Hello to you all just wanted to update you on my ‘journey’. I am now in week 14 following my PVI ablation for atrial fibrillation, and a little over a week since I had a CV for a new arrival, atrial flutter!
Yesterday I had a phone call my my EP (after I had sent him two emails outlining my ongoing issues with feeling faint on any exertion and last weeks CV), and he was very concerned regarding my new monster, atrial flutter. He said he now considers me as an urgent case for another ablation, this time to sort out the flutter situation, he also said ‘I’ll have another look at the PV side while I’m in there’!! He was very kind and said he would ask his secretary to arrange for me to see him in the next 2 weeks to ‘sort out the paperwork and the consent’, he also said he would do his upmost to get me a slot on his list as soon as he could!
I am so pleased he has made contact, and things sound very positive, even though the thought of another ablation is daunting I really do hope that once all done I can get some sort of life back! I am still not able to get out to exercise as any slight exertion now brings about intense feelings of faint, and breathlessness. I have also being commenced on Bisoprolol, and am also going through what seems like the whole gambit of the side effects of this drug, but at least it is keeping the flutter just under the surface. My EP also told me that after reviewing my clinical records from last weeks CV hospital ‘visit’, that I am ‘highly likely to have another flutter event that may well require a further CV’!!
So I am now in a very ‘mixed place’, in one way pleased that my EP has another treatment plan for me, but trying hard not to get over anxious about the possibility of another CV event! I am so grateful to our dear NHS , but again worried that this covid is coming back again.
Thank you for reading this far, just needed to get my thoughts out. One of the drawbacks of living alone not able to bonce ideas off anyone. Finding it difficult to relax about all of this, but I know that is what I must do as I really don’t want another flutter episode and hospital visit for another CV.
Thank you again for your support, and please everybody, keep safe and well.
Shirley x
Written by
Ochg
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O dear o dear Shirley, you are having a trying time! I am wishing as hard as I can that you get to the ablation before another ‘event’ - sounds really doomy - and all is well after that 💜
Thank you for your good wishes and support, it really dose help tremendously. Fingers crossed 🤞 no further ‘events’, will let you know how it all goes.
Your case sounds very positive. Because your first ablation was only for the pulmonary veins, you were in paroxysmal AF, not persistent. It is not uncommon afterwards to develop also atrial flutter. If it is in the right atrium,which is the majority of cases, the success rate is 94%. I would gamble that yours will be on the right because you were paroxysmal. You also have a very supportive EP who communicates with you readily and who wishes to speed up your treatment for the second ablation. In my opinion, you are on a very good road and well looked after. All will go fine. Wishing you the bet.
Thank you so much for your reply, it has really boosted my confidence.
I have read all of your posts, golly what a ‘journey’ you have been on. The posts are all very interesting to me, I think I will go back again and re digest all of the very informative information, if that’s ok 👌.
What a sweet reply, Ochg. Thank you. You have made my day. I am honoured that you should consider my posts informative although I do concentrate on replying to posts, especially persistent ones. I am a PhD, so I naturally spend a lot of time researching, although not so much now because I am now going into a year and a half sinus, doing very well. Like you, I live alone, so I know the territory. You are welcome to get in touch with me, and I will further relate my experience and/or research.
Oh dear, I'm sorry you're having a bad time of it. Fingers crossed your EP can get you in sooner rather than later to get it all sorted properly for you.
Thank you for your reply, I really appreciate your support. I am also praying hard that my EP can get me on his list ASAP, will let you know how it goes.
I am sorry to hear what you are going through. Hours is a similar story as mine I had an ablation 2 years ago for Afib, that has been successful but now I have this awful flutter. I was rushed into hospital 3 weeks ago and was out on Apixaban and Digoxin. My EP would have done an ablation but as I wasn't on blood thinners he said a risk of blood clots. So now on the urgent list for an ablation.
I wondered if they gave you Digoxin, I have had a couple if blips since and I find taking 250mg seems to help. You could speak to your arrhythmia nurse or EP.
Sorry to hear you are in a similar place as me ! , fingers crossed we can both get sorted soon.
I am not on Digoxin, have been prescribed, Flecainide , now as a PIP was on 50mg x 2 daily, but EP advised to stop this couple of weeks ago as he thought that could be the cause of my ongoing symptoms of feeling faint etc, I also take Edoxaban and now Bisoprolol 2.5mg. Fingers crossed the Bisoprolol will keep the flutter at bay, have felt a few flutters past couple of days but they only lasted a short time. Will let you know how things progress, I do hope you keep well, take care and all the very best.
I was going to send an update of my ablation that took place just a day or so before yours,..... but I hardly need bother because:
My ablation was only partially successful
I had an inversion last week
My EP said "You now have atrial flutter"
I will have ablation #2 all being well in 2-3 weeks
EP tells me that he has even better chance sorting our Flutter than Afib
.. in other words we have virtually the same story... amazing if annoying!
The only difference is that i spoke with my EP on Thursday evening in NSR he said I might get a relapse to flutter.. I put the phone down ... 10 mins later 120bpm irregular ...here we go again!
I am using Digoxin and the dreaded Bisoprolol to keep the rate down & hunkering down counting the days to ablation #2
Oh my, we are travelling the same bumpy path! Perhaps we are kindred spirits in previous life !
I do hope you are now back in NSR. I am feeling ok 👌 today, but very reluctant to do anything to ‘set things off ‘ again, so living a bit of a hermits life just pottering around the house and my little garden (weather permitting). Oh this mongrel of a condition really dose test your patience!
Good luck Steve, and all the best for your next ablation, please keep in touch.
Hi Shirley, as I said last week you are having something like I experienced. After my flutter ablation it stopped never to return , ( so my EP said , for 2 years 8 months he has been correct) and as soon as the flutter stopped so did the breathlessness. Hopefully this will be your experience too. I hope you can get a very quick ablation to sort you out.
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