Afib

[Mrs.Milo]

Last week I was in the hospital again for Afib. This is the 4th time in 4 years which my doctor says is not unusual. I have family history with my mother, sister and several cousins. Now I am wearing a heart monitor for a 2 week period and recording irregularities, and will follow up with an arrhythmic specialist doctor next month.

I asked what could be done to help avoid Afib and ablation was mentioned. I told him someone I know did that and it didn’t work. So I hope Dan Murphy sees this and responds that he is doing better.

 

[Kirby]

I have a cousin who had an ablation procedure done twice. The first time didn't take but the second one did and he is still doing well two years later. My SIL also had one done last summer. It took a couple of weeks to work but then she was okay too. Sadly she passed away from cancer in February.

 

[VandVsmama]

Last week I was in the hospital again for Afib. This is the 4th time in 4 years which my doctor says is not unusual. I have family history with my mother, sister and several cousins. Now I am wearing a heart monitor for a 2 week period and recording irregularities, and will follow up with an arrhythmic specialist doctor next month.

I asked what could be done to help avoid Afib and ablation was mentioned. I told him someone I know did that and it didn’t work. So I hope Dan Murphy sees this and responds that he is doing better.

An N=1 studyy (i.e., "I know somebody who had that done and it didn't work") is not statistically significant compared to other medical research data. If it were me, I'd ask my physician(s) a bunch more questions, such as:

• What % of patients who have this done have seen it to be successful after just the 1 ablation procedure?
• What are the risks of cardiac ablation?
• Why are you recommending this for me?
• If it doesn't work after the 1st ablation, is a 2nd performed?
• If a 2nd ablation is performed, what % of patients have it work the 2nd time around?
• What are the other options if after 2 attempts it still doesn't work? For example, are we talking about a pace maker?
• If yes to pace maker, what are the pros and cons of that? Success rates, etc.?
• (ask this of the dr who's going to perform the cardiac procedure) How many of these have you performed in your career?
• Is there anything pre and post-op that I can do in order to improve surgical outcomes?

 

[LYSE]

Good luck, I have been hospitalized once for it and once for sinus tac, we were going to do an ablation but luckily it got under control with medicine, weight loss and low sodium diet...though it's been acting up a bit again but no hospitalizations again. (Got lax on diet/weight..need to get back on it)

Get a smart watch that has ECG capability, it's been great for my piece of mind.

 

[prairie_girl]

@Dan Murphy there, I tagged him so hopefully he’ll see it.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

An N=1 studyy (i.e., "I know somebody who had that done and it didn't work") is not statistically significant compared to other medical research data. If it were me, I'd ask my physician(s) a bunch more questions, such as:

• What % of patients who have this done have seen it to be successful after just the 1 ablation procedure?
• What are the risks of cardiac ablation?
• Why are you recommending this for me?
• If it doesn't work after the 1st ablation, is a 2nd performed?
• If a 2nd ablation is performed, what % of patients have it work the 2nd time around?
• What are the other options if after 2 attempts it still doesn't work? For example, are we talking about a pace maker?
• If yes to pace maker, what are the pros and cons of that? Success rates, etc.?
• (ask this of the dr who's going to perform the cardiac procedure) How many of these have you performed in your career?
• Is there anything pre and post-op that I can do in order to improve surgical outcomes?

Could also ask whether there are medications that could help/you could try, in place of ablation.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Last week I was in the hospital again for Afib. This is the 4th time in 4 years which my doctor says is not unusual. I have family history with my mother, sister and several cousins. Now I am wearing a heart monitor for a 2 week period and recording irregularities, and will follow up with an arrhythmic specialist doctor next month.

I asked what could be done to help avoid Afib and ablation was mentioned. I told him someone I know did that and it didn’t work. So I hope Dan Murphy sees this and responds that he is doing better.

Hi, Mrs. Milo.

Disclaimer: I am not a cardiologist, an electrophysiologist (heart electrician), nor a doctor.

