I did the test and got to 45 sec. I could have gone longer with much discomfort. Knowing when to stop and breath is a bit subjective depending on ones "discomfort" tolerance.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I never found a relationship between exercise and afib. I had well over 200 episodes of afib and none happened while exercising. I don't know if my breathing (which I focus on) is a problem. For example, one of the weight exercises I was doing before my hip replacement that generated the greatest need to breath was squats to a short bench (knees bent to 90 degrees) while holding a 40lby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Dang, getting old impacts our physical and aerobic capacity. Nothing new here, but I will continue to push for a 50 year old body, even though mine is 75. I think I mentioned this before, but my Dad lived to be 97 (passed away in his sleep), got his driver's license renewed at age 95, played golf (always walking) until 94, hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back out at age 81,by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Taking no meds. If I have a reoccurring episode of afib, I do take Flecainide (pill in a pocket). Only one breakthrough since May and that was in August. I don't do things that push my heart rate to the max. What brought all this on was my swimming. I hadn't been in the pool for 50 years, but having my hip replaced suggested that I need some aerobic training and swimming was the obby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I touched on this before, wondering if there was a relationship between MHR post ablations. I have had two ablations, the first 14 years ago with good success until a year ago when afib returned. Second ablation a year ago and doing great for the last several months. My concern was that I couldn't get my MHR above 120 (should be 145 for my age of 75). So the questions is - did afib aby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I agree with Carey regarding the many issues that could cause chest pain, and trying to figure out exactly what is causing the pain, but I wasn't sure of which issues actually cause the heart to hurt, so I checked a Mayo Clinic post that says: Examples of heart-related causes of chest pain include: Heart attack. A heart attack results from blocked blood flow, often from a blood clot,by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Just wondering - is there anything other than lack of blood flow (coronary arteries) to the heart that would cause pain in the heart?by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
A big part of recovery from just about any surgery is one's physical state when going in. Which means, if you have no other health issues and are in excellent physical condition when going in, recovery most often is a piece of cake. My last ablation was day surgery and I felt perfectly fine when I walked out of the hospital. Did a two mile walk the next day. Things happen to all of usby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
While having afib and using blood thinners is a no brainer, having afib does not mean you will have a stroke if not on blood thinners. I had afib for 5 years with over a 100 episodes and didn't know it was afib. I was misdiagnosed with "occasional irregular heart rhythm because of mitral valve prolapse". Finally caught the afib on an ECG and I didn't have mitral valve prolaby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Elaborating on Carey's "electrical wire" analogy. An ablation tries to cut all the wires the Dr. can find. Many times the Dr. doesn't find all the wires and a "touch up" is needed to discover what was missed. If the Dr. finds ALL the wires and cuts them all, then that is a successful ablation. However, there is a chance that NEW wires can develop at some pointby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
barbcat said: "2. I am now noticing on this list....something I wasn't aware of before......A lot of people talk about being put on anti-arrhythmic meds after an ablation. That concerns me for several reasons. Is that Dr. Natale's usual practice....or is it only occasional with certain people? I am not talking about eliquis....I understand the need to that for at least 3 months, buby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
NLAMA said: "Interesting idea. A successful ablation would be robust enough to allow a person to drink caffeine, eat chocolate, alcohol, etc - do all of the 'triggers' suspected, yet most people that have an ablation still walk the tightrope to some degree." I have done and continue to do all of the above "triggers" after both ablations with no issues. I do takeby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I was at full strength the day after my two ablations, but the first one 13 years ago, I was told to lay off the exercise for one month. My last ablation in Jan, I was told to lay off the exercise for one week, both with the same Dr. I believe the issue is the healing of the insertion point(s) for the catheters, not the heart.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Others will jump in to answer some of your questions too. Bottom line is that there is a lot of variation between many of us that have had ablations. Ablations for me were a piece of cake - but not by Natale. First one 13 years ago was easy. One night in the hospital and at a normal life the day after. I was told to lay off exercise for one month. There were three insertion points and a loby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
