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Ablation after 1 AF

Posted , 12 users are following.

steve35uk
steve35uk

Hi guys - I'd just like your opinion on the situation I'm in. I'm 35 years old and went into AF for the first time 3 months ago - I've just seen an electrophysiologist (private not nhs as nhs said they wouldn't give me an ablation for potentially years/decades) and he's said he will put me on the waiting list to have an ablation even though I've only gone into AF once (I was cardioverted) although I have struggled since then (probably psychologically more than phsically) so my question is would you have the ablation now or wait and see how things go over the next few years ? Thanks

2 likes, 46 replies

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  • cardiac_congo
    cardiac_congo steve35uk

    Posted

    Hi Steve. Just caught up with your thread again. Interested to read you've now had ablation and glad you are in process of recovering etc. I've just today had a referral appt to go to broadgreen for an ablation consultation. Trying to keep myself informed, but gotta say, it's a scary thought! What sort of timescale for recovery have you been given please? And are you on track with it so far?
    • steve35uk
      steve35uk cardiac_congo

      Posted

      Hi - the timescale for my recovery was quite vague - I got the feeling that it's different for everyone - basically all I was told was to do next to nothing for a week - no driving, working, lifting, only taking short walks etc - then after that I could return to my normal activities (obviously by that I mean walking the 1 mile to work, long driving and not marathon running) I think that there's so many variables involved in patients recoveries that it's unfair to put a strict timescale on things - my AF is what I think they call ghost AF meaning that there are no underlying conditions that cause the AF, there's nothing wrong with the hearts "plumbing" meaning that there's nothing psyically wrong with the heart it's just the electrical side thats gone wrong so I believe that the fact my heart was otherwise in good shape, I'd not had AF for long and I'm relatively young should mean I have a quick recovery, obviously the ablation may not be a success so there won't even be a recovery but I'm feeling quite positive at the moment.
    • cardiac_congo
      cardiac_congo steve35uk

      Posted

      Thanks Steve. Useful info on my current journey!! Good luck with your continued recovery.
  • mikelly321
    mikelly321 steve35uk

    Posted

    I had an ablation three years ago; only Flecainide keeps it at bay at this point. a day and a half without, and the afib begins anew...
  • steve35uk
    steve35uk

    Posted

    One last thing I'd like to mention on the psychological side of things - when I first came out of hospital after being cardioverted I felt like a frail old man, being 35 I was really down for a long time - I felt very weak and vulnerable, I felt like I couldn't do anything incase it put me into AF, then one day I thought f@#k this and went running (something I never did before AF) I got angry with AF and told it to do it's worse and yes I felt like fainting and my heart was pounding out of my chest and was probably beating slightly irregularly at times but I didnt faint and didnt go into AF and it made me feel great psychologically as I pushed the boundaries of what I thought I could do so the next day I did it again - now if I ever feel tired and old and frail a run until I can't run any more and it reminds me that most of this s@#t is in my head (please take into account that I have no psyical problems with my heart and have been given the OK by my gp to resume normal living)
    • renee47433
      renee47433 steve35uk

      Posted

      So your AF got worst with excericing?  I am told by my doc that the execering is not causing the AF - but I am in AF all teh time.  
  • mikelly321
    mikelly321 steve35uk

    Posted

    I went back to tennis right away after my ablation. I play hard and feel no troubling effects either during or after play, and I'm 64. however, as stated elsewehere, at this point, it appears Flecainide is a major contributor to this ability, and I recently experienced the symptoms returning when I tried to cold turkey it because I felt it was reducing my sodium levels to the point I had a fainting episode.
  • don35aus
    don35aus steve35uk

    Posted

    Hey Steve, how you holding up mate?
    • steve35uk
      steve35uk don35aus

      Posted

      I'm doing good thanks don how are you ? I've had no problems for a few weeks now and am due to see my ep on November 7th for my oust ablation check so I'm hoping il get the all clear from him - my only concern at the moment is my resting heart rate is on average 100bpm which is slightly concerning but I feel great so I'm not too worried
    • don35aus
      don35aus steve35uk

      Posted

      That's great news Steve. I'm really glad you are doing well. I've heard that your resting heart rate can be slightly high after an ablation but it slowly lowers and stables out apparently. As for me, I have to wait until next September for my ablation as I only recently changed private health fund and there's a waiting period. Getting by on 50mg of flecainide twice a day at the moment. Seem to have gotten used to it, have the occasional 2-3 second flutter every now and then. I'll keep checking in with you Steve if you don't mind mate as I think we have very similar scenarios.
    • cardiac_congo
      cardiac_congo steve35uk

      Posted

      Steve, great to read you're progressing well. Hope things stay that way for you. My consultation next week. Had to up meds due to increased episodes so will be interesting to see what the prognosis is!!
    • steve35uk
      steve35uk don35aus

      Posted

      Yeh I don't mind at all don - il report back after my ep check up aswel
  • don35aus
    don35aus steve35uk

    Posted

    Steve, how are you going sir? Still feeling good man?
  • steve35uk
    steve35uk

    Posted

    Hi don, all good so far mate, had my post ablation check up last week and everything looked OK, although my resting pulse is still around the 90 mark which I don't like, I've now got a box of flekanide just incase (peace of mind more than anything) I've also got some beta blockers for anxiety as some days I've felt s bit off and my chest has been a bit tight but I think it's anxiety following mild flutters (my ep thinks it may be an extra beat now and again) but on the whole I'm doing good - going to start jogging again next week so il see how that goes.
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