Well my ablation success didn’t last long :-(

I had my ablation on September 18. My son moved to Israel for a job so I took the risk of flying to see my grandkids. I even postponed stopping multag until I returned. I am staying in a remote mountain village without a hospital. There is an urgent care run by former American doctors but I find the place totally useless. I was across the street when I had my possible AF and it would take a threat of lethal force for me to bother going to check it out. Israel has fantastic medical care, not this clinic.

Background today: It was freaking cold so I over bundled with multiple jackets and went to the mall to eat lunch at my favorite restaurant. I ordered steamed rice noodles, steamed fish and steamed veggies because of my fear that msg triggers AF. It had zero taste. I did risk two cups of hot sour apple cider tea (caffeine free) with honey and a cinnamon stick. I usually don’t risk honey or sugar because it used to be my af trigger. I was so confident my ablation was a success so it was the first time since 2004 I had a wonderful treat. It was not worth it.

30 minutes later I went to my absolute favorite gluten free paleo keto market. I used to have to drive an hour to visit but two weeks ago they opened at the mall. I was in heaven (short lived) While in line I felt AF. It was worst than my pvc which for some reason vanished while in Israel. Maybe because I was finally exercising by walking the steep hills and tons of steps. I was a mountain goat with no ill effects. My old pre ablation self.

I took an Apple Watch ekg and it was clocked in the high 180s during my 15 +/- minute AF. My watch said AF but I ignored it and left my priced groceries in line and went to a bathroom to take a Kardia reading. It was clocked in the 170s. Looked like AF. I then took an Afibalert monitor reading. AF.

I had a sudden feeling of dispair and frustrating that not only didn’t the ablation last longer than 4 months (natale said I had no more inflammation so I am guessing the blanking period is over...plus I am on longer than recommended by natale) but now I probably need another ablation to correct the pathway damage this 15 minute AF caused, and another for the pvcs I got 10 days after the ablation.

Maybe it’s not AF. I’m waiting for natale NP to confirm. My regular EP replied immediately in the middle of the night (10 hours difference) saying it appears maybe to be AF but that doesn’t mean the ablation wasn’t a success. What does that mean? I have a new AF pathway. Of course I will get future AF!

If anyone can read an ekg let me know.
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The pages are not in order

The link you provided doesn't work, but I replied to your email. I don't think it's afib. You're throwing a bunch of PVCs but in between the PVCs it looks like normal sinus tach.

Try this to see if strips open
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Carey I cannot see a pvc every 4 seconds. But I a not trained or experienced

The link worked. That’s AF.

Wolfpack: do you know for sure? Are you medically qualified? Natale NP said no, my EP said yes and Carey said no. It’s shouldn’t be rocket science. It’s a 6 lead strip. I would like to know.

It's normal sinus tach with regular PVCs about every 4 secs. The PVCs make it look irregular superficially but it's not, actually. Other than the PVCs, the rhythm is regular so that is not afib. The lack of P waves means nothing since you can't count on seeing P waves on any handheld/wearable device. That might be what fooled your EP. He might not realize the Kardia doesn't record P waves readily.

Thanks Carey. My regular EP ordered all his patients the Kardia 6L so I speculate he maybe able to read a Kardia strip.

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My typical PVCs have a “dip”. I didn’t see any dips in the tachy strip

I'm amazed at your courage to travel with the condition that you have described! My afib has been going on for 5 days with heart rate of 118bpm and I don't even dare to drive a car for fear of dizziness and my blood pressure at 80/60 I fear passing out at the wheel.