2 years of AFib and stop

[BHFK967]

After being in continuous AFib since 18th October 2021, when diagnosed with AFib, having 2 failed Cardioversions, speak with several doctors at A & E when taken in, and the some Cardiologists, yesterday my AFib stopped!

Today I have woken up and no AFib, feels strange.

I'm just wondering if it because I have been lazy, and slowed down and rested since end of September, and last 2 weeks done bugger all, spent time laying and watch films, scolling though dreaded Facebook.

I did notice on week 2 peeing a lot, and my swelling g in my ankles/ lower legs go back to normal, infact I did loss about 3 kilos without trying, was I carrying that much fluid?

I have also played around a bit with meds, increasing my Bisoprolol from 5mg to 7.5mg, and took myself back to 2 tablets amiodarone, (don't worry got blood test on 7th November), be interesting to see what my bloods say.

Has anyone else gone back to normal rhythm without ablation, or surgical intervention?

Let's see what happens when I go back to a normal life, on Friday, including work, will my AFib return?

[jeanjeannie50]

How wonderful for you. Whatever you're doing, keep on with it.

I've been in constant low rate AF for almost 4 years and just take 25mg of Metoprolol.

Best wishes.

Jean

[javo123j]

The longest I've been in AF and self converting is 12 days and that's normally after exercise. I'd love to tell the wife that I need to sit around watching films to get back to SR but I can't see her falling for that one. How long have you been on Amioderone. It may be the drug that has helped you. Great news anyway.

[BHFK967 in reply to javo123j]

On Amiodarone for about a year, went down to one tablet, but last month or so, to myself back to 2 tablets a day.

Luckily, took a month off.

[mjames1]

"Has anyone else gone back to normal rhythm without ablation, or surgical intervention?

------------------------------

It sounds like you restarted and/or increased your Amiodarone? If so, that could be the reason right there.

A lot of us have gone back into normal rhythm with anti-arrhythmics like Amiodarone. I was pretty much afib free for over a year with the arrhythmic, Flecainde. I didn't want to continue with it for life so I ended up having an ablation.

Meanwhile, there are less toxic anti-arrhytmics than Amiodarone, if you qualify. If you're only seeing a general cardiologist, you might want to consult with an ep.

Jim

[Tiburon in reply to mjames1]

How did the ablation work out for you?

[mjames1 in reply to Tiburon]

I had two separate ablations. First one this past December for typical aflutter via RF. Second one in April for afib with Cryo. So far so good with the afib ablation. No episodes and I'm off Flecainide and Diltiazem. I'm still getting some short (under 20 minute) runs of tachycardia every few weeeks, which probably means either the aflutter ablation didn't work or they are coming from elsewhere than the flutter line. So far, not worth doing anything about. Being well into my 70's and relatively healthy, just thought best to get it done now than later when my overall health may not be as good. Regardless of what they tell you, afib ablation is a pretty big procedure and in my case, recovery was months, not days or weeks. Effects from the general anathesia lasted many months. Probably would not have been as bad if I had it in my 50's or even 60's. Unfortunately, in the US, very hard to find someone to do an afib ablation under conscious sedation. That would have been my preference.

Jim

[Tiburon in reply to mjames1]

Thank you. I’m in my early 70s and thinking of an ablation now before the AFib worsens. I now have 4-5 episodes per year, each lasting 4-5 hours. I’m very symptomatic while in AFib. Would you say the effects you mention are from the general anesthesia, and not the ablation itself?

[mjames1 in reply to Tiburon]

Some side effects from ablation, but definitely some from the Propofol which is one fo the agents used both in general anesthesia (GA) and monitored sedation, but not in conscious sedation.

In fact, I noticed my body wasn't clearing the Propofol very well during a colonoscopy earlier in the year. With the ablation(s) it was even worse, because the time under was longer.

I'm sure my age had a lot to do with it and lots you can read on the internet on anesthesia and seniors. That said, I don't think GA is a common complaint with ablation, so it may be a non issue for you.

Personally, should I need another, I will try and find someone who will do it under conscious sedation, but as I mentioned, not easy in the US, but my understanding is that conscious sedation is widely used in both UK and Europe for afib ablations.

Jim

[secondtry]

Recommend daily x2 brisk walks of 1 mile.

[Visigoth]

I think it will be the amiodarone that has done the trick. I haven’t had any AF since I started on it 2.5 years ago.

[Lenaropes]

Keep us posted. Yes you can retain 3 pounds of fluid but that can be med side effects, diet, heart failure, or kidneys. Let us know.

[JoniM]

Plenty of people manage afib with meds. I have PAF, diagnosed January 2019. It began increasing in frequency and I’m not interested in an ablation so started Fleccainide and metoprolol November 2022. Initially afib continued less frequently. Then, on March 5 had an episode and it hasn’t returned since. Now, I know that many people are not good candidates for flecainide , but I underwent stress test, heart monitoring, and have no evidence of coronary disease, hypertension, diabetes, etc, don’t smoke, stopped alcohol, exercise almost daily, so it was considered a good option. Honestly, it feels a little like a miracle to me. I even started drinking coffee again, though only one cup in the morning. I was also able to reduce the metoprolol cause initial prescription of 25 mg 2x day was keeping blood pressure and heart rate too low. Now take only 1-25 mg pill at bedtime and have less fatigue. I know it could stop working and I could decide to go with an ablation but very happy with current situation. Also, next month I will be 72 😱. It’s only a number, right?

[Mollybobs]

Amiodarone can chemically revert you back to sinus rhythm, doesn’t work for everyone though. It sorted my rate out but not my rhythm.

It was also the only thing that brought a recent arrhythmia back under control after everything else failed, including cardioversion.

Wonderful drug if you can tolerate it!

[kocoach]

Was on amiodarone for 5 years then got a scare that I may have lung fibrosis which showed up on a ct-scan and I cut my dosage in half from 200 to 100mg a day for a month and I was in constant afib. I got the results of a ct-scan I had done to specifically look for fibrosis which came back negative, go figure, so my EP said I could go back to original 200mg a day amiodarone which I did about a week ago but I am still in constant AF. Asked Ep how long before the increased dose would take effect and he told me that in clinical studies it showed about 4 weeks or so. If your's started helping immediately I would count that as a blessing and go with it. Good Luck to you and glad to hear you're afib is NSR.

[BHFK967]

Well got excited over nothing, but felt weird being in normal rhythm for nearly 3 days 😅 😬

[riffjack846]

Taking 2 tabs of amiodarone daily for 10 days would be my guess for the NSR.