My 11 year PAF progression

[Tomred]

Hi all,this may interest some and not others, ive just totted up the bouts of afib for my past 11 years , but believe i have had afib for approx 34 years, this is just an idea of how it can progress, so,,,,2014=12 times 2015=15 times 2016=22 times 2017=12 times 2018=23 times 2019=13 times 2020=24 times 2021=35 times 2022=66 times 2023=62 times 2024= 53 times i didnt keep a diary of duration of each episode but from a split second or 2, 34 years ago it has certainly been progressive to were i stand today with episodes lasting on average 48 hrs , i take bisoprolol and multaq [dronenederone] daily after been formally diagnosed in december 2017 after exercise stress test [threadmill] and 4 failed attempts at cardioversions , this may help some people in what they potentially can expect on this journey ,but, we are all different.

[bean_counter27]

Interesting information, especially the couple of years where episodes reduced significantly. Something anyone who tracks their episodes should note I.e. expect improvement at times but don't assume you have "tamed the beast".Did you have other tests along the way that indicated a changing structure or showed any decline in heart efficacy?

I also record details of all my known episodes including duration. I wonder whether total time in AF annually might be an even more useful indicator of possible progression and of AF burden.

Thanks for posting your data. Very interesting from my perspective.

[Tomred in reply to bean_counter27]

Hi Bean, no other tests since diagnosis, i dont go to A and E when i have a bout ,i sit it out.

[kkatz]

Totally different story .Shame ablations haven't worked for you.For me 7 years.4 of which were Paroxysmal with as little as 2 in 18 months.Switched to Persistent for 2.5 years.Now a month off NSR after ablation.I guess I have been lucky and do expect I will need another.

[Tomred in reply to kkatz]

I have not had any ablations Katz, 4 failed cardioversions.

[Sixtyslidogirl]

Thank you for posting. Really interesting. You say you had 4 cardioversions. Did you mean ablations? I only ask as another responder assumed you meant ablation, and I was going to ask if you had considered the procedure.

[Tomred in reply to Sixtyslidogirl]

CARDIOVERSIONS, i declined offer of ablations approx 2 years ago , as i had come to conclusion that as it stands they are not the be all and end all, thats not to say i wont have an ablation in future as possible new procedures develop.

[Ppiman]

It's a coincidence that you posted that as I only recently counted mine up and was discussing it with my wife, yesterday. It's interesting to read yours, so thanks for posting.

I do sometimes feel like I am heading towards persistent AF! I started with atrial flutter in 2019, but AF crept in during 2021, except for one bad AF dose straight after my ablation. Below is what my Apple calendar reports, as I log all episodes except the very brief ones (which are quite often). The episodes last from 1 to 8 hours in general:

2019: 1

2020: 0

2021: 1

2022: 1

2023: 5

2024: 59 (Jan-June: 16 / July-Dec: 43)

2025 to Jan 10th: 4

And that ignores the umpteen "Inconclusive" readings, pretty much daily.

Luckily, I cope well enough as the rate often stays in the 90-130bpm region.

Steve

[Tomred in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks for reply Proton pump inhibitor [ always thought that was a good name for a band lol].

[Ppiman]

The site's web software wouldn't let me choose "Steve" or even "SteveC" annoyingly and I think the first post I read was someone telling how awful PPI drugs are, so, being stuck with taking those most helpful drugs for my acid tummy, it came to mind!

Talking of names for bands, I've just upgraded my sound card to a Creative SB X4 and have been enjoying some nostalgia listening to golden oldies such as Brian Eno.

Steve