I had ectopic beats for over a year, up to 24 a minute, dizzy, light headed, totally exhausted. I am 66 previously very fit, cycling, rowing,walking. When I started suffering chest pain my GP sent me to A&E by ambulance three times, each time I was told its nothing to worry about 'everybody gets them'. I questioned if it would damage my heart and was told not to worry. A&E prescribed Glyceryl spray for possible angina. GP precsribed Bisiprolol 1.25mg. Afib continued relentlessly and I felt worse.
In December 2023 Afib started, periods of 3 days then back to normal for 3 or 4 days, then in January 2024 Afib became persistant all day every day. I paid for private angiogram and echo, my heart and arteries are in verygood condition. I saw a cardioligist in March, Afib confirmed, further tests now on Digoxin 250mg, Rivaroxaban 20mg, Flecainide 100mg to start now on 200mg nad Bisoprolol 10mg.
I had cardioversion in April, felt great, back in NSR for a week then Afib returned. Cardiologist has put me on waiting list for abaltion in March but I was told it could be a year. I had more tests done following that my cardiologist was not happy with results, I presume my case had become more urgent. I was really over the moon when offered an ablation at Trent Cardiac Unit Nottingham 3rd July, had the pre op assessment, ready to go, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Yesterday I got a call from cardiology to cancel my ablation, they were very sorry but they did not have any anaethestists available. I have Parkinson's and have to have general anaesthetic to control tremors and twitching. I am bitterley dissapointed and now know this is due to junior doctors going on strike this week in a callous political pointless move when we have no actual government to negotiate a deal with. I have great respect for the NHS and I support the junior doctors demand for a fair wage for their hard earned skills but a politcal stunt that endangers so many patients and cancels so many operations is just not right and spits on medical oaths.
My chances of having a stroke have increased 6 fold and the longer the Afib is persistant the more damage it will cause as my medications are not working.
Apologies for long winded rant, needed to get it off my chest.
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Lefthook
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My sympathies but what can you do ? I had my ablation cancelled as I was half way to the hospital on the morning of the ablation some weeks ago. I've just had my rescheduled (5th) ablation, under GA due to complexity.
I do hope you don't have to wait too long and it will all be worth it in the end. You are anticoagulated and know from your Echo and angio that your heart and arteries are good so try and go with the flow now.
My husband has Parkinson's as well so I know first hand what a terrible disease this is. He has permanent AF but completely unaware of it. He is on Rivaroxaban also so we know he is 'covered'.
Thank you for kind reply, it's so frustrating,I am so sick of politics. I Hope your ablation is successfull and recovery goes well, kind regards to your husband, its surprising how many of us have Parkinsons now or care for someone with Parkinsons. I am lucky, diagnosed 6 years ago at stage 3 on the scale and its only progressing slowly. Best wishesJ
I would like to add I know it’s so annoying when they cancel but working for the NHS myself it is only the junior doctors who are on strike. All seniors are still on duty. It seems odd to me that they have cancelled it or a junior was scheduled to do it with a consultant supervision
Thank you for reply. I fully support the junior doctors demand for fair pay rise, everyone I have seen in NHS about my arrythmias have been very good, caring and professional. I disagree with using patients as a political weapon and increasing waiting lists to patients detriment to attack a failing government, current strike is pointless until new government in place, gaps left by striking doctors have to be covered and cause shortage of staff and cancelled appointments. J
I hope you get it done soon. Not all are striking this time around but I remember when they were striking the first time the SpR came in my office and said I have just dictated an urgent letter will you type it. I wasn’t expecting him I remember saying I thought you were on strike and he said not me!
Thanks for reply, its all your hopes when waiting for the procedure just dashed for politics, I know so many people have suffered last minute cancellations for all kinds of ops and procedures, striking is not the best way. J
It’s not on at all. You get yourself ready for the procedure and then you get let down and they don’t think you might have to need childcare book time off work etc. Just cancel and I think they could have waited until after the election with the government
The need for a GA definitely adds a risk and a possible delay, as I have been warned. The cause - the strike - is a great shame and the rant is entirely justified. However, the nurses, medical staff and junior doctors are being treated very badly by a poor management led by a dreadful government health department. My daughter in law, a nurse, has gone in throughout as she cannot afford to strike, but she is fed up with the delays and indecision from her own hospital.
You have enough on your plate already with your Parkinson's, and now this. I do hope it is all resolved soon.
