Hi guys.
I’m interested to find out who has had an ablation, how old they were when they had it and how old now, how successful they feel it/they were and if they need to take any medication now? Also recovery times to get back to normal activities such as work or exercise and how active they feel they can be now.
I’m looking into having one done I just wanted to get a general idea from the forum over how successful they are.
Thanks guys
Quick summary
Male 60 2 ablations 3 months apart last year ( private treatment)
Ablation 1 sedation
Ablation 2 general anaesthetic
Second( 4 months on) successful from day 1 after
No anti arrhythmics from day after
Only anticoagulant
Two weeks of feeling a bit battered about
Two months of no heavy lifting/ strenuous stuff
Now feel fine
Resting heart rate faster than before but slowing still
More ectopic beats than before but not a bother I see them on Kardia rather than feel them
If I need another will not hesitate
Steve
It was the day before my 84th birthday. Nine months on it has been totally successful. I have had no episodes of AF since. I am only on apixaban but that's just to avoid possible strokes because of my age.
Not you again 😂👍
Biological age 55 very successful straight back to work sotalol then biso+a/c. Gymx4
Duration of af, bmi?
Not sure if you're talking about me but if you are, duration of AFib - years. Detected with an ECG seven years ago but, with hindsight, was happening a long time before that. Twenty five years ago ECG showed PVCs, or maybe they were PACs - told no problem.
Ended up as episodes of 20 hours or so about three times a week.
After the ablation I didn't feel tired or anything but then I wasn't terribly active. BMI 24. It's interesting you ask that! A month ago I did rouse myself to sort out my garage after the roof had blown off and spent an hour each day for a week pottering and sorting stuff out. Then my back gave up and I had to stop doing it. For the past three weeks I have had pain which I thought was my back but was actually my hip. It's getting a bit better but don't know when it will stop so my doctor is getting an x-ray, not sure if that will be next week or next month.
I knew I had a hip problem, twenty years ago when the waiting time for a hip operation was 7 years. I asked the consultant if I ought to be put on the list and he said 'well if we do it now, you'll have to have it done again in ten years time and then you look pretty well we'll have to do it again in twenty years time.' So now, twenty years later, I am looking up hip replacement surgery and BMI is important so I am going to lose some weight, 8lbs would be good!
But maybe they won't even consider it for me.
Physalis I was replying to Elli
My mother had her hip done in her late eighties, and it was a complete success. She was out walking again with my father within a couple of months. This was on the NHS in Scotland after we paid for a consultation with a specialist who fast-tracked her. She was still walking (albeit slowly) at 97.
I shall ban you from my future posts in advance James 🤣🤣
You have had just the one ablation? How long ago was it? What’s the reason for the continued use of bisop? Do you know?
I’ve had AF since jan before last. Started of badly then settled down for good few months using flec as PIP. That stopped working and was getting episodes pretty much weekly. Went on flec daily and destroyed me but only couple episodes over 2 month period. Changed to bisop and have had 2 episodes over 8/10 weeks with last one being 6 weeks ago. Doing ok of bisop but definitely don’t want to stay on it.
No idea what bmi is. Never been overweight though. I’m abit porkier round the old belly currently due to lockdown though 🤣 5ft9 and currently 12.5 stone. Usually float around 11
google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j...
2nd ablation 5 years later less effective but biso 5 effective, also a touch of bp. Memory not so good after long g.a. each time.
AF free now for 13 years. My ablation at age 63 saved my life. Really. Three years after last ablation diagnosed with prostate cancer. Had to fight for operation to remove as they wanted to only do radiotherapy. Op discovered it had already spread so various other bits I could live without also removed . Surgeon stated he would not have wanted to do a five hour operation had I still had AF. Ten years cancer free this Easter.
As my old Aunt would say " You never know what's hanging till it drops!"
Bloody hell Bob you’ve been through the ringer mate. Glad to hear your still with us and fought it off though 💪 your a true survivor!!
Rubber ball man me. keep bouncing back. No male in my paternal family died younger that 88 in the last four generations and the last two were 94. My mother's mother was 101. Important to choose your parants well.
Hi Bob! I thought I would just drop in and let you know I had a cryoablation on Friday. Back home for tea! Sadly I couldn’t have the full anesthetic, so I was sedated. I didn’t really like it. I prefer to know nothing. So far so good, but I’m getting short runs of af throughout the day. I’m assuming that’s normal. Hope you’re keeping well, Bob, and I’m saying hi to all of you whose names I recognize from way back.
Best, Jan.
Pleased for you Jan. Long time no speak. PM me if you fancy a chat. Hope you read the recovery fact sheet heartrhythmalliance.org/res....
Diagnosed September 2018. Cardioversion Jan 2019
Cardioversion Feb 2020
Ablation October 2020. I was in rhythm when I had it.
