I have never posted anything here. you all seem to have the lingo down and are using acronyms like a boss. never the less, here I am. I will be 67 this year and have had afib for over 10 years. I have been on all the medications for rhythm and rate. I have had 3 cryo ablations. The last one in Dec last year. The first 2 ablations worked for about 2 years each. This last one never did take. I do take Xarelto. And had been on amiodarone since the procedure. But had to discontinue due to heart rate regularly going below 50. I see my cardiologist in November. He has said my next (and last option) is 'pace and ablate' My understanding is this means to install a pacemaker and ablate the AV node. What I don't understand is what will be happening once I have afib after this procedure. How will I feel? What are the benefits and drawbacks.
seeking info.: I have never posted... - Atrial Fibrillati...
seeking info.
As the left ventricle ( the main pumping chamber) is regulated by the pacemaker your heart rate will be regular and any former synptoms such as fatigue should be reduced but of course the AF can continue in the left atrium and whilst not affecting your heart rate you may be aware of it.
If you scroll up you will find a post ‘AV Node Ablation’ with many positive comments.
I have had an AV node ablation and would recommend it, occasionally I can feel the AFIB but it doesn’t last long and is far better than being in permanent AF. Also you have the massive benefit of knowing that your heart rate isn’t going to soar out of control or indeed drop too low. I found the actual AV node ablation and recovery easier than my other three ablations. Good luck.
Hi ... better than being in permanent AF....how long were you like that and were you asymptomatic?
I first had AF in2015 and it was only a year or so before it was permanent. I didn’t feel my heart very often but had terrible fatigue and I was unable to exercise, go up slopes etc and also dizzy spells .
Interesting, thanks. Glad things are better for you.
Those acronyms are everywhere. The atrium is not controlled by pace and ablate, only the ventricles, so the quivering will continue but will not be felt. We only ever feel the ventricular activity, or what it does - if it doesn't pump enough oxygenated blood around, that is. The heart itself creates very few "sensory" effects, I gather. Even the pulse we feel is from blood coursing into the peripheral circulation and caused by the valves shutting.
The pace and ablate has been mentioned to me as one option. Such fun!
Steve
If you enter "pace and ablate" in the HU Search 🔍 option at the top of this page, you will get loads of previous Posts and Replies on this matter. Here's a quick link for you ...
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
Good luck.
Try to Berberiene 3 times daily with a meal instead of Amiodorabe
how bad do you feel now with the AF ? Is it persistent , or does it come and go ? From reading other posts on pace and ablate I have gathered that it is usually performed if a person feels awful in AF and is unable to function and have a good quality of life . Also , medication not helping to bring the rate down , or medication not tolerated . You seem quite young for pace and ablate although I am aware it can be done much younger for exceptional circumstances . Would you consider surgery such as the ‘mini maze ‘ that is supposed to be successful when regular ablations have t worked .
My AF comes and goes....frequently. And I cannot function while in afib. I basically have to lie down until it passes, Which can be 5 minutes or 12 hours. I believe I have been on all of the medications and have even cycled back to some. None worked. I have not been given the option of a 'mini maze'. I'm not certain it is something that is available at my location. What does it involve?
It is basically a surgical ablation so the incisions are made on the outside of the heart so the procedure is more precise and can access more anatomy . Can also have hybrid versions . Look up MummyLuv , she had one with Mr Hunter in London UK , and 4 chickens had one by same surgeon but in Sheffield on the NHS . Saul from Greece ( can’t recall surname ) had one done in Tokyo by a renowned surgeon for the price of a fancy car . You should be able to search ‘minimaze ‘ .
Hi, I had an email asking me to offer support to you on amiodarone which doesn't seem appropriate as you had to come off it! I too had to stop it due to lung damage. But, I was on both amiodarone and verapamil and also previously digoxin and was told there was no worry about my heart going too slow as I had a pacemaker fitted which would click in if the heart got too slow. That was fitted 6 years previously as my heart kept pausing, so I wonder if a pacemaker plus drugs might be a next step before going to ablate and pace? Perhaps just a question to your cardiologist?
Pace and AV node ablation
first part of pace and ablate done
My Wolf Mini Maze update.... 
Medication
