Tomorrow is 14 weeks post ablation

[Alfieros]

Except for my crazy afib episode that happened 3 days after my ablation, I’m happy to report that I’m doing well. I had a 1 minute episode confirmed by my Kardia device, about 4 weeks ago. I had another one last night, literally 10 seconds long, where my heart went out of wack. Both times I was at my sons and both times, I over-ate. It was like my heart was trying to go into afib but my ablation wasn’t having it lol. I’m no longer on the Sotalol which is both a anti arrhythmia as well as a beta blocker, so although my heart beats faster when it’s getting time to take my next dose of Metoprolol, I’m grateful that I’m not getting the irregular heart beat.

[Hidden]

All sounds good Alfieros, you must be very pleased. I think everyone gets little blips but it’s not until you have something like AF that you become more aware and sensitive to changes in your heartbeat. Good luck.....

[wilsond]

Great news! Best wishes xx

[Kaz747]

Glad to hear you’re doing well. I just counted the weeks since my last ablation - 20 weeks! That’s nearly 6 months. Geez Louise! Sadly I’ve had a different experience with AF episodes every day. I maybe heading back to the cath lab soon for a touch up which will hopefully get things under control 🤞🏻

[Alfieros in reply to Kaz747]

I wish you an afib free next ablation.

[Gincalpe]

Pleased it has worked for you hope you stay in NSR

[Ianc2]

Over eating - any particular foods or just too much food?

[Alfieros in reply to Ianc2]

Just too much food. It has been a trigger for me in the past. Yea, I know, dumb move 😩

[Tantaanna]

Are you going taking any medication

[Alfieros in reply to Tantaanna]

I’m taking Metoprolol and Xarelto for now. Not sure when they will take me off of Xarelto but he said he would likely keep me on the Metoprolol.

[HiloHairy]

Am I reading you correctly that they still have you taking metoprolol? If so, why and do you expect to be taking it much longer? Other than the few issues cited, do you generally feel like the way you did before AFib?

I'm asking the above questions because I found the side effects from all the drugs I've been given either made me very tired or made me feel like a zombie where I had no emotions whatsoever. The drugs made me realize that in order to feel any enthusiasm or anger my heart needs to be able to beat a little faster when asked to.

I'm considering an ablation but I'm worried that it might cause permanently the kind of personality changes the beta blockers made.

[Polski]

Beta blockers are designed to stop the adrenaline flowing, which prevents our hearts from responding to our emotions, but also keeps our heart rate lower. An ablation does nothing to change how much adrenaline is in our bodies, so our hearts can behave as normal.

What an ablation should do, is to break up the false electrical paths which are causing the AF, so that our hearts are simply told to beat as normal by the healthy electrical path. So an ablation should not affect your emotions in the way you describe, as long as your doctor is happy for you to come off the beta blockers.

[HiloHairy in reply to Polski]

Thank you for your explanation!

Actually I had to stop taking the meds because of their side effects. With no meds I typically get one event every 5 or 6 weeks and it usually lasts about 13 hours. I've lately started to take Hawthorne which lowers the number of ectopics I get to nearly none but have lately starting to make me tired.

I'm figuring that even if an ablation doesn't do away with all my events that it should at least make for less of them. Am I on track here?

[Polski in reply to HiloHairy]

Try reading drjohnday.com or drjohnm.org There are lots of things you can do to decrease the likelihood of an AF attack eg losing wieght if you need to, and taking magnesium. Putting these things into action should also increase the likelihood of success if you do decide to have an ablation.

[Alfieros]

I’m still taking both Metoprolol and Xarelto. My cardio did mention taking me off of Xarelto but said he would probably want to keep me on the Metoprolol. My heart rate goes up noticeably when I’m getting to the time I’m to take it again. I’m thinking that happens just because my body is used to it. My CHAD score is a 2. 1 for my age of 65 and 1 for being female ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Breezera]

Hi Alfieros. I've been completely afib-free since having a cryo-ablation, which was carried out just over 5 months ago. Occasionally after I eat (usually after I've eaten a little too much or too fast) I get a "pseudo sensation" of heart palpitations for some 7-15 seconds, and then it goes away. I believe this sensation is either my lower esophagus spasming or the top part of my stomach. In the past this sort of digestive spasm would almost always trigger afib in me, but no longer, thankfully, since my ablation. One must remember the esophagus is situated immediately behind the heart (specifically behind the left atrium, where afib is thought to initiate in the majority of PAF sufferers), so it's easy to confuse the sensation of one issue versus the other.

Paroxysmal esophageal spasm can be difficult to diagnose and treat, and generally if it occurs infrequently or if it self-corrects within a short time most doctors/gastroenterologists will suggest that it simply be ignored. I have a history of GERD (GORD) and occasional dyspepsia, so I take a daily PPI (pantoprazole) which tends to keep things under control for the most part, including esophageal spasm.

Best wishes,

Richard

[Alfieros in reply to Breezera]

Hi Richard. I have GERD also. I really try to avoid taking PPI’s but I do wind up taking them about 3 times a week. I didn’t know about the esophagus digestive spasm so thank you. The night I had my short little a fib...the minute long one, I did take my hr with my Kardia. I have my Kardia attached to my phone so I already had it in my hand. I was able to catch the afib

[Alfieros in reply to Breezera]

Happy for you that you’ve been afib free. Hope you will continue 😀

[Breezera in reply to Alfieros]

Thank you! Happy for you as well that you've been mostly afib free since your ablation. Hope you progress to no afib at all. Mind that GERD!

[Amurray77]

That’s awesome! I had one 5 hour episode 12 days after my ablation and nothing since. Just a. Lot of PAC’s. I wonder if mine worked?

[Amurray77]

I’m also still blanking on and on meds though so I don’t k ow what that all means. I wish I was off like you. Sounds like you’re doing really well! Congrats.