Ablation success !

[Eirecara]

Hi ‘everyone’, I’m wondering are there many/any people here who have had a successful ablation 1st time. ☘️

[Finvola]

Hello Eirecara - my friend suffered debilitating PAF for many years to the point where it was either Amiodarone or ablation. He had his ablation done in Belfast four years ago, with a touch up a year later and his EP and he both judge it to have been a success.

We think highly ‘up here’ of Professor Keene and his team and one of his former colleagues is my EP. You’d be in good hands there. xx

[Eirecara in reply to Finvola]

Hi Finvola, How interesting....I’m going to see a Prof. David Keane in St Vincent’s, Dublin on 24th to discuss an ablation. Hopefully the similar names is a good omen. xx☘️

[Finvola in reply to Eirecara]

Sorry, I spelled his name wrongly - he’s the man I was referring to - best wishes.xx

[Eirecara in reply to Finvola]

Even better 😉xx

[Finvola in reply to Eirecara]

In my early days of AF, Prof Keane was someone I considered travelling to Dublin to see, such was his good reputation with ablations. Eventually I saw Dr Conor McCann who had transferred from the Mater to the Royal in Belfast.

[CDreamer]

Not sure you will get a balanced response as the people who have had successful ablations tend not to hang around on forums like this.

2nd ablation gave me 3 years free of AF so worth considering but it really depends on individual circumstances, age, fitness etc as to success rates.

[Kaz747]

My next door neighbour, who’d had AF for about 14 years, had an ablation 6 years ago and has been great ever since (he’s now 63).

[Eirecara]

Thank you all 💛☘️

[3killeens]

Yes I had my one and only ablation so far at Bart's have never looked back I feel I have my life back , the

[zigannie]

I had AF for for 6 yrs with the episodes getting more frequent until I had a successful ablation 11 yrs ago. I am on Eliquis and Flecainide as a safeguard. My ablation was a piece of cake. Actually enjoyed it - while I was awake. Had it in evening & walked out of hospital the next morning for a full day of activities. Would have another in a minute if I needed it, but am thankful that I don't.

[Brad43]

Depends on what you call success. I had my only ablation 16 months ago, after more than 50 years of AF. It got worse right after the ablation, but that's expected as the heart remodels itself. After 2 or 3 months of that, I had about 1 episode per month for a few months. Now I haven't had any AF, and only a very few ectopics, in more than 6 months. I'm calling it a success unless I'm eventually proven wrong.

[JB721]

I had an ablation for ruthlessly persistent Afib nearly three years ago and haven't had an episode since. Best decision ever!

[cuore in reply to JB721]

Interesting that you should be 3 years AF free for persistent AF with just one ablation. You must have been either one or two months persistent to get such good results?

[Cliff_G]

Yes. Although "first time" is open to debate. Had my ablation in 2002. First procedure in the June got me into NSR but I was told that they had decided to stop after some hours due to some very thick heart tissue and the need to change catheters, and they felt it was better to stop there and see if the ablation + Flecainide worked. It was ok for 2 months then broke through as an AFL. I went back in the September. Some was redone, some new added and I was again in NSR. With a fair few ectopics (gastrically-linked) and only one AF episode after a large Xmas meal, I was in NSR until Dec 2017 or 15 years. The saga then continued with a bad type A aortic dissection, and a week or so after the 14-hour open-chest surgery I went back into a post operative AF (POAF), common even without an AF history. I converted with amiodarone in 2 weeks during the loading dose when prescribed it at 3 months post-op. I'm now trying to come off the amiodarone, slowly, early days but we'll see how well the ablation is hanging in there after all this time!

[Eirecara in reply to Cliff_G]

You have certainly been through the mill and come out the other side. You are obviously very strong and I can’t but admire your courage and strength of mind to cope with all that’s has happened you. I wish you continued good health, and hope you get off the amiodarone swiftly and easily. Very best wishes ☘️

[Cliff_G in reply to Eirecara]

Thanks Eirecara, much appreciated

[Maggimunro]

Hi there

My first ablation 3 1/2 years ago was for right sided SVT and was a total success. My second problem was left sided Afib which took two ablations to clear but has also been a complete success.

[MydogBrandy]

Hi, yes, mine was done for svt in January and been well since also been taken off all my tablets after 18 years which is a bonus, good luck x Ursula

[MarkS]

I had an ablation 10 years ago at London Bridge Hospital which has been successful. Just a few short runs of ectopics every few months now compared with AF 30+% of the time.

[Mary-miles]

I am calling my ablation in 2018 a success.No meds except rivaroxaban due to age and being female.I feel fantastic with a good quality of life right now.

[Dodie117]

I had my one and only ablation in St Thomas’ in London in 2013 and so far no AF and no meds except anticoagulant.

Mine carried out by Mark O’Neill from Limerick!!

I never really took many meds. On diagnosis I was given the choice- meds route or ablation. After a lot of discussion and soul searching I opted for ablation as doc felt the earlier the ablation was done the more successful the result.

My AF was pretty severe - 4 or 5 episodes a week lasting 5 or 6 hours. I was on bisoprolol for about 6 months whilst waiting for ablation.

Good luck🍀

[Quilafizz]

I had my first and only ablation 19 months ago-so far no AF and off all meds. My post operative nurse had 11+ years free after one ablation. Fingers crossed!

[Mouchkin]

Yes I had mine 9months ago. I feel great. I have a few skipped beats very occasionally...but I feel well. I felt so poorly before `I had it done but it took about 4months for me to feel really recovered. I had phrenic nerve damage but it seems to have more or less resolved. I would have it done again if necessary. I am eighty!

[Jupiter33]

Yes I had an ablation at Blackpool Victoria 7 months ago and touch wood, still in NSR. EP explained that he had completely isolated the source of the arrhythmia near my pulmonary veins.

There is always a chance it could return but at the moment I feel healthy and enjoying life.

[Eirecara]

Thank you all for your responses 💛☘️

[johnMiosh]

Depends on how you define first time. I had a hybrid ablation, with the two parts done six months apart. I thought I was AF-free after the first part, but the EP found a slight reconnection on one of my pulmonary veins and slight atrial flutter. These issues were dealt with, and I have had no symptoms over the last two years. I do have the occasional ectopic and I have had a few odd Kardia readings, but I have never felt any symptoms relating to these. My cardiologist has looked at my printouts and decided there was no AF or anything else worth worrying about.

[Hidden]

I'm going to count my 2 years and 7 months of NSR a success.