QuoteCarey It depends on the nature of the flutter. If it's right-sided typical flutter, that's very easy to ablate. But if it's left-sided atypical flutter, that can be quite difficult, but either way, afib is always the most difficult arrhythmia to ablate. Your EP will probably be able to determine which it is if they capture it on a monitor, or even with an ECG in their office.by Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey Not sure if this is tachycardia, atrial flutter - (my EP said she saw atrial flutter during the ablation and ablated it); hopefully its not something like VT or SVT? Hi Ingrid, It's definitely tachycardia because all the means is a heart rate over 100. That's just a descriptive word, not a diagnosis, so don't worry about that. It's definitely not VT or yoby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuotePoppino Wow very similar in some aspects to me. I had left flutter ablated 3/29. Had 5 good weeks then lots of erratic activity. 8 days of flutter Then a HR that would not reach 60 no matter what i did. That lasted a few days. Then late may a 181 episode lasted 2.5 hrs. Now in june i get resting HR of 68 that goes to 95-105 in a second. Those last 30 secs to 15 mins. My EP has not correspoby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had my ablation 7.5 months ago and have not had Afib episode but have been having short bursts of rapid heart beats...usually 10-12 rapid beats at a time and also what feel like skipped beats here and there (PACs?). 3 weeks ago my HR got up to 150 for 10 minutes before converting back to 60 and just today it happened again for 1 minute - shot up to 140-150bpm & then back to normal RHR.by Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had my ablation about 10 weeks ago and have been having some PACs, PVCs, ectopic beats since then so I may give Ashwaganda a try. although mine don't necessarily happen when I am exercising or around stress - or at least I don't notice them then (so not adrenale)... I notice them more when I am at rest. Thanks!by Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you @rocketritch appreciate your message! hope you are well and happy holidays to you and a happy and healthy 2021 to you!by Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks again Carey - appreciate your response and insight!by Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey Those 5-second bursts are nothing to worry about. They're ectopics, most likely PACs, and as long as they remain brief like that they're utterly meaningless and will probably go away eventually on their own. Your meds are pretty typical, but why the aspirin? Your EP prescribed it, right? That's rather unusual so it wasn't prescribed by a previous doctor and youby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
I had my ablation November 18th and so far so good with no AF episodes (knock on wood!). During this last month on occassion I have had some real quick beats for about 5 seconds or so and then a slight pause then back to NSR - I am not sure what those are? Are they ectopic beats, PACs, atrial flutter or something else... or something to be concerned about, or normal during this period? My otby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for your post Monty. Since I just had my ablation 2 weeks ago this is a very encouraging post for me to read! I am thinking about putting together a collection of Afib stories for the purpose of helping others who are going thru this. I know that I would love to have a source to read others stories of their history with afib, treatments, successes, failures, etc. Hans had a section likby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Monty - thank you so much for your message! I am so glad to hear that news. I hope I have the same success as you did...May you continue to be in NSR!by Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuotestrongHeart So it's 9 days since you posted, I'm curious whether you went ahead Ingrid? I'm 50, i've been an elite athlete, first episode when i was 30, Paroxysmal AF, averaging AF every 2 months; episodes last at least 2 nights for me. I follow similar to George's protocol, and have been thru years where I had to have regular cardioversions, but now am starting toby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotesusan.d I took multaq after both my ablations during the blanking period (healing) . As Carey said, it is safer than the other drugs. You should expect a few runs if ever- maybe not (I didn’t after first but had one short run the second), af during the healing period. It’s all normal. As NLAMA says, you just had your heart bbq. Your heart is healing now. 5-6 weeks after both of my ablatiby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteNotLyingAboutMyAfib My advice would be relax - you just had a heart bbq and needs some time to settle down. I wouldn't worry about Multaq - Dr N likes it and I took but it didn't work early on - neither did flec until I got an ECV 10 weeks later. I am in NSR at 60 BPM for a week now and just battled through pneumonia and an ER visit to a hospital filled with covid. Just relaxby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey PACs are to be expected, and your heart rate is perfectly normal. Multaq is related to amiodarone but that's like saying tigers are related to house cats. Multaq is nothing at all like amiodarone. It's quite safe and has very few side effects. It's the mildest drug with the least amount of side effects you can be offered. I wouldn't hesitate to take it if I wereby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
