Permanent Afib.

[Snnapdragon123]

Does abalation work on permanent afib or do you always

need medication. Not sure what the best route is with

permanent....just on anticoagulant just now and have been

since Sept. 2018. Any ideas!

[Rusty8]

Morning I’m in a/f and have been for many many years they wouldn’t do abalation years ago when it was mentioned can’t remember why but I have been on verapamil for many years with no serious problems

But we are all different I’m sure doc will put you right

Take care

[BobD Volunteer]

I think the short answer is that if you are permanent then ablation has less chance of working but it is not impossible. Most people with permanent AF seem to be less affected by dibilitataing symptoms as the body seems to get used to it and provided rates are controlled there is no adverse outcome.

[CliveP in reply to BobD]

I thought that permanent af was the description used when all treatments had been tried and failed. Is that not the case?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to CliveP]

Actually no.The new description is when you and your doctor have agreed that no further attempts to get you back into NSR are appropriate.

[CliveP in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob. I thought that the description might have changed. Not the first time I've been behind the times!

[sleeksheep]

My cardiologist was not positive that an ablation would be the answer and preferred to trial different drugs . Four years on it has kept it at bay 100% so much so that he has signed me off and placed me under my Drs care to monitor.

I have an enduring referral to the cardiologist which means I can see him without needing a Drs referral .

[Ianc2]

I have permanent AF. I had an ablation which worked for a while. However the AF is not too bad, it seems to have settled down to being only slightly irregular. I have given up on most of the usual triggers, allow myself a reasonable size glass of wine on high days and holidays and saved the money I would have spent to go on holidays.

I have been offered a further ablation with a 30% risk of damage as it is in a difficult place to get to, and close to lots of other gubbins. It boils down to a risk/benefit analysis which only you can make.

[Thomas45]

I have also been discharged to the care of my GPs and have permanent AF. Apart from taking Warfarin, my choice of anticoagulant, I have no other medication for AF. I cannot feel the AF, unless I feel my pulse.

I have never been offered an ablation, but understand that now my AF is permanent it would likely be unsuccessful on improving my quality of life.

I am generally active but have a few aches and some shortness of breath, sometimes. I have had other ailments for many years: asthma for 45 years, lymphoedema in my lower legs for over 20 years, BPH for about fourteen years, and had Polymyalgia rheumatica for nearly 4 years. Due to having a very rare side effect of a beta blocker I have had chronic urticaria for 19 months, and it's the Chronic urticaria which drives me round the bend.

[MarkS]

As Bob says, you have less chance of a successful outcome with permanent AF. However there are new techniques coming along which improve the chances. If you do decide to go for an ablation, choose your EP very carefully and make sure they specialise in permanent AF. Your average EP wouldn't have the skills.

[Ianc2 in reply to MarkS]

So what are the new skills/techniques that are in development?

[CliveP]

I had Persistent (24/7) AF from 2015-16. I was relatively asymptomatic. In Sept 2016 I had an ablation and have been AF free ever since. I take no medication or anti-coagulants and my life is essentially exactly as it was before I developed AF. There's always the chance it could return but my case would suggest that a successful ablation is certainly possible.

Good luck with whatever course you choose!

[Jackiesmith7777]

We have an appointment for my husband at the arrhythmia clinic to find out if he can have a second ablation as he is also I. Permanent AF which caused his stroke four months ago. He was asymptomatic so hadn’t realised his ablation had stopped working . I don’t know why he wasn’t given anticoagulants as a precaution after the ablation as this could have prevented his stroke maybe .