0ne year on from AF ablation.

[John3333333]

Positive changes since my ablation in Dec 2021: my AF episodes and panic attacks have become less intense. My heart rate never goes beyond 120 BPM during an AF episode now, and the longest episode I've had has been about 90 seconds. My panic attacks have probably become less severe due to Bisoprolol, rather than the ablation, but I like to think it is a combination of both interventions.

Negative changes: ectopics, ectopics and more ectopics. It's mostly atrial ectopics - according to my Kardia and 48 hr Holter monitor - which are supposedly less worrisome than a high volume of PVCs, but, man, they are frustrating. I get pretty much everything: bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, salvos etc. To sum up, my ectopic burden has increased since ablation.

Has anyone else experienced more ectopics due to ablation? Do they get worse, or do they come and go? My AF burden has improved since ablation, but, on a day-to-day basis, my heart feels more unsettled.

[BobD Volunteer]

As Sabine Ernst once told me ectopics are a good sign. They show the heart is trying to go into AF and failing. Try the slow deep breathing trick. Use diaphragm not shoulders and slow to less than six breaths a minute for at least five minutes. Longer if you can. I seem to recall I had similar about a year after one of mine but they faded eventually.

[Jalia]

I'm about 17 months post 4th ablation and have most certainly had more atrial ectopics since but I'm not unduly bothered. They are probably easing off a bit since I had an episode of fast AF which required hospital admission and dccv about 3 week ago.

[Foxey2]

I had my Ablation in October 2021 and the amount of etopics I get is huge, I had to have a 3 day holter about 6 months ago and it picked up hundreds a day, I didn’t have this before my ablation but I’ve just learnt to live with them now, I just hope they don’t turn into AFib again as sometimes they can run for a good few minutes.

I have learnt the triggers for them, the main ones tiredness and stress but hard to avoid when you work full time and have a young family 🤣

[John3333333 in reply to Foxey2]

I have young kids and currently work in a busy hospital ward, so tiredness and stress are a big part of my life too.

[MikeThePike]

'Has anyone else experienced more ectopics due to ablation? ' I take it you don't check in often? If you did then you would know that is all anyone whose had an AF ablation complains about! In fact a few of us here (including myself) were talking about this a few days ago. Seems a complete mystery why AF ablation always seems to result in torrents of ectopics. I wish some expert could explain this bothersome phenomena.

[DawnTX]

so sorry you are dealing with those. I don’t know if I get them or not because usually I just have full-blown a fib or flutter I have a bad feeling I am used to things so I don’t give them names I just ignore them. I have an implanted loop recorder. It’s when I feel the serious thump or I can’t breathe or walk that the doctor gets called. If I have an already been called by them because of my monitor.

I see a lot of people on here with what you have if I have them ignorance is bliss for me and I really feel for all of you that constantly have this going on Healing thoughts and prayers

[WGC63]

I had paroxysmal AF which was initially treated by a cardioversion which stopped them for about three years ago. Then in 2019 they started again but not many and not very often. However went to see a top cardiologist who recommended a cathetar ablation. Said it would solve my problems. Never mentioned a world of ectopics that came after. Suffered badly for a bout a year then they greatly reduced due to bisoprolol and improved diet etc. However they have recently started again and are continuous all day everyday. Im back in touch with cardiologist again to see if they can do anything. He thinks another ablation will do the trick and the ectopics are when AF is trying to happen. TBH if I had known that there was a chance of ectopics occuring and what affect they have on your life I wouldn't have had the ablation. More information should be given to patients concerning what the side effects are an ablation are so one can make better informed choices.

[I-a-n-]

Just reading this almost 1 year after my ablation for a A Flutter. I get them occasionally and they last on and off for two or three days. Would love to know what triggers then or even if it is bo trigger, just one of those things. I don't feel unwell with them except they cause my anxiety to increase which makes them worse. But still in a good sinus rhythm which I am grateful for.