Hi I'm very new ro this ..I was diagnosed with af back in april21 but chose not to take my 2.5mg bisoprolol straight away as thought I might be able to treat it naturally...symptoms were small palpatations lasting from few seconds to up to an hour or so and nothing else...once or twice a week..then started getting it more frequently so went onto bisoprolol and it works well for me....Will the meds work for lifetime or do you have to have an ablation etc to help it?
Can medication be taken for life inst... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Can medication be taken for life instead of abalation
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Andyb7612
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Hi Andy and welcome. Bisoprolol is a rate control drug rather than an antiarrythmic drug but controlling the rate seems to work in preventing AF episodes IF your AF is triggered by fast HR.
Your question is a really difficult question to answer as Ablation and drugs are considered more or less equally effective at controlling AF is such a rogue condition and affects everyone very differently. The general consensus is that the earlier Ablation is offered then the better the chances of it stopping AF in the future.
Personally I chose Ablation as my Quality of Life was SO miserable with the drugs. It’s really a choice.
May I suggest that the option to try above all others is Lifestyle Changes - simply
- Treat underlying conditions which may cause AF - Thyroid, Sleep Apnea, Hypertension, Diabetes etc
My 5 Pillars of Good Health
- Manage stress
- Have good quality 7-8 hours sleep
- Keep weight controlled - ideal BMI is 25 to aim for
- Exercise moderately - both too little and too much are not good for AF
- Learn how to Breath - may sound ridiculous but I can assure you that it’s not as many people mouth breath a lot.
Read as much as possible - start with AFA but if you are into natural methods read Cure AFib by Dr John Day, Breath by James Nestor. For food check The Doctor’s Kitchen - young doctor who developed AF during training as a Junior Doctor.
heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...
drjohnday.com/get-rid-atria...
Even taking all that on board, AF may still persist and it can be, but is not always, progressive so all treatments above first line stroke risk which is normally assessment for anticoagulation, is all about how symptomatic your AF is, although some mat argue that it should always be treated.
Hope you find the forum useful. Best wishes
Hi cdreamer and thanks for the reply and advice...it is a bit weird really as I don't get a high heart rate during my episodes my pulse rate never really moves much but I have a lowish pulse rate anyway of around the 57 bpm usually as I do quite a bit of biking and swimming, I questioned this when I was prescribed the bisoprolol...but the bisoprolol for whatever reason has definatley helped a lot...I usually get the palpatations when I either lie down flat on my back or sit back relaxing at night..if I get up and move or turn over onto my side that almost immediately stops them...and that was before I started taking the bisoprolol....I have a lot of worries over the af and all the uncertainty makes it worse , I'm one of life's natural worriers really I'm.afraid...again thanks for taking the time to reply and all the best andy.
It might be that your ectopic beats and occasional AF are a result of physical irritation to the heart. It's known that the gastric system, when distended from swallowed air, gas or food, can push the diaphragm upwards and against the heart. This can be made worse by body position, including lying down, and cause ectopic beats. These, in prone individuals, can trigger AF. In a few people, too, I gather, the vagus nerve can be somehow involved and that stimulates the gastric system, causing peristalsis and movement.
I've read also that there are other physical changes that can bring on AF, such as a slight enlargement of the atria and stretching of its cells because of other cardiac conditions, aging, excessive exercise, sleep apnoea, obesity, diabetes, or hypertension. The physical causes of AF seem difficult or impossible to pinpoint even with an echocardiogram or stress MRI.
In my case, AF followed an ablation for persistent atrial flutter accompanied with a high heart rate (155bpm). I don't know why AF happened as my heart seems physically fine, although the Afl did temporarily weaken it and bring on some left-branch bundle block. Fortunately, AF for me is still very infrequent and what I mostly have is ectopic beats, often in runs, and often, like you, when lying down or relaxing. I also get quite frequent 'mild' tachycardia of 85-130bpm, often over breakfast, when bending over, or just with mild activity.
