One year post-ablation, back into Afib this morning

This morning, on the one-year anniversary of my second ablation, at 4:35 am I woke up in Afib. HR is registering 173. Most likely triggered by a chronic lung condition that has flared up again. Not sure what to do.

Only med I’m on is Eliquis. I was on bisoprolol but stopped it in early January on EPs direction. Since stopping it, resting HR, which had been in the range of 65-77, started climbing up into the 80s and 90s. I wasn’t too concerned about this as I thought the heart just needed some time to adjust being off the drug and HR would drop back down again in time.

I was trucking along just fine until a week ago, when I had an inkling something might be happening in my throat. The next day I woke up with a sore throat and the following day with sore throat, sore neck, sore ribs, headache, congestion, achy all over and feeling pretty miserable. I’ve been like this since. Exertion is limited. Can’t do much expect sit in the recliner. This same type of infection has hit me at least 8 times in the last 14 months, with similar symptoms to a lesser or larger degree. The one notable difference this time is pain along the left side of my neck. This is the first time since receiving my ablation that I’ve gone into AFib during one of these flareups.

So now my Afib issue is complicated by my other health issue and I need some guidance how to proceed. Wait to see if I self-convert? How long? Go to the ER? If I go to the ER and ask for an ECV, will they even do it given my current state of health? I'm in poor shape.

Thanks.

Good news. My sweet, lovable heart self-converted at about 9:15! Yeah!!! It really worked hard to get there though and put me through the wringer.

I was standing at the time when I started to feel woozy, head spinning, ears ringing, weak as all get out, felt like I had to poop (sorry!). Hubby had to walk me to the recliner. At this point, I’m thinking I’m going to have to get to the ER fast. But, within about ten minutes, I started feeling better and soon after that I sensed that I might be in NSR. Kardia confirmed it. HR was 93. Hoping it holds.

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Lorraine
I was standing at the time when I started to feel woozy, head spinning, ears ringing, weak as all get out, felt like I had to poop (sorry!). Hubby had to walk me to the recliner. At this point, I’m thinking I’m going to have to get to the ER fast. But, within about ten minutes, I started feeling better and soon after that I sensed that I might be in NSR. Kardia confirmed it. HR was 93. Hoping it holds.

That sounds like it could have been a conversion pause causing a near-syncope episode. If you ever feel that way again during AF, I would recommend sitting down immediately right where you are before you faint and hit the floor hard.

And if it happens again, tell your EP about it. He might want you to wear a monitor to see if you need a pacemaker.

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Carey

That sounds like it could have been a conversion pause causing a near-syncope episode. If you ever feel that way again during AF, I would recommend sitting down immediately right where you are before you faint and hit the floor hard.

And if it happens again, tell your EP about it. He might want you to wear a monitor to see if you need a pacemaker.

That didn't occur to me until you mentioned it. I have had one syncope event. The day after my index ablation in August 2019 I went into Afib. The next day, while in the ER awaiting an ECV, I blacked out while standing at the sink in the bathroom. Woke up looking at the base of the toilet, wondering what the hell happened. There was no warning whatsoever. Fortunately, no injuries.