Thanks Peteycap,
it makes sense that treating the a fib will slow progression. I am doubtful that it will decrease the number of episodes of a fib now that I've got it, but I really won't be able to tell because right now the flecainide is working great and I've not had an episode for awhile.
Definitely gonna try the oral appliance. BTW,I looked up my AHI and it was 12.

Thank you Petey. you are a fountain of useful information and a hoot as well. Bless you.

Petey, there is a huge difference between in home monitoring and say hospital monitoring for sleep apnea. A person could never hook themselves up to all the wires and electrodes that they use in the hospital to monitor you. They can even tell when you are dreaming....that's if you take a sleeping pill and get to sleep. It is hard to sleep hooked up to all that junk for sure, but I for one love the C-pap and can't sleep without it on. You have to become used to it for sure. some people just can't, or have a fear of it. When you are on C-pap in the hospital they get the exact setting that seems to work best for you. I have to believe all those things would be hard to accomplish at home.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea years ago and given a cpap machine. I could never get used to it. Now I wish I had tried harder. Even though I've lost a lot of weight my Dr. says the apnea has affected my blood pressure and AF. I started using it last week as I was told I had to before they would do an ablation. I was surprized that I can now use it. Maybe fear or common sense got through to me or I'm just a little wiser. I'm having my ablation at Johns Hopkins and I want to make sure I've done as much as possible to make this work. I've been in permanent af for almost a year so I need all the help I can get.

MaryKay - I recently got a new job working at a large ENT office. We have an Apnea specialist, who deals with just the apnea patients and we had a long discussion about whys regarding apnea.
If you are not obese, your weight most likely had nothing to do with your sleep apnea. He told me that his worst apnea people are actually thin individuals and their problems are directly related to narrowed airway and nothing else. He told me that during sleep cycles tissues in throat relax , fold on to each other and create breathing difficulties.
coverage of apnea products depends on the type of insurance you have. Some insurances, cover some don't.
Treating apnea can definitely help with a-fib.
Hope you feel better!

Peteycap, thank you so much. I have been suffering with sleep apnea for years and using the Cpap. I am also going through early menopuase. I am taking hormone replacement. At first the hormones and the cpap helped but not as much any more. I also have an irregular heart beat but no one has mentioned the link before. I see a Pulmonary Specialist. As well I was aware that untreated sleep apnea can cause heart problems. Therefore I've wondered if I've had heart issues that are causing the sleep apnea. I don't know, I just know I need help so I will continue my journey. But you have been very helpful!

They think that breathing against resistance in obstructive sleep apnea puts high pressure on the atriua and that's what can cause atrial fibrillation... also can cause hypertension.

I'm glad i could help. There is much info out there. For women particularly, Mellanie True Hills' website, stop-afib.org is partcularly helpful.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea also . I failed on the machine. I tend to have insomnia also, so using the CPAP exascerbated the sleep problems. I felt absolutely no better the next day after using the machine. I used it for months with no improvement in daytime functioning. So they said I failed the machine. I also tried the dental appliance. My insurance paid, I think it was $2-3K, I can't remember. It locks your jaw into place and that caused me extreme jaw pain and TMJ which I had to deal with for months. So now, I"m not using anything.

I'm surprised some of the centers require you to use the CPAP before the ablation. I have one scheduled in a couple months and they haven't said anything.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea also . I failed on the machine. I tend to have insomnia also, so using the CPAP exascerbated the sleep problems. I felt absolutely no better the next day after using the machine. I used it for months with no improvement in daytime functioning. So they said I failed the machine. I also tried the dental appliance. My insurance paid, I think it was $2-3K, I can't remember. It locks your jaw into place and that caused me extreme jaw pain and TMJ which I had to deal with for months. So now, I"m not using anything.

I'm surprised some of the centers require you to use the CPAP before the ablation. I have one scheduled in a couple months and they haven't said anything.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea also . I failed on the machine. I tend to have insomnia also, so using the CPAP exascerbated the sleep problems. I felt absolutely no better the next day after using the machine. I used it for months with no improvement in daytime functioning. So they said I failed the machine. I also tried the dental appliance. My insurance paid, I think it was $2-3K, I can't remember. It locks your jaw into place and that caused me extreme jaw pain and TMJ which I had to deal with for months. So now, I"m not using anything.

I'm surprised some of the centers require you to use the CPAP before the ablation. I have one scheduled in a couple months and they haven't said anything.

They think that not treating the sleep apnea makes afib recurrence more likely after ablation. Wasn't your appliance adjustable.

It was adjustable. Nothing worked. I didn't feel any better with it at all. Just kept me from sleeping even more.

Hi Petey, I am in Idaho, and I had my ablation here. I had a cardiologist here who first started me on meds, which I assumed was protocol, but I have found out since that I really didn't have to go that route. I just believed everything he told me...he was the Dr. right? He sent me to his partner, the EP, and I really didn't care for him from the beginning, but he convinced me that he was an excellent EP. Next time I'll make sure I do a lot more research. I was in the hospital twice being tried on sotalol and Tikosyn...both of which made my QT intervale extremely long. I had a cardioversion which was 3 days of feeling great, and then it was gone.

I was born and raised in NY and my Sister is there. She is the one that told me about Dr. Reddy (and Melanie True Hills) recommends him highly, so I'm going for an ablation in July. It has been arranged through my Sister and myself with Dr. Reddy by phone and having my records all faxed to him. I am set up to have my blood work and echo here in June, and in July I get a CT of the heart where he maps the electrical components, later that morning I see him, and the next morning I have my ablation. He and his staff have been wonderful about keeping in touch with me. There is the possibility it could take 2 ablations, even with him, about 6 mo. apart, but he gives me an 85% chance of being A-fib free after one, so it's worth it to me. He is among the top EP's in the country, so I couldn't be in better hands. He will keep me on my Lopressor which I have taken for years and years anyway, and that's it as far as I know. The Dr. I had here never told me how badly my kidneys could be affected by these antiarrhythmic drugs, or I doubt I would have taken them. I wish you the best of luck. Just make sure you put yourself in the best of hands if you ever decide on ablation.

I heard that women have longer QT intervals and certain meds are not as good for the reason they can make it longer. Read that somewhere.

Petey,
Where did you get the home sleep test for sleep apnea? The sleep center just offered that to you as one of your options? I had never heard of that before, but it's certainly better than trying to sleep in the lab!!