Some may remember the trials and tribulations of my AF journey/ ablation history. As reported in some of my last posts, a different and more experienced consultant has suggested he do another ablation under GA so as to be better able to monitor me due to previous complications. He had a 6 month waiting list and the 6 months is now up. My arrhythmia nurse tells me that it will be soon unless other more urgent cases come in through A and E. All well and good except that my AF is much worse. Now, I am having AF for maybe 48 hours and when it would normally convert to NSR instead it is converting to tachycardia at between 120 and 150 bpm . This lasts for days and then maybe converts to NSR for 24 hours or , more usually goes back into AF. My nurse tells me to hang on in there and consultant doesn’t want to increase or change medication ( already on a high dose).
All the time I am converting to NSR even for a short while, he is giving me a good chance of success but I feel that by the time the procedure is done I could be past that point. Obviously I am really concerned about this not to mention worn out by the whole thing.
I’m not really sure what I want to ask you all, but you always have a reassuring affect on me so hoping it works this time! I am in constant contact with my wonderful arrhythmia nurse who has the consultants ear so I don’t think I can do more but any tales of similar experience and outcomes would be welcomed.
Many thanks
Jane
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dedeottie
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Hi Jane , yes I had similar before my last ,(4th) ablation 9 months ago. I was having AF in the 240s , then NSR and flutter. I had a long session in the cath lab (circa 5 hours) and am hopeful that this has done the trick. It's all very debilitating as I well know so I do hope you get sorted very quickly.
From what my ep told me in a somewhat similar situation, a few weeks or even a few months probably won't have much effect on your outcome as you do return to NSR relatively quickly which should make you still paroxysmal.
Odds could stop dropping a little with persistent afib, when you're in afib for more than a week and significantly more with long- standing persistent and permanent. But again, you're far from that progression now and it sounds like you will be taken in relatively soon.
You say the afib converts to tachycardia between 120 and 150 bpm before going into SVR.How do you know it's simple tachycardia and not aflutter with 2:1 conduction which is around that heart rate?
If haven't done it already, I would try and capture those tachy episodes on something like a Kardia and share the ecg with your ep. It might be helpful for the upcoming ablation.
Meanwhile, don't know the meds you're on or your individual situation, but I might bring it to their attention again and maybe they would find a drug combination to make you more comfortable until the ablation,
Thank you both for your helpful messages Jalia and Jim I have kardia which was telling me that it was tachycardia but in the last 2 weeks haven't had wifi to connect with so can’t do a reading. Hopefully will be resolved in next week and yes I guess it could be flutter. I am on sotalol. Flecanide was widening QS complex ( or something like that!) I won’t go on amiodarone and he doesn’t seem to want to put me on dronedarone. Fingers crossed they call me in soon. X
Kardia does not have a determination for flutter. If flutter it will say "tachycardia". Definitely send the ecg to your prescribing doctor and ep for reference prior to the ablation. You should not need wifi to use the Kardia,
Yes, I also had a wide QRS complex with Flecainide under exercise stress when I was taking 100mg twice a day. I then dropped to 50mg twice a day and no problems. Now I'm down to 25mg twice a day and it's working fine. Hope they call you in soon.
Bad luck on things getting worse, but I suspect we are all on the same road in a way. It must be an awful time for you. I would report this to the doctor and ask for advice.
Sorry I'm late coming in to this conversation. It sounds to me like you're doing the right thing by keeping in touch with your AF nurse. Make her your friend and always be charming when speaking to her, if you feel tearful because of your worry make sure she is aware. It sounds to me like you're one of the people who need an ablation urgently.
Severe AF, like yours, is a hateful thing and I really feel for you.
Let us know when you get your procedure date please.
I sure hope you get sorted out to your benefit soon! AF is really unpleasant. And as I found out can lead to heart failure- which in my case was reversed within 2 months after cardioverion & Amiodarone return to NSR. I'm down to only 100 mg Amiodarone a day now!
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