Had my final consultation this week after my op last April, carried out under the care of Dr Stephen Murray and his team at Freeman Hospital Newcastle, who I can't speak highly enough, especially for his patience and kind, caring nature during the whole process before and after . I also came off bisoprolol in total during March / April this year after a 6 week gradual reduction , and can honestly say I have never felt better than in the last ten years .
Pulse is now a steady 65-66bpm, prior to ablation its was 80-100bpm at rest with permanent AF for near 10 months, after years of paroxysmal bouts a couple of times a year, which developed into my worst nightmare and become constant and severe .
Over 15 months on, I can now bike 15-20 miles wihout issue and walk 3-4miles at a good pace, and importantly suffer no tiredness or fatigue like I used to , as we all know to well suffering afib regularly or permanently is just draining .
It wasn't plain sailing over the year long recovery period, relatively easy the first few months then some issues with flutter , which I think me overdoing it caused some of my hiccups, the best advice is to take it easy, as all the good people on here have always said (should of listened more to good advice) , though Dr Murray did say a common issue during healing is flutter which strangely occurs later in some poeple like me months after the op , my particular episode did land me in ER during a holiday which wasn't ideal , but thankfully I was quickly cardio inverted and recovered OK . I haven't had any further instances and don't get any problems now, it seemed to settle fully around 12/13 months post op .
To now be AF free, and able to participate in life again is a blessing I don't take for granted. Every day I think myself lucky, and grateful for the skill which never ceases to amaze me that was shown carrying out my surgery and allowing me my life back .
Those seven hours of surgery were worth every minute, the change in my life is so profound it never will grow old , I suppose we all compensate so much for our AF affecting what we do in daily life, we just take it as normal living . For years I had reduced normal activities that I just reasoned was me getting a little older, but now normality has been restored, can appreciate how AF controlled what I did and thought and restricted my daily life .
I would advise anyone given the chance to halt the march of AF at a younger age to do so or see if its an option , in fact any age if it is viable, to take the opportunity if given ablation as an option , for me personally it's been a game changer and given me a new lease of life .
I still keep popping in here though not as much as I used to, to see how all are doing and follow the conversations and brilliant support offered by some truly nice people putting their own time into helping others . The sense and compassion offered is priceless and I'm sure I speak for many when I say its helped me through some dark times and tough days/nights, and can honestly say was important during testing times.
Mine and quite a few friends experiences show there is life after AF and I hope this gives a glimmer of hope to anyone on the same path, hope your all well and keeping safe during these odd times were all living at the moment, stay safe and be positive .
Ian.
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Ianp66
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It's strange times mate for sure, it's unbelievable how much the bisoprolol actually affected me, as you said before it's like walking in mud all the time and with me it did affect my mood, felt half robotic at times.
Have a beer on me and take care of yourselves mate 👌
So lovely to hear a success story. I’m waiting for an ablation, no idea when though. I’m so tired of being tired and not being able to do what I took for granted before AF. So many scary stories out there that hearing a success story is just wonderful. It gives me hope. Enjoy your new AF free life. Thank you for sharing.
I was the same and keep positive, its worked in many poeple apart from me, I guess a lot of the time we just hear the bad stories as some disappear if its a success, and just get on with life without us hearing about it .
Do your homework and get the best possible EP, that is the advice I got from other kind souls in here, and there is hope look at me, just don't settle until your happy you hear the right things and you feel comfortable who is operating on you .
Be patient and more important slow steps and don't get disheartened at the knock backs and low points, there is some tension between good and bad momentd to expect. Going to quick just ruins the healing process, I found that out the hard way, nice slow goals is the way .
Keep us posted Cally on your progress be great to hear another successful ablation story
Bisoprolol is awful and I was glad to be rid of it. I'm waiting for an ablation and I felt a bit "eeeeek" reading yours took 7 hours but good to know you're doing well. I had a couple of AF free years just with meds and when it kicked back in again in June, I'd forgotten how debilitating it was. Hope you continue to do well and that mine doesn't take that long 😁
Mine was a new procedure for the hospital and a long process to make sure "he got it all" in DR Murrays exact words, I'd do it again tomorrow, wasn't in pain and well medicated, like a good night out, merry, so don't be scared, it's not as bad as you actually think it is.
Bisoprolol was awful for me I didn't tolerate it well at all, it did keep my runaway heart at bay sometimes but once on it at 5mg daily at its peak, I felt wiped out and miserable. Its hard to come off after being on a while, and the doctors and gp just laugh when you say I can't just stop it, I tried just cold turkey it was horrendous, second time I came off it over a period of 6 weeks, still not pleasant but doable, and after 5-6weeks it gets easier, now I feel much better off it after a couple of months.
Thanks for the reassurance. I'm under UHCW who are supposed to be a cardiac centre of excellence. Got to have another cardioversion (number 3) in the meantime........now, that was fun when they didnt give me enough sedation. They heard me scream in the ward next door 🤣🤣🤣.
Just had an ablation and it only took a fraction of that time, so I really wouldn't worry about it. I stopped bisoprolol too - horrible drug. I only use it as a pip now.
I'm sadly back on Amiodarone after an 8 month break from any meds. I've just read your post. Glad yours was a quicky and hope you continue to do well.😊
Thank you Ian. It's so nice to hear such good news about the outcome of an ablation.
I have PAF, but it seems now to be a rare event (fingers crossed) although I had a bout of it just a week ago, the first since lockdown started back in March. As I'm over 70, I am still not going socialising and just biding my time at home working on a project (new workshop build).
I received a letter on Friday, saying my ablation has been deferred until the pandemic situation is 'resolved'. This may be a good idea as I've today read that Blackpool NHS are all to be urgently tested for the virus, to try to control a spike of infections.
Ian people need stick together 😉, I used to suffer fast tachy episodes and all sorts of weird and wonderful things thankfully not now . Glad I had mine last year with all this uncertainty as if we don't worry enough in afib or other conditions, hopefully it passes and you get the op sorted, if it worked for me it can for anyone, keep in there,
Ian, I found your post very helpful. I am nine months post an ablation which was carried out in Leeds. My recovery was very slow indeed but now I feel much better.
Unfortunately three bouts of flutter, two requiring hospitalisation, have caused me much anxiety. I deal with such anxiety as best I can. An ablation to deal with the flutter has been suggested but there is a waiting list.
My flutter settled and luckily had now totally gone . Dr Murray said its very common for flutter later 6-9 months in the healing period, which sounds like both you and me. The cardioversion I had sorted mine and thankfully it hadn't ever happened again, hope your does the same, but he did also comment that if I needed the flutter sorting it was a much easier process... Ian.
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Cryo ablation
EP consultation and 4 months post ablation report. 
Six months post ablation