Like you a small dose of bisoprolol helps and is all I use.
Steve
Goodness I dream of 7-8hrs sleep. I seem to pass out easily when I go to bed. But once I got my Apple Watch, I discovered that I might be in bed, and I'm not consciously awake, but I'm lucky to get 6.5hrs of sleep even if I'm there for 8hrs, which I frequently am. Last night less than 5 hours! So tired today. I was conscious of being awake a lot last night. Normally I am not.
As with most things to do with AF, there rarely are easy answers. For people with persistent/permanent AF they very often remain on medication for life. Sometimes they may need to change doses or even try different types of medication but provided they are able to keep their heart rate within normal range, they tend to lead relatively normal lives. It sounds as though you have Paroxysmal AF, the type that comes and goes without warning. The difficulty with PAF is that can vary, change in intensity and because it’s a progressive condition, it often becomes permanent and then the comments above often still apply. However, at 56 you are relatively young, fit and according to your profile, in very good shape so you really need to consider if it’s going to better for you to remain on very potent medication for the rest of your life or instead consider an ablation. I’m not a medic, but I know what I would do but I suggest you have a conservation with an EP (a cardiologist who specialises in Arrhythmias) and then decide what treatment plan might be best for you……
Andyb7612 in reply to
Hi flapjack thanks for the reply ...I guess you mean an abalation for sure then...I just talked to a cardiac nurse and she basically told me that because my symptoms are very mild , I see to get on well with my meds and my age of 54 is still quite young for afib that I probably wouldn't get offered it just yet and would probably be more likely to get one as I approached the 60 year mark or if my symptoms became a lot worse which ever came sooner , all the best andy
Interesting response from arrythmia nurse!
I’ve heard my EP say that under 45 and fit would make ideal candidate for successful outcome for ablation for AF but that would be privately. NHS may have different criteria and/or different areas have different criteria and if you aren’t symptomatic you may not be prioritised.
If you only get palpitations at rest and have no other symptoms you may have vagal AF - in which case Beta Blockers such as Bisoprolol are often contraindicated but it’s so individual - do what works for you now but know it may change in time.
Do you track HR, BP & O2 sats? You can get a mobile device called a Kardia which enables you to take your own ECG which can help diagnosis, prognosis and treatment evaluation.
How were you diagnosed and have you seen a cardiologist specializing in arrhythmias (EP = Electrophysiologist)?
Here live in South Africa we do not have arrhythmia nurses so it's straight from GP to Cardiologists - EPs are very thin on the ground too. When my son who is an extreme sportsman was diagnosed by a a fellow canoe club member (a cardiologist) with AFib 16years ago at the age of 35 with AFib, (it is a common finding among canoeist and white water rafters such as him), he was advised to go to Cape Town for an ablation. Since the ablation he has had no problems, is on no medication and carries on as normal with a reduced level of competitive sport and regular check ups show no problems. Things may change in the future as AFib is in my family, my father had it, my three sisters and I have it, but none of us are badly affected. I'm in South Africa and my sisters in the UK, so the approach is different, but because we are privately treated here the response is faster.
in reply to Andyb7612
God bless spellcheck! Conversation not conservation! Nope, I would never say ablation for sure……in my case I did a lot of research and was still uncertain about what to do for the best. In the end, my Cardiologist who was not particularly enthusiastic about ablation actually said that if he was me, he’d opt for a Cryoablation…..I did, and although I needed a second RF ablation I have absolutely no regrets but we are all different…….good luck
I absolutely disagree with your arrhythmia nurse. AF is always a progressive condition and the sooner dealt with the better. Leave it for too long and the chance of ablation working reduces noticeably.
That said any and all treatment for AF is only for quality of life (QOL) and none has superior results in terms of long term morbidity . One must also recognise that once heading down the ablation route it may require several procedures. Even when AF is terminated it does not remove the predisposition to arrhythmias that we here obviously have so it is vital to investgate and implement those life style changes that have been shown to be benficial if one wishes to remain healthy and arrhythmia free. AF is just one of many arrhythmias, just the most common.
