Ablation problem survey

[Nugger]

As the post says, we all hear the good about ablations, so now can we hear the bad

[Edstiffler13]

Mine went perfect 2 weeks ago lol. Not a missed best since. Not even a PVC🤷🏼‍♂️

[BobD Volunteer]

Most of what you read here is the bad since success stories are too busy off enjoying their lives.

[jedimasterlincoln]

Hand on heart, I'd say I've heard more bad than good. It's a bit like Trip Advisor in a way. People only usually complain when something has been bad.... and not always champion when something has been good.

I've always tried to be objective and transparent about the good and the bad when reviewing my ablations. The care has been excellent, there have been difficult and bad bits and also good bits when you realise the care you've had the work you've needed and the recover.

Like being in AF, and then not - the feeling of a weight being lifted is the huge positive. And you realise how unwell you felt.

[bantam12]

Most of what I read on here is bad !! and I'm put off having it done, I know the successful people are out enjoying life but the unsuccessful results can't be ignored.

[pottypete1 in reply to bantam12]

That is understandably a very negative view.

I and also jedimasterlincoln have taken the approach of don’t let AF win. M

Statistically should you choose to have treatment for AF you are more likely to have a successful outcome than an unsuccessful outcome.

Pete

[bantam12 in reply to pottypete1]

Thanks and yes it might well be ok but sods law ! I don't have a very good track record with invasive procedures going well, but I will wait and see what the EP says.

[wilsond in reply to bantam12]

Same here!

[F-M-C-MM in reply to pottypete1]

I agree fully with PottyPete ablation is generally very successful, find the best EP if possible, be positive and go for it! I am under no illusions and am fully aware AFib may return. It's definitely worth it to be medication free for some time at any rate. I still follow the posts on this site although I have been free of it for 2 years.....there is always something new to learn!! Good luck and don't be put off by the negative stories , find out what's best for you.

[dedeottie]

I am one of the unlucky ones that had a potentially life threatening but admittedly very rare complication with my second ablation. I am still glad I had the first but will never have another. I think it is important that quality of life is unacceptable to the point that you are willing to accept the risks. In the light of experience I would not advise people to have one unless that is the case. I accept that maybe those with problems are the ones posting on here nevertheless, there are a significant number of posters reporting unpleasant complications. The next procedure I have will probably be a pace and ablate but only when all medication fails. Xx

[Nugger]

Well I got to say,I am pleasantly surprised how few there is up to now!

Thank you all

[Hidden]

I've had 2, no problems at all, as you say just a short recovery period, and they worked.

[Ppiman]

I agree with you. I read widely before my ablation and wasn't at all prepared for how ill I felt in the first ten days or so following it. This might have been because my bisoprolol was stopped after the first week in an attempt to boost my low heart rate and blood pressure - who knows? That it succeeded in doing, but it also brought on an unexpected bout of persistent fibrillation that had me back in hospital for a day feeling very poorly indeed, and being prepared for an emergency cardioversion. That never happened since restarting the beta blocker quickly calmed things down and normal progress has been resumed since, although still with low heart rate and blood pressure, but coping well with that.

I'm now two and a half weeks into recovery and am feeling better each day with normal rhythm. I still have strange chest feelings on occasion and a few ectopics, along with the need for permanent rivaroxaban (thanks to the afib episode), but, all-in-all, things are on an even keel.

Steve

[secondtry]

Well the ablation or not decision ends up in my case by being just a gut feel with no science or statistics. I was offered ablation by 2 cardiologists and an EP. The EP said 70% chance of success but probably have to do another (no success rate for the second was quoted). Although essentially healthy, I would not describe my body as robust and I did not like the sound of voluntarily sending myself down that ablation route. It didn't help to know that I might still have to take medications after the procedure as well. At present I am looking rather smug as I have had 5 years with increasingly good QOL and presumably in that time ablation procedures have improved. However as we all know AF can rear its head tomorrow, which may then change my approach.

[Cat04]

Pericarditis and oesphagitis caused by my ablation but having said that no AF since.

[sjanee11]

I am one of two complication patients my dr had out of 1800+ patients when I ended up with a pulmonary embolism. I (at the time) was otherwise a pretty healthy 29 yr old and it was most likely a combination of my birth control pill and the ablation. However, despite that, things went well and at a year post-ablation, I have had no SVT and, because the PE was caught very early, had no lasting symptoms or damages to my lung.

[Jafib]

It was hard to take a deep breath for two days post ablation but other than that it was all normal recovery stuff. My heart still acts up from time to time but seems to be getting stronger/better every day. Ablation was December 3rd of 2018 and came off the meds (flecainide and metoprolol) earlier this year.

[Roto]

I had my ablation 5 + years ago...it gave me my life back, I was in a desperate state and was beyond caring who done the damn thing I just wanted to get well again and get some control over my life...it did that, for me it was a life changing event , I had the treatment at St Barts in London there was a complication I had numbness in one leg where the catherter was inserted took around 3 years to return to normal...I was able to lead a normal life the leg was numb to the touch

Everything comes at a price theres always a risk...but for me the postives outweighted the negatives...

good luck to those who are considering an Ablation dont be put off by my experience....Id do it again...I wish you good luck...

[Cellolady]

All of my research shows that ablation is successful under certain conditions, but it does not work for everyone. It was designed to help those with paroxysmal AFIB where the success rate is generally good. After it was found to be frequently successful for paroxysmal AFIB, they tried it on those with persistent AFIB. For those with persistent AFIB (as I have), one ablation NEVER works...and sometimes 6-7 of them do not work (as in the case of a colleague of mine). It does not have good results on anyone with an enlarged atrium as the shape of the atrium can impact the signals controlling rhythm. This is a problem I have and also a problem my colleague has. He has had AFIB for over 30 years and has had 7 ablations, multiple electro-cardioversions, etc. … and NOTHING has worked. He continues to function and live a decent life taking medication to slow the heart rate, control BP, and also blood thinner to reduce stroke risk. He is done with procedures that do not work on those with an enlarged atrium. For some, the ablation has good results for up to 5 years, and then symptoms return. It is not the right choice for everyone, but it is effective for most people with paroxysmal AFIB or Atrial flutter and no other problems. Each individual should do their own research and consult with their physicians to make sure they find the best long term solution to their unique flavor of AFIB. Everyone has a different situation. Ablation is NOT the answer for all, but it IS for many.

[Oldiemoldy]

I’m in the negative/positive category - mostly positive.

I had the ablation relatively early in the AFib trajectory- PAF attacks just starting to come once every few weeks. EP said success more likely early on and I could stay off the serious med train.

Recovery was much harder than I

Had been told about - effects of general anesthesia combined with anemia, extreme fatigue and frequent PAF in the first six weeks. And the dread meds to control that...

But now I am 8 days away from 3 month healing period and I think the basic ablation “took”. Last PAF was 5/21 and I can walk 3 miles a day. Can drop small dose of metoprolol 7/12.

Still troubled by cough from anesthesia and - my opinion - month of dronderone.

I think ablation was right for me. And fear of PAF made me quit alcohol for now - good thing in itself.

Still, many of us need lots of support and handholding during the recovery - and it won’t come from the doctors.

Thank goodness for this group and Dr. John Mandrola in the USA.