It is now 5 years since my ablation carried out by Prof. Schilling on 7th July 2015. No AF since and no medication apart from anti-coagulant. My blood pressure reverted to normal so no hypertensive treatment either. My general level of health and fitness has improved dramatically as well, although I am 5 years older (now 74). I walk 5 miles every day, play golf and feel better than I have for years. PAF was very debilitating for me, especially as it progressed to more frequent episodes, sometimes two or three a week. I am not the slightest bit convinced by the sentiment frequently expressed here that ablation is for QOL only, as I cannot believe that my life expectancy has not been improved by my new life, but QOL is great anyway. I am one the the many who benefit from ablation for PAF (80%+) and largely disappear from the forum. If I ever need another ablation I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment.
Regards to all,
Peter
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Wonderful news, I am so glad your health has improved so much following your ablation five years ago.
I am due to have my ablation on Monday as I also have PAF, after reading your great news I am feeling less anxious now about the whole thing- and I sincerely thank you for that!!
I have to admit that I was terrified when I went into the cath lab. When it was over I couldn’t believe how easy it had been (for me). I was very careful and followed all instructions and good advice from this forum, so made a good recovery. I am still careful with diet and exercise but do enjoy a glass of wine every night.
No this is still the AF site. Yes, there are lots of other forums on Health Unlocked. I'm looking at this forum on my mobile phone at the moment and the link to see them is the square of 9 circles at the top left of this page. Click on it and scroll to find the list of other forums. When I'm on my PC tomorrow I'll do my best to send you some links.
Thank you Jean ... l like the afib forum ... however l started receiving something called “positive well-being” l think ... l don’t like it ... is there a way to stop receiving their entries? Thank you soooo much! Isn’t this Covid a pain?! Hopefully you are okay and on the mend. You were ill for a time as l recall. Jan
Go into the Postive Wellbeing page and at the top right you will see the word WRITE in a blue box. Alongside this to the left is a tick, click on this and that's it you've left that site. I was the same and inundated with posts drove me mad (well madder than I am).
Yes, this covid is certainly a pain. Makes us realise what freedom we had before it started - the world was our oyster! Now it appears it's not just having the virus that's the problem its the effect on the heart and lungs it leaves people with. I'm spending a lot of time at home and in my garden. Fortunately I live in a small fishing/seaside town and did feel fairly safe here, but now the holiday season has started visitors are pouring in which is a little worrying.
Good to hear. Thanks for letting us know. I am waiting to get a date for my ablation though happily have been in NSR since my third CV in February so am feeling good at the moment.
Such a positive post. I'm one of the lucky ones who thankfully does not have high blood pressure. My overall health began to improve once I stopped taking the awful bisoprolol, which I now only use as a Pip. My ablation is booked for the 29th July and I look forward to further improvements in my health and well being once I recover from that.
I wonder if your 10 second runs are, actually, ectopics. I had quite a lot of episodes like that and was very concerned for a while until I decided they were probably ectopic beats. We are very, perhaps oversensitive to our heartbeats, for obvious reasons. I think that I still get occasional little runs but am much less aware as the years pass. A fast heart beat is normal for a while, even a few weeks or months, while the heart settles down.
I’m not sure about the golf, I started playing again a month ago after lockdown and managed to break my collarbone in an elaborate somersault type fall down a steep hill so no more golf for me for some weeks yet. Fortunately I can still manage my daily walk.
Thank you. My golf is bad but not that dangerous 😊
We are sensitive to our heart. The rhythm is fine then I get a flushing feeling and a pause on the beat and then back to rhythm? That is usual for me a momentary pause then rhythm. Does that sound like ectopic beats?
It does sound like ectopics to me but I’m not an EP. To look at it another way, why should it be AF. I have to admit that they scared me at first because it felt similar to AF starting up but then vanished, all in a few seconds.
You are so right about confidence. At 4 weeks in I sit and think every day ‘please let this work’. Like many I got the horrible symptomatic Paf. Knocked my confidence and QOL.
Please tell me that you are fine now and generally not bothered by the beast
I had 2 ablation 6 years ago. Fingers crossed no PAF since. I am about 80% fixed. I get ectopic beats for short to long periods and the odd 6 second tachycardia. I ride a bike and walk a lot. During PAF I lost 3 days work a week and sat in front of TV a lot when I wasn't in the back of an Ambulance so I guess 80% is acceptable to me.
