I suffered for years with very symptomatic a-fib, a-flutter. I was able to work during my episodes. I did work in an office, and whenever I went into an episode, I would just try to meditate, and work thru it.
I did have an ablation done in January 08. I have been in NSR ever since. At the time of my ablation I was no longer working, however my doctor did say that if I was working I could return back to work within a week or two. I can honestly say that if I was working I would have been able to return in a week. But everyone is different, and I did have an office type job, nothing really physical.

I was in permanent afib for a year a half and my heart rate was controlled with medication. I was on coumadin and several other meds. I was tired all the time but I went to work everyday.-Office job. Yes, there were times I too called in sick or went home sick. I went into the hospital for the ablation on a Thursday and had the ablation on Friday. I went home on Saturday and back to work on Monday took off Tuesday (very tired) and went back Wednesday. I have been in NSR since the ablation except for a couple of times when I had to be cardioverted electrically. It happens while your heart is healing. It remembers the fast heartbeat and wants to go back there. I am now taking Tikosyn and it is keeping me in NSR.I also take altace and a full strength aspirin daily. That's it. No more coumadin. Stay away from too much chocolate. It is loaded with caffiene. A couple of pieces now and then is okay but you might be sensitive to it. I had my ablation at Stony Brook Univ Hosp on Long Island, NY and they have state of the art equipment. My ablation was assisted by robotics that pinpoint the area of the heart that is out of control. Great mapping. Great doctors. Check out their website. Hope this helps.

chocolate is notorious for causing issues..and I love it LOL
Have they tried you on flecainide? They will try this drug in absence of structural problems in the heart. I took it for 5 months and since then my PAF has been stable. I think you can definitely get better and work.

Hi MaryKay.. sometimes I would go into Afib at work, and the Lorazapane usually would help. I now take a 1/2 hour break to do a very brisk walk. If I have to will just do laps around the office until getting the heart rate up, or ... put on my headphones and dance like a mad woman in the bathroom stall! Yes... not kidding... so far no body has caught me! and the cardio helps best for me. Just forcing the heart rate up seems to "jump start" it to recover itself. Of course if I had to white knuckle and rush to work in the snow, I'd suffer just as you did. I'll avoid that stress no matter what is waiting for me. Be selfish, and take the time you need. Eat the cookies once in a while, you need to also feed your self w/comfort foods once in a while. HUGS ...

Yea...yea I'd like to know the answer to your last question... If you've had ablaton, how long were you off work to recover from it... ????

Oh, I knew the chocolate binge was a bad idea! I know that sugar, wheat, chocolate, caffeine, and STRESS are triggers. I've tried to find more balance in my life which helps. I am fortunate that my job isn't really physically demanding, but it is stressful. Sometimes I do yoga/breathing in the bathroom! I am fortunate that I am not a nurse working on the floor. I am a casemanager, so I spend alot of time on the phone, paperwork, also working with individual patients with chronic disease (lots of diabetic education).
I have an appointment with my cardiologist on Feb 2 to discuss trying something new. I have been on Toprol daily since I was diagnosed 3 years ago. I take the diltiazem at the start of an episode and I still think that helps.
Why don't they have something like nitroglycerin that you put under your tongue and it will stop the arrythmia in a few minutes? Wouldn't that be great?!
Thanks for your input. I feel more hopeful that I won't have to quit my job because of this. My plan was/is to retire in 3 years.

Marikay, That is a great idea. Can't we get some doctors to work on that under the tongue cure. Getting back to work. I am much older then most of you, but I have to work just to pay that mountain of doctor bills. I took off a week after the ablation, but taking time off depends on the individual and your tolerance. I am afraid that one of these days, they will tell me to not come back.

I am 72 and still work as a banquet server I have been there 27 years it is part of my life . I have had afib sinc 2006 I have had it come on at work around 6 times it is difficult and scary but I just take zanzex and 30 mg diliazem other then afib my health is good and my job is like a cardio work out If only afib would go away does it ever go away by itself

Hello Marikay et al, as for ablations I was able to work (computer) after a few days, but the vein pain took longer to get past and slowed my walking a lot. I have been in A-flutter at a steady 125 beats per minute and flown from PA to OR for an 8-day work trip with no problem (and no ativan) . Alas, A-fib reared its ugly head yesterday just before boarding a flight to MN, though I had flown to FL for work the week prior with NSR. I had three good NSR weeks after starting Tikosyn, and the A-fib came back with a vengeance with 125 to 175 bpm. The higher-end heart rate hurts in my upper chest and I cannot shake the dread so I went back out through security and called my wife to take me home. After 3 hours it turned to A-flutter at 98 bpm for an hour, then back to fast irregular A-fib. Becasue of the chest pain the cardiologist recommended I go to the ER to prepare for cardioversion number 14. The ER was busy so I had to wait after bloodwork and self-converted after 5 hours. I take the self-recovery as a good sign as that has not happened before, and am going to try to fly again today, but have ativan on my side today. I had anxiety on my return fight last week and reached for my 0.5 mg ativan which helped, but this new stress trigger is worrying me...where can I find a good resource on centering and relaxation?

I have had 2 ablations.I was fine after a week.
I am not 100% cured.Keep in mind it is not a
for sure thing.gaby61@aol.com