Hoping for some insights. I had my fist bout of Afib 5 years ago. I was converted 3 days after going into it and had no known issues since my only meds were BP and a low does aspirin and a half (12.5 MG) of Metoprolol I was taking magnesium but was told by my Doc it was a waste, I stopped and about 30 days later went into afib, this time I stayed in it for 30 days before cardio conversion and my cardiologist suggested an ablation. I am now taking multaq and eliquis twice a day and feel great, working out and all seems good ---still wondering if I should go forward with the Ablation I have set for the Oct 29th from one of the best Doctors and facilities in the US. some of the experiences I am reading here really give me pause.
Any thoughts
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easygoer13
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There is an old saying "When the pupil is ready the teacher will come!"
All treatment for AF is only ever about improving quality of life (QOL) so if yours is already good then do you need ablation? I would be less concerned if you were here in UK where these things are not offered lightly but I know that much of the medical system in USA is cash driven and as such open to manipulation.
I say these things as one who has just had a fourth ablation (this for atrial tachycardia not AFib) who's life has been transformed by my treatment but also with a large measure of cynicism.
Thank you Bob yeah my cardiologist has nothing to profit from an ablation I appreciate that. The other thing is the doctor that was going to perform it is one of the better and more experienced doctors here in the US and facility is top-notch. Have you heard of dr. Natali
I started much the same 7 years ago at 45 , or maybe longer not knowing I had afib for years . Personally, for me I put it off as it was just a couple of times a year at most originally . Knowing what I know now, that pathways form the longer it is allowed to run , with increasing frequency and strength, I would have had my ablation sooner rather than later. For me so far its improved my quality of life. Five months later I've no regrets, and would have another ablation tomorrow if it stops those awful attacks and the feeling of being held to ransom by afib. We all have different opinions though and experiences with ablation, so that's just my opinion, it's purely subjective, and depends how afib affects you personally.
Thank you I greatly appreciate that. I'm just giving it a lot of thought as the first time I was actually so low on potassium so much so that I needed three transfusions to get me to normal this time I stopped taking magnesium but it may just be coincidental and the reality is its the wiser choice to move forward with it now
Yes perhaps it makes more sense to get it done now especially when younger and in better health until waiting until you're older and it may be more challenging
Mine was under sedation for nearly seven hours, and honestly wasn't what I'd describe as painful and recovery was quick and home the next day , the operation itself a little uncomfortable at best , but very well managed by the theatre staff at Freeman Hospital Newcastle, and as for Dr Stephen Murray my EP, you couldn't meet a nicer, more caring chap, very down to earth and honest .
It's certainly nothing near as bad as I imagined, i think the build up is worse than the actual process of the operation, me, I'd do it again tomorrow if needs be . The only issue I had initially was that they hit a nerve or something in the groin area, and I had sciatic pain for a week or two quite painful at times, but that walked off once mobile again. I was walking short distances less than a week later and up to a mile within a month.
Thank you that's what I'm hearing that overall it's not a it's not bad for a lot of people. Did you notice you feel better because I seem to be feeling really good but perhaps I don't recognize what good really is
mine was under general anesthetic, so no pain in the procedure. No pain in the recovery either, worst thing was the huge bruise on my right hand from where they had inserted the blood pressure monitoring needle.
Had my abalation over two and a half years ago, and I would have another if needed
He wasn’t specific but I consulted with a leading Australian pharmacist & master herbalist who recommended a particular Magnesium sleep product. I’ve taken an Executive B tablet for years so he said to make sure I took another one at lunchtime and then take 1 or 2 of the magnesium sleep at night. I take 2 and my sleep is amazing 😴 💤 I told him what medications I was on to ensure there weren’t any conflicts.
Our brands and products may be different as I’m in Australia but these links will show you the ingredients.
I was on all types of different meds that made me feel horrible and also did not work. They then put me on sotalol (spelling?) and I could barely function. I thought to myself how would I live my life this way? They offered me the ablation and I jumped to it. It has now been 3 years since, and I feel great. No meds needed. It was painless and I recovered in less than a week. They told me the longer I wait to make the decision, the less it works to have the procedure. I am so grateful that I have my life back.
I think you should have a more extended conversation with your EP. A key question would be: “What are the likely consequences in the short, medium and long term if I *don’t* have an ablation in October?” Current thinking is that early intervention is more likely to be successful, so delaying might be problematic. On the other hand, waiting for 6 months to see how things play out probably wouldn’t do a great deal harm. It’s difficult to provide a generic answer in cases like this as everyone is different. I would ask the EP to justify his suggestion that you have the ablation now with reference to your particular AF profile, but I would avoid being unduly cynical about his motives- just evaluate the quality of his reasoning and get a second opinion if necessary.
going to have the talk for sure. I am not cynical at the recommendation if they feel it is best FOR ME as it was first suggested by my cardiologist who has nothing to gain and no affiliation with the performing Doctor. The timing seems to be good but I need to be confident it is the right thing to do.
I am on the same medication as yourself. I hve been taking the medication for nearly two years and have have had a few self terminating Afib breakthroughs. The Afibs have stopped within a few hours. The only disadvantage as far as I am concerned is a feeling of legarthy which is possibly due to the medication. Ablation is not on the cards just yet and possibly never as this clinic have several patients with my medication who have not been in need of further treatment. This could possibly be a life long treatment if successful. Living in Stockholm. Good luck!
really, I am told I could be fine but getting off the meds makes more sense. I thought I might be rushing ablation just a bit, however the thought of addressing it sooner than later and younger also makes sense
You might want to try this before surgery:
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After 9 years of trying different foods and logging EVERYTHING I ate, I found sugar (and to a lesser degree, salt – i.e. dehydration) was triggering my Afib. Doctors don't want to hear this - there is no money in telling patients to eat less sugar. Each person has a different sugar threshold - and it changes as you get older, so you need to count every gram of sugar you eat every day (including natural sugars in fruits, etc.). My tolerance level was 190 grams of sugar per day 8 years ago, 85 grams a year and a half ago, and 60 grams today, so AFIB episodes are more frequent and last longer. If you keep your intake of sugar below your threshold level your AFIB will not happen again (easier said than done of course). It's not the food - it's the sugar (or salt - see below) IN the food that's causing your problems. Try it and you will see - should only take you 1 or 2 months of trial-and-error to find your threshold level. And for the record - ALL sugars are treated the same (honey, refined, agave, natural sugars in fruits, etc.). I successfully triggered AFIB by eating a bunch of plums and peaches one day just to test it out. In addition, I have noticed that moderate exercise (7-mile bike ride or 5-mile hike in the park) often puts my Afib heart back in to normal rhythm a couple hours later. Don’t know why – perhaps you burn off the excess sugars in your blood/muscles or sweat out excess salt??
Also, in addition to sugar, if you are dehydrated - this will trigger AFIB as well. It seems (but I have no proof of this) that a little uptick of salt in your blood is being treated the same as an uptick of sugar - both cause AFIB episodes. (I’m not a doctor – it may be the sugar in your muscles/organs and not in your blood, don’t know). In any case you have to keep hydrated, and not eat too much salt. The root problem is that our bodies are not processing sugar/salt properly and no doctor knows why, but the AFIB seems to be a symptom of this and not the primary problem, but medicine is not advanced enough to know the core reason that causes AFIB at this time. You can have a healthy heart and still have Afib – something inside us is triggering it when we eat too much sugar or get (even a little) dehydrated. Find out the core reason for this and you will be a millionaire and make the cover of Time Magazine! Good luck! - Rick Hyer
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