5 months post Ablation

[Hammerboy]

Hi I've just received my report from my EP on the 7 day Bardy Carnation Ambulatory Monitor I recently had attached. No AF episodes recorded with sinus rhythm throughout. There were some short non sustained bursts of atrial tachycardia and atrial ectopy which appear to be symptomatic but these were very short lived and of no significance beyond those symptoms. I guess that was when I pushed the button after feeling missed beats. I had a 6 hour AF episode the day before and an 8 hour episode a week after removing the monitor so I guess I learnt nothing I didn't already know, that it comes and goes and in between I feel normal. EP confirms he will review me at Christmas. Staying positive 👍

[Ppiman]

Sounds entirely good! I suppose "listening" to our own body is sometimes as good as being monitored. It sounds like you have a good doctor looking after you, which is always a wonderful thing for the reassurance we deeply need to keep anxiety at bay, or at least, controlled sufficiently.

Steve

[Hammerboy in reply to Ppiman]

That's very true, I'm certainly very much more aware of my body since being diagnosed with AF. I think the secret is not to over think every little flutter and worry it's something more serious. I take my health much more seriously now and consciously act to give myself the best chance of a longer life but it has to be put in perspective. Trouble is for me I'm such a competetive person It's hard to have an ailment I can't beat lol.

[Ppiman in reply to Hammerboy]

You sound younger than I am (66) - but your ideas and outlook sound 100% to me. I wish you a long and active life! My experience of atrial flutter last year was pretty awful but the ablation in June has, so far, been a great success. My elderly friend has permanent atrial fibrillation which he copes really well with. The effects of arrhythmias certainly do seem to vary a good deal between people.

Steve

[Hammerboy in reply to Ppiman]

I'm 66 in September and have always had good general health. I was diagnosed with a heart murmur in my 40's which upon investigation 2 years ago was shown to be down to my having a bucuspid atrial valve. I have mild atrial stenosis and mild atrial regurgitation which explains why I've never had much stamina as a keen sportsman growing up. My AF came on very suddenly after a hugely stressful event when my wife's parents were killed by a lunatic and the ongoing aftermath of that, press intrusion, police investigation and a 7 week trial probably made things worse. Life has gradually got back to normal after 3 years and to be fair the AF has been relatively mild and paroxysmal but bothersome, mainly because for me I wanted to feel normal after such tragic period for our family. I've since been told I suffer from irritable bowel syndrome and lately a mild form of asthma which means I have to use an inhaler daily and take lanzoprazole for the acid reflux. I still feel pretty well generally especially between AF episodes which are usually at about 2 week intervals and self resolve after a few hours. They tend to come on when I'm at rest so I try to keep my exercise level up by walking daily but I do tend to feel more tired these days than before my ablation last December. I have stopped taking Bisoprolol as it had no effect on my AF and made my HR too low

[Ppiman in reply to Hammerboy]

Hi. I suffer with IBS, too, and now diverticular disease. Such is life. Have you asked whether you're asthma might be related to your reflux? Sometimes, I've read, the digestive enzyme pepsin is released from the stomach as a kind of "aerosol" or finger must that can then be inhaled to create a kind of asthma. PPI drugs have no effect on pepsin, sadly.

Steve

[Hammerboy in reply to Ppiman]

No I've not heard about that, to be honest my GP doesn't seem that bothered I've been on lanzoprazole since my 30's and my asthma since my 50's has never been that well controlled. Maybe that's down to the fact I don't visit him often although I'm now seeing the nurse every three months for a review. I've heard that ventalin pumps have a negative effect on AF too