What should I do next?

[Gizmo1980]

I was told I had afib March 2015 was a complete shock as I thought I was just run down and depressed.. didn'nt have a episode till 15 months after that. And then Oct and then last major one was new years eve 2016 where I thought i was gonna die.. my cardiologist booked me in for cryoablation Feb 2017. Which went well even though I hated the hole experience the recovery was worse that the surgery. Been ok the last year and then took in a shop feb of this year totally stressed me out. Started having ectopic beats every single day was to and fro from docs and a&e and then 2 weeks ago woke up in afib I just dryer my eyes out and booked taxi to hospital. They pumped me full of beta blockers helped abit.. And the gave me a drug to put me back in sinuse rythum and it worked. They have increased my beta blocker and now waiting to see cardiologist for plan of action.. should i go with another ablation or have the drug that put me back into sinuses rythum as a pill in the pocket.. so scared now as they haven't pit me back onto blood thinners.. I'm only 38 but since having this I just don'

[Hidden]

My doctor tried everything to control my afib. I received a pacemaker in 2013 and now on my second pacemaker along with a blood thinner. So far I haven’t had any problems and live a normal life except for acid reflux and an occasional bronchitis attack. I feel a lot safer with the pacemaker

[Buffafly]

You are understandably feeling upset at the moment so my advice would be to give yourself a bit of time to recover and do some research. AF is generally not life-threatening and ablation is very seldom an emergency procedure so you have time to explore your options. Anticoagulation is not usually advised for someone your age so please don't worry about that.

I'm not trying to put down your experience but the fact that you were able to call a taxi and go to A&E that way shows your episode was bearable. My friend asked me yesterday why I called an ambulance to take me to A&E and I explained that the time I did that I collapsed in the waiting room because my heart couldn't cope with walking from the car to the entrance!

There are several posts on here explaining how to cope with an episode by resting quietly at home provided you are not having chest pain, breathlessness or feeling faint. Also read the info on the AFA site, which will help with your decision.

Best wishes 💕

[Gizmo1980 in reply to Buffafly]

Hello I was on blood thinners the day I was told I had afib.. They only took me off them august last year. But now I've had an episode I'm worried about stroke blood clots etc.. I keep waking in nite thinking I'm back in afib when I'm not since the op I've suffered with anxiety which dont help at all. I am very relaxed when I go I to afib well try to be cuz if I'm not it just makes it worse. I know I am not in constant afib butbiys the not knowing when it will strike again ☹

[Hidden]

Hello Gizmo, hopefully this might help as our history is a bit similar. Back in July 2016 I had a cryoablation which seems not to have been as unpleasant as yours. I don't know what you know about the procedure, but they use a balloon on the end of the catheter to freeze the tissue around the entrance of the four pulmonary veins. Because the tissue is not always uniform in shape, the balloon can sometimes miss small sections of the tissue. This apparently happened in my case, even though my EP used a lance to try and freeze the missed tissue. Therefore, it is not unusual to have a second RF ablation, very often under a GA and with all the mapping (gizmo's pardon the pun!) to burn the tissue missed previously. This is exactly what happened in my case and the second ablation is schedule for later this year.

As far as the anticoagulant is concerned, they often prescribe one to be taken either side of a procedure as a precaution regardless of CHADsVasc scores, but if you are unhappy, you should discuss with your Doctor

Any form of stress is a major contributor to AF and I am confident that it caused my episodes which started in October last year......hope this helps a bit, lots to discuss with your EP!!

[mjames1]

It's not unusable or unreasonable to have a second or even a third or more ablations. A pill in pocket approach is another way to go. Depending on which pill you take, you can potentially control rate and/or rhythm. I used to take Dilitiazem after an attack which didn't control my rhythm but brought my HR down therefore saving me a trip to the ER. Some people take Flecanide to revert back to normal sinus rhythm. Lately, my episodes seem to convert within the hour by themselves so I don't take anything. Like you have been told, no reason to rush the decision. Lifestyle changes are something also to consider. As to thinners, if it's just that one episode, they may feel you're safe depending on your Chad score. My afib episodes are very infrequent so even with a Chad score of 2 I was told thinners were optional. It's a very personal decision with arguments both ways.

Jim

[Gizmo1980]

Its Flecanide they gave me in hospital the other week and worked like a charm within about 10 mins..this is my only afib attack since having the op 16 months ago and previous to that only 4 attacks? Which includes my first one I didn' k ow about at the time. Thats why I think I'd like to try the Flecanide if I do get another attack and see how it goes? Touch wood since they have put my dosage up on beta blockers I haven't had any ectopic in 2 weeks now where as before had then everyday for a few months which was draining..I know taking on a shop was probably a bad idea but my kids am at school now and I wanted to do something for me now likes it' my time..but then this happens and you think is it worth It? Thanks for the reply so good to hear other people like me having afib... why us though ? 😕

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[li17]

I was born in the same year as you. Had my first episode last August, and since then I had another 7 episodes, with the last one two days ago. All my episodes happened when I was sleeping. And I'm not taking any daily medicine. I found the mental side is much worse than afib itself. Still trying to calm my crazy mind about this condition. Just to let you know someone at the same age here is going through this damn thing.

[Gizmo1980]

Hi it's been a comfort kind of being in the site as you realise your not alone and there are other sufferes out there..I have felt much better in myself since they put my beta blockers up? Why are you not on any medication? I think I would go out my mind now if I wasn't taking anything? I just hate having this it's took over my life I think about my heart every day. And my anxiety as got worse since I went back into afib just iver 2 weeks ago. I just keep thing why me?