Back in AF.

[SirBeatalot]

I had a successful ablation two years ago in May 2021.A couple of days ago I felt a bit weak and instinctively checked my pulse to find that it was erratic. I lay down on the bed and after 10 minutes or so it reverted back to Sinus Rhythm.The same thing happened on the following day. Before my ablation the episodes would last 30 hours plus so this was a big improvement. My son lost his rented house and car to a flash flood on 11th June and so now he and his partner with their four children including a newborn baby are living with us in our 3 bed house.This has obviously been very stressful and has possibly contributed to my AF returning but then nothing is certain with AF as you all know.

We are going on a 2 week cruise on 23rd July and quite honestly I am uncertain about going, although I don't want to give it up and of course my wife is looking forward to it. I do have insurance and have declared all of my medical history but I'm not sure how it would work if I decided not to go.I guess I would need a letter from the doctor to verify things.

When in AF I do have symptoms but they are bearable and I am of course taking Apixaban, so perhaps I should ignore it and just go?

[BobD Volunteer]

You can either stay at home and feel rubbish or go somewhere nice. I know which I would do.

In my early days of AF I was often working at race meetings in Europe whilst in AF and just got on with it. Determination is everything.

[SirBeatalot in reply to BobD]

Thanks for replying.I am not short of determination Bobd.I think being confined to a ship and not being able to get off is a little off putting for me, having said that, basically I think you are right.

[Mrsvemb]

You should go. I had fast AF on a cruise. My husband called the medical centre around midnight. A nurse came to our cabin with a wheelchair and took me straight down to the medical centre.

Senior doctor was waiting for me. Cannula in, bloods taken. He then gave me some intravenous drugs, which actually didn’t convert me. I was kept in on a heart monitor and converted the following morning. I was discharged and advised to stay on the ship that day. All was well.

I did say to the doctor, you are not going to offload me are you? He said I will do my very best not to. He would have done a cardio version if necessary. We were in the Black Sea, just left Istanbul and heading for Ukraine.

The doctors on cruise ships have to have had ICU and trauma experience, so you are better off than going to A&E where you wait hours and probably see a junior doctor.

Go on your cruise and enjoy it. Make sure you keep well hydrated and relax.

[SirBeatalot in reply to Mrsvemb]

Thank you for replying and sharing your experience of AF on a cruise ship. You make a great point about the quality and accessibility of Doctors on board as opposed to suffering a long wait in A& E. I think I will go and relax (without beer) Thanks.

[Mrsvemb in reply to SirBeatalot]

Pleased that I could help. Go on your cruise and have a lovely time. Let us know how you got on when you get back.

[jeanjeannie50]

I would go on your cruise. From reading Mrsvemb's post it sounds like you could have a doctor all to yourself if the need arose. Just think of all the lovely food you'd have too! If it was me I wouldn't hesitate to go.

Jean

[SirBeatalot in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks for replying.I will take your advice!

[Ppiman]

I would ask my GP for confirmation, and likely be armed with a prescription to allow extra bisoprolol from that, but I would go and enjoy the cruise. Your wife likely needs the break, too. Bad luck to your son and his family and well done for being great parents.

Steve

[SirBeatalot in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks for saying that and yes my wife does need a break.My only concern is how telling the Doctor would impact my insurance before we go.

[Ppiman in reply to SirBeatalot]

That’s a common worry I should think given that it all gets recorded. People seem to react to AF differently so much will depend how you cope when you have it. A few need A&E, perhaps some partly from panic at times, but who know what people feel like? Most seem to cope with maybe an extra bisoprolol.

Steve

[Singwell in reply to SirBeatalot]

As I understand it if you haven't had to go to A and E your insurance shouldn't change. But check your policy. I think the backup Bisoprolol is a good idea.

[Vrouse]

I've just returned from a cruise. Don't even think of cancelling, it will do you the world of good. I totally relaxed and have been sleeping so much better, I usually only get 3 - 4 hours a night but whilst away and since returning I have at least doubled that. Don't let AF rule your life, get away from your current stressful situation, you'll be able to cope with it much better post cruise. Enjoy.

