Introducing myself

[Seawalk]

Hi, just introducing myself as I have been reading post for 6 weeks and found it helpful so thank you all.

1’m 72years old have PAF and FMS for 10 + years otherwise heathy. Was treated for Hyperthyroid years ago and went hypothyroid so on levothyroxine.

I only started on meds for AF two years ago. I Am currently taking Amiodarone 100mg daily and Apixaban. I find both drugs make my FMS worse to the point I cannot walk well somedays. I struggle mental to take them because of side effects . I am on the waiting list for crying ablation which I feel very scared about.

[Hidden]

I hate to sound dumb but what is FMS? I too have PAF, for about 3 1/2 yr now. So far lately Im getting by with not taking a rhythm drug daily as my a fib hasnt been around for over a year now. Thats really a tough situation you are dealing with. Have you talked to your docs about the side effects? Have they tried other drugs before choosing amiodarone?

[Seawalk in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Hoski. FMS is fibromyalgia syndrome. I had it for over 15yrs yet managed it well with pacing and mediation. Yes talked to Drs! GP, Cardio and EP. First tried Bisoprolol + apixaban. After 3month just stop it as I felt so ill To cut a long story short beta blocker was sending heart rate to low. Felt great for 4 months then Wam, A F in hospital. In August last year I had three letters from Drs with three different medication regime, gave up then. ! Finally saw EP Cardio while who advise amiodaron. I also tried Rivaoxiban which caused stomach pain and acid reflux. So I am trying Apixaban again!

[Hidden in reply to Seawalk]

Wow, fibromyalgia is no fun. Sounds like you have been thru all avenues to pursue and ablation will hopefully give you some relief. Hoping you can get to ablation sooner than later!

[Seawalk]

Yes as soon as I posted I noticed typo😄 though I feel like crying sometimes! This forum helping thank you.

[Beadygrl]

Hi there! I was on Amiodarone for quite a while as I had been on fleccanide, as well as several other meds in an attempt to fix my afib. I understand the fears you are facing and had cryoablation which ultimately fixed the AFib. The Amiodarone should really be used for a finite amount of time and usually when cryoablation is successful, your doctor will get you off of the Amiodarone in a planned manner. As scary as the procedure may sound, you will feel so much better once you have it done and heal from it. I'm my opinion, if cryoablation is an option for you to permanently fix the AFib, it is worth it. It is a well established procedure that once you get all of the stats about it's success rate and specifically your cardiologist's success rate with it, I think you will feel better about it. From last May to now, I feel like a completely different person, in a good way. Good luck to you and know that you are not alone with this. 🤗

[Seawalk in reply to Beadygrl]

Thank you so much for your kind and helpful reply. I did feel rather alone with it. The EP cardiologist I’m seeing said I have an 80% chance of success. I asked him how good he was! He’s “Up there with average stats” but is also a trainer in cryo technique and done a lot of procedures. The waiting list is 12 months and I was added to it in January.

At first I was reluctant to go on amiodarone as it’s so toxic yet it has help yet still concerned so asking for more blood test this week. We’ll see.

[Beadygrl in reply to Seawalk]

An 80% chance is excellent. I had a 70% chance before they began and then once they were in there, realized that I had an artery that instead of branching out into two, was one large one that would be harder for the balloon to connect completely on all edges. That dropped my success rate down to 60%. This also only means that i may have had to repeat the procedure later if they couldn't fix it in one shot. I think it's a 90% at that point if it has to be repeated. After the 3 month healing period, it was a confirmed success so we're 10 months post ablation, and I'm in sinus rhythm still and all is good. I have a couple of follow ups, but excited to be feeling better.

[Seawalk]

Thank you again and so pleased to hear your success story. Interesting about the artery.

[Morzine]

Hey don’t be scared.....I was...I think we all were....and in the end it’s not scary at all.....you enter the hospital and the cloud of being scared willwaft away.....they really take care of you....

Sue