Hi there thanks for the reply...can I ask when you say lifestyle changes do you mean diet, excercise , sleep , no alcohol etc...as to be honest i have always excecised regular being a keen cyclist and swimmer so have kept myself fit and a healthy weight , I don't really drink much but I know my diet isnt perfect and could be better really... so i don't know really what other lifestyle changes could help me if any yours andy
Less meat and no processed food if possible. Exercise in moderation of course.
Yes I could cut out the processed food and red meat a bit that's for sure...and in your opinion do you think this really helps in combating the af as much as the excercise ?..im no endurance elite athlete buti i swim 3 times a week and bike ride once a week around the 35 mile mark..
Lifestyle Medicine for me is MUCH more than just diet and exercise - as I outlined in my original reply. Most people start with diet and exercise and that may be important for someone overweight and never exercises but that obviously doesn’t apply to you so for me these are the more important factors which often get ignored:-
1. Good quality sleep - 7-8 hours
2. Managing stress = psychological stress = inflammation = AF
3. Managing the amount and intensity of exercise to avoid stress in muscle as inflammation is the biggest antagonist of our body and will trigger AF if you have a tendency for arrythmias.
4. Breathing right - especially at night and when exercising.
Inflammation is caused by:-
Infections including even the mildest cold. Don’t train if you have a sniffle.
Exercise so know when your muscles get stiff - that’s a really good indicator so don’t push it. Ask your GP to test inflammatory markers in addition to the normal stuff.
There’s a good reason elite athletes take ice baths following training/competition and spend most of their time in recovery when not training. Having watched a relation train for 3 Olympics I am very aware just how addicted to exercise one can become but also how when you fine tune your body to such an extreme just how sensitive it becomes and how easily it can break down which is why constant monitoring of bloods etc. is absolutely essential for them to keep well. We don’t have that luxury of having a team of medics analysing everything we do so we need to become the experts on our own body.
Worrying - staying calm and learning how to switch off the mind is essential. Worry causes release of stress hormones which are corrosive to the body. Counter by doing things your enjoy and find activities other than exercise to reduce your stress hormones.
If you really want to start looking at Lifestyle Medicine then research it thoroughly and a good place to start is Dr Chatterjee’s The Four Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine.
One of my GP’s and a consultant are both Lifestyle Medicine trained (called Functional Medicine in US). This takes into account far, far more than just diet and exercise.
drchatterjee.com/video-is-l...
Sorry - you got me on my hobby horse!
PS what worries you about AF in particular? I know it can feel horrible and the thought of something wrong with our hearts can be scary but know that many of us live relatively normal lives with AF and have done for many years.
Hi cdreamer thanks for the reply again , I think my worries are about it getting a lot worse and my quality of life just becoming that bad that it becomes unbearable ...I read quite a few stories of how some unfortunate certain people are really badly affected by it , which in turn makes me really sorry for them and I think If this happens to me I basically dont have much of a future to look forward to ,or even a long one.. I have always been a bad worrier and this has knocked me for six.i know other people have far worse situations to worry about than me and I wouldn't dispute that but I just can't seem to think many positive thoughts about it all or even any thoughts for the future ...sorry if this sounds a bit harsh and dramatic but at the moment it's how I feel , yours andy...
Your feelings are valid, no matter other people’s experiences. This is all very new to you and you are still in the shock and coming to terms with it all. Getting on top of the worry thoughts will help so look at CBT - cognitive behavioral therapies - plenty on line.
You will find lots of support here because I think without exception we have all been where you are now.
These thoughts and feelings are transient and that’s what they are - thoughts and emotions. There is nothing to indicate that you will not be able to do what you are doing now in 10 years time - maybe a bit slower but still active and productive.
Knowledge is potential power so do your homework & get the best doctors you can and you will get there.
