paf or let it go unchecked until persistent?

[7164]

dear all

I have asked this question on a different thread and people were interested.

I read again and again of paf people going to persistent and the heart remodelling itself and allowing people to live normally?

So the question is why do we try to control paf and not accept that we will most likely go persistent and adapt to a normal drug free life being able to have alcohol etc?

Let’s hear from people who have done this and from those who haven’t.

it would be great to have an answer.

I had paf very symptomatic. Had an ablation 2.5 years ago. It worked but I find life restrictive now. Should I have just let it go to persistent?

Thanks to all

[secondtry]

My symptomatic Lone PAF was just too frequent & debilitating to leave & wait.

[Singwell]

Interesting question! My brother is in persistent and hardly notices his. Says it's less noticeable than before. But he is a benign alcoholic, so might not notice much anyway! There's a pleasant guy in his 80s I often meet on my walks. He says much less noticeable now he's in persistent and is happy to be able to do all the things he needs in life, inuding dog walking and swimming. He is contented and looks 10 years younger than his age. For me - post ablation- life VASTLY improved and less restricted.

[Poochmom]

it’s all well and good to go into persistent if it makes life easier but what would worry me is enlarged heart and congestive heart failure which often accompanies persistent AFib eventually.

[MummyLuv]

I was persistent for 5 plus years, you won’t be drug free, blood thinners are highly recommended and depending on your rate you are very likely to need rate control drugs too in order to reduce the likelihood of impact on the heart eg heart failure, valve damage (I have a leaky heart valve that was getting worse).

In persistent I still had to avoid alcohol and caffeine as the heart rate would go crazy and I’d go from well controlled afib to crazy afib. Even in persistent I did land in A&E as I needed help to reduce my rate, most of the time I was able to do this myself by resting and deep breathing. It also had an impact on my fitness, I found myself breathless.

Everyone is different. For me a life in persistent would have still been heavily impacted.

[momist]

I don't see that any consensus here will help you at all. In the end, this is _your_ decision, and yours alone. Either way, good luck.

Everyone's journey is different.

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

hi

Not sure that persistent is better!

What are you saying that in persistent "no drugs".

No persistent especially rapid I'm on meds to control it. Not no drugs. It needs monitoring and restrictions!

AF is both rapid and slow H/R.

I cant have an ablation due to an enlarged chamber left ventricle.

Caused by thyroid cancer and embolic which means caused by a stray clot.

So another med an anti-co.agulant.

Not sure why you are questioning your 'better' situation when some of us keep struggling.

Whoa is you.

Be happy with where you are at and value that alcohol is a no no - it is a poison.

cheers JOY. 73. (NZ)