I'm going for my 1st ablation with Dr. Natale on June 18 and I have CHF with a 20-25% EF. For those who have had ablations with this level of HF, how did post-ablation turn out? I'm not in anxiety mode yet but I'm sure it will hit me on the 6 hour drive down there. I have been in persistent Afib since last December but rate controlled nicely with Metoprolol and digoxin ( I wish I wby G48 - AFIBBERS FORUM
My non-medical interpretation of what you've described is that the SVT or whatever is causing your anxiety, not the reverse. Seems like you are calm and casual, then BAM the SVT happens. In my case, when I've been inadvertently consuming too much calcium, tachy is likely to present with no trigger. This never happens to me otherwise. In my case, the tachy can convert to afib (aby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotemjamesone You need an ekg and an experienced ep to analyze the situation. If your rate is regular, that rules out afib, but a HR of 130-160 could have other causes than panic/anxiety such as flutter or SVT. Jim I have done numerous EKG'S and even wore a holter monitor. But during my EKG'S and wearing a holter monitor I did not have any episode. Episodes only have happened whenby Rucan - AFIBBERS FORUM
You need an ekg and an experienced ep to analyze the situation. If your rate is regular, that rules out afib, but a HR of 130-160 could have other causes than panic/anxiety such as flutter or SVT. Jimby mjamesone - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteEdda George, how long does it take for the flecainide to convert you? I am wondering whether flecainide doesn't work in some people. Since October last year I have a considerable increase in afib episodes, from once a year to every two weeks now. 100 mg flecainide takes between 5 and 7 hours to get me back into sinus. My EP suggested that would probably have happened without flecainideby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
From my experience and talking with many doctors over the last 4 years. The approach for managing arrhythmias has been to control heart rate and then work on rhythm. With ultimate GOAL of increasing quality of life. After my first trip to the ER in 2020 started with a medication drip to get my heart rate down, starting on Metoprolol, and Eliquis. To get me to a point, they could do a cardioveby kliving - AFIBBERS FORUM
[...Managing the anxiety, however, will be a challenge! He told me to take 200 mg’s of flec in one dose and an extra metoprolol and also restart the Eliquis in the event of an episode. He said sometimes flecainide will convert an episode for an afib patient AFTER an ablation even though it had mostly stopped working BEFORE the procedure...] I reread your OP, often a wise thing to do for a guyby gloaming - AFIBBERS FORUM
I recently passed my one year post-ablation anniversary and wanted to offer an update to my fellow afibbers. I have documented my journey leading up to my decision to seek an ablation in my previous postings on this forum so anyone interested can look that up. I’ll focus here mostly on the new stuff with just a bit of background. After 20 years of paroxysmal afib I (63 year old male) fby hacksman - AFIBBERS FORUM
So I'm not sure if settling for where I'm at now is good, or if I should keep pushing ahead and try to get in a better position. Currently, five months post ablation. I went into AFIB about 4 days after the ablation and gave it some time and then did a cardioversion. I am currently taking 3.125 carvedilol x2, diltiazem CD 240 mg x1, multaq 400 x2, and Eliquis 5 mg x2. Prior to the abby kliving - AFIBBERS FORUM
You shouldn't think that until the Kardia has been saying the same thing for hours. There's no reason to rush off to the hospital just because you're having an episode unless your episodes come with more severe symptoms such as fainting, feeling dizzy, chest pain, or shortness of breath. In short, there's no reason to freak out. The anxiety is doing you more harm than the afibby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteDaisy Did you ask your EP about Atrial Flutter? What you are describing sounds like that. It is a fast but regular rate yet it differs from ordinary tachycardia. Many of us have had it and it can be successfully treated with an ablation. I had both Afib and Aflutter, as many do, and my Kardia would report Tachycardia when it was actually flutter—it can’t distinguish. I went into my ablationby Rucan - AFIBBERS FORUM
I take Diltiazem whenever my HR is over 110 and I am in afib and it drops nicely to around 80bpm. Feels so much less anxiety producing at a lower rate. I do take only a chip too and that is enough to lower my HR but not make me extremely sleepy. Good luck with this and all the rest.by karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteNana Thank you, I'm going to suggest clonidine to the doctor, it's used off label for afib and anxiety, might just be my problem solver, thanks for the info Clonidine can be a difficult drug to tolerate for some. I tried it for problems with my autonomic nervous system and it turned me into a zombie! Actually, since it increases the parasympathetic aspect of the nervous system anby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thank you, I'm going to suggest clonidine to the doctor, it's used off label for afib and anxiety, might just be my problem solver, thanks for the infoby Nana - AFIBBERS FORUM
It looks like I'm going to have to go to the hospital before I see my new doctor next week. So asking about an antiarrythmics is one of the options, however, I'm very sensitive to meds. I can't take anything for anxiety as I went through withdrawals off valium a few years ago and can't take any of those drugs. The only other thing that might work is clonidine, which is used ofby Nana - AFIBBERS FORUM
