A very unwelcome visitor

[Suze43]

I posted in January about being discharged from hospital cardiology after I declined a second ablation because I’d been AF free for over 12 months.

Unfortunately, last Saturday AF appeared out of the blue! I only discovered it by chance as I was not aware of any pulse issues. I had a slight headache and felt dizzy. When these didn’t clear I checked my blood pressure to see if it had dropped and discovered it was exceptionally high for me as I’m usually under 120/80. The high reading set off alarm bells so out came the kardia which gave an AF reading!

I did my usual breathing exercises and was back in NSR after an hour or so. This AF episode was far less severe than those I had experienced pre ablation, but the dizziness worried me as I’d never had that before (apart from a very scary reaction to a certain vaccination!)

I managed to see my GP and, in addition to organising blood tests and an ECG, he has referred me back to the hospital for an event recorder.

I am so disappointed with this turn of events and wondered if others have had similar experiences? Is this just a blip or is AF back to stay?

[Ppiman]

My ablation in 2019 was for atrial flutter. It has not failed to date, but, sadly, within a week of stopping bisoprolol about two weeks after the ablation, I had a major attack of AF that took me back into hospital. Then followed calm for about a year but... first palpitations, then occasional AF have come my way since. This isn't really similar to your case, but was a disappointment. So far, though, a daily 1.25mg tablet of bisoprolol helps a great deal and I cope well, except for the anxiety that is a part of life for me with arrhythmia!

Steve

[Suze43 in reply to Ppiman]

Glad you’re coping well with your situation but I know what you mean about the anxiety - after 12 care free months my anxiety has come rushing back.

[Vonnegut in reply to Ppiman]

Do try breathing exercises or meditation, yoga or something rather than getting into drugs for anxiety!

[Suze43 in reply to Vonnegut]

Absolutely, that is my strategy for dealing with any AF episodes. Alternate nostril breathing is brilliant for reverting to NSR. My only medication is apixaban and I've no intention of adding to that.

[Cookie24 in reply to Suze43]

Will you describe your breathing exercises?

[Suze43 in reply to Cookie24]

If you google ‘Simple breathing techniques for anxiety’ you will find clearer descriptions than I can provide. Alternate nostril breathing works best for me but you may find other techniques more helpful.

[Ppiman in reply to Vonnegut]

I couldn’t agree more regarding drugs - in fact, I don’t think drugs work at all well for anxiety. Sadly, meditation is not often all that successful, either, or not for me at least. I think around a third of sufferers benefit from that kind of intervention. It’s a tough nut to crack.

Steve

[secondtry]

You don't mention how many of the C-jabs you have had and when the last one was but from what I understand that could be a contributory factor. My personal theory is AF is triggered more often than not by an accumulation rather than just one factor.

They are only just now finding protocols to deal with that jab and FLCCC in the States is one of the leading initiatives. Maybe do your homework and consider asking your medic about a Troponin blood test.

[Suze43]

I only had two jabs in February and May 2021. A couple of very scary blue light ambulance trips to A&E after the second one made me determined not to have any more.

I had Covid in October 2023 and a chest infection in January this year but neither triggered any AF so I really thought I was free of it.

I’m sure all of us on this forum would like to be able to identify the trigger/s to avoid but, sadly, it’s just not that simple.

Thanks for flagging up FLCCC. I hadn’t come across that but it looks interesting.

[Cookie24 in reply to Suze43]

What is FLCCC

[Suze43 in reply to Cookie24]

From what I can gather it is an American organisation investigating the health impact of Covid and Covid jabs.

[Nick1957]

You declined a 2nd ablation because you were AF free for 12 months I get that but can't help wondering why the health professionals said you needed 2nd ablation. What was their reason? To clear up potential areas because there was a risk of AF down the line? Curious to know!!

[Suze43]

My ablation was straightforward and successful but I had a bumpy blanking period for about 6 months afterwards, before the 12 months free of AF. I knew, thanks to this brilliant forum, that the blips were par for the course while things were settling down. However, my arrhythmia nurse insisted that, because there had been some AF, I should either go back on bisoprolol or go on the waiting list for a second ablation. I chose the latter assuming it would be at least a 12 month wait and by then I would know if it was really necessary.

I have been unlucky with the arrhythmia nurse I was allocated after my ablation. If you look at my previous posts you’ll see the full story.

[Singwell in reply to Suze43]

That's interesting about your arrhythmia nurse. They're not really in a position to insist in anything drug related - only to advise- so they were a bit out of order there.

Thinking of why you posted- I totally get how you must be feeling. I felt the same after 19 months of no detectable AF (think I might have had two.short events but didn't catch them) and had literally been discharged 2 weeks previously when I had an unwelcome visitor. Interestingly my arrhythmia nurse had said to me - your body has AF -it's part of you like your hair. Just because you're not getting it doesn't mean you don't have it. So look.after yourself well.

I know that gastric distress caused my blimp, which lasted about 6 minutes but was definitely an AF reading. Had a horrible pounding heart at the onset too - 153 for a few minutes, though not AF. Like you I did breathing exercises. I chose to stay calm and used loud humming on long slow outbreaths.This has worked well for me in the past. In 6 minutes it was all over.

I've also.chosen to regard the whole event as a blimp. I know here we tend to say AF begets AF. Well, I'm not telling myself that! I am.living my life and enjoying it just as a was before. I am not telling myself 'it's come BACK!!'. If AF starts to visit more often I can self refer to my local hospital. I'm allowed to do this on the Patient Referral Scheme for.up to 2 years post discharge.

I do hope you'll get back on track. Treat it as a one off whilst at the same time knowing AF is part of you and continuing to look.agyer yourself.

[Suze43 in reply to Singwell]

Thanks for your understanding.

I was unlucky with the arrhythmia nurse I was allocated after my ablation. I never had a face to face appointment with him and he really didn’t listen to me over the phone and hadn’t read my notes. He was a big disappointment as I had previously had two excellent arrhythmia nurses. Fortunately I have a very supportive GP.

Prior to ablation most of my AF episodes were the milder end of the spectrum and I could generally convert back to NSR with yoga, breathing exercises and meditation.

My main motivation for the ablation was to stop taking bisoprolol which made me feel dreadful (it pushed my low blood pressure even lower) and now my quality of life is so much better without it.

I am grateful for the treatment I have received and for how it has improved my quality of life.

I shall try to regard this as a one off but it is unsettling to realise it’s still lurking.

[Singwell in reply to Suze43]

Oh yes, I hear you on that!