I’m in the hospital now. Had an ablation yesterday & having some complications including runs of PACs plus my normal low resting HR In The 40s is now in mid to hi 60s. Which maybe that’s not an issue. Are these issues normal? The doc wanted to put me multaq (dronedarone) to control the PACs which I guess is a drug part of the amiodarone family?? I remember reading in Hans book never toby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteJoe FWIW i had zero side effects taking Flec but then again i only took it for, i think, about one week BID and then converted. After that i took 50mg only once a day at night for some months. I did stop for a few weeks in between but had an episode so i just take 50 mg every second day. Don't even know if that is effective pharmacologically but it may help with my mind? Thanks Joe -by Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotesusan.d Ingrid, have you tried flecainide? It stopped my af cold turkey for 5 years straight. I speculate I wouldn’t have had af five years later if it wasn’t for getting af while hooked up to two chemo drug IVs at the time. At least flecainide can buy you time to think about an ablation after there is a successful covid19 vaccine. Thanks Susan for your response and no I have not tried Fleby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteNotLyingAboutMyAfib I am 10 weeks out from my ablation and right now having had one is the single worst decision of my life. I had a very bad time in hospital - was there 6 days, $300K + in bills so better have good insurance, and I am in flutter as I type loaded up with flecainide, diltiazem and eliquis. Getting another ECV this week and EP wants to do 2nd procedure which I am scared to dby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteJeff W Hi Ingrid, You do sound conflicted still, maybe not fully ready? Maybe a round of rededication to a cleaner diet, religious hydration and possibly no alcohol might be the next step? Really honing in on your triggers can be difficult but a very productive exercise. I would suggest starting with a 'clean slate' by just eating only natural and organic foods (no productsby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you so much for your response @ rocketritch Have you had a second ablation or are you still in perm AF? How old were you when you were first diagnosed. You waited 15 years before you had the 1st ablation. Sounds like you may have been pretty active...are you still pretty active these days?by Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
I went ahead and scheduled my ablation (it was like scheduling a dental appt), but am having serious second thoughts about it. Its in 9 days! It's not with Natale - I can't swing that... but my EP that is doing it has done well over 1000 ablations. I've seen 2 EPs and both feel I am a candidate for RF Ablation. I'm a paroxysmal, vagal LAF - in very good health overall eby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am a runner and also love indoor cycling/spin classes. My new EP told me I should not perform exercise that gets my HR over 100bpm for any extended period of time. I'm a vagal paroxysmal afibber. She said I should try and keep my HR at 100bpm or below while exercising (suggests brisk walking) with occasional rounds of 60 seconds pushes to increase the HR. Exercise has never brought onby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am a 56 year old healthy female - other than the fact that I am a vagal paroxysmal afibber... and am considering getting a robotic catheter ablation. My episodes have increased this year, so far 6 episodes usually starting in the middle of the night 3am or early in the morning 6am. I always convert to NSR in about 2-4 hours - with one episode being 10 hours. I had 3 episodes in 2019 and 3by Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you Susan for your response! It is very helpful. I appreciate it. I do have Kardia mobile EKG which tells me when I am in AF and I can usually tell as well but helpful to have the strips to back it up. I do not have the Apple Watch 4 though so I may need to invest in that. thanks again! Ingridby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotechrrev hello Ingrid, I’m also new to this (joined 22/07) but anyways I’ll share how I try to cope... I’m 60 by the way so it’s a little more expected at my age. I refuse to take any drugs, it was bad enough going twice to ER and being given drip of amiodarone to get back in SR... So in my case I drastically changed my lifestyle and stopped all alcohol, tobacco, reduced coffee and avoid Robby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteJoyWin Hi Ingrid Welcome to the club🤨 Each of us has different ways to tackle this nasty beast. What works for one may not work for another, but the advice on this site is beneficial because you can gain plenty of insight into the different methods others use to control their symptoms. Fear and anxiety are a natural response when it involves ones heart. After 15 years of AF with episodesby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Madeline, I hope that your GI and coughing issues have subsided by now and that your ablation continues to be a success. I am a new Afibber recently diagnosed and reading as much as I can on this forum. I am 55 year old healthy female that had a recent Afib episode that lasted 10 hours before I converted. This has happened a few times before but only lasted 1-2 hours. I never went toby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Leo Thanks for your response. I will look into a sleep study to rule out OSA. I have heard of a few people mention Dr Natale - I guess he is the world renowned EP Afib expert and I believe based in Austin. Did you travel there to have your ablation done by Dr Natale? He must be hard to get into. Was that a long process. I am located in Orlando and have a hard time getting in to see myby Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks RocketRitch for your response. How young were you when you developed Afib. How many years have you had it and are you managing it with meds, or have you had an ablation or do you just avoid your triggers? Do you have episodes any more?by Ingrid - AFIBBERS FORUM