Wondering how long your afib has lasted, mine usually stops in about 12 hours, but I'm up to 60 hours this time, have almost gone to the hospital. Going if it doesn't stop soon. I had a shock recently of my dad passing somewhat unexpectedly, ramped everything up. I was having afib about once a week, now I've had it 3 times this last week, this time the longest, my anxiety has beenby Nana - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi, sorry about your situation with Afib, but I have never heard of D Ribose having any effect on it at all. As far as cardioversion, are you taking an anticoagulant? They will not do an electrical conversion unless you have been on one for about three weeks. Otherwise they would have to do a transesophageal echocardiogram to check for clots. They would probably do a chemical conversion though thby Daisy - AFIBBERS FORUM
I'm wondering if anyone else has tried d ribose, whether it helped and how long it took to work. I'm seeing a new doctor on the 28th, but for the last year I've been trying some natural methods due to the fact I couldn't tolerate the side effects from the beta blockers, they didn't seem to help anyway. I just had some very stressful things happen and it has revved up my aby Nana - AFIBBERS FORUM
Every cardiologist tells me the pain is in my head. Endurance athlete. I exercise very hard without problems for years at a time. Every few years I'll have an episode with some atrial ectopy usually triggered by exercise with lack of sleep and crippling psychological stress. Age 24 I had about 30 seconds of atrial flutter. Age 28 aflutter for an hour. Age 38 afib for 2 hoursby runner114 - AFIBBERS FORUM
I would recommend losing the weight for two reasons. It may help with your AFIB, and it would help with your sleep apnea. For comparison, I'm 5' 11" currently weigh 215, I was at 250. Losing the weight did help with my sleep it didn't help with my AFIB, but I was already in constant AFIB at the time. It should also help with medication dosages. Sleep apnea will contribute tby kliving - AFIBBERS FORUM
To recap from the original post it would seem that the advice/thoughts are: 1) continue her present meds ( 75 mg metopropanol BID & 400 mg Multaq BID) 2) observe for cardiac pain/discomfort 3) watch her recorded heart rate via Fitbit for extended periods of "resting" ventricular rate in excess of 100 bpm (Fitbit records the average of the previous 5 minutes) 4) relax the aby Searching9 - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuotePixie As you know, my mind goes into over-thinking/anxiety mode! And that's exactly what it's doing now. Your doctors aren't alarmed about the PACs because there's no reason to be. Unless you're experiencing thousands per day or they're causing symptoms, they present no threat to you. They're just an annoyance. If you're reading something that says oby Carey - AFIBBERS FORUM
QuoteCarey Okay, thank you for clarifying. Your left atrium is dilated, not your LAA. A dilated left atrium is common among people with afib, but I've never heard of a dilated left atrial appendage (LAA). I changed the post title to reflect this accurately. Carey, do you have any suggestions as to what I should be asking my EP about this? This is “ new territory” for me and I need to beby Pixie - AFIBBERS FORUM
It seems like a no brained study. Of course there will be some anxiety if on the drug participants whose drug regimen isn’t successful—vs those afib free after an ablation. But then again, there maybe some anxiety after an ablation if one is concerned if their ablation took.by susan.d - AFIBBERS FORUM
I am 71 now but for the last 15 plus years had afib from playing competitive tennis (meaning, local leagues but with younger players, state championships, etc.). Clearly adrenalin was the culprit because anxiety about wanting to win (versus "fun" tennis with friends) made a difference. Also, serious heat (I live in North Carolina) upped my chances. But still, I only had 2-4 known afib eby karin - AFIBBERS FORUM
Quotesusan.d Wow Madeline! I had a dx of pulmonary hypertension after my covid when I couldn’t get my 02 higher than 70. There was no follow up unfortunately. My pulmonologist ignored it. I’m happy your doctor is not ignoring it. Keep us updated. Hi Susan, My O2 sats are good. I was actually wondering if you had pulmonary hypertension since you treated with the ipratropium bromide (for youby Madeline - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
I just want to say that on my 6 wk post Watchman TEE this April, there was a dx of mild to moderate pulmonary hypertension, RVSP 50-55. No doctor commented on it to me. Then when I got my 6-mo TEE this July, there was a dx of severe pulmonary hypertension, RVSP 70-75. My cardiologist saw it & had me come in to see him. Rather than trying any little checks with a transthoracic echocardby Madeline - GENERAL HEALTH FORUM
QuoteSJU1976 I guess what I'm really saying is - it normal to be anxious and to feel all these things, and if so, will such feelings fade over time / with management? Yes, it is normal to be anxious and to have hyper awareness. I've had afib for over 19 years, starting at age 49 and I'm now 68. I had a 2.5 month episode in at the end of my first four months. Chronic endurancby GeorgeN - AFIBBERS FORUM
FWIW, I can see both sides of this, and probably both of you can as well. You've both been in that anxious state, truly uncomfortable, demurring, wondering if this is the time to get to an ER....you both know the feeling as well as I do. I have never called an ambulance because I felt like I had time and that there was no imminent danger...just anxiety and wishing fervently for my heart toby gloaming - AFIBBERS FORUM
Contrary to Susan's experience, bed was the one place where I could be assured of respite. It seems incredible in view of so many others who report that their worst experiences come at bedtime. When I was still in AF, and this was 100% reliable every single night (still find it hard to believe, but it's true...), as soon as I got that first fog out, and then you rally again, maybe tby gloaming - AFIBBERS FORUM