I’m 55. I had 4 weeks off work after the Ablation. Had a bit of Pericarditis after but it cleared up.
No ectopics since
Still on Apixaban - for life I think
Bisoprolol reduced to 1.25mg
Everything fine!
Glad to hear it Gabriel. Thanks for the input 👍
Hi, Diagnosed Dec 2014...Male aged 67.
Paf events every 5-8 days lasting 24-72 hours, very symptomatic
Bisoprolol 1.25mg didn't seem to do much. Tried 2.5mg felt worse as HR down to 40ish. Kept log which showed 80% of events occurred whilst sleeping, ie woke up in AF. Asked for referral to an EP.
Ablation Jan 2016, it worked for 3 weeks. Caught a flu type virus that apparently started it again, more aggressively. Tried Flecanaide but to no effect. 'Top up' Ablation June 2016. AF symptom free since, occasional runs of ectopic beats which have diminished over time. No Biso now just Edoxaban plus a Cpap machine for a mild condition of SA. Both procedures went fairly easily with no complications and the second one was really comfortable, if that's the right word.
First procedure took several weeks to get over, slow and steady wins etc, no lifting shopping for a few weeks etc, second one much less of an issue, a couple of weeks before I was back on DIY projects.
Doing what I did before now 5 years on.
Thanks for input. Very informative 👍 glad it went well for you
2 ablations when aged OMG can’t remember! 🤔 - oh 64/5. Already had AF for 7+years , very symptomatic & was on full dose of Flec which started well in keeping AF at bay but ended badly.
It was 2013 & I hadn’t heard of ablation until I came to this site. I had to travel to London for both procedures & couldn’t get an NHS referral at the time so went privately.
1st made me worse, 2nd 12 weeks later gave me 3 AF free years.
I think the ‘success’ rate has improved since then - better equipment & training & a lot more experience.
The younger you are, the quicker you heal but that isn’t always an advantage as one EP remarked when the question was asked ‘why multiple ablations?’ ‘We burn by fire or ice, some patients heal very quickly so we need to repeat’. I think you need to take on board that you may need more than 1 ablation.
Depends how you define success - I would say mine were both successful - team did what they said they would do with care & great attention but even with the best in the world, the unexpected happens - which is what happened to me so recovery was very slow due as it happens to a then unknown, underlying condition which complicated everything.
No meds other than A/C’s following ablation or since.
I was very glad to have 3 AF free years & when AF returned, I was much less symptomatic.
I would expect your outcome to be good, certainly better than all us older people simply because your age & fitness will work in your favour.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for info dreamer. 3 years is pretty good to be af free. Success for me would mean me not having to take any meds and be able to get my energy back. That would be the dream 🤞 getting back to exercise and dare I say it, back to training 🙏🙏🙏
CDreamerCan you tell me about much less symptomatic please.
Are you still paf
Rod
I now have a pacemaker so I’ve had only 2 episodes of AF in last 12 months which lasted only a short time - maybe 30mins and 3-4 hours when I had a serious chest infection.
I was less symptomatic after AF returned in 2017, fewer episodes of shorter duration initially but becoming gradually becoming more frequent and longer again so I was progressing toward persistent AF which when I had the pacemaker implanted.
I just couldn’t function at all at my worst - syncope, pre-syncope HR 180, BP 60/40, hospitalised a few times, episodes lasting up to 4-5 days. Less symptomatic = was usual breathlessness, fatigue, HR fluctuated but not as fast not more than 130 and able to do normal daily tasks around the house but needed to rest frequently.
Yesterday I gardened for a few hours, today I had to rest and recuperate and my heart was jumping around a bit but no AF - that’s my new normal but I am 70 with other conditions so I sort of expect that these days.
Suffered paroxysmal AF for about 10yrs prior to Op. Age 55 now 53 when I had my ablation. Did 7 hours on table under sedation and worth every minute .Been in NSR a while now , can exercise again, loads of energy, off ALL meds thankfully , especially bisoprolol, which drained me, and I feel got my life back can't quantify it .
Nearly died in an RTA in 2000, broke my back etc, long stay in hospital, so was used to charging on and getting on with life when it was hard , and that I thought was hard, but living with Af was worse in my experience, debilitating, depressing and just cruel at times .
I'd definitely do it again if it returns without hesitation than go back to how I was before .
Every day I wake up happy ( just don't tell the other half it ruins the man moaning) full of beans, can get for five mile walks without feeling exhausted half way, mountain bike a good 20-25miles and don't feel like I'm walking through deep mud each day as I used to.
Techs just getting better year on year, safer and less intrusive with new procedures coming through.
I waited and was very anxious about an op, but knowing what I do now wouldn't blink or advise anyone not to do the same, younger the better for good outcomes, game changer.
