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Back on the “to have 2nd ablation or not“

Alldone profile image
7 Replies

hi all

So 3 months ago I decided to do my best to stay calm and delayed another heart monitor and heart scan to check-again- what’s going on and for possible second ablation. Came off all meds and everything was going along quite nicely.

Recently though and I mean week or so, I felt a bit strange and my legs felt shaky and I dizzy - dizziness has been with me throughout this whole afib saga. I had a brain scan early on to check all ok for that as it was clear. Anyway took a reading and it was al l over the place and then showed possible a fib but stopped after a few minutes.

Since then though I have checked out these shaky feelings and it’s the same thing., showing NSR but readings are really bumpy huge curves everywhere. Previously I could well and truly feel my afib , no doubt about it, so this is weird.

So and here’s another one, it seems to make me want to cry and I mean instantly want to cry and do, few minute later can stop.

One last thing is I have slight and I mean slight pains in my chest again this is new.

So my question is, have others found a change like this or, and I feel a bit embarrassed to say this but…….is it more likely to be stress related. I am not sure I am under that much stress to cause this but where it was all finally starting go to the back of my mind it seems to be at the front again.

If not then back to thinking should I try another ablation anyway as there are definitely rogue beats as anyway?

I do have one last question. There are a few regulars on here who give fantastic advice - you know who you are- but you always say to stop thinking about it and that helps, but how do you do that when you are often on here giving fabulous advice to others, that must keep it at the forefront of your minds?

Thanks all

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Alldone profile image
Alldone
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7 Replies
mjames1 profile image
mjames1

Three things stick out from you post. First, the slight chest pain. It's probably nothing serious, but any new onset chest pain should be evaluated, or at least reported to your doctor. It will also be good for your peace of mind.

Those beats. It sounds like you have a Kardia or Apple Watch? When you have those "bumpy things" you should get them analyzed by an ep, or even send them to Kardia if they have that service where you live. My guess it's something benign like ectopics, but again, but it's on your mind, so let's find out.

Another ablation? No documented afib, so why even entertain that fact?

Hope things work out.

Jim

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

After 18 years of AF symptoms I'm ok now, but I remember how dreadful they used to be, the fear I felt and how I'd end up being admitted to hospital. I shall never forget the dreadful experience, so will always be here to say to people I understand what you're going though.

Some people have mild attacks while others find them debilitating. It took years for me to stop worrying about what my heart was doing, perhaps something like 12-13. I've had 3 ablations, first two gave me more attacks, the third really helped. Also about 5 years ago it was discovered that my thyroid was underactive, I was blaming my extreme tiredness on AF. Did taking medication to right this help calm my AF - I don't know.

I'm now in constant AF but at a low rate 60-90 and can lead a normal life. I still check my heart rate at times, but I don't obsess with it like I used to and I find I can ignore some heart flutters or thudding. When ignored they soon disappear. Strange but true! I understand that severe attacks often can't be ignored.

What may have helped me, well I wear loose clothing all the time now. Usually dresses, very rarely jeans or leggings but they need to have a comfy very loose waistband. When indoors I never wear a bra and have fitted extenders to those that I wear when going out. I never ever eat food that contains artificial additives, especially sweeteners - they were a sure trigger for my AF.

Stress can certainly have an effect on the heart. Whenever I visit my dental surgery and get in the chair my heart will pound, to be honest I think that's natural and it soon goes once I'm out of there

I've never had pains in my chest like you have described, but I have heard people on this forum with AF say that they have. My worst attack made me extremely hot and sweaty and I had to fight to keep conscious.

I feel for people who suffer with AF, that's why I come on this forum, in the hope that lifestyle changes that have helped me, may help them.

Sometimes something as simple as drinking more water to raise our blood pressure can help prevent dizzy spells, also breathing more deeply. I'm convinced that sometimes when we're in bed, watching tv or absorbed in something we can almost unwittingly forget to breathe deeply enough and our heart will protest. Be aware that deep breathing can sometimes cause your BP to drop, so don't over do it - just for a minute or so.

Hope this helps you.

Jean

Alldone profile image
Alldone in reply to jeanjeannie50

hi Jean

It helps a lot. For me I feel more than a little hard done by to have this, which is very self indulgent, but as I have said before I have friends who are going through far worse including a 40year old with primary progressive aphasia, and a 50 year old who has just been out on lung transplant list with COPD so I know how lucky I am in reality.

My mum had a bypass and you would never have known she had any problem at all but a stoke a few years later which took her I’m afraid. It was over 30 years ago now and she was only 62 and I am 61, I think there is something psychological going on for me as well.

I admire those, including mjames1, who just get on with it and it’s my mission to do the same at some point in the very near future.

I have made an appointment with my brilliant cardiologist who is less “pro ablation” so that I get a balanced view on way forward. My equally brilliant EP obviously is very pro ablation so it’s a great combination. I do see them both privately at the same hospital. I can’t really afford it but as we say, can’t afford not too really.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply.

Alldone profile image
Alldone in reply to jeanjeannie50

On the chest pains, I think it was muscular now as I did some lifting a couple of days before, normally it wouldn’t have any affect but my partner reminded me that we done way more than I thought we had, lifting and manoeuvring 5 m lengths of decking . And that’s how afib gets you, the most resonable explanations suddenly become the least likely!

JOY2THEWORLD49 profile image
JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to Alldone

Hi

It points to over exertion.

cheri JOY

Polski profile image
Polski

AF can often be driven by adrenaline, so anything that relaxes you enough to stop the adrenaline racing round your body, has a chance of decreasing the AF. So 'forget it' and 'do something that absorbs you so much that you genuinely don't think about it for a good while', is actually sound advice. The AF might just go away, or at least calm down!

JOY2THEWORLD49 profile image
JOY2THEWORLD49

Hi AllDone

I'm opting out of my experience as

1) Medically I can't have an ablation.

2) My afib came out because of the presence of thyroid cancer undiagnosed.

3) My afib is rapid and persistent so I can see 'all the time' versus 'off and on" are different experiences.

I wish you all the best. Ablations should be last on your list after trying the full range of meds to control.

CCB Calcium Channel Blocker Diltiazem changed my life controlling my rapid H/Rate.

That is the important direction to have CONTROL over AF then symptoms become manageable.

cheri JOY 74. (NZ)

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