Weight loss as effective as ablation?

[songbird74]

I went to patients day to try to make a decision about ablate or not. By lunchtime I had decided a cryo ablation was the way to go and then the last speaker said that a new study has shown patients with a BMI of 27 (same as me) had lost weight(around 14kgs I think) and had success in beating AF similar to success rates on ablation, with a lot less side effects. So now I am back in a quandary.... he said you had nothing to lose by trying this first but the problem is I am afraid I might go from paroxysmal to permanent state whilst I wait and then success seems to go from 70% to 50%..but it is an interesting approach. I had to leave before the end of his talk as he overran and I was being met but what did others think?

[Barry24]

Hi Songbird,

Yes there is a lot of information and studies coming out from America and Australia from well known EPs that healthy lifestyles are a successful tool in stopping AF.

One famous EP based in America recently has reduced his ablations workload and his telling his patients to improve their lifestyles first and then he will consider an Ablation.

Regards

[Sydneyside]

Just wanted to let you know my experience. I went on a calorie restrictive diet to lose weight couple of months ahead of my ablation. I wear a Fitbit and have the proof that my heart rate spikes ceased when I started that diet! I was previously having spikes every 1-2 weeks.. they stopped when I started restricting calories. I have had none since.

When I went in for my CT scan ahead of the ablation (I had an ablation 11 sept) I was feeling pretty excited to see if I had NSR and initially they said 'you are in normal sinus rhythm' but then almost immediately after they laughed, and said 'oops, nope, there it goes'. Which devastated me... but gave me greater confidence that I still needed the ablation.. Regardless, it must be much better/less severe than in past as my Fitbit still has no spikes, and I have been wearing a Fitbit since June 2016 and the spikes were common place before the weight loss..

[CaroleF]

I was at Patients Day too, and stayed until the end when I then spoke directly to the speaker in question - though not about the issue concerning you, and I'm not really considering the possibility of an ablation. However, the clear message that I got from his talk, and also from my conversation with him, was that getting your weight within the recommended BMI range could only be helpful where AF is concerned since this reduced the frequency of AF episodes and the symptom burden.

If I remember correctly, he also said that treatment must be individualised and that this needs discussion with an expert clinician.

Personally, I would always try lifestyle changes first ahead of a medical procedure, but I do understand your quandry.

[secondtry]

For me lifestyle changes first is a No-brainer IF you are stable on meds. There are many changes to make discussed on this Forum and remember they take time to take effect. I would always start by looking at your diet - reduce processed food, sugar and gluten by 70%+, buy organic and second biggy is make sure your oral hygiene is upgraded. The good news is this 'treatment' has no side effects and you will feel much better. Hope whatever your decision is it works.

[Beta44]

I did all of the lifestyle changes in an effort to avoid ablation. Got away with it for a few more years but ultimately the AF caught up with me. I managed to have cryoablation before my episodes became permanent. This was successful, possibly because of the lifestyle and I have been in NSR for the last two and a half years. Why not get on with the weight loss etc anyway it can only help the ablation when you have it.

Peter

[Jhcoop55]

The life style change is definitely worth trying for good health generally but I’m dubious of the claim that losing weight will prevent AFIB in the future. I’m fit, don’t drink, health fanatic etc and still got AFIB. Took two ablation to tame the aFIB. Once you have AFIB you always have it. Good luck with whatever approach you try.

[Polski]

According to current research, if people need to lose weight etc, then doing so will definitely help, and will improve the chances of a successful ablation and on-going better health.

AF seems to have multiple causes, and being overweight, with its consequences in the body, is one definite contributing factor. If someone is not overweight then other factors will probably be at the bottom of it all. We are all our own personal detectives!

[Hidden]

I know when I lost four stone I was still overweight, but I had no AF for ages, then a mild run. Now I've put a stone back on because I am a foolish person, and recently had another bout. Trying to be strict with myself because I'm convinced losing weight can help, but it's not easy. Hubby is rebelling against my diet!

[doodle68]

I have done some research into weight loss including looking at the 'LEGACY' study into any connection between weight loss and heart rhythm control .....

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/257... = CONCLUSIONS:Long-term sustained weight loss is associated with significant reduction of AF burden and maintenance of sinus rhythm. ]

....Other information suggested a weight loss of at least 10% preferably reducing BMI to 25 but most of all sustaining that weight loss is essential if it is to have any effect on AF.

It is logical that if you are very slim there is less burden on your heart whether or not you have AF and exercise and eating a healthy diet can help maintain a healthy body and prevent the arteries becoming clogged up, all things that can help those with AF.

It is only since I was formally diagnosed with AF that I started to take these things seriously and made the decision to change my lifestyle wishing I had done so before .I have lost almost a stone since June, one more to go to reach a BMI of 25 .It's slow going but I will get there .

I don't expect weight loss to 'cure 'my AF, the best I am hoping for is to slow down the progression of the condition and to improve the quality of my life .

[Drounding]

I lost 55lbs and my PAF occurrence rate dropped off to almost zero and the duration of occurrences that I did have were much shorter too. I have since put 10lbs or so back on and the AF is getting more prevalent again. If you've weight to lose I'd recommend getting rid of some of it. It's hard but having better AF management is the great motivator.

[davebakerpurton]

When I was 23 my weight was 9st 3lbs, it steadily increased over the years until the age of 70 I was 12st 4lbs, which was an increase of 33%, I was from the age of 64 having afib attacks on a monthly basis lasting from 12 to 40 hours, because my blood sugar was high I cut down on sugary foods [ pasta rice potatoes fruit etc ] and lost 1st 4lbs, about 10%, its now just over a year since I have had an attack, save minor blips lasting a few seconds to a minute, just to let me know its still there thank you, and can come back any time it feels like it.