Will being in AF ruin the Cryoblation I had 4 weeks ago ?

[mjm1971]

Hi all

Had a Cryoblation 4 weeks ago

I was in PAF previously and would get episodes once a week for an hour or two worse case

I have this week caught COVID and this seems to have triggered my AF . I’ve now been in AF for 54 hours

Herat rate doesn’t go above 95 and I don’t suffer with any real symptoms .

But I’m stressed that being in AF will destroy the chances of my Cryoblation working which happened 4 weeks ago .

Will being in AF affect the blanking period ?

Thanks

Matt

[BobD Volunteer]

I'm sorry but I do not think anybody can answer that Matt. We know that Covid can affect the heart and sometimes cause arrhythmias but it is all so new that any long term data is still not available. Just another thing we have to learn to live with!

[mjm1971 in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob

I guess the COVId makes no odds .

Will having longer bouts of AF during blanking period affect my chances of success etc .

Seeing as odds for someone with PAF are greater of success etc

[CDreamer in reply to mjm1971]

You can read all the odds you like - it’s how YOU respond that matters so worrying about what may happen is only going to exacerbate any recovery. I know it’s really hard but focus on things you enjoy an relaxation, that will give you the best chance of converting to NSR & staying in NSR.

I was hospitalized with AF and COVID - my heart played up for a few weeks in and out but after settling I haven’t had any further episodes.

If you are worried, call or email your EP for advice.

[Singwell]

I had multiple AF episodes for 3 weeks following my first ablation and still eventually felt an improvement overall. I had a repeat procedure just over a month ago and had 3 episodes in the first week due to stress. I don't think this means my ablation has failed. 54 hours is a bit long. Follow CDreamers advice - stay calm, be kind to yourself, get through the COVID. If the COVID gets bad you could request antivirals from the hospital. A friend of ours who's immunosuppressed recently did this and apparently is doing better. He reported loss of heart rate variability just pre COVID and then quite low BPM during. He doesn’t have AF but it shows that COVID does affect our hearts.

[Ppiman]

I've lost the link now to the study now, but I read that after one year most patients had had some breakthrough arrhythmias following their ablation, but that by two years most were still free.

Technically, I gather that doctors allow a three-moth "blanking period" to see whether the procedure has worked its magic, but from what I could tell from the study, it can take longer than this.

Steve

[bassets]

I had an ablation in August last year, had a number of arrythmia episodes linked to stress or infection but my EP thinks it has been a success so far. Infections do trigger af. I do hope you will feel much better soon. Best wishes and keep resting.

[mishugenah]

For what its worth, I had a cryoablation on Feb. 16, and precisely March 8, I was back in afib, worse than before the ablation. This was my second ablation, the first having been a radiofrequency one. My doc was murdered in a hit and run on 3/18, my EP added Multaq to my drugs and scheduled me for a CV on 3/30 which seemed to be a success. On 3/31 and 4/1 my older sister had a stress fracture and a gout outbreak while getting ready for a once in a year visit from one of her children and her grandchildren, who were coming to see us both. We needed an ambulance to get her off the floor, after once on 3/31 having done so and ruining my husband's back, as well as my "take it easy" time being blown totally out the window.

I believe that this CV will be fine in snapping the heart rhythm back, IF (giant if) the family will stop pressuring me to get things done. She's living with me now, temporarily, and we haven't been able to get any help in getting her place back together. I've gone over every day to see what I can do but its all about stress and pressure. Frankly its been a real "poop-storm" and if it were not for schedules and un-refundable tickets, we'd have canceled the kids out post haste. In fact, feeling lousy for 2 -3 days after being in the Emergency room with my sister, I took a covid test myself yesterday, and its fine. However, if you can keep your pressure from outside sources down, you most likely will be fine! I only got a couple of years out of my first ablation, but they were two better years than I'd had after over a decade of afib. The only reason I waited for the second one was due to Covid and the inability to get it done. Incidentally, my heart rate has been fluctuating between 57 and 128-130 but it still keeps settling down at around 65 (my NSR rate).

You just have to keep outside influences from driving you nuts - and I have to take my own advice God Bless and good luck!

Michelle