We are here to support you so read some stories that had positive outcomes. Plenty of elite athletes have AF and continue.
Again thankyou vey much for the quick reply advice and support . I will definatley be taking your advice and the fact that there are people on here willing to offer support and a bit of guidance means a great deal to me ..I think when I here the afib begets afib line, I sit around more waiting for it to start then when it does it makes me worry more that its getting worse....a vicious circle I need to try and break thanks again andy..
I think that line "Afib begets Afib" should be banned! It's pretty much scaremongering. It terrified me at first.
When I first got AF I was in my 40's, fit and active and slim with a good diet. I don't even hold with the diet changes as we are each different and food has never been a trigger for me. I've been knocking around the edges of various medical worlds for years and the first thing anyone does with a new condition is panic and change their diet! It's the one thing they might be able to control I suppose, so they rush into it. However, worrying about eating the right or wrong things can contribute to the AF. Eat sensibly and eat all things that don't come out of packets. Meat and veg and fruit and nuts and seeds and dark chocolate are all good for us. As are grains. Processed food not good. I never drank much and I still don't. For a while I drank nothing. No difference so I have the odd drink if I fancy one, but it's less than 2 glasses of wine a month easily.
I have a complex hypothyroid problem that medics long ago gave up on so I'm on my own there and I have had to learn way more about it than any GP and even endo, who these days are diabetes specialists more than anything. But when I got AF that turned permanent, (it's always there,) I just panicked and could not read anything about it. I was too scared. The first break-through was someone saying "it's annoying but it won't kill you. That helped me to relax a bit. After about a year of it being permanent I started to read more and learn more about it. And that helped me to relax even more.
I only take a beta blocker and anticoagulant. My HR is fast but my BP is good (the beta blocker helps) and wonky heart beat is often not detectable at all by anything other than my Apple Watch (which I can run a single lead ECG on) or an actual ECG machine in a surgery. My Afib is not bothering me. My hypothyroidism has ruined my life though. That one I really hate. With a vengeance. As a result of it and of the meds not working to help me, I am now fat, unfit and almost totally sedentary because I'm stiff, in pain and so exhausted and depressed all the time. But I fight on, looking for the answer. For people like me it can take many, many years to find what works for us as we are abandoned by the medical world.
The main point of my message is, it won't kill you. Most of us can't feel it a lot of the time. Many have this for years and years before being diagnosed by chance. There's no reason why you can't control it with meds. But ablation is an option too. But it's not a cure. Take time to relax into the diagnosis and try not to obsess about it. You have a future, and it's just as bright as it was.
H there thanks for the reply and words of encouragement...I hope you can start to feel better at some point...
This post is about you. I only talked about my tribulations to put the AF into perspective. I will beat the other. I will do it.
Please take to heart the rest of the message.
I will and thanks again.all the best andy
You've described word by word exactly how I fell.Mom started to have AFib episodes last year and I've seen how fast it can get from a few episodes now and then to almost weekly episodes. I'm watching her struggle and it breaks my heart.
I'm no good either: had some "strange" palpitation episodes, I have high pulse (was put on bisoprolol) and I'm having ectopics daily, recently more frequently.
I have an ECG loop recorder fitted as I type.
I'm scared and I've witness how helpless doctors can be in the face of AFib.
I'm 34 years old, engaged (wedding postponed due to covid) that was looking forward to start a family, to buy a house and so much more. The thought that AFib can take that away from me is tearing me up inside.
Hi there snak3eyes I'm really sorry to learn about your mother and I know exactly how your feeling and I can assure you your not alone ...it scares the hell out of me also , and the fact that worrying over it makes it worse it's like a vicious circle... was your mam on meds when it stated getting a lot worse and what symptoms did she have during afib? One thing I have learned today is that there usually is a correct treatment for every individual that has a very good chance of helping you have a normal and active life after diagnosis so that is something I am trying to keep in mind. The etopics you get I get as well and i have read online are nothing to worry about and are quite normal in some people so try not to worry about that to much.. you are very young for afib I know that much but they will sort you out , the hard part is to not worry to much about it as much , easier said than done I know that myself...I've just had some good advice to try some therapy or see the doctor for some anxiety tablets till the condition is more stable....as for your wedding plans , house etc keep planning my friend they will sort you out and you will get there.. yours andy
I’m 78 years old and won’t let AF beat me. If I can you can.
