Well I'm back in fast AF...165bpm. I'm not panicking and trying to keep calm. I'm hoping I will self convert.... will leave it until morning and go from there. Im in a lot of pain but thats the chest infection...i hope.
What I need to ask is I know it takes time to heal and this doesnt mean its failed but i surely cant be in fast af on and off for 6 months till we know of its a success. Does anyone have any idea of what they may do in the meantime. No tablets seem to work...is there such a thing as a temporary pacemaker or contraption to control the rate till they give me another ablation. I'm scared they will just go ahead with the pace and a ablate if I keep going in AF...can they redo the ablation now or do we have to wait 6 months for a 3rd attempt?. Also if things have improved with the ablation and healing starts when will it show...days...weeks?
Bob you have taught me well, im much calmer now, but I'm running out of positivity right now. My ankles are pitted,I'm breathless, scared and I'm bloody sick of looking on the bright side!!! Grrrr rant over!
Thanks everyone for listening to my bleatings (again) and any similar experiences would be a comfort xxxcxc
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booboo73
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BooBoo my lovely, I'm sorry to hear you're back in AF, but what you are experiencing now is often quite normal. You need to get by the 3 month period before saying the ablation hasn't worked. It's barely a week since your ablation isn't it? The scar tissue needs time to form to block the rogue pulses!l Please get that into your head. x
After my third ablation I found that the valsalva manoeuvre was great for getting me back into rhythm. Have you tried it?
Here for you if needed and I promise I won't keep telling you off.
Hi yep I think I'm maybe over thinking at the moment...im in so much pain with my shoulders and my pitted ankles I'm imagining all sorts. We were gonna book our cruiser on the Broads today but postponed yet again so that's p****d me off also. I've tried Valsava ...didnt work but nearly exploded in the process. It's thundering and lightning real bad here.... I'm tempted to wrap myself in tinfoil and stand outside ...that'll sort me out haha xxxx
Some people say that ‘earthing’ is good for you. I.e. walking about barefoot on the ground and letting the earth’s electrical charge affect you. Don’t know about that myself but being by the seaside and walking and paddling in the sea always makes me feel better so just maybe............ Many functions in our bodies do work via mini-electrical charges don’t they?
They say negative ions are supposed to be a good thing. I believe a thundercloud is positively charged and the ground negatively which is why lightning comes down to the ground. We need negative ions so that is why the thundercloud could affect you adversely.
Yes. The older I get the more I think there are many forces out there in the universe or even inside us that we have yet to discover.
I have a small farm in the southern U.S. and try to do some earthing by walking around barefoot in the grass. Unfortunately we have an invasive species of fire ants from S. America which happily bite any piece of exposed flesh they can get to. But I'm getting somewhat immune to their bites after many years.
There is even a mention of our internal gut biome as having an effect on regulating our hearts and possibly influencing afib. I experiment constantly trying to find a "solution" to afib., so now I am also taking a couple of different probiotic mixes.
I'm at home with Andy who is keeping a very close eye on me. Stunning thunder & lightning at the moment so watching it. Will contact hospital tomo if it's still lurking xxx thanks Pete x
If I didn't take my propafanone I would be in tachycardia Booboo. I emailed my EP and he approved of my strategy during healing. I don't like it but it works. I'm a week in front of you by the way and mine only started about a week into the recovery. MY groin is still very colourful and I use that as a good guide to healing. Once it fades away to normal then the heart is starting to heal. Proud of you by the way!
Three to six months usually but some people are still improving up to nine months or a year. It is the scars forming which block the rogue impulses. It makes me angry when doctors tell people they will be fine in a day or so. This just makes people feel failures.
This is my exact frustration, so according to the doctors 2 weeks post ablation I should be doing the 3rd act from singing in the rain, I don’t feel confident enough to go out to the shops let alone go back to my normal life thanks for this Bobd
As Bob says, and as I experienced, it takes quite a while sometimes to get over the insult to the heart of an ablation. It all has to heal up and scar tissue must form for the ablation to be effective. It will get better. Hold onto that thought. Good luck
Thank you my darling Bob...you are always here for me... I was trying to give you some peace not privately emailing you!! I asked about the Propafanone but they dont give it out....they just keep saying sit it out...When I get sorted I'm definitely gonna to the talk at the AF conference if Matt still wants me to...my dramas may help others. Gonna try and sleep...had my tramadol hopefully they will knock me out. Lots of love xxx
I am at peace with my PAF because flecainide works but am tired,fat and all the side effects.......I hope your AF settles.......it affects life so badly.
Dear Booboo, I’m so sorry to hear how you’re feeling 😕 I’ve only just seen your other posts- seems like you’ve had a dreadful few days 😢
I’m afraid I can’t offer any wisdom about post-ablation options, but did want to send my love and sympathy. I know what it’s like to be in AF of 180-190 for days where no beta blockers bring it down, and no rhythm meds can be tried (due to VT) - and you must be feeling rubbish physically and mentally.
