Checking in & Catching Up - Ablation put on hold

[Apple88]

Hi everyone.

I hope you are all doing okay - or as well as can be expected given the circumstances.

I haven’t posted for a while but I’ve been reading up every day. I’ve had quite a few changes in my symptoms & medication since I last wrote though.

I was taking 2x 50mg flecainide daily, and started Apixaban. Kept having episodes of fast AF so GP increased to 150mg flecainide a day. This immediately made things worse, and I was in AF HR of 130 - 150 for about 8 hrs a day! Called GP - and reduced back to the 2 x 50mg tablets.

Got to speak to my EP/Cardiologist soon after & he started me back on 1.25mg if bisoprolol as well as the flecainide.

This was a week ago and the bisoprolol seems to have dropped my rate rapidly again. It’s in the mid 40s most of the time and making me feel quite unwell again. Problem is, I’m still having AF runs too. Yesterday I spent half the day with 140+ pulse and the other half with 40 pulse!

Couldn’t speak to anyone because of the bank holiday so have booked a telephone consultation with my GP - it’s not until next Monday though.

Anyway, I received a letter from the hospital today saying all ablations have been put on hold (I was meant to have mine in 2 months). I was disappointed but the news wasn’t really unexpected. I do understand and can accept why it has to be.

It does leave me in limbo a bit for the foreseeable future though. I am currently signed off work - I’m a teacher and would be worried about being in school, even with the reduced numbers, being as symptomatic as I am now, & with the virus risk.

Sorry for big ramble. I just feel a bit lost with no real pathway to try and control things. Im getting fed up of stopping/starting/trying different combinations of drugs without any joy. I’ve had AF diagnosis for just over a year, and was okay for the first 12 months. Only had a few episodes. Now I’m lucky if I have a day without one.

Thanks for reading all this, if you’ve made it this far down! I think I just wanted to talk to someone who understands the condition. These are very isolating times for all of us anyway.

❤️

[Paulbounce]

"Yesterday I spent half the day with 140+ pulse and the other half with 40 pulse"

You feel it more when your heart rate changes like that Apple. My resting HR is 50 - 55 (ish) these days - you certainly know when afib kicks in and your rate goes up to 100 plus at these rates.

I guess you'll have to wait until Monday until you speak to your GP. However do you think the GP might bring the call forward a little if you explain you are feeling unwell - it's worth asking ?

Good luck anyway.

Paul

[Apple88 in reply to Paulbounce]

Thank you so much for your reply.

Yes I definitely feel it! What’s most weird to me is that some days I’m okay - like today. Resting pulse around 50 - 55 and feel alright.

My GP isn’t in work until Monday. If I have a call sooner, it’ll be a different doc and I think if I can I’d rather wait to speak to mine - she knows me & my condition well these last couple of months.

I think it’s mainly coming to terms with everything, which seems much harder in the current climate, and knowing that my ablation has been taken off the table for now.

I really appreciate your reply. It’s good to talk to people who know what this feels like!

[Paulbounce in reply to Apple88]

I know what you mean by speaking to a GP who you feel knows your condition Apple - I find speaking (and being comfortable with) the same doctor is much better than seeing different GP's.

Your ablation is off the table for now - however it'll be back on track soon I'm sure. Any health condition is worry at the moment but it will come right in the end

Paul

[Apple88 in reply to Paulbounce]

Thank you 😊

[colinjeffs]

i am on bisopralol 2.5mg twice a day and apixaban 5 mg twice a day, dehydration bring on the af so plenty of fluids works for me. speak to your doctors about you meds. take care

[Apple88 in reply to colinjeffs]

Thank you. I’ve got an appointment tomorrow.