Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group

Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.

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MarkJames696 06/22/2013

It has been 4 months since the ablation and at this point I'm not so glad I did it. My episodes have actually INCREASED. Before the ablation, on the average I was in Afib 1-2 times a week. Now it is pretty much everyday. What is it about the ablation that would make the Afib more frequent after 4 months? I plan on asking my Doc that on July 9th. He made it clear that if the ablation didn't work that the Afib wouldn't be worse. Well, the Afib is less intense, which was the reason for the ablation, but is quite often now. If I was told that this was a possibility, I would not have done it. I am not better off from before the ablation, but I am better off from the three month of the ablation. Things have improved form all of the PACS and PVCS I started getting after the surgery, thank God. I hope to never have to go through that again. The episodes I am having are not nearly as long as that first month of recovery. Could be 10 minutes, 20 minutes, or up to 4hrs. I am still sensitive to my heart beats, I can feel everything that is going on. So, that part is still there. I know when I go in, out, etc. Even though I know I'm having the Afib, I bought a monitor to show my doctor who may not believe me even though I've had this for 10 years and I might know what I'm talking about. Anyway, I showed the print out readings to my brother who is a Paramedic, and he said Afib. I was also at my family doctor to get sleep meds to help me rest because of my NEW problems, and I went into an episode while I was there and she said Afib. Not much my EP can say now. I'm heading to the beach next week with the people that I love the most and my guitar, and theres no way I could have done that the first three months after the ablation, so I guess I can at least be thankful for that. Best wishes for everyone.

marikay234 06/22/2013

I'm sorry things haven't gone quite as you hoped. I have not had an ablation so we can't compare stories, but it does sound as though you are making some progress. Enjoy your beach vacation...sounds like fun. Time is a healer of many things, ablated hearts included. Take care

Steveinnsr 06/22/2013

Sorry to hear your results have been disappointing Mark. Don't give up hope, your heart is still healing so things may improve from here. Enjoy your time with those close to you, that's great medicine.

Steve

DeeMR11 06/23/2013

Really sorry that you are still having problems
Enjoy your trip. Sometimes I've taken my troubles to the beach, and somehow it helps.
Wish I knew how to play guitar! Music is great.
D.

yogacat 06/23/2013

Wishing you a fantastic Beach vacation. I'm glad you are better than 3 months ago. I hope you will be Better yet as the weeks pass~

pacyetep 06/24/2013

It's got to be the inflammation and healing BUT see what the EP says. Good luck.

petey

DeTalentedOne 06/24/2013

4 months after my 1st ablation I developed atrial flutter and atach. EP said I had already had it and afib had over shadowed it. I was having heart rates in the 190's and my heart had entered a flutter state. They had put me back on soltalol and still ended up doing a cardioversion on me that didn't work. So EP told me I needed a second ablation. 2 weeks before second ablation my heart startrd ataching amf afibing after 5 minutes of walking. Are u on any medication for rate and rhythm?

deleted_user 06/25/2013

Tuwanda, when was your second ablation? Hope most of your problems with Afib are behind you. Wishing you all the best.

Mark, sorry about your continuing problems with Afib. I hope your heart will settle down soon. In the meantime enjoy your beach vacation. Wishing you all the best moving forward.

deleted_user 06/25/2013

I believe firmly, the healing time for these procedures are longer for some people then others. I agree with Petey, its got to be inflamation and healing. I feel it really had taken me a full year to recover. I never had PVC's until my afib started and both have been gone for some time now. Have faith and follow up with your EP. Hang in there!

MarkJames696 06/27/2013

Thanks guys. I hope that it is the inflammation and healing. My EP told me that he felt I would take with one procedure. I just hope it eventually takes. After the ablation, I was popping Lopressors like they were m&ms. Now I'm only on 25mg a day. Sometimes I take an extra one. I tried the Flecanide, but after getting a very long tachycardia that landed me in the ER, I haven't taken anymore. I'm ok getting thru the episodes, even though I'm still restricted in what I can do. The mental part is the hardest. Thinking this will never get better, somethings been done wrong, I made a mistake, etc. Take care.

pacyetep 06/27/2013

"Some folks have said that their afib following catheter ablation was as bad as before, or worse. That is due to the inflammation, and the arrhythmia is often different from that experienced previously. As the body heals and the inflammation resolves, the afib and atrial flutter generally go away."

This is from Mellanie True Hills' website.

petey

btw, how was the beach? Still working on "Precious and Few"?

Also btw, my screenplay is done and being reviewed by a professional prior to submission. If someone in the industry wants it , I sign, and than lose all control of it with the idea that something good will happen... sort of like ablation.

McHale 06/27/2013

Hey Mark,
Hang in there things will improve. I've been in Flutter for about 2 weeks now and getting a cardioverted at 7:00am tomorrow Friday.
I'm only 30 days out from my ablation so I still got a few months to heal after we reset. I'm fully prepared to do it again for flutter if I had to. It's just the nature of the beast. We all heal differently and our hearts all dance to different beats.

Best,
McHale

MarkJames696 06/27/2013

You all give me hope. Thanks again. Good luck with you're conversion McHale. In addition to the PVI ablation, I also had an ablation for Atrial Flutter and Tachycardia. I'm heading to the beach tomorrow Petey, be back July 8th. I'm gonna try out Precious and Few while I'm down there. Take care everyone.

deleted_user 06/29/2013

I am 3 and 1/2 months post ablation and I still feel it. The Dr. says it's inflammation but I shouldn't be feeling it. But I do when I do to much activity. I probably don't get enough sleep or rest. I am wear a monitor for 2 weeks. I am hoping to get off the meds by mid July. Mark I was right behind you with the ablation. Mine was 3/13/03. I haven't had much a-fib since the procedure just the discomfort from the inflammation and a few skipped beats. Have a good time and enjoy your time at the beach.

DeTalentedOne 06/30/2013

My second ablation was on June 10. That was a rough week.
Mark, I know what ur going thru. Did ur doctor mention if u had to havea second ablation? The fluttering state my heart entered went away with the cardioversion I had back on February. Don't let Afib and Atach keep u from enjoying life! Stay hydrated while out in the sun!

MarkJames696 07/14/2013

Well, Florida went pretty well. It rained the days we went to the beaches but that didn't stop us. I had a couple bad days, but all in all it was good. I was looking forward to my appt. when I got back but my doctor wasn't too encouraging. He wants to wait until at least 7 months to decide wether to do another ablation. I asked him if he thought there was a chance it could all smooth out and he said he was concerned. I told him my biggest thing was the episodes are more frequent 4 months after the ablation and that it was because of the ablation but he said it wasn't the ablation and it could be that the afib has just progressed. This disappointed me greatly. If it was not like that before the ablation how could it not be the ablation? I brought up the inflammation and healing and he wasn't too encouraging that it was that. I don't know. I left the appt. pretty deflated. If the first ablation has worsened it and made it more frequent, what would a second one do? I just pray that even though he wasn't too positive that it will all smooth out, that it will all smooth out.

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