This will be my last monthly post unless anything changes, I will post my progress every 6 months from now.
Progressing well, still have minor "things" going on 2 or 3 times a day every few days but these last for 2 to 4 seconds and are so minor I may have had them all my life. Last 2 weeks has been the best for many years, probably a combination of healing and much fewer/lower drugs (1.25 Bisoprolol only), Doc stopped Rivaroxiban in April. Can do everything I want except I have not tried any exercise yet and still off caffeine and alcohol. If EP had not said that I still have MAT I would be thinking that the ablation was a complete success. Anyway back to reality, after months of feeling bad now feeling good as new but very cautious of MAT staring up and spoiling the party. Will start having the odd drink and odd coffee in the next 2 weeks if everything continues to improve.
Looks like the Flecainide did cause my MAT to morph into Aflutter as the EP said and I believe the higher dose of Bisoprolol I had before I started on Flecainide had the same effect (as I had Aflutter before I started Flecainide but it was not as bad).
I can offer advise to anyone with Aflutter, it is likely to get worst, it does not do your heart any good and it can be fixed with an ablation. Aflutter can be the worst arrhythmia but thankfully it is the most easily fixed
I still believe the MAT is caused by a combination of an electrolyte imbalance and a nervous system imbalance, probably a synergy between the two. Still take Magnesium as I think it does help but a better diet with magnesium, potassium, vitamin D, Q10, calcium and iron is probably better. Think its is a shame that doctors do not look at the cellular levels of these key minerals in people like us as therein lays the key to the cure/treatment (providing there is nothing physically wrong with your heart).
Doc says no, that MAT is an abnormality in the heart that I may have had since birth. I do not understand that, as if it was a long standing abnormality it would be there all the time. Apart from during the ablation, I have not had MAT since my cardioversion in December. Something clearly triggers it and once triggered becomes more susceptible until the real cause is fixed. As the electricity in our heart is generated by the movement of the ions in the minerals within our cells, it seems logical to me that if there is an imbalance the cells in our foci in the heart, it will misbehave and start the circulating currents causing the arrhythmia.
I will continue to read your posts and comment where I think I can be of benefit. Always find it assuring when good news is posted and interesting when some new/novel treatments are offered. I do hope those who had their ablation the same time as me are continuing to improve and will keep us informed of their progress.
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Thank you, MAT is Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia, its where there are more than 1 source in the Atria. When I had my ablation the EP said he could not ablate all of it, though he did do some serious ablating I am not sure what exactly he did, my cardiologist is still waiting for his report. Thankfully the Aflutter is no more and the MAT has not returned yet either so fingers crossed.
Your welcome, I probably should move the the AA forum now I no longer have Aflutter, its a shame really that there are the 2 forums for such similar and many times complimentary conditions. I am certainly not alone where drugs for one condition will initiate another.
PS I was also pleased too read that your having a good spell after so long, its really good that you and the rest of the regulars on hear take the time to support others, very heart warming.
That was good to read - thank you for posting. I hope the tachycardia that remains proves of no consequence - it seems it won't.
As a relative newcomer to the forum and to suffering (really badly...) with flutter, I am awaiting my ablation procedure, and taking 7.5mg bisoprodol along with 20mg rivaroxaban. The bisoprolol seems not to be helping at all and might even be making me feel worse.
I live in hope that my coming ablation isn't too unpleasant and works well since the symptoms of my atrial flutter have reduced the quality of my life massively. The two friends I know with AFib seem to have gotten off lightly in comparison.
No matter how bad you think the ablation is going to be, it is nothing compared to living with flutter. As it happens the flutter ablation is normally the simplest and with the best outcome, though you will have to take it very easy for 3 months. Do not listen to the EP on recovery, doctors and cardiac nurses know better. If you read my posts on the ablation experiance you will get an appreciation of what it is like. During my ablation they were a little slow in giving the pain relief so the initial inserting of the catheters was not pleasant after that you feel nothing until they start ablating when you get a burning feeling in your chest for a few seconds. If you have GA all this will pass you by but the initial recovery will take longer. The wound where the catheters are inserted heal really well and will not be seen after 2 months. The worst part is the waiting especially on the day, but when it's all over its just great.
Should just let you know that my flutter became really bad when on the same medication, after 3 months on Flecainide believing it to be a wonder drug!, first thing the Cardiologist did was to stop the Flecainide and cut the Bisoprolol down to 2.5 and that worked.
Your posts are so very helpful. Thank you. I’m hoping to speak to my EP cardio this week and shall raise the issue of the bisoprolol. My GP increased the dose last week from 5mg to 7.5mg to try to bring my rate down. I’m not sure it’s done much at all as I’m often at 90-100, but maybe at 75 now more than before.
