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.
I was scheduled to go to NYC in July to have an ablation by Dr. Reddy, and I'm canceling it. Don't even ask why...I just don't feel an ablation is going to help me, and the follow-up in 3 mo. is almost impossible with the price of airfares.
I've decided to see my cardiac surgeon who did my bypass surgery 12 years ago. He is excellent and right here in Boise. He got me this far...12 years with no problems, until the afib, and they have nothing to do with the heart surgery. That would have started immediately if that had caused it, not 12 years later.
I'm going to see what he advises. I would trust him with my life...well I already did that, but I would trust him again if he thought the MAZE was the answer. If I'm not comfortable with that, I'm right back to just dealing with the tiredness and dizziness.
I just don't want to be so far from home to have an ablation, because once I get home I need a good EP to follow me, and we only have two, and one I wrote off as a clown months ago.
I know I could feel a lot better than I do, but I'm going to trust that talking to my surgeon is going to make me feel better about either surgery or feeling better. I'm just not ready for another ablation I'm afraid. I have little faith in them for persistent A-Fib.
Raise you hand if you think I'm nuts (Put your hand down, Petey:)
I've decided to see my cardiac surgeon who did my bypass surgery 12 years ago. He is excellent and right here in Boise. He got me this far...12 years with no problems, until the afib, and they have nothing to do with the heart surgery. That would have started immediately if that had caused it, not 12 years later.
I'm going to see what he advises. I would trust him with my life...well I already did that, but I would trust him again if he thought the MAZE was the answer. If I'm not comfortable with that, I'm right back to just dealing with the tiredness and dizziness.
I just don't want to be so far from home to have an ablation, because once I get home I need a good EP to follow me, and we only have two, and one I wrote off as a clown months ago.
I know I could feel a lot better than I do, but I'm going to trust that talking to my surgeon is going to make me feel better about either surgery or feeling better. I'm just not ready for another ablation I'm afraid. I have little faith in them for persistent A-Fib.
Raise you hand if you think I'm nuts (Put your hand down, Petey:)
Good luck!!
My Sis is still trying to convince me to come to NYC, but I'm just not sure. I did call today to cancel, but they were all in a meeting, so I will give it a little more thought. We don't have an EP here in Idaho that is really qualified...we only have 2 and I had a horrible experience with him, stayed in sinus rhythm 5 hr., and had a collapsed lung. I think talking to my heart surgeon maybe be a good idea just to run things by him. I'll do whatever he suggests.
This is something that YOU have to feel comfortable with. There is nothing wrong with talking with a provider who you trust and feel comfortable with.
Take care and best wishes!!
Cheryl
I know when I was making my decision it was hard. My cardiologist was of the opinion that drugs were best and if they didn't work I could just stay in afib as it wasn't "life-threatening". My EP wanted to do the ablation right away, after all, it's what he does so that's what looked the best to him. My sister said I should listen to the specialist and have the ablation right away and be "all fixed" so I never had to worry about it again (bless her heart - she still doesn't understand how difficult afib is to treat). So I went to my primary care doctor whom I trust a lot and talked to him. On his advice I decided to go ahead and try the ablation. It helped me a lot to have someone with no agenda and a good understanding of afib to help me make the decision.
In the words of Yogi Berra: "When you come to a fork in the road, take it!".