Ablation 2/28/22. First flutter today 2/7/23....am I doomed?

First afib flutter tonight for about a minute. Heart flip flopping. Will it reoccur with a vengance? Can I do anything to help? I had not drank any water today and had done quite a bit of walking. I really don't want another ablation.

Hi Luvarose, welcome to the forum. Sorry this is happening but we really need to know more about you before we can offer useful comments. We have no idea how old you are, what medical conditions you have, what medications you're taking, or even what gender you are. So please give us a summary of you and your health issues.

One easy thing I can suggest is drink more water now. Dehydration happens more easily than you think and it can definitely trigger afib and flutter all by itself, even in people who don't have afib or flutter. So get yourself well hydrated and keep it that way.

Hi All
I am female, 67 years old. I take two low dose aspirin in the evening. I also take 25 mg of metoprolol, 1/2 pill in the am, the other at night. Restuvostatin 5 mg per day. I am 5'9" and weigh 205. My doctor stopped eliquis 6 months post ablation.
No other health issues.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/2023 09:04PM by Luvarose.

Thank you.

I am female, 67 years old. I take two low dose aspirin in the evening. I also take 25 mg of metoprolol, 1/2 pill in the am, the other at night. Restuvostatin 5 mg per day. I am 5'9" and weigh 205. My doctor stopped eliquis 6 months post ablation.
No other health issues.

When did you have an ablation?

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Luvarose
First afib flutter tonight for about a minute. Heart flip flopping. Will it reoccur with a vengance? Can I do anything to help? I had not drank any water today and had done quite a bit of walking. I really don't want another ablation.

How are you sure it was AFib or flutter or both?
About one minute is very short.
A couple runs of ectopics might resemble AFib.
I wouldn't mind such a short event, unless it happens repeatedly.

Not sure about flutter? It had the characteristic irregular heartbeat and fast irregular pulse. I am not sure what flutter is as vs afib? Ablation 2/28/22 just shy of a year ago.

Atrial flutter (AFL) is a very regular rhythm. If the heartbeat you're feeling is an irregular rhythm, that's most likely afib, not AFL.

AFL doesn't refer to the fluttering sensation many people with afib feel. It's an arrhythmia separate and distinct from afib, although it's similar in many ways. But the distinguishing characteristic between the two is that flutter is a regular rhythm and afib is a very irregular rhythm, so it sounds like what you're describing is afib.

But back to the duration. You say this lasted only a minute? If so, then watch the hydration and relax. A 1-minute episode doesn't really mean much. You're not doomed.

Few people know when they are in flutter. You may suspect that 'something' is going on if you feel unwell, but you're not likely to physically detect the flutter (with some variation, of course).

The palpitations you feel when you are experiencing an arrhythmia are not likely to be present during flutter. So, as Carey has suggested, what you experienced, palpitations, are almost certain to be AF. And there are many known triggers that cross from case-to-case. Mineral imbalances like too much calcium or too little potassium are on the list, as is dehydration. Unfortunately, it is very easy to forget to drink, or to provide for it.

I hate stating the following, but I am in that very boat: the disorder is always progressing. It might be retarded a great deal by mechanical 'fixes' here and there, now and then, but in the end the heart wins. This board is replete with members who have had to accept that interventions will only delay the finality of the disorder, whatever that end-state might be for any one of us. Sorry, but it's the honest truth, and it ought to be said.

My hope for you is that this is just a one-off protest for having neglected an important daily function for several too-many hours. Happens to the best of us.

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gloaming

I hate stating the following, but I am in that very boat: the disorder is always progressing. It might be retarded a great deal by mechanical 'fixes' here and there, now and then, but in the end the heart wins. This board is replete with members who have had to accept that interventions will only delay the finality of the disorder, whatever that end-state might be for any one of us. Sorry, but it's the honest truth, and it ought to be said.

You're obviously frustrated (and likely depressed) about your own situation but for the benefit of others seeking help and comfort, such remarks are best kept to yourself. As you said, if you "hate stating the following" then why say it? Why bring others down with you?

Yes, a-fib is a progressive thing but for many people a-fib doesn't end their lives or ruin their lives. I know countless people who have gone years (15-20+ years) with complete a-fib freedom after their ablations. I also know people that live perfectly normal lives with a-fib. There is always hope!

Our goal should be to help and comfort others, not feed into the negativity that often comes with this condition.

Travis

I accept your rebuke, Travis. I was probably not in a great space when I posted that. I agree, some things are often best left unsaid. Thanks for taking the time to remind me.