Question concerning a second ablation

[Tux18]

Last October 2018 I had an ablation for my AF, which took 6 hrs or more. According to my EP it took so long as I had a large number of areas that needed to be ablated. He said he thought he had gotten most that were causing the AF, but there were many causing flutter that he was not able to treat. He said that a second ablation would not be of any benefit as it would literally take dozens of hours to try to ablate all of the areas that would need to be ablated.

Jan. through May of this year I had as much or more AF and tachycardia as I've ever had. Fortunately the past 30 days have been good.

Have any of you ever been told that due to so many areas needing treatment that with the present mapping system it would not be of any value?

Thanks for any info any of you might have on this subject.

[pottypete1]

I can tell you that after 3 ablations whilst under the care of my first EP, he told me that there was nothing more he could do for me.

He then retired.

2 years later when I was in hospital having one of many cardioversions I had, I was seen by the new EP who had replaced he retiree. He told me it was worth a further ablation.

Cutting a long story short, another change of EP and 4 years and 4 ablations later I am now virtually AF free.

The moral of my story is don’t give up.

I suggest you seek a second opinion.

Pete

[Tux18 in reply to pottypete1]

Pete, thank you so much for telling me how things went with you and encouraging me to get a second opinion. I'm going to do that. Being virtually AF free would be great.

Happy for you!. Thanks again!

[jeanjeannie50]

Yes, after 3 ablations, I was told by my EP that I was one of those people that wouldn't be helped by having any more. I had already been told that my abnormal beats were coming from an unusual source, because I was so stunned to be told this unexpected news I didn't think to ask where they were coming from. He said that there were very few that couldn't be helped and that unfortunately I was one of them. Mind you after my second procedure I was told the same thing by his registrar, but because my AF was making me so ill and I was always calling his AF nurse I was selected for the trial of a new piece of equipment. I've been so much better since that third one, but truthfully I'm not sure whether it was because of that last ablation or the benefit from changing my diet drastically.

It does sound a little odd that after just one ablation you've been refused any more. My first one took 3hrs, second 6hrs and third one 5hrs.

If your AF is still making you feel really ill, I'd recommend that you get a second medical opinion.

Have you tried changing your diet to a more plant based one and avoiding any food or drink containing artificial additives?

Jean

[Tux18 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Jean, it's too bad that you've had to go through so much. Reading your story is helpful as it encourages me not to give up just because of one EPs opinion. I'll try to get another consultation.

About diet and AFib...durng this past month I've actually been free of afib. It might just be a coincidence, but I've been drinking a minimum of 8 and more glasses of water. It seems when I sort of feel a bit like my heart might start racing I start drinking. I pretty much eat a plant base diet, but am trying to eat less prepackaged foods and more fruits and veggies.

Happy for you that you are better. Thank you so much for taking the time to write.

It helps.

[jedimasterlincoln]

I'm up to 5 ablations, I've always been very encouraged that my EP has said there is "more to do if needed" due to the severe impact the PAF had on my life and how debilitated I felt when it hit.

The only time he has refused to do any more was this last ablation, where there was an area he had mapped that was producing flutter however by the time he came to isolate it, my body had put a lid on it and he didn't want to just ablate where he thought incase it did more harm than good.

That was a very long very technical 5 hours in the lab for that 5th ablation but I've been pretty much AF free for 5 months and 3 days.

[Tux18 in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

Jed, wow 5 ablations! How great that you have been almost afib free for 5 months.

So looks like there may be hope for me, IF another EP agrees that I could benefit by another ablation.

I'm wondering if maybe it's my age that he doesn't want me to have several ablations.

As I'm 74. However, I'm in very good health and have normal weight. The only med I take is zarelto.

Fortunately, I've had 30 days without in major afib, which is very rare.

I do plan to get another opinion.

Thanks so much for your helpful response.

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to Tux18]

Well he did say the added bonus of me was that I have a "young heart" (there's a song about that) but that also meant he wouldn't just blindly ablate "in case".

(I'm 36 and had this demon for 5 years)

[cuore in reply to Tux18]

I had two ablations at 74, and now on May 27, my third ablation at 76. Don't let the age factor get to you; it's how your body feels.

[DawnTX in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

wow five ablations. My EP had not done mine. I was living in Florida and then had one in Houston. That was aggressive. The EP I have now would not consider another because of the scarring from my previous three especially the third. Mapping and actually getting the spot needed is so difficult and if you are off a millimeter, it will not work. An ablation tends to only give temporary relief anyway although yes, I know some people are very lucky and it does the trick for them.

I am surprised that they did not want to do something like a mini on you because from the sounds of what you need in there that would cover areas like you describe.

if I could do it again and see the future L O L don’t we all wish we could? I would’ve asked for a pacemaker right away. Even a pacemaker is far from perfect, but I am very happy for the most part with the way, I feel now and I have quality of life back. We all need to remember life will never be the same but for me I so appreciate the difference between now and a year ago that I am very happy.

[Hidden]

Time for a second oppinion?

[Tux18]

Thanks for your information. I was wondering how an EP would feel about doing an ablation after one had been done by a different EP

[DawnTX]

I have had three different doctors because of moving. One thing I do notice is that they do pay attention to the work from the doctor before them. Lol. In a nice way. They do manage to criticize. Like it or not I believe they have professional jealousy. A couple of months ago due to a pacemaker problem. I had to rush right in to see my EP and he actually. Mentioned the previous doctor with a little bit of a catty comment about whether that doctor would have dropped everything and had me right in to see him like he was doing 😹😆 The other doctor is well published at Cetera like it or not though my current EP is going to be famous one of these days soon. The one he mentioned, maybe well published, etc. but he was the reason I almost didn’t survive so there’s nothing to be jealous of. My EP does it in such a way that he actually sounds nice lol because he really is a good guy.