[SirBeatalot in reply to Vrouse]

Thanks for your reply. I too have trouble sleeping and away from home I usually do better.I should do now given our current predicament!All the replies so far, including yours, have been positive for going and have given me the confidence I needed to decide.

Much appreciated.

[irene75359]

Having had my daughter, husband and three children living at our house whilst they had an extension built I would be sprinting at speed towards that cruise ship! I love them dearly but 24/7, no, I don't have the energy.

[SirBeatalot in reply to irene75359]

Setting aside the AF, I agree the motivation to sprint to the cruise ship is strong. 🤣

[Tapanac]

I had a bad turn and heart racing away, chest terribly uncomfortable when we were on a cruise round the med. I hoped things would settle down but ended up sitting on some stairs while my husband went to get a medic. They were amazing, wheelchair down to medical centre , cannula, blood, medication, X-ray etc and they were the ones who told me I had afib. Kept me in the “hospital” for a good part of the day until it had passed but advised to stay on the ship until next day. The next morning knock on the door and doctor checking on me

They are so well trained and can do cardioversions, minor ops, etc

Please try not to worry and enjoy your holiday. Your insurance providers know you have afib so I don’t believe you would need to tell them anything else as you’re well covered.

All the best

Pat

Ps…a few years ago a friend even had a cyst removed from her ovary on a cruise

[SirBeatalot in reply to Tapanac]

Thanks for your reply. It is reassuring for me to hear about your experience although for you at the time it was no doubt quite difficult. I always say "Worse things happen at Sea" but not sure that's appropriate in the circumstances

😅

[DawnTX in reply to Tapanac]

I meant to mention MEDICAL on board. That is really interesting about having a cyst removed. For anyone who never had one I can tell you how painful it is similar to being in labor giving birth. I walked into work one day, and suddenly was on my knees. The pain just knocked me down. I had nothing to do with falling. It’s nice to hear. Just have a good day are on ships these days. Ty

[MWIC]

I would go - it might be just what you need considering all going on at home - obviously you know how you feel better than anyone but sounds like you could do with a great break - hope all settles down for you soon

[SirBeatalot in reply to MWIC]

Thank you, we are slowly getting organised but a break is probably what we need most.

[DawnTX]

if it were me, I would like to call it off because this is going to get palpitations or flutter. You will get it no matter where you are. Don’t let it run your life you need to get used to this happening unfortunately because at this time there is no cure. Even with a pacemaker I still get things, including my flutter. When you get the AV node ablation, it stops the flutter from affecting your heart. However, you will still get the feeling. I have not had anything I couldn’t handle other than it’s annoying. Before I know I could still get the feeling it made me nervous. It is what it is though. If you get anything serious, that would be different but if you’re just getting the feelings as I said get used to it. You were very lucky two years of a break. My longest was one year. My cardioversion was 3 1/2 weeks. The second one did not work at all. That doesn’t mean give up because those 3 1/2 weeks I had were amazing and here I am four months after my AV node and pacemaker fitting, and I never thought I could have such quality of life again. I do have to remind myself if it’s not like it had been before. I am also that much older. It may not be perfect, but I am happy with what I have. If my doctor tells me to get right to him or go to the ER, that is different. I feed off of his response. Even with the heart rate staying in the 150s it’s still wasn’t an emergency that day he did not put me right on the table. He scheduled me for a couple of days later for my cardioversion.

Plan on a life and plan on enjoying it with or without your thumps and flutters. When my flutters came back along with thumps I was just sitting watching TV and I felt it. A fib, does white fib wants to do when it wants to do it. Take a deep breath because one of the biggest enemies of a fib is stress and anxiety.

[SirBeatalot in reply to DawnTX]

Thanks for taking the time to reply.Having a positive attitude like yours is probably half the battle with AF and why you are in such a good place with it.

[DoggieMum]

Sorry to hear that. It's my experience that you have to tell the insurance company everything, because if anything happens even if it's totally unrelated to your heart problems, they will use it as a reason not to pay up. Good luck.