Was interested before Ian but your inspiring me to get cracking on the ablation. Will always be waiting for tech to get better as it’s constantly improving so never gonna be a perfect time to do it. If I can have as good an outcome as you I’ll be over the moon to be honest.
Didn’t realise you had an rta? Your not a motorcyclist like myself are you?
Was mate yes, rode since I was 10yrs old on off road bikes , Rm250 n stuff rode competitively in my teens , then had loads of road bikes LC350, Ninjas, Gsxr, R1,until i got hit by a 4x4 in 2000, ended my bike days. Got on one a few years back, but didn't feel like was for me anymore. Still salavate over the latest sport bike stuff, but I spent a year learning to walk again at the time with bad injuries , and it put my family through so much I couldn't justify doing it again,lost two good friends to bike accidents in last twenty years, so now i stick to steady away 750hp Road cars 😂.
That’s a bloody bad accident mate. Got to be so careful it’s crazy. So many people not got a clue that your even there and just pull out. I do love my bikes though I’ve got to be honest. I’d find it hard to stop. Although haven’t rode for quite a while with my ticker/health the way it’s been and lockdown putting a stop to it.
Yea it's a big miss, but when I spent time on the rehabilitation ward in Leeds, I saw so many people in with bike accidents it drove it home, the staff called bike riders "organ donors" sort of says it all.
ElliFor what it’s worth I took Bobs advice and opted fir easels ablation.
I was 60 when the paf beast hit me. Very symptomatic horrible wondered what had hit me. A year afterwards I found this site and EP’s the cardiologist at my local first told me not to worry them when it got worse the Bisoprolol which drained me and dropped BP and pulse low.
Cryoablation June last year after Covid. Took me three four months to get my energy back. No Afib since but weird ectopics that I hate but this forum tells me I will get used to.
For me the downside is after 9 months my anxiety is worse. Will it come back won’t it? If, but etc.
When I struggled with the anxiety I come to this site and ask those who know that helps
It appears that cryoablation comes first for a few reasons and the ‘top up’ is RF. a lot of us afers need two or more. Only on Apixiban now and that was on advice of this forum.
Listen to the people here on you will be informed.
Rod 🤞
Hi 7164. Thanks for input. I know a decent amount about it now thanks to this forum. Seems that the success rate shoots up the younger you are so I’m hoping that’s going to be the case. Haven’t come across anyone as young as me yet but there’s been a few in their 40s at time of ablation and they seem to have had success. Just reading the afib cure so hoping that can give me a few pointers also that I can try out prior to ablation. 🤞
Diagnosed 16 years ago with Lone PAF. 18 months of flecainide and aspirin. Aspirin dropped because of new school of thought.
Started apixaban about 6 years ago.
Cryoablation with GA September 2019
RF ablation with GA October 2020. No AFib since.
slightly elevated HR. Some noticeable ectopics but are still easing. Still on Flecainide and apixaban but guessing Flecainide may stop at review in July.
I’m female and 68. I was diagnosed with breast cancer August 2017. Luckily caught early, escaped chemo but had 15 rounds of radiotherapy and on a hormone drug that has been named the devil’s spawn because of its toxicity and side effects. I’m cancer free and will take it for as long as needed but my Afib did start to get worse around that time. I know and accept af begets af but wonder if the cancer drugs may have irritated / exasperated the Afib?
Have been on the lowest dose of Flecainide all through and only ever taken extra one at Afib onset.
If needed another ablation I wouldn’t hesitate.
Well done on being cancer free 😃👍 glad to hear it and also that your ablation went well. Great news! Hopefully my ablation will be as successful 🤞
Good Morning Elli86, if you would like any information or advice regarding a procedure including an ablation, then please do not hesitate to contact us at the AF Association, or visit our website info@afa.org.uk - you may also find our video presentations helpful? to register heartrhythmalliance.org/afa.... Kind regards, Tracy
Thanks Tracey I will give that a look 👍
Hi again
I’ve DM you. Not sure if you’ve seen the latest message.
Hi Gilli! Were you talking to me? If so I don’t recall a DM? Regarding what?
Just been through DMs Gilli sorry yes I have had DM from you but nothing since I replied?
Hi yes. I have the 33 year old son. He’s happy to chat to you. Just needs some details which was why I replied in the messages bit.
Hey I’m a 34 year old male diagnosed for PAF and persistent atrial Flutter more like permanent been in it for 6 months now. I have had 2 ablation for the flutter but both were not successful due to HOCM but I’m scheduled for a Third one hopefully for both flutter and AF. Regardless of the outcomes I will continue to do ablation until it works because the medications I’m on are destroying me Anyway best of luck hope your ablation went well
Lc
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