failed second ablation

[bbigH]

Hi been following posts for years but this is my first post,Had af for many years cardioversion followed by spontaneous nsr on large dose of amiodarone.This worked well for two years before causing low thyroid problems treated by levothyroxine for life and first five and a half hour ablation as a guinea pig under a Aqcheck trial in Broadgreen Hospital Liverpool.This failed whilst undergoing six weeks of rehab at Hospital and had second ablation which worked for three months till a run of chest infections left me with Bronchiatasis a progressive lung disease in right lung.At follow up appointment told as they had to redo all scar tissue again in right of heart and unlikely to get third ablation leaving av node ablation and pacemaker as only treatment available to me.At the moment waitng for consultant M Hall to return to work being off sick for months and not due back till May I am left in Limbo. Sorry for long letter but had to literally get tings off my chest.Harry

[Hidden]

Hello Harry. So sorry to hear of your feeling of being in limbo.

There are several forum members who, like you, have had AF lead to thyroid medication and there are those who have lung issues too and many who have been along the av node ablation and pacemaker route, so I hope you will get some supportive replies.

[irene75359]

Sorry I can't help but please don't worry about talking about your problems - we all do on here and sometimes it helps just to write about what has happened to you. I do hope your consultant gets things moving for you when he gets back. Best wishes.

[cuore]

I am concerned about your comment "unlikely to get a third ablation." There are many on this forum who have had two ablations but had to get a third before things finally settled. Personally, I have had two and am booked for a third. You do not state why you are unlikely to get a third.

You also state leaving only treatment of av node ablation and pacemaker. The pacemaker route was also given to me by my EP, but my other EP said I was too young for a pacemaker and I am in my mid seventies. What I am saying is exhaust your other options first.

Lastly, ablation should be straight-forward, but you had six weeks of re-hab after the first and Bronchiatasis after the second. Your complication rate is high. Should you get a third ablation you may want to get it done by a world class EP even if you have to pay for it yourself if you can afford it. The cost is about 16,500 euros but well worth it. Do research Bordeaux should you be interested.

You are not in limbo perhaps: you are at the cross roads of making strong decisions. Good luck to you.

[bbigH]

My Registrar at broadgreen Lhc hospital said that as the entire ablation side on right hand side had broke through there was no point in further ablations and I assumed this was because I,d had af for too many years.The only alternative he said was amiodarone which had already damaged my thyroid or pace and ablate the av node.As the consultant is off sick till May he would wait for his return to make the decision however I did ask him to change my bisoprolol for nebivolol which he agreed to and this has eased my breathing.Sorry for this long reply but its quite complicated.Thank you for your concern I do appreciate it.

PS I am a uk state pensioner and would never be able to find the means to go privat