Question for those having had successful ablations

[AnticoagulateNow]

I'm off for my first ablation on Friday and as all seemed well at my pre-assessment yesterday, I'm cautiously optimistic.

I have a question for folk who have had successful ablations and have been AF free for at least 6 months. I'm one of those who seems to know when an AF episode is coming on. Almost without exception I get a stirring in the gut, perhaps a bloating feeling, which tells me an AF episode is on its way sometimes seconds or minutes later. If this occurred in bed, simply getting out and standing up for a few minutes could prevent the onset of an episode. Another example of this would occur when laying on my left side. On would come that sensation but if I quickly switched onto my back, AF would often not start.

For those who experienced similar 'warnings' of episodes...what now? Do you still get any of those 'feelings' but without the AF following or have they disappeared too?

[Hidden]

Hi AN, in 2005 I had a PVI done for 24/7, bad AF. It was done under sedation. It went very well. I came off my rhythm control drugs a few days before the procedure and stayed off them afterwards, just stayed on anticoags and still am. I did not have the recovery period that people talk about here, it was almost an immediate result. Just felt a bit tight in the chest for about 5-7 days.

I was 100% clear of AF immediately and stayed that way for 8 years. For those 8 years I was 100% normal, whether lying on my left, no matter what I ate etc, just normal.

Two years ago I started to get a tiny bit of AF back. My drugs control it, so they're not planning on another ablation yet. I still get a funny feeling if I lie on my left and also if I eat too much, like last night when I was starving after a cycle ride!

Hope it goes well

Koll

[BobD Volunteer]

I haven't had AF for seven years BUT I do still get short runs of tachycardia say two or three seconds, often as I wake up and stretch and I do get ectopics, very occasionally in clusters. I still sometimes get that bubbly feeling in the stomach.

Bob

[jan-ran]

Hi AN, just want to wish you luck on Friday. JanR.

[feejbee]

Yes, what you describe sounds very familiar .That was me and I could sometimes stop AF before it started and almost always knew when it was about to start. I was very poorly when I had an episode.I had an ablation 2 years ago and it's been brilliant .I have started to have AF episodes the last few weeks and am seeing the EP next month .The difference between then and now is that I barely know I have AF, it's only because I've checked it on my Alivecor monitor and its obvious.

Good luck with your ablation, I wish you an AF free experience ,it's wonderful .

Fi

[Hidden]

Also, after my ablation, for a long time (years) I couldn't feel my heart at all. It was absolutely brilliant, total peace

K

[denny-62]

I have found after having two attacks that both times I have felt unwell before hand, not really anything specific.

[CatherineH]

Hi AN, sorry to hijack your thread, but I'm aware you are on Apixaban as I am. Can you please let me know if you have continued to take Apixaban in the run up to your ablation or have you had to go back onto Warfarin. Hope all goes well.

[AnticoagulateNow in reply to CatherineH]

No. My ablation is on Friday afternoon and I'm to continue with Apixaban, only missing the one tablet I would have taken on the Friday morning. So, last one on Thursday evening and resume on Friday evening. Much better than the warfarin regime isn't it, with the minimum possible time left unprotected?

[CatherineH in reply to AnticoagulateNow]

Thanks AN, that's reassuring.

[dedeottie]

Good luck for the ablation. Only 4 months post ablation so not qualified to comment yet! X

[johncb]

Hi An,

I had a successful ablation nearly 3 years ago, luckily at the first attempt. For the first 12 months I would get a series of missed beats which initially was a bit scary. Now I may get an odd missed beat once in 2 or 3 months, almost totally gone and when I do get them I can barely feel it. I think that thought of returning to AF makes you more aware of any odd beats so you tend to take notice more than somebody who hasn't had AF.

In answer to your first question, I never really knew an attack was coming on, it just happened and I would just wait for up to 15 hours for it to stop. Lost a lot of sleep over it at the time because when it struck it was always around bed time.

Hope all goes well.

cheers

[AnticoagulateNow]

Thank you for all your comments.

[abihel]

Hope all went well this afternoon...I had an ablation yesterday....so far so good fingers crossed xxxx

[Coco51]

Yes I still get the warnings followed by a short run of palpitations, and the preventive measures usually work. With me its sitting with my left arm raised like in a high armchair. Bringing the arm downon my lap and some deep breaths seems to work