12 years ago I had my first irregular heartbeat experience. Racing heart, exhausted. It was a-flutter, not afib. Very similar, slightly different Marie took me to ER, meds did not knock it regular, did an overnight and a cardioversion the next day. Six months or so later, another episode. This time meds in the ER worked. Six months later, same thing, meds in the ER. Six months later, another cardioversion.

Cardiologist suggested an ablation. I had an a-flutter ablation. Electrician said I would not get a-flutter again, but could possible get afib some day. Fast forward 6 years to January this year. Felt 'off', took my EKG with my Kardia device (the doctors love that device, so do I), showed afib. Had a cardioversion in Feb. Lasted a week, back in afib. Had an afib ablation in early May, lasted a week or so, back in afib. 2 weeks ago, another cardioversion , follkwed with meds, amiodarone. Supposed to take for 60 days. Tough med, not really for long term.

Cardiologist's opinion is I will probably go back afib when I stop the amiodarone. If so, he said probably another ablation. Even though that would be my third, it would be my second currently, dealing with afib, not the flutter from years ago. He said sometimes it takes 2,maybe even 3 ablations. If that all doesn't work, possibly a pacemaker.

Now, yes, you know me, Mrs. Milo and one ablation did work for 8 years. And a current one did not hold. But there is a plan of sorts. Get together with cardiologist and electrophysiologist that you feel comfortable with.

Kardia devices. And actually, a great sale currently. I have all 3 devices, paid more for each. The newest, the credit card sized one, is amazing. Doctors love it.

Best wishes going forward, Mrs. Milo.

https://store.kardia.com/products/kardiamobile-card

@Dan Murphy there, I tagged him so hopefully he’ll see it.

Thanks, PG.

 

[tvguy]

Not everyone responds to the various treatments the same way, and ages is a factor.
My mom had cardioversion. She was 80 at the time. To prepare for it she had to go on blood thinners and have weekly blood checks until her blood was thin enough. That took six months. They gave her four rounds of cardioversion, each time the afib returned within 10 minutes.
Doctor then put her on some medication......I don't know what it was but with in hours of the first dose the afib was gone. She took it for a week, and then the Doctor took her off it. Never went into afib again, and lived to age 90 when cancer caught up with her.
As a nurse she was frustrated the pill wasn't the first option, but the Doctor said the mortality rate with the medicine was actually higher than with cardioversion, so that is why cardioversion was tried first.

 

[Kitty 34]

Last week I was in the hospital again for Afib. This is the 4th time in 4 years which my doctor says is not unusual. I have family history with my mother, sister and several cousins. Now I am wearing a heart monitor for a 2 week period and recording irregularities, and will follow up with an arrhythmic specialist doctor next month.

I asked what could be done to help avoid Afib and ablation was mentioned. I told him someone I know did that and it didn’t work. So I hope Dan Murphy sees this and responds that he is doing better.

Sending positive thoughts your way Mrs. Milo.

 

[VandVsmama]

Just wanted to also chime to mention that if one were to need a pace maker at some point, a lot of people live a very long time with a pace maker. My MIL got one 15 years ago and last year, the battery of the 1st one was finally starting to go, so she had a replacement pace maker installed.

 

[Dan Murphy]

My MIL got one 15 years ago and last year, the battery of the 1st one was finally starting to go,

Better than my phone.

 

[Mrs.Milo]

Thank you all so much for your replies. The details in your posts are some of the same thing doctors did advise.

Age is a factor, need to lose weight, stay hydrated. Watch my potassium and magnesium. Every time i’ve gone into Afib I was asleep so finally getting a C-pap next week, which was not available due to a Recall last year. I think Kardia is a good idea too, or a smart watch with ecg.

I asked Dr the success rate for ablation, he said 40 to 60 %, and it sometimes takes more than once to find the problem areas. This is the first time ablation was mentioned to me so that may be in my future, I did not realize it was a possibility for Afib until this event.

Again, thanks to you all, much appreciated.
Lora

 

[indimom]

I have a coworker who had two ablations before it worked. That was about two years ago. She feels like she got her life back.