Hi all,
I have been told I should have an ablation asap. Likely within three or so weeks. I have had Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter.
If anyone is willing to share who they saw and outcome that would be much appreciated!
I am still trying to absorb it all. I developed the afib and flutter the beginning of 2022, in response to a bout of pericarditis.
I'm also wondering if speed is more important than trying improve my fitness and weight pre the procedure.
Thanks so much!
Probably the single most important thing you can do to help insure a successful ablation is to get down to a normal body weight/bmi. Hopefully, you can work with a good ep to control your afib and aflutter using medications until you reach a good target weight. It may turn out in fact that losing weight may be enough in and of itself and you won't even need an ablation.
That said, I am not familiar with your unique situation and how the pericarditis fits into the equation and if for some reason it necessitates an ablation sooner. Another good question for an ep.
Jim
If you have been told that you need an ablation ASAP and they are prepared to do it then go ahead. Any weight you can shed from now will be helpful and you can continue after the procedure. It will all be beneficial to keep you in sinus rhythm afterwards.
I am concerned that you use the term asap. Any treatment for AF is only ever for quality of life (symptom control) so it is not life threatening. Far better to address life style matters such as BMI below 26, no alcohol, no caffiene, less meat and no processed foods than charge blindly into a procedure which whithout those changes may well fail .
I have a friend who was collapsing with AF and his ablation was done straightaway during covid. The effects of his AF were life threatening.
My AF has caused my atrium to enlarge to the extent that mitral valve annulus has been pulled apart. Suddenly, the AF is not just an irritation.
Crikey! Now that does sound nasty 😳
I've had better news 😁. At lot has happened in the past few months so I need to do an update post. Currently awaiting a valve repair and they'll do a Cox VI Maze at the same time to hopefully stop a reoccurrence.
Jalia, as BobD said afib isn't life threatening so there must be something else going on
I know what Bob has said. I'm fully aware that AF in itself is not life threatening. It is what it can cause, largely , but not solely if left untreated.
For myself this meant going into heart failure...pulmonary oedema...when I truly felt I was going to die ( and worried at one point that I wouldn't! ) I had been in AF for about 3 weeks , rate only about 120/30 ish I clearly recall the cardiac registrar telling me that this was a direct result of my AF. This doc, I've noticed, is now a leading light in London.
How long were you left untreated if you don't mind me asking? My EP said it would take quite a long time to cause heart failure but of course the stroke is another thing.
I had been in AF for just 3 weeks. My AF episodes are almost always persistent and cardioverted as 'emergency '. This time it was not
There are always exceptions to the rule !
It's what AF leads to that can be life threatening. In my case, it's made my atrium enlarge and caused the annulus of my mitral valve to distort. Waiting for OHS now to sort it.
So sorry to hear this Ducky2003, how long were you left untreated? Were you aware you had afib or was it 'silent'? There was no way I couldn't have noticed mine as my heart rate rocketed to about 170bpm for 30 hour episodes.
Thanks. The AF was diagnosed nearly 7 years ago and I was incredibly symptomatic....... 20 hospital admissions within 6 months with HR up to 250.Amiodarone and a couple of cardioversions eventually calmed things down. After some time in NSR, they stopped the meds and I lasted about 9 months before going back into AF.
Cryo ablation nearly 2 years ago, which didn't work. They noticed the valve issue during the ablation but it was moderate at that point. They then noticed a couple of months later that the atrium was dilating. They thought getting me back in NSR would improve that so had another cardioversion. Lasted about 5 months then back in AF. Offered a hybrid Convergent ablation but during the tests, it was found that the valve regurgitation was now severe as the atrium was still enlarged and was told I needed valve repair or replacement, as the annulus had distorted, so hybrid off the table.
Another cardioversion last April and been in NSR since. They thought last Autumn that they should check the valve again as I felt quite well but an MRI in Jan showed still severe an atrium still dilated so I'm back on the repair/replacement list.
They will also do a Cox IV Maze at the same time and he will sew the atrium down to normal size.
All scares the oojit out of me but have no choice.
That's why, when folk say that AF is not life threatening, it probably isn't on its own but its what it causes that can be.
Sorry, that was a bit long winded was it 😁.
OMG Ducky2003 you have really gone through and and continue to do so. I feel for you so much, you are so brave I admire you ♥️Did your episodes last a long time? With a heart rate and frequency like that it must have been very scary.
I take episodes about every 4 months at the moment, it is really strange it's almost like it has a timer. My EP says afib is like a jack in the box the more it pops out the more it wants to so I expect that the frequency will get more. My episodes also last 30 hours and that seems to be consistent, it's weird. The last one I had was Monday evening after a rich evening meal and it went on for 30 hours but not so fast this time around 80 beats per minute so it was easier for me to ignore. I found it very hard to accept this awful condition 🥺
That's kind of you to say. At first, the episodes would last anywhere from a few mins to a few hours. The last bouts I had end of 2021 to April 2022 were pretty much constant but the Diltiazem kept the HR down to 100 - 120.