Thank you Steve. Agree with your comments, I think junior doctors pay is way too low for the skilled job they do, strikes are increasing pressure on staff still working, nurses, doctors,consultants are trying to plug gaps as patients suffer. New government soon, will things improve ? I hope so.J
I had an ablation last September, when the Consultants were on strike and they rang me in the morning, the day before it was due and said that it was cancelled and then rang me again in the afternoon saying it was back on, as my Consultant had decided to work through the strike. I was lucky. I know the Junior Doctors work hard and deserve more money, but striking like this, is only hurting the people the people they are supposed to be caring for and a 35% pay rise, is too much to ask, whoever is in power after next week, the NHS is under funded as it is. Hope you get your ablation before too long.
Thank you for your reply. Agree with you, but i think they should get big pay rise to keep up with inflation and the skilled highly qualified job they do, £15 an hour is a disgrace. Was your ablation success ?J
Well my A-Fibs not come back yet. They also ablated for the SVT I had too. The Consultant said it went well and he hoped neither would come back, but who knows. You’ll not really know if it’s successful or not, unless it does come back. I try to put that at the back of my mind, but it’s not easy. They say it’s more successful if you only have AFib occasionally, as I did. So🤞🤞🤞 You have more to contend with, so hope your ablation is successful, at least you’ll have one thing less to worry about. Good luck.
Could it not be that currently there is an actual shortage of anaesthetists in the NHS, and this is the cause of your delay, rather than the current strike. I have heard multiple times on the Forum and the media about a shortage of trained anaesthetists in the NHS which badly affects all types of surgery. Of course, acknowledging this doesn't help your situation, and we can only hope the new Govt can restore funding and recruitment, and eventually also restore "satisfaction in the NHS" to its previous highest-ever level achieved just prior to "the last 14 years" of mismanagement.
Thanks for responding, you may be right, a shortage of anaesthetists is dangerous, combined with a strike its a disaster for many patients, let's hope things can only get better.J
Hi left Hook like me youve Certainly been dealt a heavy blow. Ive been under the the weather with this thing altogether about 9 years. I to have been a keen cyclist having did alright in the World masters but failed miserably at the Nationals that year . Thats when i started to realise i had a problem. I now gave a pacemaker to stop the hr going to low at night but that was not to be the whole process so ive been left on a myriad of drug trials which i seem to be intolerant to Not touched my bikes now for 2 years due to developing excersise resistance.All the best left hook. Letme know of any succeses.
Thanks for reply, I have had problems with fitness for about two years also, from competing in national rowing championships 3 years ago to now and not being able to walk a few hundred yards without being exhausted is miserable, exercise and fitness was a big part of my life that has drained away over the last six months, the ablation was a hope that I could get some life back, not expecting to be as I was but better than I am now. Take care and enjoy watching the Tour de France next 3 weeks.J
⁸Thanks left hook. I will stay up tonight to watch at least part of the tour start.I go down to our club gym whivh has a lot of gear Just recently i realised that that the only way i can keep a bit of fitness iss to keep my heart in Z2 on the stationary bike. Unfortunately even tjis level has become to much as my effort whas to stay at less than 4 Mets. In other words as I am 82 yrs of age i need to keep my heart rate at between 95 and 100 to stay in Z2. To do this i have to pedal from 55 to 60 with an effort of about 8. Alas at those stats my heart has now jumped under excersise to about 36 which is way beyond my 95 to 100..
This just makes the af faster and the rest of the day and the next night are real tough.
Will see my doc on thursday and see what else i can do. Excersise is truly a trigger for increasing the problem. I think that AV node ablation may
Be the only solution now. Cant have the af ablation because of the size of my left atrium..
By the way i only started getting pain in my chest especially at night for⁹ the hirst time a fortnight ago
Hi Alphakiwi. Your commitment does you credit, must have been a hard headed rugby player ? I am 66 now, played rugby, boxed, ran marathons and rowing in nationals at 62, then someone pulled the plug, haven't rowed for 6 months. Afib started January, persistently, consultant upped my medication prior to planned ablation and I went into sinus rythm with ectopic beats yesterday, today its showing Bradychardia heart rate 48 and low blood pressure but apart from exhausted I feel OK. Have you read 'The Haywire Heart' by Chris Case, John Mandrola & Leonard Zinn, lots of info about endurance sport addicts and heart problems they believe training hard can cause wildly abnormal heart rhythms and what to do to prevent damage and stay active.Keep it up.
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