All,Has anyone out there had an av node ablation? I have been in persistent afib since feb of this year, and meds are not working. My quality of life has been miserable. I have a pacemaker with wires in my ventricles and my heart rate is very well controlled. It's the afib which is so bothersome.
After discussion with my drs, my EP is pushing the AV node ablation. But to tell you the truth, it's scary for me. What is your experience if you have had it? One other option that we have discussed is chemical cardioversion with dofetilide, but my dr doesn't like that one, since it carries risk.
So i hope i am making right choice to go ahead with the AV NODE ABLATION. IT IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 4.
jodie
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Hi. Have you been offered manual cardioversion ie, not chemical CV. Or an ablation. AV node ablation and ablation are two different procedures. Until you have had any of these procedures first. I would not rush into AV node ablation. I have had six ablations, numerous cardioversion over the years. The ablations helped for 1-2 years. I am in sr at the moment, however if I go back into AF my cardiologist has suggested AV node ablation. I have Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.
Try the Dofetilide before the permanent step of AV node ablation which makes you totally reliant on the pacemaker. The possibility of inducing Vtach while the Dofetilide is being introduced is why you are monitered for 3 days in the hospital where any dangerous arrythmias can be quickly treated. I have been on Dofetilide for 5 years now maintaining NSR without any arrythmias or side effects. It seems like malpractice to me to perform an irreversible procedure before giving the Dofetilide first. Best etheral
Hello, yes I’ve had an AV Node Ablation, I was in AF since 2015 and after drug treatment, cardio versions that tried ablations. I had three which failed after different times so two years ago a pacemaker was put in and then a few months later I had the AV node ablation. The AV node ablation itself was much quicker than the other ablations with no complications. I recovered much quicker from it too, After I felt so much better than I had done for years, I even run up the stairs at home without thinking. Unfortunately for me I caught covid which made me very unwell and has set me back but pre having covid it was amazing. When I have doubts about a procedure I always think that the doctors wouldn’t be suggesting it if they didn’t think it could help. Good luck.
Hello ETFCfan, the doctors are recommending AV Node ablation for my mom and she is very scared. We had been looking for someone who has has it done because we want to ask about their experience. Would you please share your experience in detail? How was the actual ablation and do you still feel the afib now. My mom has afib and cardiomyopathy and when she gets an afib episode, it puts her in heart failure if she doesn't get a cardioversion right away. Would it be possible to connect with you on the phone please, it may be easier.
Thank you for sharing your story. My mother has an AFIB episode every three months which causes her body to retain a lot of fluid and puts her into heart failure. She has tried a lot of anti-arrhythmic medications and is also on beta blockers. Amiodarone kept her in sinus, but caused thyroid issues and some lung issues. Doctor is recommending AV Node ablation and mom stubbornly refusing it. Could you please share your experience post AV Node ablation? Do you still feel your heart racing after the ablation?
All, Thank you for reaching out to me. I appreciate your help. One thing i have learned so far is that i need postpone the AV NODE ABLATION.
i need to provide you a little more info however. I was diagnosed with paroxysmal AFIB in 2013 after my second knee replacement. I was put on blood thinner for the risk. In 2016, i had a very successful ablation. I was holding steady until late 2018 when i had a terrible fall which resulted in a subdural hematoma. I had 3 brain surgeries, 2 burr hole surgeries and what i call the big one, craniotomy. I was a miracle that survived with no adverse effects with the help of great drs and God Almighty.
After that, i had to come off blood thinners for good and had a watchman implant. That procedure for some reason wreaked havoc on my AFIB, so in 2020, i had a pacemaker implanted. They wanted to do the AV node ablation but i refused. My AFIB burden after the pacemaker was running somewhere between 10 and 15% with well controlled HR. In Feb it rose to 100% and has stayed there. As i said before, my quality of life has been very bad. I can't exercise and do my normal activities. If i try to, it takes me 3 or 4 days to recuperate.
So i do have restrictions due to the Watchman and/or the pacemaker. My dr is opposed to doing a regular ablation due to risk due to the Watchman. He has told me that since the Watchman is metallic, it can heat up during ablation and actually burn the esophagus. So if he is not comfortable to do it, i don't want him to do it. I'm not sure about manual cardioversion. Can they do that that with pacemaker and Watchman?? More questions for him. Medication is not helping anymore, and i find anyway that some of the meds make me feel as bad as the AFIB. SO YOU SEE THE SITUATION THAT I HAVE. Also, another exciting issue is that i have been diagnosed during all this with mod sleep apnea. So scheduled to have titration sleep study on Jun 12.
All of this makes me sound like a very sick person. But i am a otherwise healthy 74 year old female who has been very physically active. So this is really "killing" me.
Any suggestions i will take back to my dr.
Best of luck to all of you suffering from this heart issue.
Heh Jodie, im in NZ and have had drug after drug and cardioversion. Im rather excersise intolerant and now drug intolerant for the last 5 years which i find tough especially at night with lots of ectopic beats in the form of heart thumps ieaving me short breathed.. I have a biotronic 2 lead pm in place 3 yrs ago but they never went ahead with ablation. Im sick of the drugs so i use PIP.How has pace and ablate worked out for you.
Hello Colin, thank you for your response. I have not yet had the AV node ablation. I expect ii will have it in July.I just have had titration for sleep apnea asvdirected by my dr. I have been diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea. However i an quite sure that my symptoms are due to my persistent AFIB.
Hi Hylda,I'm so happy that you are doing much better. I expect that in the end i will have the AV node ablation. My dr has given me some additional info pertaining to different procedures to read. I will study that and then make my decision.
But congrats to you. It must be a wonderful feeling not to feel the effects of AFIB any longer.
Jodie
PS. Does anyone out there have pm with AV node ablation and the Inspire for sleep apnea?
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