My 1st ablation was in 2006...Cleveland Clinic Dr Pinsky...14 good years only occassional afib. Flared up out of the blue this year...had 2nd ablation 3 weeks ago at Emory in Atlanta. Was getting ectopics since...this morning went into full afib for about an hour. Very dissappointed to say the least. I'm pretty sure this hurts my chances of this ablation being successful? Thoughts?by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
I agree with some here... AFIB is not GUARANTEED to progess to full-time. I've had it for over 23 yerars now, I've always converted on my own. My EP at the Cleveland Clinic told me that he thought I would NOT progess to full-time afib at this point. After my 1st ablation, I had 14 good years with only intermittent epispodes, some years better than others.by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks to all of you for the responses...some things to work with!by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
What ar thoughts on working out with weights triggering afib? I am mostly vagally mediated....and I've worked out with weights for years....nothing too crazy but most mornings at gym for 3--35 minutes medium weight workout. Never wqas really a problem, as activity usually eradicated my afib if nothing else. Lately however, workouts seem to be triggering ectopics, which start and last fby Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Are you sure about that? So afib is "sustained runs of ectopic beats"? I know "ectopics" is a blanket term...but I'm not sure a cardiologist would describe afib in this way or agree wiht this? I can get ectopics in "sessions"... they start instantly, last many hours or even days....and then instantly stop. I caught this "pattern" on a 1 week holby Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes, movement and different postions... ie lying down or standing up...can certainly affect my heart when it is agitated. usually for me, when my heart is in it's agitated mode...lying down can make it worse or throw me into full afib...and then popping back up can put it back into NSR. I think many people expericne this type of thing.by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
It's really alot different than it used to be...generally a shorter procedure now depending on each situation. They have made it alot more comfortable also...I had my first 14 years ago...my second last week. It will be over before you know it...good luck!by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
People have NO idea what we go through....I guess unless they experience there’s just no way to completely understand. I think because am fib episode itself does not actually kill you, (short of a stroke that is)... people naturally conclude, “what’s the big deal?”. Plenty of us here that DO understand what you,re going through, and share your pain almost daily. We understand, hang in there..by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good decision in my opinion. Understand also, that while not perfect, you are getting the benefit of all the improvements to this procedure they have gained over the years, and success rates have improved fairly dramatically. Good luck better times are coming for u!by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sounds like our pattern is very similar, (up to now anyway)... seasonal afibber summers mainly. Dehydration was always a big trigger for me, living in the Florida Keys makes it difficut to maintain the electrolytes. Thanks for responseby Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Actually I am schedling for another ablation...hopefully in a few weeks. Nice feeling that the Flec is there if I need it however, as I've never used a drug for this before, and heard bad things about some of them.by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks to you all for the great info.... So as it turns out, last night shortly after posting this I went into an afib "pattern"... so I tried it for the first time. I did NOT chew it as I did not know at that yet....I swallowed 200mg with water. Around 3 hours later....I was in NSR with no ectopics! Note these "episodes", ( a mix of mostly atrial tachycardia evenby Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
My Electrophysiologist gave me Flecainide for the first time, as my afib is back after 14 years of relative bliss after my ablation, (Cleveland Clinic). He said I could take it "on demand"... any thoughts/experience as to how effective it can be?by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
I agree...don't wait until you have problems to take the Mag and potassium supplements. After my ablation (Cleveland Clinic), I went off them because like you, I was not getting any more afib. I started having ectopics finally, and my doc told me I was low on Potassium, (from my ecg)...and was I still taking them. I said...uh, no. Went back on the mag and potassium and no more ectopics, (by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes it can be "just" ectopics...or mostly ectopics. I get "runs" of ectopics that last between 10 - 30 hours...most of it is NOT afib but mostly loads of ectopics/tachycardia...with a small portion of short afib runs. The longer I deal with these "runs"... at least for me, it becomes easier to handle. Part of the reason is psychological, part is that we just adaptby Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for the responses.... I'm on magnesium, potassium, taurine...and have been since my electrophysiologist at Cleveland Clinic told me to take them 15 years or so ago. They have always helped....but not so much with this new pattern I'm in. Of course...without them I'm sure it could be worse. I know afib well, and can tell when I'm in it or not as opposed to ectopiby Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
YES....I was put on prednisone and my heart started getting many ectopic beats, I had to stop taking it...and they went right away.by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
I've been suffering from excessive ectopics this year, (ablated for afib 14 years ago and get very few afib episodes since).... they are heavy, and only sometimes lead to afib, but that does not last long. But my sessions of ectopics last 10- 30 hours usually, pac's and pvc's. They sometimes make me tired... What are the drugs perscribed for this? I have bradycardia....sby Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Elizabeth you are right on track. in y humble opinion! Be happy you don't feel the afib! My grandmother lived to 95 in permanent afib, no issues with it....and my dad is 83 and living just fine also in permanent afib. I'm 1 ablation down, occassional afib but lots of ectopics...I wish I was asymptomatic like you! Forget about the missed beats and live your life!by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
For me Pompon, there is NO DOUBT my afib was "cyclic" for 14 years.... it is like after an episode my heart is "re-set"...and it beats steady as a drum for awhile, usually months...and then the ectopics start slowly, leading to another afib episode. (Although this new pattern this year is different, but still cyclical). Thank you George for the valuable informstion!by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you George for the info, I will definitely get on this. I already have upped my Potassium to 2 g per day...powder form...but it looks like I need to up the magnesium, which is hard for me as it loosens my bowels after 200mg.... Can I ask you about the calcium? I have never thought about that...I eat a lot of cheese and yogurt and dairy in general. Too much can cause afib it looks like?by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Pompn can I ask....you' have experienced these pvc's and pac's for years....sometimes turning to afib....how long does the afib last usually...and how long are the episodes of the pvc's? >by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
I've been experiencing a new pattern of afib this year. I was getting only a few afib episodes for the last few years...maybe 3 per year, lasting 2-3 hours and always converting on it's own. Quick start, quick finish. This year, I started getting into what I call a "mode"... where i notice I'm getting lots of ectopics all of a sudden....my Kardia shows me PVC'sby Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Can I ask what "defective substrate" refers to here?by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
My doctor at the Cleveland Clinic has said this for years. I am 56 years old....I get occasional episodes of afib...around 1-3 hours and they always convert on their own, and I am NOT on blood thinners. I am not overweight, exercise regularly, no diabetes, no high blood pressure and no other heart issues. If I had any of these other issues, then I might need the thinners.by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Wow Doug...that is interesting. I agree much of this seems random, I try to follow patterns in my life but sometimes the amount of heart "disruptions" I have do not follow any habit patterns, etc. However, I do wonder if your stopping swimming daily could be a key, as excessive exercise does seem to have some effect on the heart....the herder I work out the less stable my heart can seby Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
I was wondering if anyone experiences pvc's and pac's like I do? Most days, I have very few or almost none...and then I'll have a day/night when they are almost constant, and this can last for hours and sometimes even an entire day or more? I use Kardia, and these periods of high activity include both PVC and PAC's. These periods also usually start pretty suddenly, and enby Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think many consider an afib episode sometime after an ablation to mean it was "unsuccessful". I had my ablation at Clev Clinic in 2014, prior to that I was getting multiple episodes daily, adding up to hours of afib daily. Since the procedure, I get on average, 3 episodes per year, 1-3 hours each. I do not know if I am the norm, but I consider the ablation to be a BIG successby Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM
Over the years...I've found that I have "good" years and "bad" years. I keep a journal and mark every episode I have...I think long term this can be helpful.by Sdweller - AFIBBERS FORUM