Hi there thanks for that I hope your right ...can i ask how long you have had af and how you treat it thanks
Have had it for at least 12 years but palpitations before that. Have decided against an ablation. My AF has only ever necessitated one trip to resus. I have lost weight, walk a lot, don’t sleep on my left side and take a lot of drugs👍
Afib won't take any of those things away from you. Unless you give them up. You still have a future. This is just annoying. It can be hereditary. I got mine from Dad. His brother had it, his sister, my cousin and me. There might be more of us I don't know about.
The first thing you have to do is relax and stop thinking about it. Especially panicking that you have no life ahead. You do. I've just written out a long explanation that I hope will help the original poster. Have a look at that. I had episodes in my 30's, I'm sure of it now. But at the time they were never caught by a GP. I was diagnosed in my 40's. We can live with it. Some have worse side effects than others. My Dad was very bad towards the end of his life, but he was 86 by then and had had open heart surgery for other reasons. I barely feel it. We are all different. Your Mum is not your blueprint for your own experience of it.
My son is 52 this year an just had his first ablation. He is a keep fit fanatic
BobD hopefully will comment.
From reading his posts, he had a successful ablation. Not sure if he still takes meds.
He had it done privately and although I shout at him he got back on his peloton very quickly. No break outs as yet
He does however say his heart stops at 159 and he can’t enter anaerobic zone. Mad
Hi that's great for him though as at least he can still do his passion for cycling and I hope it stays all well for him thanks andy
Not if he doesn't listen to his body and train sensibly. Excess exercise is a common reason for people, especially endurance athletes and fast jet military pilots developing AF. Highly disproportionate numbers do.
Hi Bob and all - great info here!I too was new 1.5 yrs ago.. after being diagnosed with PAF and a trip to ER with HR 180… tried several meds that made my life unbearable (I do not do well on meds-many do) After another trip to ER in Dec for same reason I was getting about half a day in before feeling sick and needing to lie down after any exercise at all (like walking the dog) .. my HR would also start increasing following exercise - to a point where if I didn’t lie down .. a full blown case of AF would occur again where I would need to go to ER and get cardioversion OR take a Diltiazem 30 mg .as Pip . which resulted in making me feel just as sick in a different way - and would put me to sleep.
Therefore I now take 1/2 Diltiazem30 Before I walk the dog or swim….( advice from cardiologist) around 4 pm and it’s getting me through the days. I’m on Urgent list for alblation… and honestly I can’t wait!
(Whatever urgent means during COVID btw)…
Yesterday I overdid it with swimming too hard/long and even 1/2 diltiazem was not helping ..(would have taken another 1/2 but didn’t want to sleep through the evening) I felt sick and my HR was increasing white sitting. I had to lie down and drink some cold water - gradually it came back down to normal over a couple hours of rest. Sometimes I have to sleep overnight in order for HR to go back to normal (rest).
One thing I have noticed… with these episodes… often times my stomach gets upset when my HR increases .. my face turns really red/hot and I’m freezing at the same time..
I am hypothyroid as well.. my disease of Synthroid just got increased to 137.5 mcg and seems TSH has dropped back to normal.
As far as stress… we’ll let’s just say I’m the queen of stress and worry.
My mother is elderly in hospital I can’t go visit her .. (she broke her femur had surgery)
I am 57 .. have a big job that’s stressful but exciting .. and I live for excitement (some people call it stress) - but I love my work as a broker… it’s challenging and it’s what I do!!
Just want to get back to a normal life of travel and Maybe even some light jogging .. at least having not to worry about getting through the day without feeling sick..it’s a real pain!