Yes self employed with a mortgage was not great for anxiety. 3 years with PAF before diagnosis, they kept blaming anxiety. Ectopics feel to me like a fraction of a second of wanting to throw up, gets you down over time but the magnesium citrate removed the feeling so I am no longer aware of them.
I have yet to conquer the anxiety and each time I get it I link it to what I doing. The more I link it the more I realise that it is my mind that is sparking it off.
Fatigue getting me at the moment but that will pass I hope 😊
I think you may be getting a bit hard on yourself. If you look carefully you will see that you will get the feeling of PAF coming on and the anxiety causes adrenalin to really kick it off and keeps it going. My PAF although not as a rule lasted for 2 hours each time (I guess that after 2 hours I just stopped worrying about it). Lets look at some of the REAL triggers. Standing up, turning over in bed, getting into bed, laughing at a non PC joke, having to brake hard in your car, bending down to get something from the bottom shelf in a Supermarket and believe it or not, relaxing.
I bet when you are totally stressed at work it does not do it but as soon as you get home in front of the TV it kicks off.
I am hoping this is starting to sound familiar and that you will put Anxiety to last on the list.
Speaking to somebody that has spent a life time getting to understand his Anxiety
So wonderful to hear Im waiting for my third ablation at Barts and can’t wait as I know how much difference the other two made while they worked. I hope you stay AF free for many years to come.
Great to hear this Peter and thanks for sticking around and sharing! I am on static Flecainide and I have my PAF under reasonably good control (having had it for 15+ years over which period it got more frequent) after having pretty much become teetotal (I do miss the social drinking a lot bit I do also think it may well have led to my AF in first place). My EP offered an ablation but thinks there’s plenty time for that and as I tolerate Flec well and it does the job, leave the invasive stuff for later (I’m 52 and reasonably fit). I agree with you that this seems like it can be pretty much curable for some (ie much more than just masking the symptoms and improving QOL). Good luck to all on here in their struggle with this thing.
I was on Flecainide for about 20 years but it gradually ceased to be effective. There were also side effects in the end such as nerve damage (numb areas) to extremities. I was also on a largish dose of Bisoprolol which finally gave me Reynaud’s Syndrome. I knew when it was time for the ablation and I’m glad I didn’t leave it any longer.
Yes and no! Think there is a point, as PAF progresses, after which an ablation has more chance to not be as effective. And also the risks increase with age. My EP seems to think I can afford to wait and I’m ok with this. No doubt about it though, it’s confusing alright.
I think they look at age, whether the drugs work and how much you are costing them by not giving you an ablation. PAF customers are more likely to make their statistics for outcome better. Mine was running very close to persistent and at 50 they could not keep me on the Amiodarone for 30 years
I have loads of respect for Proff Shilling he is such a nice chap and amazingly knowledgable with it, he has helped me significantly in the past. Im glad he has helped you and that the ablation has worked so well for you! QOL is often underrated by clinicians however lack of QOL can lead to mental health issues, so I would agree with your thoughts on this.
That’s encouraging, I am so weary of constant symptoms; I have PAF that is getting worse with at least 1 episode a day. I am waiting for a date for cryoablation.
That’s such good news! I’m terrified at the thought of ablation, but fear the time is coming for me to make a decision as my Af is becoming more regular and prolonged.
Nice to hear such positive results - has helped my confidence no end. Thank you 😊
Lizie, I am the biggest coward out but have had a catheter ablation and a catheter cardioversion and trust me they were a piece of cake...medazolin helps amazingly and yes I have spelt it wrong I think
Well hello Peter, you were one who replied to my first post nearly five years ago when I was newly diagnosed. So pleased everything went well for you, Professor Schilling is my EP of choice if I ever went for an ablation after I had a consultation with him in the early days. Long may you stay in rhythm!
Congratulations on your years of success and good health! I am so happy to hear that you were helped to return to a wonderful, active life. Also, thank you for posting this here as it is very affirming, and encouraging to those who may be considering or facing an ablation. All the best!
Thanks for sharing Peter. I'm in the waiting list for my ablation now and am assured I'm an excellent candidate. I not your BP is good and this is one area I need to look at to improve chances of omg term benefit. Your story is heartening.
I’m happy to report that I’m still free of Afib, still walking about 5 miles a day and doing my best to dodge COVID. Good luck with your ablation and I know you will approach it as physically fit as possible to give your EP the best possible patient to work his magic on. Regards,
It wasn’t expected. I was not overweight and quite fit before ablation. I can only assume that the stress and anxiety was suddenly removed after and that lowered my BP.
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