Hope you are sleeping now - and when you wake in the morning that you’re in sinus rhythm But either way take courage that you’re in safe hands, you’ve had your ablation which went well, and you’re on the road to healing up ❤️ (Bumpy it may be, but you’re on your way there.)
Sending love. Please do let us know how you’re doing 😙 xx
Hi x I'm still in the evil AF but don't feel too bad...its at 140 now and I may just convert ....im hoping. If not will have to do something tomorrow as I know I'm pushing it now.xx thanks for your thoughts xxx
Sorry to hear about all your dramas. It’s very similar to my story after my ablation in September. Here’s something I posted when I was hospitalised two weeks after that ablation:
Oh what a bummer. It must seem interminable. It would help if you got even a gleam that docs understand how scary, frustrating, offp***ing it is. I suppose its reassuring that they are content to let it settle even if you aren't
Presume you've tried swallowing crushed ice and sticking wrists in bowl of iced water ( I draw the line at cold showers). Thinking of you.
Hi I've tried everything. Just waiting now to see if I magically convert. My usual pattern of AF.flutter.aTach has gone...just AF now so not sure what's performance my old ticker is doing. Xxxx
After a bad chest infection I went in flutter just two weeks off the 3 month blanket while on holiday and had to be cardio inverted, was super scary and hard to stay calm, so i totally understand how you feel. I was cardio inverted and have been in perfect sinus so far, was told by my EP back home this happens again, anything near 48 hours and to go straight in, don't let it run. Hope you feel better today and if not get sorted.
Thanks Ian. I'm gonna give it until tomorrow am before a&e when it's quiet...its like a horror film in Leeds when it's busy!! Great news on the sinus xxx
Hi booboo, earlier this year I had AF running at 168 at times according to hospital. At 64 hours (I counted) I went to A&E partly because I was panicked about going into persistent/permanent AF. I had the digoxin treatment which didn't seem to work, long-term digoxin treatment suggested but I went back into NSR later. Turned out it was all caused by a throat infection and persistent cough virus. It sounds to me as though you have a very nasty infection and maybe the pulmonary veins are very inflamed (nmt but I had similar after my ablation) so I hope it will all settle. Swollen ankles sounds as though your heart is struggling a bit, I have that, again because my lungs aren't great. Please just pamper yourself and trust things will improve X
Hi x Yep I remember your post. It's horrible isn't it. I'm at 140 now so not as bad. Flutter seems to have disappeared just AF now. I preferred flutter as I didn't feel it. I have suspected sick sinus so Digoxin no good for me although they wanted to give me it regardless but luckily I converted as he was flushing me!
All you wrote makes sense...just takes a while to sink in with me...im learning though! Xxx
I wish they'd make a new Pollyanna film. Actually I feel like watching the old Hayley Mills one now. It was such a lesson to us all regarding looking for the best in everything.
Believe me if I could do something now I would but it doesn't work like that...I have no power to schedule anything....unless I sell my house and live in a cave. Xx
I'd been in in NSR for 5 months when I got a terrible respiratory virus last May. I immediately went into AFib and have continued till now. I'm scheduled for cardioversion next month. If it doesn't work I'm contemplating an ablation. Stories like yours make me wonder if that's really what I want to do!
I know I'm having a rough time but I would have another ablation tomorrow of offered. I think realistically I may need a third. The ablation itself and recovery in my experience isnt so bad and i will try anything to ease the horror and fear of AF. I wish I had it 3 years ago when first offered as I believe mine progressed quickly into flutter and Tach, im sure the ablation years ago could have nipped it in the bud. Xxx
When I was first diagnosed with Afib, in 2014, I was surprised to learn that I had actually had it since 2010 or 2011. I wore a monitor for a few weeks at that time, and also had all kinds of cardio workups, including a stress test and was told everything was good! When I went to the ER in 2014, I had just been taking my blood pressure and noticed that my pulse was 126. I waited a few hours and when it stayed that high I went to the ER. They brought in paddles to use, I guess as a means to cardioversion, and the doctor came in and said they wouldn't be using the paddles because I had had A-fib for some time, and could have blood clots! I don't know whether they just didn't want to give me bad news in 2010, or if the EP wasn't involved in that monitoring time, because I saw a different cardiologist in the same practice after the stress test and that evaluation. He said that my heart was in good shape and I shouldn't need to worry about anything for at least 10 years. So it was shocking to found out that I've had afib for so long and didn't know. I can rarely tell when I'm in AFib so I have to check my pulse frequently. thanks for telling me that you would have it again. My main concern is being unable to have a normal life for 3 to 6 months. I'm considering the ablation because I don't want my heart racing for months.
Hi Booboo, hope things are calming for you now. You must be worn out. Personally I found the aflutter more debilitating than the afib. It's the tachy aspect that does me in more. Rest up with your feet elevated, should at least help the ankles.
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But either way take courage that you’re in safe hands, you’ve had your ablation which went well, and you’re on the road to healing up ❤️ (Bumpy it may be, but you’re on your way there.) 
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