I was afraid of alblation but after Bob reassured me recently and posted some great info (thank you again Bob!
I did some more research and have realized it’s the best possible choice for me at this time.
Best of luck to you.. and try not to worry!!
Welcome to the group! We talk a lot here about AF being a Quality of Life issue. I get the impression that you have good QOL and minimal AF symptoms. That was my situation a decade ago. I chose a rate medication, which also treated my HBP, and an aspirin a day to guard against our 6x higher incidence of strokes with AF. Aspirin is no longer recommended in that regard. I had a serious AF stroke on that regime. Luckily I am recovered. I mention it because it's easy for those of us with high QOL to miss the potential for serious disability from an AF clot. You make no mention of anticoagulation in your email, if you haven't already, please discuss that with your doctor.
Hi there the cardiologist said because of my age 54 yrs and my health , no underlying heath issues that my chadvasc score was 0 so he didn't want to put me on blood thinners..so i didn't question him really..
That’s OK but know when you might consider it.
Hi again , do you mean I should consider it shortly ? as the cardiologist said at the age of 60 to 65 as a potential age for blood thinners , and I just tool his advice but I don't mind questioning him if needs be...
No - just know when to consider taking and sounds like your EP has given you just one factor - age - which raises your risk level but other factors would be if your BP rises, even though it may be controlled with meds which would then raise your score or if you other conditions which would also raise your score. SO… 0=No anticoagulants 1= consider but choice >2= highly recommended. I score 4 - 1=female, 2=65+, previous TIA = 2.
It’s all about risk management.
hi andy my ep told me at around age 55 and chads score of 0 that i wouldnt be put on anticoags until i was 65 , i have 3 years to go God willing, but i keep thinking i would like to be on anticoagulant now , and intend to run it by my gp soon.
Hi Tom have you had an abalation or are you on meds still...do you get many symptoms often at all?
i turned down the offer of an ablation 3 to 5 months ago ,opting for meds for now , at present i go into an episode it appears every 8 to 12 days approx. for approx 24 hrs ,it has increased over the years for sure, sympton wise ,i get very tired and heavy legged and feel really out of sorts, ive kept reasonably fit with walking and weight training since school days , so afib put a dampener on me to a degree, but now i try to think when im well im well and get on with life best i can . it doesnt all have to mean doom and gloom , i take 1.25 bisoprolol to control rate and 2x 400 mg of dronederone for anti arrthyimic properties, which keeps af from getting too hectic.
Early days for you, which is good news. Sounds like you may have vagally mediated AF. Try to stop the problem completely by significant steps to reduce all stress and half your exercise for 3 months. You can always go back to old habits if you see no improvement. Also cut gluten and sugar by 80% but take care not to substitute with bad alternatives e.g. no supermarket gluten free bread.
Hi Andy, like you I was diagnosed with PAF last June after a couple of A&E visits, I am also a lifelong anxiety champion - if worrying was a sport I’d definitely be in with the chance of a medal😊 The seemingly random nature of PAF episodes is the most challenging aspect I find and the fact that it all came out of the blue - mid-fifties, reasonably fit, healthy BMI etc.
I was also given Bisoprolol, initially to take when I had episodes but then , last November the cardiologist advised I should take it daily. I resisted at first, but over the Christmas period episodes became longer and more frequent so I have now started taking it daily and things have calmed down again.
I have been offered an ablation and have been weighing up the pros and cons ever since. I have decided for now, that I’m sticking with the low dose of meds I’m on and will “watch and wait”, as my QoL is ok on Bisoprolol. There is new and interesting research being carried out using pulsed field ablation techniques that appear to result in less chance of collateral damage being caused during the procedure and so I figure the longer I wait the more chance there is of better techniques for dealing with this condition being developed. In the meantime I’ve been focusing on lifestyle changes laid out in the two book recommendations CD mentions in her detailed post and also getting to grips with my anxiety issues.
