Hello to all, I've been reading but not posting for sometime. Being able to read what others are going through with AF has been extremely helpful. In October I had my first ablation. The doctor took care of 21 areas that were causing my AF, sadly it has not helped my AF. I'm not any better than I was a year ago. He said that without better mapping devices a second ablation would not help. Would anyone know if all mapping technology is the same from one hospital to another?
My second question is: Has acupuncture helped any of you who have AF?
Thank you so much for the sharing of experiences - it keeps me from feeling alone with this problem.
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Tux18
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where did you have your ablation? Indeed, mapping technologies can be quite different from hospital to hospital. Though, the technology is making a lot of progress, the latest and state of the art systems are still very limited because they are pretty expensive. I had my ablation almost 2 years ago and my EP team used the cardio Insight system.
That seems to be the top of the line at the moment.
But not so many hospitals have it because of the high cost but I reckon its worth it. They did an excellent job with me.
As far as I remember there was only 1 hospital in the UK that used the system then. Maybe now there are few more. USA has a good coverage especially LA area. In Asia it is the Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok that has the system in place.
Thank you John for your reply. My ablation was done in Chattanooga, TN. I will find out which mapping technology they used. Have learned that there were more questions that I should have asked or now need to ask. Your information is helpful.
Re acupuncture : I had a course several years ago. It's very calming and the needles don't hurt BUT I don't really think that it helped or affected my AF.
Fascinating to read in this article that "chaotic" AF does in fact have a degree of organisation and that this equipment can pick it up. Good to know our hearts aren't totally haywire!
Acupuncture can bw a 'minefield'.People promise success and none comes only disappointment.I only know of one absolute success....not with Afib....and it was for leg/foot ulcers. A friend had it done and it worked for her about 90% and it lasted .
Best for pain relief - there is some clinical experience that it is very helpful for pain, especially for amputees. Also to kick addictions. I had acupuncture when I gave up smoking which definitely helped cravings. In those days it was on the NHS - one of the GP s at the practice was also an acupuncturist & was able to treat NHS patients so I had 6 treatments. But that was over 20 years ago & he retired & I haven’t come across that since.
I have been using Acupuncture for pain relief for ten years now. It is excellent for that...as far as Afib my Acupuncturist uses both the needles and cupping to improve the circulation in the chest area. What has helped the most has been a herb formula he assigned me to use for Afib which my Cardiologist has not objected to. I have had problems with every medicine they have tried to put me on so he left me alone on that one. I have recently noticed that there is some research on Wenxin Keli showing it may help. But I haven't used that one. These medicines although used for centuries have no FDA approval and I am not a Dr. I can only tell you my experience.
For what its worth, Acupuncture was a relaxing experience, but did nothing for my afib. Good luck with you! Sorry to hear ablation didn't help - mine required a couple of cardioversions post ablation to get me back into normal sinus rhythm and I've gone "out" for around 3 weeks recently, but once on track, living post ablation was better than pre. If necessary, I WILL have another ablation, though the flecainide got me back on track, apparently. Look for another hospital or doctor, with more experience and better mapping technology!
Yes, you are most likely right - I need to keep looking for help and not accept where I am as it is not good. Yesterday all was well perfect, but today out of rhythm and weak.
