Hi, I had a cardioversion 6 months ago for AF & everything is good. I've had no palpitations & everything else is fine. My consultant has said that I should still have an ablation.What are people's thoughts on this? I can't see why I have to have it seeing as the cardioversion has worked. I was originally told that I would only need an ablation if the cardioversion didn't work.
Thanks,
Julie.
Cardioversion rarely ‘works’ long term, occasionally it does but more often AF will return. What cardioversion is also used as diagnostic tool to establish whether or not you would be a good candidate for Ablation, if it hadn’t worked the chances of ablation working would be less.
I think you may be wise to do a lot more research and then follow up with an in depth consultation with your EP, assuming your consultant is one?
Cardioversion is not an cure for anything. It is a test to see if NSR can be obtained and if you feel better in such condition. This then can direct future treatment like ablation which would likely not be offered if NSR was not posssible.
It sounds like a misunderstanding .
My first two ablations made my AF worse. I'd hang on a while if you can as procedures for treating AF are moving forward and different methods being trialled.
I’m in agreement with this 👆🏼🙂
That is what I'm worried about. I have an ablation scheduled April 20th. I've had 3 afib episodes. Magnesium, more mediation and Flecainide seem to be working well. I was interested in ablation to possible get off the medication and to be able to maybe prevent AFIB from becoming permeant and to resume more cardio-based workouts
My first cardioversion lasted for 10 years, the next one 6 months and the next just 3 weeks. I couldn't tolerate any of the AF medication so an ablation was the only alternative. That was 5 months ago and I still don't have my energy levels back. I have less energy that I did when I was in AF. I spoke to my EP in January and he suggested a 7 day holholter test but warned there would be a wait for this. To make things worse, I am struggling to get over covid which I contracted 6 weeks ago. Currently, I am unable to carry out any normal activities. So in summary, my advice would be to wait and see how long the cardioversion holds and only go to an ablation as a last resort knowing that it could impact your quality of life.
Cardioversions almost always work--temporarily. An ablation that works is a longer lasting treatment and can be a longer lasting solution.
Cardioversion put you back in sinus rhythm. It didn’t change the underlying tendency to AF. Ablation stops the signals generated by the tendency causing AF. I don’t know your age or location but guess you are youngish so maybe there is time to have the ablation in the future. However, the earlier the ablation the more successful the outcome which is why it is offered to some of the healthiest AF folk! My ablation successful by the way, timely, a few side issues in first weeks but overall phew. I was in sinus rhythm when I was offered it after a run of nasty AF episodes I have no idea how long it would have lasted.
From my first cardioversion I was afib free for exactly four years. Since then I've had three ablations when I was needing a cardioversion every few weeks. None of the ablations worked for more than a few months. So if it were me, I should wait. Good luck xx
I see from your Bio that you joined in 2017, so am I correct in thinking you've had AF for at least 6 years, not the 6 months your Post covers?
If yes, I hope you have attended to the lifestyle issues often mentioned on the Forum as influential in causing AF.
Further, I discovered the beginning of my AF was associated with a deficiency of Vitamin D, apparently a well documented cause of arrhythmias. And other vitamins and minerals need testing for deficiencies as one of the first options.
So before choosing the ablation option, I would be sure I had exhausted all of the possible influences I mention above.
I have so far been fortunate to avoid all medications and surgical procedures. (Touch wood on that though)
Good luck with your difficult choice.
Wait and figure out your AF burden. If you can afford I would grab a watch that monitors for AF to give you a feeling of comfort(I have apple watch). As I stated in other posts I had my first AF episode during the first year of COVID and was terrified like most are when they have their first episode. Doctor had me convinced I should get ablation out of the way. I held off and worked on lifestyle changes. 9 months later another episode, but only lasted about 5 hours. I'm now 20 months from that episode with no issues. I get the random PVCs, but no AF(knock on wood). I continue to focus on limited calcium intake, intermittent fasting(now down one meal a day for Lent), and exercise where I max my heart rate out around 140bpm. Works for me, but everybody is different.
Offered Ablation
ablation
Cardioversion and ablation
ablation and enlarged left atria
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