I was diagnosed with rapid heartbeats of 145 beats per minute last November whilst on holiday in San Francisco, admitted to hospital there. My symptoms were breathlessness but no noticeable arrhythmias for one year. However, prior to this, I had noticed severe urgency of urine for twelve months. I had a Flutter Ablation one week ago and the urinary frequency has almost stopped completely. Marvellous, but has anyone else ever experienced this? I am bewildered to know the relationship between Atrial Flutter and Urinary frequency and severe urgency, can anyone explain?
I am new to Health Unlocked.
Mary Bernadette.
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mbdevereux
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Hi Mary, I haven’t had an ablation yet but I have had Paroxysmal arrhythmias for a long time and one of the side effects of my episodes is needing to pee a lot while the episode was happening especially in the first few hours. Funnily enough I’m having my ablation soon and one of my fears is that when the provoke the arrhythmia during the ablation I will need to pee! 🥴
So yes, it is definitely a thing, I can’t explain why it happens but I’m so pleased that as a side effect of your ablation this problem has gone 😊
I hope your recovery is going well in every way and welcome to the best place for advice and support 😊
I have now found out what causes the Frequency and urgency of micturition. As explained by BobD in his reply to me, it is caused by the release of a Hormone called ANF (atrial natriuretic factor) lining the Atrium to fire, releasing this hormone. It then causes Sodium to be excreted by the kidneys and where sodium goes water goes., this works as a Diuretic. You should be OK during the Ablation as you will not be allowed to drink any fluids for four to six hours prior to the Ablation. Good luck with the procedure, my greatest relief so far is the huge relief in passing urine normally and not having to rush to the toilet frequently.
You need not be fearful as the medics have ways to deal with the peeing. What was used on me during my first ablation (as well as my second) was a clamp to my private part with a tube for the urine to flow which was then collected in a jar.
I use the word clamp for lack of better terminology. Some device with a tube attachment was placed at the exit of the urine so that the urine could pass through the tube and be collected in a vessel which was a very big jar. The device felt as if it was clamped to the urine exit, but I never saw it; I only felt it.
Thank you for explaining that, I kind of get what you mean 😊 I asked the nurse when she did my pre op assessment over the phone and she said don’t worry they will sort something out of you really need a pee. God knows why I’m worried about that, stops me worrying about the bigger picture I suppose 🥴
The first night I had atrial flutter I was out of bed 5 times going to the loo and we didn’t get to bed until 1.00am as we’d been to a wedding. Three days later I had a cardioversion. I’ve found similar affects when in fast AF but nowhere near as bad as when in flutter.
If you were extremely thirsty with it too, along with the frequency you explain you had, that’s usually the first sign of type 1 diabetes. Yes, extreme thirst and heavy urine frequency along with rapid weight loss is the main sign for Type 1 Diabetes where you’d need emergency medical treatment once it reaches that stage; but sounds like potential diabetes was not the problem.
This is caused by the release of a hormone called ANF (atrial natriuretic factor). In some people, A. Fib and A. Flutter cause the stretch receptors linning the atrium to fire, releasing this hormone. Like BobD said, it then causes sodium to be excreted by the kidneys and where sodium goes, water goes. The purpose of this is to work as a diuretic in people who are in heart failure with fluid overload. This extra fluid build up blocks the heart from beating effectively, so our body responds by secreting it’s own natural diuretic.
This is quite common in a structurally healthy heart with any type of atrial tachycardia. Before my ablation, I would urinate 2 liters easily before my AF would convert, and besides the AF my heart is perfectly normal.
Thank you all so very much for your comments re my Frequency and Urgency of micturition. I had suffered this problem for well over 18 months or so, and now it is miraculously cured I was totally unaware of my Atrial Flutter until the sudden long seven and four-hour episodes during my trip to San Francisco.
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