The consultant said I probably shouldn’t take flecainide or sotalol as some left-bundle branch block showed on my ECG. He said it wasn’t concerning but it was the first time it had ever been mentioned - I wondered whether the bisoprolol hadn’t caused it.
Currently I struggle with uphill walking and any extended “bobbing down” to, say, do some weeding then standing back up. This brings on a rush of frightening chest discomfort and light-headedness. I’ve just read of two AFib sufferers who find exercise helps them (as the two two friends I mention seem to find, too). Well - I only wish!
What your going through now is what I experienced last year (but with a lower heart rate in the 50s and 60s), the Cardiologist kept increasing my meds (on advice for EP) until my condition actually got worst. The thing is that Doctors are really the people that know best, but as we are all different they may have to do a bit of trial and error to get it right, they may give you Flecainide and you will find it a wonder drug or it could make thing worst. I found taking a magnesium supplement (not oxide) and eating foods high in potassium helped best but it would take weeks and improvement was slow. At least you have only got to worry about such things until your ablation
Thank you for another really helpful post ablation post. Your updates have been a real lifeline to me over the last few months.
I’m really glad to hear that you are feeling so good and your meds have been reduced. My recovery timeline has been so similar to yours so it is very nice to know how you are getting on.
Your posts have been honest and informative and particularly helpful to anyone going through the recovery after the procedure and not always feeling 100%.
I wish you all the very best and hope that you don’t have any further problems with the MAT. Take good care of yourself and thanks for your help especially in the early days after my ablation 😊
Things turned a corner at week 7, I still have a lot of heart sensitivity and all the triggers still seem to affect my heart but it never progresses to a full blown episode, I’m getting my confidence back and getting used to it all. Feeling so much happier than I was before, have the odd bad day or more accurately bad few hours but the impact of it all on my day to day life is so much less than it was before the ablation. I of course wish that my heart was less sensitive but If it stays like this I know I can live with it and manage just fine.
That's great news well done. I am sure your heart is still getting better, many on here say its 6 months, 9 months or even a year before they are back to normal, remember your 3 months blanking period is not even up yet, I found a noticeable improvement at wheek 10 and we seem to be following the same recovery path.
I really hope you are right, I would be so pleased if my heart got a little less sensitive. 🤞 At the moment I still feel like I’m trying to live with it rather than it just not being an issue.
Our recovery has been very similar so it will be interesting to see what the next few weeks bring.
Please keep updating if and whenyou can, it really helps.
I’m really pleased for you that you have your life back. 👍👍
When I read your post and understand it well, you think that AT and MAT can be cured with getting the balances back.
In my case, I have unifocal atrial tachycardia and I have had 2 EP exams to be sure what it was. Now they know that my AT is located very near to the phrenical nerve and sinus node, they could not ablate it in the normal way, but they have proposed to do this via a keyhole operation, which is of course a bit more invasive as a normal ablation, because they go through the ribs and via the outside of the heart.
This week I will have a first appointment with the thorac specialist who would perform this operation.
I don’t even know if he will get it or can do the operation.
I don’t want to make the wrong decision and when I read your post, I wonder that if he cannot do it and give me guarantees I would perhaps try to go to a orthomoleculair doctor who can get perhaps my balances of which you speak back in order. I know that normal medication is not for me.
I will certainly keep this in mind and speak about it when I go to see my cardiologist.
Its a difficult decision, I really do not know what to suggest or what I would do. Yes the Docs know best and I certainly would listen and try to understand what they say regarding risks and probability of success.
I also believe that they do not know everything, for example what is it that is causing this part of your heart to be so sensitive and behave in such a way and why does it start and stop with no apparent reason. The theory of an imbalance in electrolytes and nervous system does appear to be at least be part of the answer but once initiated can the problem in the heart be fixed or improved - I suggest it can be at least improved. The key is to find out what type of imbalance is causing it in your particular case.
You have nothing to loose seeing if the orthomolecular can get to the bottom of it, but I am sure it will not be easy. If an imbalance is found it is normally an easy fix. If there is no underlying reason, perhaps it is a more physical problem in your heart that does need the surgery to fix it.
Should it come to surgery you must remember that the Docs are really good at what they do and know more than we every will, they also tend to give a pessimistic risk assessment to cover themselves.
Not much help I know but with my limited knowledge its all I can come up with. Please keep us informed of your progress and don't hesitate to ask anything you would like another opinion on.
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Ablation failure?
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Cardioversion 4 months after ablation and now atrial flutter
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