Initially I was completely traumatised by my heart going crazy and terrified of having another attack but, as time has gone on, I’ve started to look on this condition as my heart trying to find a way of telling me I need to make some changes - in my case dealing with my anxiety is key I think.
Sorry for the essay and the New Age vibe😀!
Full marks for the essay. Well done you.
Hi threecats and thanks for the reply I think that is very good advice and I shall definatley try to follow it as much as possible...can I ask though your on low dose bisoprolol like me do you never have any episodes of af even if they seem to try and start but go after a few seconds or minutes or just none at all ever now...that's what I am after the advice about,, as I have gone from every day nearly short episodes of palpatations to maybe one small episode once every 7 or 8 days or so...when I say short I mean a usually less than a minute long thanks..
Hi again, no problem. I’ve only started taking Bisoprolol daily this past three weeks, so early days. ( I was very resistant to taking daily meds!) I do get occasional ectopics that last for a few seconds or so but no AF. From only having an odd episode every few months last year, over Christmas I was getting AF episodes lasting 15 hours or so every couple of days, so this is a massive improvement for me. Are you certain it is AF you’re experiencing in those short episodes and not runs of ectopic beats? ( These are considered normal and harmless) I’ve got a Kardia device and use that to check occasionally. Being an anxious animal, I’m hypersensitive to any skips, hops or quivers I feel my heart is doing and the Kardia is great for me in providing reassurance that all is well. Others frown on anxious types like us having these things for fear of being obsessed by them but, personally, I’ve found it very useful.
As for the lifestyle thing, it’s well worth doing as much as you can, I think as, whether you stick with meds or decide on an ablation, there’s a greater chance of either being more effective if you are following lifestyle recommendations too, it seems.
Hi I was also diagnosed last April after a trip to A&E with very fast erratic heart beat. I’m 50 (49 at the time) and ran/cycled a lot. I was put on low dose bisoprolol 1.25 as I normally have a very low hr 40-45bpm and Rivaroxaban. Mr cardiologist immediately offered me an ablation as he said as I was so young and it was progressive the earlier the better. I had my ablation October 2021 at St Barts and other than etopics I haven’t had any more AF and I’m no longer on the bisoprolol. I have my follow up next week and hope to be taken off the Rivaroxaban. Im surprised that an ablation hasn’t been recommended to you as I was under the impression the earlier it’s done the better outcome. I don’t know how long I will stay AF free but I will opt to have it again if it comes back.
I was always high rate afib ( 165 bpm resting) so somewhat different to you.I read early on that "Afib begets Afib" , the more you get it, the more you will get it. This maybe more relevant for high rate but I don't know ( not medically trained).
The doctor who became my EP advised that AFib would likely return when discussing my first AFib attack. And it did. Despite taking rate control medication I had more afib atracks over the next 20 months with increasing frequency. After the 12th, which lasted 8 days, 5 of them in hospital, I decided to have an ablation. I am now 4 years without AFib. I have not taken any drugs for over 3 and a half years. Now I really wish I had gone for the ablation after the 3rd attack when it was obvious ( with hindsight and accumulated knowledge) it was not going away on its own. And I would have missed over 2 years of hassle with attacks, drug side effects, and stress when going on holidays or work trips (China for one ).
I don't think you are at the position yet where you need to decide what to do, you are still learning about what sort of AFib you have and you have a lot of good advice from others on how to tackle and manage or even elininate AFib without an ablation.
However FYI this was posted on the forum only yesterday regarding ablations versus drugs
newsroom.clevelandclinic.or...
Best wIshes
Thank you for the link to the study KM , that’s an interesting read and something else to ponder when considering options. I did note the study was supported by the company that makes cryoballoons, though, the ablation technique employed in the study. Not that I’m suggesting there was a bias but maybe worth keeping in mind.Glad you’ve been sorted anyway, long may NSR continue!
If you want to treat it naturally carrafibdietinfo.com/
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