makes it worse as does exercise.

RGds

Mick

[PeterWh in reply to MickN]

I am in persistent AF. I was told that alcohol somehow encourages AF. Could that be that this is because so much of us is water? Water will conducts electricity.