It's a pain in the backside condition but it is what it is. ☹️
I was told I needed an ablation asap because of pauses in HB and the danger that I was drifting into permanent AF. So a good reason. What is the reason for the urgency in your case?
Thank you so much Jim, Jalia, BobD, Buffafly,
That's very helpful. I shouldn't have said ASAP without qualifying it!
My elcrophysiologist and cardiologist are of the belief that ablating early prevents the risk of significant atrial enlargement which leads to resistant AF. I do have a friend in that situation.
I do have some early changes in my atria already. But my AF is totally under control at present. I'm so grateful. He wants to do it in around three weeks. I am considering stretching that out a bit and trying to get healthy before! It sounds as if that was healthy for you,Jim? MyMy
MyMy BMI is around 27. I had to take Prednisolone for four months. My lungs had a bad time last year. The AF was a direct result of Pericarditis which wasn't diagnosed and treated very quickly. Probably viral triggtriggerer? I had a partial collapse in one lung, I have asthma and I wasn't allowed to do much at all for most of 2022. My fitness is way down from my usual.
Does anyone feel comfortable sharing who did their ablation and how you feel it went? Or if you have heard of any good Elecrophysiologists in London?
lso how long it took to recover? My work is moderately physical. I'm trying to process what doing it is going to entail. I only heard a day ago. Thank you so much again.
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Addressing life style matters are important for general health but sometimes are not triggers for AF. We are all different. I can recommend Riyaz Kaba ( and you can mention my name.) He looks at you holistically, trusts you know your body the best and is non judgmental. He works out of a number of London and Home Counties hospitals both NHS and private.
I’ve had 2 ablations at St Thomas hospital, my EP is Professor Gill. One of his team did the first ablation and he did the second one. I’ve been in normal sinus rhythm since last July and hoping it continues. Good luck.
Have had 3 ablations and last one seems to have done the trick. It was November of last year and no afib.
Since I'm in southern CA, not mentioning EP doc's name. Will your EP not do procedure? Since you've been advised to do it ASAP, I would that would be the doc to use as long as he's an EP. If not an EP, ask for referral.
I had Prof Richard Schilling at London Bridge Hospital. He is extremely experienced. My ablation was 12 years ago. I too was on the way to persistent AF - in AF about 80% of the time. Areas outside the PVs had to be ablated (such as the ligament of Marshall). It is worth asking if they are using RF rather than just cryo as your triggers may have spread. I have been 99.9% AF free since that single ablation.
I think it does help a lot to improve your fitness. AF is problematic is it reduces blood flow by about 10-15%. A moderately fit person would be able to counteract that.
I had ablation under Professor Gill at St Thomas’s in London in January 2017 and so far remain AF free. Since then I’m caffeine free, alcohol free and try to eat a healthy diet in an effort to remain AF free!
I had suffered atrial fibrillation in March 2021 and after a couple of days in hospital is now controlled by bisoporol and Fleicanade. In June 2021 I then had an ablation for atrial flutter which was successful and took me around 4 weeks to recover. Been in normal rythym ever since and back to playing football once a week at 60! I have cut out alcohol pretty much fully and lead a “normal” lifestyle. I’m sure that if you’re sensible , take regular exercise and diet you will be fine. I haven’t cut out caffeine though!
I believe that Flutter would need an ablation as it is resistant to meds unlike Afib which many people live with and tolerate with good medication. That being said an ablation for Flutter is " easier" with usually good results . Good luck with whatever is decided x
Thank you so much, Barb, CtBlood, Blue, Mark, Val, Spitfire, Ethel, Lilypocket and Ducky.
All very helpful. I appreciate hearing peoples experiences and referrals. Thank you! So pleased for all of you who had successful procedures!!
I guess I am still processing this. The physician I saw at St Thomas' seems excellent. I just feel obliged to do a little research before proceeding. If I feel I have done all I can then I will be accepting of whatever happens. I may be able to get the ablation done through BUPA. I'm hoping.
I had some pretty hopeless medical care along the line for the Pericarditis, so want to do my best to ensure I am with the right people. This new procedure seems interesting but I guess it will take a year or so before it is more easily available.
I have both AF and Flutter so will need both areas ablated.
I guess it varies but wondered if you are able to do much in the weeks after the ablation?
hanks for mentioning RF and Cryo. Shall look that up and ask them
Prof. RichardSchilling 8 years ago and only one brief episode since. Very experienced and audits and publishes his results.
Thank you, Beta44. He looks excellent. I am so glad for you. I am also looking at Dr Matthew Wright.
Cardiologist or electrophysiologist?
Visit to the Cardiologist Today
is it normal not to see a cardiologist with AF? 
Post Ablation feeling
