Now in A & E

[Maura5]

Hi, me again. Three weeks post ablation. I went into AF again (4th time since then) at 1730 yesterday took my pr prescribed doses of Flecainide 2x 100mg, 13 hours later no change so I’m now in A&E had bloods taken now on a drip waiting for results. I heard digoxin mentioned, any thoughts? My heart rate is fluctuating between 90 to 145. And as I’ve mentioned on several occasions I seem to be very sensitive to most meds! I’m also on dabigatran. My BP has been v low since taking it . Thanks as always for listening.

[jeanjeannie50]

So sorry to hear that Maura. Little mishaps like this happen frequently after an ablation.

It may be an idea for you to have a cardioversion. I had one a few weeks after my last ablation and they never fail to put me back into sinus rhythm.

Some people get on really well with Digoxin, but it didn't do a lot for me unfortunately. I know someone who is really well on it and this drug has kept her heart totally under control for a few years.

Hope you are soon well and home again.

Please let us know how things progress.

Jean

[Maura5 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you Jean, I’ve just got home, they gave me fluids and magnesium and another verapamil. My heart rate came down to below 110 and the cardiologist on duty said that he was happy with that and said I could go home although I’m still in AF. He also said he didn’t want to do a cardio version this soon after ablation.....

Blood tests all ok so o guess it’s a waiting game but for how long? Oh and digoxin wasn’t mentioned again!

PS How do they do cardio versions?

Maura

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Maura5]

They put a canula in your arm and inject fairy juice and while you are away playing with the fairies they give you a shock which makes your heart jump back into rhythm. I had to have one about six weeks after each of my three ablations. I don't agree with the doctor by the way as it is far better to get the heart out of arrhythmia and back into NSR before it gets too used to it. If I were you I would contact the arrhythmia nurse where you had it done and see if they might want to do it.

[Maura5 in reply to BobD]

I was laughing reading your post about fairy juice and my heart returned to NSR ! So thank you for that!

Yes, maybe the cardiologist on duty (on a Sunday) didn’t want to take responsibility for doing it, I really don’t know. I didn’t actually see him in person, all this was relayed by phone via the A & E Doc. I can’t contact Arrythmia nurses at the weekend and for some reason that seems to be when I always have a problem.

I’m hoping that if not when this happens again it will be during the week. It was a record for me, 20 hours from start to finish.

Thanks again Bob!

[TonyStrad]

Dear Maura5, I am so sorry for your AF saga and I wish you success and complete resolution soon! I have lived with “chronic idiopathic AF” for over 30 years. I just passed my 5,000 mile mark for walking (4 years-MapMyRun app), and back on February 11, 2002, I underwent emergency triple bypass surgery. Every year I have my nuclear stress tests, etc., and if I had not had a rhythm study done about 20 years ago, I would have died instantly after open heart surgery, since Amiodarone/Pacerone nearly killed me courtesy of my rhythm study cardiologist. Over 20 years ago I independently embraced “a rate strategy” and I straightened my rhythm study cardiologist out with voluminous research that proved that all people suffering with idiopathic AF, but whom embraced a rate strategy (I take Verapamil SR 240 mg, which I’ve taken for over 30 years) had exactly the same mortality rates as people without AF. Until all of the drug companies started hawking new blood thinners for AF sufferers, I simple took a single enteric 325mg aspirin daily and life was great. Very recently, my primary care physician pushed hard for me to take Eliquis twice a day and I’m trying it, but with strong reservations and ongoing circumspection! AF sufferers are now targets for all kinds of expensive drugs and procedures. Ablation is a shotgun solution for a problem that actually requires laser like precision. We are all AF guinea pigs! ❤️🤔

[Maura5 in reply to TonyStrad]

Thank you for taking time to reply. This is certainly s learning curve for me that’s for sure. I had two ablations for SVT back in 2002 I’ve been SVT free since then and those ablations were like a walk in the park compared to this recent one for AF. I just wasn’t expecting my symptoms to be ten times worse than they were before! It’s been 3 weeks nearly and I haven’t been back to work yet, so getting anxious about that too. I could not tolerate eliquis which my EP told me to take until I had my ablation, so after a few days he took me off it, so I wasn’t taking any anticoagulants at all before the procedure and felt marvellous. However in the three weeks since, I have tried Rivaroxaban and had the same issues, now on dibagatran but having similar issues ie very low blood pressure, todays for example 74/57 so feel like I’m walking in quicksand! I understand what you mean regarding the drugs.

You are certainly an inspiration!

[TonyStrad in reply to Maura5]

Thanks for your reply, Maura5, and I’m happy to see that so many AF friends are sharing their experiences and thoughts. I hope that you are able to find a permanent solution soon, since I know how stressful it is to deal with any kind of heart-related problems. Sending good thoughts your way.

[jeanjeannie50]

Like Bob, I had a cardioversion about 6-8 weeks after my last ablation and it put me straight back into normal sinus rhythm.

Jean

[Maura5 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Do you have to wait ages for that or do they do it if you present with AF that won’t go away? Just wondering incase this happens again 😬

[Tapanac]

Having had both a cardioversion and an ablation (the cardioversion worked perfectly by the way, but on discharging me hospital error with tablets and wrecked the good work).

Anyway, cardioversion is so simple and a good deal of the time successful. Like Bob I'm not sure why they said not so soon after an ablation because as you probably know, irregular heart beats, Afib can cause blood clots. They would need to do that test to check no blood clots lurking behind your heart. I'm no doctor, but I would have thought that was clear having had the ablation so recently.

My tachycardia etc was between 240-250 bpm, but even so 110 is still fast. The norm I believe is 60-70-80.

I would go back to your cardiologist if your situation doesn't improve.

Wishing you well

[Maura5]

Thank you for your advice, now on NSR but if it happens again I most certainly will!

[Ianc2]

If you are worried about low blood pressure try and take daily readings so that you can produce some evidence for the doctor to consider?

[Maura5 in reply to Ianc2]

Yes I’ve been doing that thanks