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.
Good day afibers,
I started writing on this support group because I feel pretty alone with this. Honestly, I know nobody at work or around me that have had to deal with arrhythmias, flutters, afib and/or heavy bouts of PVCs/PACs. So not too much sympathy on that front.
It is still a great mystery to me why for the past 7 months I have been plagued with this. Weird that it hits only at night time and never in the day time. As soon as I get out of bed .no afib or PVCs whatsoever (or at least none that I can feel).
Bottom line, after a bunch of quick and to the point appointments with my Cardio and EP, even tho my afib burden is very low (less than 1% on a monthly scale), it was still decided that the best course of action for patients like me is to do a PVI ablation for now. I insisted to get a few test to get certain possible culprits out of the way.
Recent tests:
Got my echo done a few weeks ago and my heart is in excellent shape according to my cardio.
Stress test done and nothing to report there.
Not obese or diabetic.
Border line HPB but been under control for years.
I had my blood work done, all good on this front.
Thyroid check, no issues there.
Holter done 2 days ago, will have the results on Friday.
Upcoming:
Stop Sotalol on Saturday
Stop Xeralto on Tuesday
Get a tube shoved in my throat to see for blood cloth on Tuesday
Get PVI ablation on Wednesday
Go home on Thursday
Next appointment with EP 3 months later.
Never got to eliminate:
Anxiety
Sleep Apnea
. cant really think of anything else.
Well, I will update this trend on Friday to let you guys know how it went.
Im not scared but honestly, Im not really looking forward to this ablation stuff. I would rather be fishing.
Scooby
I started writing on this support group because I feel pretty alone with this. Honestly, I know nobody at work or around me that have had to deal with arrhythmias, flutters, afib and/or heavy bouts of PVCs/PACs. So not too much sympathy on that front.
It is still a great mystery to me why for the past 7 months I have been plagued with this. Weird that it hits only at night time and never in the day time. As soon as I get out of bed .no afib or PVCs whatsoever (or at least none that I can feel).
Bottom line, after a bunch of quick and to the point appointments with my Cardio and EP, even tho my afib burden is very low (less than 1% on a monthly scale), it was still decided that the best course of action for patients like me is to do a PVI ablation for now. I insisted to get a few test to get certain possible culprits out of the way.
Recent tests:
Got my echo done a few weeks ago and my heart is in excellent shape according to my cardio.
Stress test done and nothing to report there.
Not obese or diabetic.
Border line HPB but been under control for years.
I had my blood work done, all good on this front.
Thyroid check, no issues there.
Holter done 2 days ago, will have the results on Friday.
Upcoming:
Stop Sotalol on Saturday
Stop Xeralto on Tuesday
Get a tube shoved in my throat to see for blood cloth on Tuesday
Get PVI ablation on Wednesday
Go home on Thursday
Next appointment with EP 3 months later.
Never got to eliminate:
Anxiety
Sleep Apnea
. cant really think of anything else.
Well, I will update this trend on Friday to let you guys know how it went.
Im not scared but honestly, Im not really looking forward to this ablation stuff. I would rather be fishing.
Scooby
Indeed I think ablation is the way to go. I know that it wont cure the condition but I for one believe that it slows it down. I came home Thursday and had one short bout of afib that lasted about 15 seconds this afternoon and a few scattered PVCs here and there. To be honest, I expected that. Not because of the "blanket" period after ablation but simply because my expectation are really not that high.
You see, I consider an ablation successful if it makes me better than before. I expect no more no less. I expect that I will have to continue my Sotalol and Xeralto but at the end of the day my condition will not have worsen but gotten better. In July, I started to get worst for some reasons. I been having many bouts of afib in July and August and many PVCs and PACs at night that stopped me from sleeping and that all the way from July to last week. Now, three days after the ablation, I still wake up at night but not from PVCs and PACs one after the other but in fact from having been up almost every nights for the past 7 months. I actually wake up but without anything.....and that to me is THE big difference.
If I can keep it like that, then I consider the procedure a full success even if I get afib and PVCs here and there. Too many people have high expectation that an ablation will stop 100% of their afib and they will be able to stop their meds. Often the same people get a bad surprise shortly after their procedure. If it works only 6 months, I'll get another one done after since I heard the chances of success are better the second time around anyways. (lol come on, it's not that big on an area)
Lastly, I want to take a few lines to tell you MY version of afib put in very simple words. I think there are only two types of afib: the focussed one and the unfocussed one. I think that some people simply (due to many reasons) form extra fibers in their heart. These fibers conduct electricity and that is what causes afib. If your extra fibers is only in one or very few areas, then ablations will work well. If the extra fibers are all over the place, then the ablation will not work so well and may need to be repeated. So, it is clear to me that ablations success will vary case by case. Some people will get much better and some will get a bit better but I think very few will get worst.
I hope this make sense and that if you have been getting worst, then by all mean get it done again.
Scooby