Hi All, I am going in for an RF ablation on April 2, I was offer April 1 but passed.
I am unsure about having it and I passed on having this done in October of last year as I had only had two known episodes of afib that required conversion prior. I went back into afib on 1-4-2020 and have been in it since, however my hr is controlled with just low dose of metoprolol and I feel fairly normal, lifting weights and doing most normal activities.
While I did not think I had aifb prior I am now starting to think I have dealt with this for a long time unknown to me. My concern is am I a good candidate for ablation? I have one of the very best Doctors in the US who will perform it and I hope I am doing the right thing.
any thoughts?
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easygoer13
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yes I was converted in July 2019 and went back into afib on 1-4-2020 because of my tolerance it was determined that I was OK to stay in it with my HR being controlled. I am typically in the 70-80's during normal activity
just reading some of the stories about some who say they are worse off, but I know you have to be careful about what you read it is only a very small sample and you do not know the whole story
You are exactly right. It is impossible to know how many ablations are performed in the USA and here in the UK each year, many several 1000’s that’s for sure. There are just over 19,000 members on this forum and we rarely hear from anyone regretting they had an ablation. Of course there are varying degrees of success, and many, including me, have 2 or 3 before it might work fully. That said, most also say that there AF symptoms are less intrusive after their ablation ......
thank you, yes I am going to go forward with it. I mean you hear about lifestyle changes maybe working and I can improve but I am not bad, not a big drinker, I like sweets my biggest weakness, my diet is healthier than most but far from ideal
I believe the general thinking is yes. I am currently doing some research into whether or not any members of this forum have regretted having had their ablation(s) and so far, the general consensus of opinion is no. One or two have qualified their response, but that is largely due to the impact of other health issues rather than AF and these would normally only apply to a small number of people. There are a whole variety of other issues to consider before making that final decision and it is important to make sure, if necessary, any lifestyle improvements are adhered to as these can, in some cases, be almost effective as having the ablation. It is also important to understand that an ablation does not cure AF but it is likely to be one of the most effective ways of controlling symptoms. It will probably help you if you click on the first Pinned Post to the right of this page. There you will find further links to ablations but more importantly, links to two factsheets about preparing for and recovering from an ablation.
Your reference to “weights” raises some alarm bells though. If you have engaged in what we call extreme sporting activity, it’s more than likely that this has contributed to, if not, is the main cause for your AF. Any return to this level of training is very likely to have a detrimental effect on your recover! Good luck, enjoy your homework and please let us know how you get on......
thank you, weights is something to stay "fit" I am not extreme by any measure however I am stronger than most ( I guess) I was benching 275 in 3 sets of 15 reps and now I do 225 for 15 reps for me it is fairly easy not pushing myself hard
Its 275lbs but I dropped to 225 as I will be 60 this year and thought it was best for the joints. I am not an extreme lifter it is a comfortable weight for me
If I pushed myself and had a spotter I could get 25 reps or so I just lift weight 3-4 days a week to stay in somewhat good shape
I did stop riding a stationary bike since going into afib in January as that elevated my hr to 130's
LOL, well I guess, the afib does not seem to hinder me when lifting, I am not winded after the set my hr goes up to maybe 100. I think we are all different and have our own strengths. I know I could have pushed myself to get bigger if it was something that mattered to me but this was enough to stay fit and look reasonably good and it worked for me.
I had RF Ablation done in November 2019. It has helped so much. Have been in NSR ever since. Get it done, it will give you back your quality of life, it has for me. So glad to have had it done.
If you have been in persistent AF for a while, then you may need more than one ablation. That was the case with me and doctors have confirmed it. With AF over a long period, the heart re-models and creates more different wonky pathways .
For me, after one Ablation which isolated the Pulmonary Veins (PVI), the AF came back after 8-9 months. The second which covered the Atrial roofline, isthmus and anterior wall plus areas in the right Atrium (they called it a "box" pattern) has been much more successful. I rarely get episodes now and when I do they are short - lasting minutes rather than hours, so improved QOL, which is lovely. I definitely do not regret it at all. You could ask about having the more extensive version first time around? Some EPs believe in this. Others prefer a step by step approach and will base a decision on your case,
I had a lot of symptoms with AF. Panic, breathlessness, lightheadedness and reduced exercise tolerance. But you say you feel fairly normal just taking Metropolol........ On the other hand AF does enlarge the Atrium over time which is not brilliant.
I did chuckle reading that you had passed on the 1st April date for your ablation... I wish I has passed on my Fri 13th date for my ablation but I thought it was silly to be so superstitious! Although for me it wasn't all that unlucky, so far my arrhythmia is seemingly cured but I am still suffering from pericarditis from the ablation which was done in Dec 2019. And for me this is worse than living with arrhythmia because you cannot exercise at all while recovering from pericarditis. I was doing weights and cross fit 5-6 days per week until my life was change by irregular heartbeats. I wish you luck and speedy uncomplicated recovery.
Inflammation of the two thin sac type layers that surround the heart. It is treatable unless there are complications. Perhaps Donna could describe it ?
Ablation success rates as far as I can see are around 85%, although you may need more than one treatment....there's quite a lot of information on the web about it, including success rates...but I'd rely on my physicians advice above all else.
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