Great news, thanks so much for the encouraging update.

Yes thanks very much. I'm glad that the ablation has gone well. Your post suggests that ablations can mess with heart rythms for some time after the procedure: do I have that right? I'm about two and a half months post ablation and have had no afib that I know of. But after a gradual calming down of my heart, this last week and a half it's been a little, very little, wonky. Not like the first month. Anyway, I was feeling discouraged but your post gives perspective. I hope that others will chime in on this topic.
(Hope that I'm not being too self centered in steering the conversation to my issues.)

Oh p.s. is Chris taking a beta blocker or any other drug?

Oh geeze the one thing that this site needs is an edit function. I see that Chris is using dilitizen. Now I'll look that up.

Hi Hegel, Chris had Pac's for about 12 months post ablation. He took Zarelto for 6 months as well as Diltiazem. He didn't take any arrhythmia meds post op. He did notice an elevated heart rate after his ablation. So far things have been smooth. He does have obstructive sleep apnea and uses a CPAP. He was diagnosed after his AFIB diagnosis. He was having 60 breAthing disturbances per hour. The CPAP has been a godsend! Hope things calm down for you!

thanks for the reply; very helpful, especially concerning the pacs lasting for a year and then disapperaring. I think that I've read similar accounts: pacs lasting for months and then going away. It does suggest that ablations are somehow disruptive in themselves.
Actually things are going well for me; I suffer from hypervigilence more than anything I think. My heart rate post ablation has been a bit elevated from what it was before too; but that seems to be slowly changing. I'm just noticing very minor setbacks, and that things aren't moving on an entirely smooth curve.

I have sleep apnea as well that predates the onset of my afib, Yes, cpap machines are a godsend! I just added a chin strap to my nasal pillows out of curiosity mostly, and I'm sleeping and dreaming better than ever! Icing on the cake, even though I look like a WW1 wounded vet in all the gear.

Great to hear Ichandless. My EP told me that even if I had an episode a year after the ablation that I should not to worry much about it given what be had seen in his patients. He emphasized of course that ablation is a treatment and not a cure so some people need more than one procedure. Also the only cardioversion I ever had was after my ablation was when I was on Flec and went into aflutter (which I never ever had) and I really blamed it on the Flec. My AFIB always converted on its own. I was on Flec to prevent episodes during the blanking period but it made my heart feel like it was being squeezed and made me feel tired. As soon as I went off it, I felt much better. Hope things continue to improve!

Thanks juniebe, I hope all is calm with you!

The CPAP is really important. Everyone with afib should get tested. It is something positive you can do and it supports long term success with ablation. petey

Funny thing about the CPAP is that I sleep so much better knowing my husband isn't having lapses in his breathing.

Hi Lisa,

Glad to hear that Chris is doing so well. Dr Winkle and the docs at Silicon Valley Cardiology (SVC) are real stars. They dont get the publicity of other eps but if you look at their stats they are could as it gets.

How many eps are publishing their 10 year afib free statistics. If you look at p.19 of http://siliconvalleycardiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Sequoia_Hospital_Afib_Ablations.pdf
you can see that 86.3% of SVCs paroxysmal patients are afib free after 10 years with multiple ablations.

This is comparable to Natales 87% afib free after 10 years, see
http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/128/22_MeetingAbstracts/A14387

I think these stats are amazing when one considers that they reflect initial ablations performed over 10 years ago.

Based on improvements in ablation technology I would think that Winkle and Natale are getting even better results for ablations performed today.

I have been afib free since my Natale ablation over a year ago. I had a 7 day zio patch test about one month ago and really pushed myself with running, high intensity interval training, exercising to see how I held up. Results were 100% perfect. Next zio patch is in another year.

Give Chris my best and hopefully the two of us can continue to celebrate NSR.

opsyn

Hi Opsyn,

We feel very blessed to have such success with Dr. Winkle. Not only is he thorough, but his bed side manner in amazing. He's very personable, and has a great sense of humor.! Wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anyone. We are so glad to hear you are doing well and back to working out. We wish you the best as well!

Chris & Lisa

Great news. Thanks for the information. I am going in for my first ablation in June and it is always good to hear about it from people who have experienced it. Hope the good news keeps coming.

Hi Lisa,

Glad to hear Chris' ablation is holding out well. I take the plunge myself in 2 weeks. 2 years ago I was going to go and you provided me with some advice at that time. I chickened out Then (and things had gotten a little better) but it's great to hear that things are working out in the longer run for him.

All the best.
Monty

Good luck with your procedure Wluket. All will go well . Please continue to post on your recovery. Lisa