I know kind of depressing isn't it? I was doing great until 2 weeks ago . I started feeling really tired and went Monday for a monitor. Today they called and said I wasn't crazy my heart rate dropped to 37. No wonder I was light headed and couldn't walk straight. I'm going off the blood pressure meds tomorrow and getting a thyroid test again next week to see if that helps. I thought it was the Multaq but my rhythm is fine just slow periodically throught the day. I just keep hoping to go through 6 months without having to go to the hospital or the doc for something. I'm thinking if it"s not the pressure med. then a pacemaker is next.

I agree with you. I wrote in because my doctor is talking about changing my medication to amiodarone from sotolol. I will talk to my cardiologist, and not change meds, especially to anything that is so toxic and the side effects so devastating. I wonder if they if think of their oath "first do no harm...." If my AF is coming back, I will seek another ablation - if that doesn't work, I will ask for a pacemaker. I do not want to take strong drugs.

I feel the same way. I saw my EP today and he discontinued my digoxin and put me on Flecainide. In a month we'll try another cardioversion. I've already decided that if it doesn't work this time I'll go back to the aspirin and pray for the best. It has come down to quality versus quanity for me also. I'm so done with feeling crappy with these meds. It's not worth it.

I finally gave up on the "rythem" meds and just take my metropolol. I haven't felt this good in the last 5 years since dealing with this. I think the anxiety of all the meds adds to the problem. I refuse to get an ablation as my EP said there is a only a 60% chance of it working.

Wow I thought I was the only one that felt this way. I would love to wake up and not be fearful and take a handful of meds that keep me exhausted and grouchy. It isn't fair to my family and friends. I am very blessed to have a boss that is understanding and a husband that stands beside me all the way however I have though more than once about throwing all the medicines away and living the rest of my life not at the mercy of afib and all its treatments. Thanks for letting me ramble.
Blessings to all

The medications are just the lesser of two evils for me. I don't like some of the side effects, but my quality of life was much worse with a fib. With no medications I cannot function during an episode. I really envy those who say they can't tell when they are in a fib. It is so dramatic and debilitating for me that I will do just about anything to avoid a fib, including taking meds I never thought I would consider. Or maybe an ablation....burning scars on my heart....how crazy is that? But a fib has made me a little crazy :)
I really do feel like a guinea pig, and sometimes it all feels like a big crap shoot. We each have to make the choice we feel comfortable with.

I've said this many times that the docs really do not know how to "cure" A/Fib but to try to control it. I have tried all of the meds and none have ever kept me in sinus rhythm. I've lived 9 years with my heart feeling like it's going to jump out of my chest. I waited the time out to see if anything would be invented that was a sure thing. In March I just could not stand it anymore and had the ablation done. this had been the best 4 months of my life in these past 9 years. If it comes back, well I will deal with it then. Yes, i agree that this is a depressing condition to have and I tried to make the best of it but could not get away from knowing that my heart is not beating correctly. I doubt that I will have another ablation as that was a nightmare for me but stay on the atenolol and aspirin if it comes to that.

Lorie: I had an ablation about 2 yrs, ago. Every now and then the afib returns for a few days but then resets itself into NSR. My EP said this is because he thinks he got most of the right places during the ablation, so it can reset. At first he thiught I'd need meds, but on last visit I was fine so he said no. Good.

I agree with you , i am 51 and have the meds just run me crazy ,i am on metropol , warfarin,dioxgen ,lisinopril evry day have these funny headaches , suicidal thoughts i have never been so un happy ,i wont go for cardioversion .or ablation .just sick and tired of it .

I agree with all of you...Afib is depressing and not many people understand it except the ones that are in it...I dont want to take powerful meds... I am in the medical field and am reluctant to take antiarrthymic and dont feel comfortable having my heart zapped back into rythymn by cardioversion or ablation.
thanks for letting me vent
MEK3

I'm so glad there are so many of us that are fed up. My cardiologist wanted to set up another cardioversion today, and I told him NO, because he said it would not change my having to be on coumadin and sotalol at all. That isn't how I want to live.

Why is ablation such a nightmare? Is it painful? I'm just very curious about it, because I think it's the next step for me if I want to start feeling better.

As you know, I do not think ablation is a nightmare. (insurance companies might because it is expensive/labor intensive).
Basically there are 3 phases:
(1) preparation - you have to have a consult, xray, blood test, and usually TEE (This may bethe worst part - it is a scope to see if there are clots in your heart; it is about 1/2 hr. but has to be done with anesthesia and your throat coated with topical anesthesia).
(2) procedure - usually same day as or day after TEE. At least in my case I felt very well taken care and had heavy anesthesia, so I saw and felt nothing. You may occasionally have light wakening during procedure, but it is nothing bad and you go right back. The procedure is long (mine was 8 hrs) but I was asleep, so what. Then maybe 2 hr. recovery, not bad, then usually you stay overnight for monitoring. You're not supposed to move your legs for a few hours so that can be hard, but not impossible. Then you sleep (maybe) and go home the next day.
(3) post - recovery takes about 2 days, but there is usually no pain, you are just tired. There is a lot of monitoring at first, even with small home monitors, and there may be some meds (usually just a few weeks, Sometimes, depending, you need luvox, which involves giving your self and injection, which I didn't like but it was only a few days.

In many ways its not so different from a cardioversion except it is "minimally invasive", a mushc longer procedure (tho with anesthesia, you don't really know) and a few days recovery (no pain tho).

Maybe some other people had some other experiences here.
I think it was worth it.

That's about it. You feel better almost right away. Afib is not supposed to return, although in some cases it may and you may need another ablation.