Ok so I’m 50 years old and have PAF and when in AF I only really get tired
I’m on Fecanide 200mg and bisoporol 2.5 mg per day and my CHads score is 0
I know my Af will only get worse in time but now I have been given the date today of March 4th ( 6 weeks away ) I’m seriously nervous that I’m just going to end up worse off after the procedure .
I hate this decision and I know no one can help but there must be a stat that shows how many a worse off after the cryoblation ?
What difference to my life will just having the flutter fixed make ??
Panic mode setting in lol
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mjm1971
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For most people ablation is beneficial even if it does not stop the AF and in most cases events are reduced. It may require several procedures to fully stop AF. Recovery , however, does take time and many people badly underestimate this. heartrhythmalliance.org/res... should prepare you.
You must also be anticoagulated for at least a month prior to the procedure and for a while afterwards regardless of your Chadsvasc score so you need to get that sorted quickly or you may find your ablation cancelled or postponed.
You must understand that this forum will usually only show the bad things that happen as the success stories seldom remain here, prefering to get on with their new life , so looking here may give you a biased view of failures.
"I’m more likely to have success by having the procedure now whilst I’m young and only in Part time AF"
I don't think afib is 'part time' It can come and go like that. Yes - I think do it now (if you decide to).
"Just wish there were some stats on my chances of making my condition worse after recovery"
OK - I'm not a medic. However the success rate for an ablation for flutter is pretty good. I doubt it would make your condition worse.
Please note though I'm not a doctor - this is something you and your EP need to decide. My peronal view point though is I doubt it will make your condition worse. This is not intended as medical advice but just my point of view.
Mad I know , but I really couldn’t tell you when or how long
I know I can go in and out fairly quickly and I know sometimes when walking dog I feel spaced out a bit and the major sign for me is being tired to the point I can shut my eyes even sitting at work . But saying that I can work through the tiredness .
I do get the odd palpitation but I don’t know if that’s the flutter or AF causing that
I stopped wearing my iPhone watch as it was becoming an obsession to keep checking HR and doing ECG’s .
If I was to hazard a guess I reckon I have days of going in and out of AF 2 or 3 days a week
But like I say it doesn’t really ruin my day I can push through the tiredness .
I guess it does stop me being as active as I used to be , coaching football and doing higher exercise at gym if I go . But that maybe more the paranoia of making my AF worse
My theory is the more I create the AF the worse it will get and I will end up in permanent Af rather than Part time ( as I call it ) .
I am usually putting the case for postponing an ablation but from the brief details you have given us, assuming you have no other health issues AND your gut feel tells you go ahead, I would say bring March 4th on. Use the interim time to optimise your health reduce work pressure, Vit C etc etc and as others have said allow plenty of time afterwards to rest & recover.
Young & healthy less complications likely & recovery probably better, asymtomatic, already on 200mgs Flec (not much headroom max is 300) & not stopping it and Cardiologist/EP is in favour. Lastly but not least, at your age working and possibly with family not as easy to implement across the board lifestyle changes; I was 60 when first diagnosed and already off the treadmill so I could be flexible on work and had an interest in medical matters resulting in making time to invest in a longer term approach.
Good luck!
Did you try to get rid of AF the natural way? Diet, supplements, lifestyle? How come Flecanaide is not helping?
According to Dr Sanjay Gupta, AFib is not an illness in itself but a symptom of other heart problems. They need to be addressed. An ablation can only help with the symptoms. If there are none or are light the need questionable. Surely one can find studies where two groups (with or without ablation) are compared.
From what I have learnt on this forum and going to AF meetings at my local hospital albeit 2 years ago now ablation for flutter is very successful. I can't make the decision for you of course only you can do that. It is normal to be very anxious about any procedure or operation beforehand but once you are in the hospital or have it done you find you had very little to be that anxious or worried about. Maybe you can phone your cardio or Arrhythmia nurses and talk to them about it.
If you decide not to go ahead with the ablation you will always have that “ What if” playing on your mind. I believe their is a high percentage for success or at least an improvement in your condition if you went ahead with procedure however your symptoms seem to be manageable and perhaps you could cope with how you are at the moment. I had a cryoablation nearly a year ago now unfortunately for me the AF returned but if offered another one I am sure I would take it. Not everyone gets the opportunity for an ablation, in my opinion if I was you, I would put my positive head on grit your teeth and plan for the procedure. Good luck in your decision.
I'm waiting for my date for cryoablation. I'm told it'll be soon. I'm 46 but had af for 17 years.Can understand the concern. Its a tricky one. For me I have times when I'd do anything to get back to full health and other times when I think " ah its not that bad really". I think it's pretty normal to have anxiety about procedures. I guess the trick is to not let that interrupt days when you're feeling well/ feeling good about life.
Hi,I hope your ablation works for you and well done in getting one offered to you in the UK. I think it’s natural to be worried but it is worth trying it if it means you can get rid of this affliction and lead a ‘normal life’ again. I have Paroxysmal AF which was diagnosed last September after ten years of having random attacks. I only used to get Afib once every two or three years and then yearly until last year, I started getting them monthly due to an anxiety condition.
I’ve been on Bisoprolol ( 2.5 and now 1.5mg) only since September which has stopped my attacks but makes me feel like a zombie. I tried weaning off that in November but failed, went back on and now trying again, but I know it’s not going to be easy.
Please can I ask how you managed to get offered an ablation in the UK? I am trying to ask for one, I’m leaving messages with Arythmia Nurse, the cardiac consultants secretary too, to no avail. I’ve only ever seen the cardiologist once last year. I want to get one sooner rather than later and my quality of life is so affected, I live from one day to another. My CHADS score is also 0 and I’m 56, based in a Essex.
You are doing the right thing. Like others have said, it’s natural to be worried, but take this offer as you might not get the chance again.
Hello, I was diagnosed at 61 with PAF late 2019, if only occurred during a one week period each month and usually only one or two episodes that petered out after four to five hours. I was and still on 2.5 mg Bisoprolol and 200 mg Flecainide. Bisoprolol stopped any lightheadedness prior to my AF bout and Flecainide helped stop the AF bout more quickly. My CHADS score was also zero.
I was offered the option of an ablation. It seemed pretty scary at the time having someone pushing a catheter up my vein into my heart and zapping it with heat or cold. But to my mind I knew that not taking that opportunity would mean I would have to ignore the AF and hope it would go away which I knew wouldn’t happen.
I had a Cryoablation in March and to be honest it does not appear to have been a success , I am still getting around a couple bouts of AF each month and they sometimes last up to 24 hours. Whether the ablation has made it worse who knows? but I had no reservations in asking to be put onto the waiting list for another ablation and am waiting for a 3D carto ablation as the EP referred to it.
As I say, my own situation is that I am willing to take the risks of another ablation as I do not believe the situation will get better by doing nothing.
The decision is purely down to you and it would pay to discuss your concerns with your medical team.
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