I have had two ablations first one in 2011 and the second in 2014. have had 5 episodes in last 4 months . The episodes seem to be getting closer together. I have seen my EP prescribed pill in the pocket when needed. When is it time to have the third ablation.

Welcome Brent,

For folks that have come to this website early on in their AFIB 'careers' and have clearly responded to our first message about first adopting any and all life style risk factor reducing efforts and protocols that might be an issue in any given afibbers life, including losing at least 10% of ones weight if they are over the top of their optimal BMI range is exceeded by over 10% and most importantly keeping the weight off and avoiding 'Yo-Yo' dieting which will quickly undermine the possible significant reduction in AFIB burden if one's weight fluctuates too much, and assuming a good effort has been made toward improved diet ( less junk and processed highly refined carbs eating), in that case I would strongly advice a person such as your self to partner up ASAP with a very highly experienced persistent AFIB ablationist who does essentially only, or almost only, Atrial/VT type catheter ablations every day in their daily practice as the cornerstone of their EP careers!

I'd need to know a bit more about your history to give a more nuanced recommendation, but if you do have one or more life style or cardio-vascular risk factors ( like Hypertension, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, even just mild to moderate Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes or metabolic syndrome/insulin resistence, then I would urge you to move quickly toward getting that third ablation, but ONLY after a thorough review of what was done in your first two ablations and by whom.

Even if a person has many risk factors and has never tried to address them aggressively and with dedication but has had two ablations and now is in need of number three, I would still urge that person to both put themselves into the hands of an elite level ablation expert ASAP, if they are not already in such hands ... AND ... at the same time while waiting for the third, and hopefully final, procedure I would urge this afibber to dive head first into any and all RFM steps applicable to them that are recommended on this website and forum and that will gain the support too of any wise Cardio or EP, in order to better learn and adopt consistent 'self health' methods and good new habits as part of ones everyday life, that can only help contribute to the long term success of this third ablation and beyond.

And even if the afibber has not yet adopted what we call RFM (risk factor management) efforts in ernest for at least 6 months to one year, in order to see if they might be able to greatly reduce or push into remission their AFIB episodes, it is never to late to start adding that important arm of a well-rounded AFIB elimination/management program that most often will still require 'completing' an 'expert ablation process' as well, to give most afibbers their best chance, by far, of living the rest of their life with the absolute
minimum of total life-time AFIB/Flutter burden between now and the time our presence on this earth comes to an end.

If you wish to discuss your situation more specifically Brent, in light of the fact you have had two ablations already and now the arrhythmia is ramping up for number three, then send me your cell number and time zone by the 'PM' link above and we can review your history in more detail by phone when I can to try to better assess your options for your next best step, and when.

Best wishes,
Shannon