I have read actual studies on chiropractor and acupuncture re: AF...not meant to cure but stress/anxiety can lead to AF episodes. For AF, needles to into wrist area (studies show this)....also in my ears. Chiro regular treatments help with symptoms also, per studies. I go every 10 days for both. I also meditate for anxiety,etc. Transendental Meditation (TM) every day for stress. Had cardioversion, but did not work. Putting off Ablation (I'm 77) unless episodes occur (haven't had any). Had AFIB for 1-1/2 yrs. Doing OK for now, trying to lose weight before I decide on Ablation (which is important to lose weight). I believe in acup/chiro care for AF symptoms. Good Luck
You might consider getting a consult from Dr. Andrea Natale at Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute in Austin, Texas, since you are just a 12 hour drive or short plane trip away. Before I had my ablation last fall I researched extensively to find the best EP surgeon and hospital to do this before flying from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Austin for my procedure. I chose Dr. Natale even over having the surgery done at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Natale was one of the pioneers of the ablation procedure, and is still at the forefront of research on these matters. I am extremely satisfied with how he fixed my afib problem. I still take Flecainide for pvcs that I get without that drug, but I knew going into the surgery that it was not going to include issues with the bottom part of my heart. I feel 100% restored to my normal energy and vigor, and have had no more afib in the last 9 months since the surgery. I have had no more trips to the ER with 220+ heartbeat, and I feel completely normal once again. If anybody can help you, I'll bet it's Dr. Natale. I sent him my records, then had a meet/procedure scheduled where I spoke to him and was examined in person on day one, then had my surgery on day two. You get a hotel in Austin and stay a few days just to make sure that after you are discharged from the hospital the next morning, you are nearby in case anything goes south. You are unconscious through the procedure, so there is no drama or trauma. They use the collagen plugs in the catheter sites, so there is a short recovery time after surgery, and the entire staff is very professional and helpful. If I need a tune up along the way, or decide on another procedure to address my pvcs, I will make a bee-line to Dr. Natale and TCAI for any further work. They are really fantastic.
barbly1, your information is very much appreciated. I will be googling the doctor and cardiac group. I'm interested in knowing if they have the latest mapping technology as someone on this forum sent me info about the AcQMAP that is the most advanced mapping device. Thank you for your time in answering my post.
I honestly don't know the specifics of their mapping technology, but if you contact them I am sure they can tell you. I only had afib a few months and then had the ablation, so I have a short time line with the issue compared to many others. The hospital, Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute, and Doctor Natale also give you the opportunity to opt in to the newest investigative procedures that they are testing, though I declined to do so. When I had my ablation, they offered me the option of the newest diamond tip catheter which ablates "colder" than the other type, and has less likelihood of burn-through during the procedure. I opted for the regular radio frequency type instead. He gets each problem point dot by dot, rather than using the cryo method which I understand freeze-burns a circular ring around the area with most of the problems. Others, I am sure have better understanding about these things than I do, so forgive me if my information is oversimplified or slightly off, since that's all I know about it. He is an incredible surgeon, and has somewhat of a cardiac cult following from all his satisfied patients in the USA.
I would imagine so, as I have read the reports of others who have had multiple failed ablations and he fixed them where others couldn't. Certainly worth a phone call to find out!
Hi tux18! I was having acupuncture when I had heart failure. I was having the treatment for psoriasis and weight problems. It was helping and I found it very relaxing but my therapist said he didn't treat heart failure patients because the treatment could make the condition worse or interfere with heart meds. He was also a therapy college lecturer so I trust that he knew what he was talking about. I do have reflexology as it is also relaxing and helps with the fluid in my feet and ankles.
Acupuncture did little to improve my AF, but it was relaxing and helped me manage the severe anxiety I was experiencing because of the AF. When the anxiety reduced my heartrate came down 70-80 though it was still irregular.
Hi, I had exertional paraxismol af for 3 years that flecanide eventually failed to control. An ablation was temporarily successful (for 10 days) but the af returned but was then continuous. Cardioversion worked for a week only. I tried acupuncture but it made no difference. After 6 months of continuous af I was feeling somewhat desperate. I tried ayurvedic medicine. Within 2 weeks of starting on Arjuna Termanalia the af was gone. 2 and a half years later I remain completely free of it. I am a 70 year old male. Now, I cannot say for certain that the af would not have resolved without the Arjuna and that the therapeutic effects of the ablation were not delayed, but I am fairly convinced that the Arjuna has played an important part in my recovery. I wonder if any other correspondents have had experience with Ayurvedic medicine and Arjuna in particular.
Started acupuncture 19 years ago. It had no effect on Essential hypertension or moderating the side effects of the anti-hypertensive meds. My AF remains unchanged and managed by Beta-Blockers.
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