Ablation woes

[rothwell]

I had my ablation on Friday and was told by my Electrophsiologist that he had "fixed " my AF. Went home later that day and felt absolutely fine until Saturday evening when my heart started misbehaving. Checked the apps. on my mobile and tablet my heart rate was bouncing from low 30's to over 120. Wasn't sure what to do so took a bisoprolol and went to bed. Awoke at 5.30 on Sunday and heart was still doing the same so I rang 111 and they sent paramedics. They established the same and took me to A and E. Coincidentally there was an Electrophsiologist on duty who said that I now have Atrial flutter and sent me home with Dronedarone twice a day and 2.5 mg bisoprolol. I eventually got in touch h with an arrhythmia nurse yesterday who said that he doesn't have an answer as to why this has happened but I may have had some atrial flutter before the ablation. He is putting me on a list for a cardioversion....6 weeks wait...and an ablation for atrial flutter..year wait. Currently breathless on exertion and have had to begin taking Omeprozole again for nagging pain in chest as I have a hiatus hernia and this has improved a bit. Fed up as I appear to have exchanged one problem for another. Has this happened to anyone else and what is the prognosis for atrial flutter. I knew a lot about AF but know nothing about atrial flutter. Don't really like taking Dronedarone either... is anyone else taking this and feeling ok?

[Hidden]

Hello, I am sorry to hear that despite the successful ablation, you are now experiencing symptoms of flutter. You can find out about flutter by visiting heartrhythmalliance.org/afa... and downloading the atrial flutter booklet. Alternatively, if you would prefer a printed copy, please contact us [e-mail] or 01789 867502

Kind regards

Rachel - AF Association Patient Services.

[Kaz747]

I have had both. I needed a cardioversion for Atrial Flutter after 3 days at a constant 150bpm heart rate. The good news is that Arrial Flutter ablations are generally more successful and longer lasting than AF ablations (I’ve had ablations for both). I can’t comment on your waiting time as I’m in Australia with private health insurance so haven’t had to wait long for anything. I hope you’re feeling a bit better soon.

[Padayn01 in reply to Kaz747]

Hi Kaz747 whats the difference between AF and Atrial Flutter?

[wilsond in reply to Padayn01]

AFib is an erratic,often fast ,Arrythmia in the top left of the heart,flutter is a regular but very fast arrthymia in the right top side of the heart I'm most cases.

Flutter ablation is 90 %effective at it's just a case of breaking a simple circuit whereas AFib can be trickier to locate problem areas if silly electrics. Xx

[Kaz747 in reply to Padayn01]

Here’s a link that will explain it better than I can

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

In my atrial flutter case, with a heart rate of 150, my atria were beating at 300 bpm and only every second beat was getting to the ventricles - a 2:1 ratio.

[Padayn01 in reply to Kaz747]

Has both ablations fixed both issues now?

[Kaz747 in reply to Padayn01]

It sure has. Thankfully

[Padayn01 in reply to Kaz747]

Great news, how long did it take to get Atrial flutter after you had your first ablation?

[rothwell in reply to Kaz747]

Thank you.

[wilsond]

I have flutter caused by meds for AFib. It occurs rarely now but when it does I take a dose of bisoprolol. It can be very successfully ablated. It's no worse than AFib in terms of prognosis.

Are you anticoagulated?

Early days after ablation as far as I'm aware it takes quite some time for the heart to settle down after. Best wishes

[rothwell in reply to wilsond]

Thank you...yes am on Apixaban. The worst thing at the moment is the gnawing pain in my chest which I think comes from possible oesophagus irritation caused by ablation plus the fact that I have a hiatus hernia. Have taken some Omeprozole today and had a Rennie....the other problem is the breathlessness.....and difficulty in expanding my chest..I'm hoping these are due to aftereffects of ablation.

[Padayn01 in reply to rothwell]

Hi Rothwell, sorry to hear this has happened, but i'm 12 weeks post ablation and still get flutters that last a few seconds 12 weeks on

[johnMiosh]

I had a mini-maze ablation in Apr 2017 which was followed by a catheter top up in Oct 2017. I was pretty much permanently in NSR from a week or so after the minimaze; in this period I was very upset that it did not appear to have worked. I had no issues over the next six months. However, after the second ablation, I was told that I had been given a CTI Line ablation for flutter in addition to the top up ablation. I was told that it was common to need it and it was pretty much certain that flutter would not return.

As it is only a week since your ablation, you are probably suffering from the after effects and it will hopefully calm down in the next few weeks.

[KatzFib in reply to johnMiosh]

Hello John. I had a Five Box TT Mini Maze Jan 2017 for Afib. I was told by the cardio thoracic Surgeon that it is not uncommon to start having post mini maze Atrial Flutter, which he immediately proceeds wirh what he says, is a simple 30 min ablation because they go directly to the source. So, 22 months after my mini maze I did go into Atrial Flutter for the first time. My question to you is the “top up.” What is that?

How long did the CTI ablation procedure take?

Thanks!

[johnMiosh in reply to KatzFib]

Hi Katz.

I had my maze in two parts, six months apart. By top up, I meant the catheter part of the ablation. Normally this is done at the same time as the thoracic part. Doing it later allowed them to redo one of the pulmonary veins which had reconnected.

[KatzFib in reply to johnMiosh]

Thank you John! How long did the actual catheter part of the procedure take?

[johnMiosh]

Four and a half hours. Completion of the box lesion set, isolation of one pulminary vein and cti line for flutter.

[KatzFib in reply to johnMiosh]

Thanks John!

Kat