NLAMA said: "Maintained NSR through all the drugs and stresses so it's looking promising I can be one of those lucky 'one and done'." I guess Carey can answer this, but it seems to me that "one and done" doesn't exist. It's "one and done for some undetermined number of years". I went 13 years after my first ablation, but it came back,by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Prior to my first ablation, two drinks (beer or wine) seemed to be a trigger. Never one drink. After my first and second ablations, one or two drinks never kicked in afib. Since my first ablation 14 years ago, I drink about 4 oz. of red wine every evening. Occasionally I will have beer instead, or two/three glasses of wine with friends, but never a problem with afib.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
As I said before, I would guess that most folks getting ablations would not notice a reduction in max HR, assuming that it is a possible phenomenon after an ablation. I will get a stress test when my hip replacement is strong enough to push to my limit on a treadmill to see if there is anything strange with my heart function. Suggested by my EP. Before my last ablation in Jan., when I did goby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey If you can tolerate it and you don't have other conditions that preclude it, there's no reason not to. As I've pointed out before, there are afibbers out there running marathons, competing in triathlons, professional basketball players, professional cyclists, and so on. Except for Bird and West, it seems that competing while having an afib episode is not common aby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
One issue not clearly defined above is exercising while IN afib, or exercising with afib, but not while IN an episode. Strenuous exercise when not in an episode seems to be fine to do. Any exercise when I was in an episode was totally unrealistic. O2 debt big time if doing any moderate exercise. However, normal daily activity was not impacted in any way when in afib, but exercise was notby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
From the EP that did my ablation in Dallas, Dr. Kevin Wheelan - "Unfortunately the reduced hear rate might be the result of a gradual decline in function of your sinus node. This does occur with aging and is more common in patients who have had afib". I have another EP in Raleigh where I live, but haven't heard back from him. Since I am about to be free of hip replacement issuby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
No beta blockers or anything else, except the Flec as needed - 5 times since March and none in the last two months.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have eluded to this before, but here is a more detailed example of my concern. After my second ablation in January, a higher resting heart rate is expected and did happened (60 as I sit here typing). It will drop a bit during the year. My issue is with my maximum heart rate which I can't get much over 120. I have been swimming for cardio work for the last 5 months, 2 x week. Becauseby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
My prescription bottle for Flec. says: Take one tablet 2 X a day. They are 100 mg each. I did that before and after my ablation, then two months after the ablation, I was told to stop. Then to use the Flec for pill in the pocket as needed by the Dr.: Two tablets immediately after the start of afib, once a day. Total of 200 mg a day. I weigh 170. Now, only one episode since May which was sby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Before my first ablation, I had afib for 11 years with well over 200 recorded episodes. Full blown exercise when not in afib was never an issue with heart rates getting very high, and that included a half marathon. However, if in afib, I couldn't do much of anything that elevated my heart rate. A couple of flights of stairs and I was huffing and puffing. So, if in afib, I did not do anyby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
I was on Toprol XL for 6 years (before my first ablation) and never felt any effect while doing anything, including pretty strenuous exercise as well as skiing, scuba diving, windsurfing, hiking, jogging, etc. However, IF it did reduce my maximum HR, I wasn't aware because I didn't notice anything and wasn't checking. This was all 15-20 years ago. Now after two ablations, andby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
From the BOLT score test: "When you first feel the need to breathe, release the nose and take a breath through the nose – remember to keep your mouth closed throughout (this is not a maximum breath hold, only till the first need to breathe, your next breath and follow on breathing should be completely normal, not big breaths). The number of seconds that elapsed is your Control Pause.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
75 - M - 2 - 13 Not Natale.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
One day after both my ablations, I felt 100% normal. I did wait one month after the first to exercise and two weeks after the second. The most noticeable problem for me with exercise post ablation is that I reach my anaerobic threshold (out of breath) much quicker than before the ablation. Also, my maximum heart rate only 120-125. The good news is that this continually gets better as the montby Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
Been lifting weights for 65 years (but not in the last 5 months). Never had an issue with lifting and afib or ectopics. Medium weights too, usually in the area of 10-20 reps. Usually two sets, but for a few lifts, I do three sets.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM
My last ablation was day surgery. In the door at 6:00 am and out the door in the late afternoon. 2 mile walk the next day. No pain or discomfort and no bruising at the groin insertion point.by Ken - AFIBBERS FORUM