Hi All
I Would like to hear others experience of going for a AV Node ablation after having heat & freeze ablations for Atrial Tachycardia.
The previous ablations have successfully controlled my AF but I'm still getting alot of Atrial Tachycardia. Exploring the option of having AV Node Ablation possibly.
Have others found it helpful or continued treating with meds. It's starting to have a real toll on my daily life now.
Thankyou.
What is wrong with just ablating the A Tach? A pacemaker and AV node ablation is pretty final.
They said they don't think further ablations with heat and freezing will make a difference hence the AV Node ablations. I suppose my reluctantly is it will mean I'm 100% reliant on my PM after.
I might be wrong but I thought atrial tachycardia had a higher success rate with ablation than Afibrillation
This is good to know I will ask the question when I see them next.
Sorry Marvel, I didn’t mean AV node ablation, Radio frequency I think is best for tachycardia. I agree with Bob. It’s drastic.
If and it’s a big IF ….some miracle cure popped up then you’ve burnt your bridges..pardon the ‘burn’ pun.
My EP has said AV node ablation is last resort and at 66 I’m a bit young for it (not heard the word “young” referring to me in a long time) gotta love my EP.
Like you previously my EP was of the same thinking that it's too drastic. I'm in my early 40s. With the recent development though my cardio is suggesting it so not sure EP will agree anyway. Feel like I'll be in limbo with it as treatment options seem very limited. Ablation or AV Node ablation 🤦♀️
My fourth ablation was for A Tach and worked though subsequently I needed a PM due to pauses.
I think I need to ask more questions around why not another ablation?
Hi, I'm 63 (AF since 1999 - familial on mother's side) and I've had two ablations (PVI Aug 2018 - RF and re-do Jan 2023 PFA) and currently get short runs of ATach most days - usually 3 to 10 seconds a couple of times a day. No AF though thankfully. I'm told by various EPs I'm doing very well as I am and that they will only do a ATach ablation if the episodes become far longer in duration. Please keep me posted as to how you get on from here. Fingers crossed !
Mike
Of course I'll try to come back and update once I know more. My ATach is coming with lots of symptoms like dizziness though I believe the actual episodes are short ones.
No symptoms here with mine - just feels kinda weird. Rate usually about 120/130 BPM. My NSR 50-60 BPM.
I'm getting similar but not as frequent as yours however, the episodes are longer. Did your tachycardia start after your adib ablation or was it there all the time? Mine was their proceeding the ablation and it still persists. Daily Diltiazem seems to prevent them. Something you may want to try if you haven't.
Jim
How often do you have the episodes and for how long? Did you have episodes before your ablation or just after?Have you spoken to more than one electrophysiologist about this? Some ep's are simply better than others, and I would pursue one at one of your larger well known centers.
I also have tachycardia after a successful ablation. Daily Diltiazem seems to help prevent the episodes. If that stops happening and the frequency increases, I may see another electrophysiologist.
Jim
Hi there, I am the caregiver for my husband and I can say that we have no other choice then to have the AV Node Ablation. This is the last recourse we have to alleviate the symptoms of AF/Flutter for my husband. His in heart failure, enlarged heart with a heart valve & a pacemaker/ICD. A ventricular ablation was done 2 yrs ago that went well and almost a year from an atrial ablation that did not work and went from occasional flutter to persistent Flutter with the occasional short VT. The EP stated that his atrial issue is very damaged and did not feel very comfortable performing another atrial ablation and suggested AV Node Ablation. Ep stated it wouldn't cure the flutter but it would the symptoms to at least live a more normal life and eliminate the chances of a stroke and weakening heart muscle. My husband has an EF of 34 and he can not afford for his heart to weaken anymore. So I have done my research on this AV Node Ablation and have presented all my lengthy questions and other options to his EP and our conversation was enlightening. My husband couldn't be in a better place than Mayo Clinic and they would not suggest this option lightly. So my advise do your research and write all your questions down so when you do meet with your EP you don't forget anything. This is your health and you are your best advocate. Best of luck
Thankyou for sharing. Yes I'll definitely be writing lots of questions to ask my EP.
Did your husband get the AV Node ablation?
He is scheduled for an AV Node ablation end of this month. He already has a pacemaker ICD and gets assistance from it so I do not think there will be any difference if it worked 100%. What I still worry is will he be better then now? EP says that he will and even be able to exercise better and strengthen his heart muscle. So, let see. This will be a tie over until he gets on the heart transplant list. So keep us posted on your end and I will after his AV Node ablation. Best of luck
Fingers crossed it resolves the issue and he can strengthen his heart muscles. Yes pls keep me posted. Wishing him and you best of luck.
I am done with the Afib Circus because I have a Watchman and a pacemaker with an AV node ablation. I’m on no drugs and feel much better. I made the right decisions for me. I barely even think of AFib anymore, whereas for over two almost three years it dominated my daily life: drugs, ablations, Cv’s, tachycardia, bradycardia, flutter, you name it. I’m done with all that, free of afib disrupting my life. I bless the day I got a Watchman and my pacemaker is unnoticeable; just a part of me I don’t think much about. I’m happy with my decisions about my heart health.
Gosh I feel like this is me right now. I'm coming upto 3 years post PM and it's been drug changes, ablations, bradycardia, flutter, AF, tachycardia - it's been non-stop. I think I really need to give it serious thought amd read up on it.
You have a pacemaker (PM) and are still having all those afib problems? That doesn’t make sense to me. A pacemaker does not allow tachycardia or bradycardia, for instance.
PM controls the bradycardia but not tachycardia that's controlled with medication but they doesn't seem to be doing the trick as im still getting it.
I don’t understand. Yours must be a different situation from mine. I don’t experience tachycardia anymore, not since I got the AV node ablation and pacemaker. My bpm stays at 70 unless the sensor senses my heart needs to pump more blood for physical exertion, such as climbing a hill. It can get into the 80-90bpm range, sometimes but rarely 100 (I don’t push myself at 83), then goes back to a steady 70.
I’m sorry I can’t be of any help. Good luck with your explorations into how to find your way through. I basically had to find my own solution through my own research and proactivity with my providers. Good wishes to you.
Thankyou. Yes, I think that is what they are hoping to achieve by doing the AV Node ablation now. I was hoping the medication would have kept it under control but it hasn't and Im on the maximum 😔
Aha! If you don’t have an AV node ablation, your crazy fluttering and afibbing atria are still telling your ventricles what to do. Begone! My atria are still fluttering away, but my ventricles don’t know it and just keep steadily doing what they’re supposed to do: pump blood out in a regular, steady way.
I hope an AV node ablation works for you as well as it has for me.
Fie on meds. Fix the plumbing and electrical systems instead of relying on chemicals that pose dangers of their own and, in my case, didn’t work well.
I feel encouraged for you!
Thankyou yes I hope so too x
AV NODE 
AV Node Ablation with pacemaker
AV Node Ablation 
AV Node ablation and still being in AF
