Are you in it full time?

No... just 4 times this year and for less than a day at a time.

I didn't know if your questions were for me or someone else. In my case, I used to take that dietary supplement that was banned years ago due to people having heart attacks. It was part of a pill that I used for energy. Thats when I felt my first skipped beat and increased heart rate. In a nut shell, I believe the pill planted the seed and my increased heart rate over a long period of time sent me into the afib world. My EP thinks my Svt is causing my afib. He wants to ablate the svt but Im worried.
I've had it for 8 years and used to shrug it off until 6 mos ago it got worse and now comes on cue every 2 weeks and lasts up to 10 hrs, sometimes once a week. With me, the episodes are so severe I cant function. I lay there, a prisoner to it, until it goes away. So yeah, it is effecting my quality now. I go on the 26th to talk about the ablation again.
Have you done all the cardio stuff? Keep pressing on.

I am going to see an electro physiologist for the first time in a few weeks. I have been off and on digoxin and atenolol for the last year and have PVC's on daily basis. The AFIB only comes when I am stressed and sleep deprived. I am plagued with the fact that I will never truly know the reason why I have this condition and exactly what to do to prevent future episodes. I asked the above questions to see what others with the same issues feel the reason for their AFIB and what they consider acceptable for living with this.

Also do you have to be in permanent AFIB for an ablation?

Hey there, I've just read your postings - Mark - i am a bit like you - i am going into fibrillation at least every 5 -7 days. It is now driving me nuts as I also am battling and am totally out of action. I was coming back into rythm within 24 hrs but now yesterday it was 28 hrs. I just phoned the dr and am waiting for him to come back me - he is also talking about ablation. I am petrified. Surely there must be a combination of medication that will keep the heart in rythm. I had 8 cardioversions last year - some only lasted a week but at least now my heart eventually go back by itself!! I am just scared that it will stay that way now as it took so long yesterday.

I am with Mark also. I am 43 and used the heck out of Ephedra/Ehpehdrine for working out when Iws in my 30's. Plus caffeine and yohimbe. Doc say this does not cause it, but it does not run in my family and I never did drugs, smoke drinks etc. I am in it all the time. Been cardioverted 7 times and used all the anti arythmia drugs. I woudl try these first if they are an option. I had ablation 2 years ago and am having another in 3 weeks. I am lucky and I am not that symptomatic when I am in it.

Hello ecook0308,

To address your questions,

RE: What do you think caused AFIB in your specific case? I don't know and likely never will. Plenty of possibilities (excessive exercise, too many years of caffeine and alcohol, type-A personality) but nothing conclusive.

RE: How often do you experience episodes? I've been in afib continuously for about 2 1/2 years, before that it started out with brief and infrequent episodes which grew ever longer and more frequent until it progressed to persistent/permanent.

RE: How long have you had it and has it effected your quality of life? In persistent afib, your heart doesn't pump enough blood for significant exercise so you have to slow down, do less. In these areas, afib negatively affects quality of life. But one can be more appreciative of the other things in life besides excess, and in this way, afib can enhance quality of life (just a personal comment).

RE: Also do you have to be in permanent AFIB for an ablation? I asked an Electrophysiologist who does ablations here in the Bay Area of California, and his response was that those in permanent afib were LESS likely to be helped by an ablation than those who had one before the symptoms progressed.

I hope this helps; and please, enjoy your normal sinus rhythm.

doug

I believe my afib was genetic. My father suffered with it for 30 years. Afib is caused from the heart tissue growing and invading the four pulmonary veins in the atrial chamber, thus causing irregular rhythms. That is why they try to isolate the veins with tiny burns during the ablation. I was in afib about 90% of the time before my ablation a year ago. I am no longer having any afib. I have PVCs once in a while, but that is nothing compared to how I felt when I was in afib. Also, afib usually gets worse as time goes on. It rarely stays the same or gets better without treatment. At first, I would have an episode once or twice a week for a few hours. I suffered for nine years as it progressed to about 90% of the time.

To ecook. I spent way to long asking those questions. How did this happen? Was it something I did? Genetics? If I didn't take that pill for energy, would it never have happened? So on and so forth. Once I was told my heart is strong and healthy and I'm having an electrical problem and not going to kill over, I basically got the attitude of okay, I have this, it is now a part of me. So I'm not one of the lucky ones who never get stricken with anything. I had a lot of good healthy years so I am thankful for that. Now what do I do? That's why I joined this site, and for support. Hopefully, we can all be cured one day.
With regard to the pvcs, they suck. Mine are really hard. When I quit drinking and cut out all caffiene, they went way down. Do you drink? Caffeine? I don't consider any of it acceptable. It sucks.

From what I have been told, you can have an ablation for afib if you are not in it full time. Thats if they can find where it is coming from, which would be done with the EP study. A co-worker of mine was in it full time and they did the Maze and hes in NSR. For ones like me, they would do the Radiofrequency ablation, if they could find it.
I am very sypmtomamic when I am in mine. I read stories about people going about their day when they are in afib; not me.
To RKWhite, was that the one that was banned? Whatever it was, it was causing heart attacks AND irregular heart rythums. I did the yohimbe also and drink a whole lot of pop and coffee a day. Nothing I can do about it now. But, I do believe that was my cause.
One of the big things Ive learned, is what works for one may not work for the other. You just have to keep trying. If I can be ablated instead of being on meds the rest of my life then I would rather do that. So to Koetsh, I would ablate. 28hrs is a long time if yours are anything like mine. My longest has been 10 hrs, but very violent.

I know you are right Mark in that it doesn't truly matter if it is my fault or genetics. I am here now whether it was this or that, and so I should focus more on what I can do to improve my situation. It is definitely difficult letting go of that seeing how it is natural to look for the cause and effect of things and not having the answer. In my case, I am reassured by my Dr. that it is under control for the most part and that an EP may be able to provide a better answer with a study. So that is my next step. I am working hard to live in the now and really have to fight thinking "what ifs" and is it inevitable that my condition will worsen with time. From what I read this will more than likely happen. Thanks for the responses

You should be excited about seeing the EP and hopeful. I was, and after 7 years finally got a diagnosis. I am not perfect. I tend to fall back on those questions every once in a great while when Im having a bad attack. But for the most part have accepted it. Just what do I do now. I wouldn't sweat it worsening, because my friend had the maze for permanent afib and has been cured since. With the new advances they keep coming out with, I push forward and remain hopeful. I do have my days, and when I do, I think of the ones who have this thing worse than me and they keep pressing on. Knowing that I am not alone and there are hundreds, thousands, millions in this fight and they keep fighting, helps me to fight. I would for sure do the study.

Thanks Mark, I do feel better after reading what everyone says here. It is true - we are all different and what works for one ma not necessarily work for another. I am just finding my quality of life sucks at the moment as I also have a back problem which also confines me to bed for a couple of days. I have read so many bad stories about ablations and everything that can go wrong and it not working which is why it has terrified me. Not too many people write about it being good and working for them. I guess I must just take the bull by the horns and be positive and see what my dr tells me. I forgot to mention that both my mother and elder brother both have atrial fibrillation and take medication and have never suffered any attacks. I am obviously the odd one out hey?? At the moment I am not sure which to fix first - when I am in severe pain and immobile with my back it triggers off an attack - its a vicious circle. Thank you everyone for your input. Heather

I would say without a doubt that my afib was caused by my chronic insomnia. The body can only go for so long without sleep. I did take ephredra in the 90's for weight loss but was not on it that long. Maybe a month or two at the most. Who knows that certainly could have been a contributor.
I am waiting for an ablasion....and can honestly say I can hardly "wait". Although I know that the odds are 75-80% or maybe less I will pray that it is effective. If I have to have a 2nd so be it. I just want to feel normal again.
My triggers are definitely chocolate (the worst) caffiene, although I do start my morning with a half regular half de-caf. So far I can have gotten away with that combo. I can even have a beer or two and it does not seem to affect me. But sure do not want to push my luck. My last episode at New Years landed me in emerg and they kept me for about 18 hrs. I was not cardio converted because I waited to long for intervention. Had it off/on for 4 days. When on, h.r. would elevate to about 130. They finally got it until control with metropolol. Two injections then pills.
I keep hoping that I will remain in rythum. Good luck e this is the best site for support and information.