EF… Politics and disagreements aside. Changing the channel. Sorry to hear about you afib. I was diagnosed about two weeks after my heart attack. I’ve been on Sotalol and Eliquis for 5 years now. Have been recommended to get a heart Ablation several times and after yesterday’s appointments and consultation I’m doing it. Doc told me there was a 70% chance they could correct it in the first treatment. I’m being told the longer you wait the harder it is to get and keep it back in rhythm.
The beta blocker does wonders, but really drags me down energy level wise. I can tell right of the rip when I enter it. Have tried to pin point any triggers. Probably just me, but really spicy food or too much alcohol or lack of sleep. Then other times no reason at all…
Who out there has had a Heart Ablation? Pros… Cons… Doing it through the VA with MUSC docs. No date yet.
Hi Fred. Sorry that you’re going through AFIB and a prior Heart Attack. That’s scary stuff. No personal experience with ablation but have heard of similar initial success rates from friends. I guess your doctors have already had a sleep study completed. It seems that my contributing factors for SVT’s have been similar, fried food, too much alcohol, lack of sleep and just plain exhaustion. Sometimes emotional stressors, losing a family member or losing a dog has set it off as well. My sleep study showed extreme sleep apnea and getting on a CPAP or in my case an APAP seems to have helped head off AFIB. Yeah, beta blockers do help but they can be a drag. Trying to stay away from fried foods seems to help. Just wanted to mention sleep apnea and its impact on the heart, The cardio doc mentioned that the lack of restorative rest due to apnea can trigger these events.
One of my appointments at the VA yesterday was a CAT scan of my heart.
Not a stress test just a CAT scan with contrast. When I did the stress test a couple years ago. They could not get my heart rate to the projected 135. Only could get it to 115. After 20 minutes on the treadmill. And me huffing and puffing. The cardiologist stopped the treadmill. And then get on the table and they give me a shot of adrenaline. Nothing nice about that. You will NOT do that again.
My normal heart rate is around 65 to 70. But occasionally in the afternoon my heart will race up to around 100 to 110.
I wore the heart monitor a couple years ago. And of course my heart beat stayed normal. Think they’re wanting to do that but again.
Got it scheduled for Monday. Made my mind up and going through with it.
Diagnosed with sever sleep apnea about 4 years ago. I need to start using my mask more. I still blame it on genetics rather than diet. As much as I talk about fried pork chops I seldom have one and rarely fry fish anymore. I cut the fat off my steak and eat a lot of vegetables.
Life is good!! No need to grumble unless it’s “Let’s go Brandon”!
Good luck Monday. Hope the docs get it done with no re-do’s. Yep sensible eating and drinking matters.
Getting out on the water helps. Imma gonna see if my doctor will write a prescription for that!
They go in both sides of your groin and up to the heart and burn muscle tissue to stop electric flow and keep the heart beating smooth. When they first started doing it, usually took 3 procedures to get it right. Now they are saying that they should be 70-80% in one procedure. Fingers crossed. I’m just tired of the meds and the beta blockers drag you down… Like a rev limiter for the heart.
I guess I’m lucky not to have a fib. My first cardiac “ Event” at 34. Before stents. Back then it was balloons. Stopping smoking really changed my life and made things much healthier. Growing up in tobacco country is not great for health.
Dang, I just learned about ablations in the last year. Great procedure prior to knee replacement to burn the nerves in the knee to block signal to brain. Those usually last from 6 to 18 months, from what I’ve been told. Wife was going thru this is how I know.
Those require a mapping sorta thing where they guide needle into the nerves (3 in each knee) and numb it temporarily to make sure they will hit the mark with the real deal.
Got her done! They did the cold instead of heat with me. This one was worse than the stints, the go in both sides of the groin. Rhythm good and today I walked about a mile with the dogs. back to work monday with another week of light lifting. Doc said he put his money on 80% just have to cut back on the drinking. Was very impressed with the docs (MUSC) but Like Natureboy has stated, the VA has really gone down over the last year. Overworked and understaffed. Wait wait wait and wait some more, when you get away from the MUSC side of things. I was supposed to be out by 1030, but due to several paperwork confusions and several putting it off on others was released at 1500. Had some awesome nurses, really apologetic, but it wasn’t their fault. Fantastic until After the procedure and out of PACU, the worst experience I’ve ever had in a hospital.
Covid / Biden admin Both ? I don’t know but it is a shame. My poor roommate crapped himself and I had to raise heck to get someone to clean him up… And not just for him, my stomach can’t’ handle that. Dammm nurses arguing over who was gonna do it.
Fun to get to walk like this on a Wednesday. Anyone without a dog is really missing out!!
Probably mostly to owners not willing to clean up after their dogs, causing it. ?? The crazy thing on Jekyll Island were the amount of dogs on the beach and also in the Hotel! Upper scale joint and full of dogs. Some were a little carried away IMO, had em in baby strollers and such.
Yep, some owners aren’t very thoughtful regarding their dogs poopin’ everywhere or accosting everyone they meet. My dogs are big extroverts. Now a cat would be in hog heaven in the dunes,…one great big litter box! As long as the cats don’t crap in my yard. My dogs think it’s trail mix,…nasty. I’d much rather they eat deer pellets than cat pooh. Daggum, how did I slide this thread so badly. I’ll probably get pooh flagged!
The alcohol is my main kicker. A beer is OK, maybe a shot of brown liquor, but anyore and I almost always go into AFIB.
Antihistamines too, just as bad.
Like you said, I just cant let myself get too close to exhausted and keep the stress to a minimum. If I do those things I rarely go in anymore. Loosing weight has helped too, but I get all the exercise I want by just doing the “stuff” I do.
I’ll report back to you in a few months and give you a real world report. At 65 years young, you would be a good candidate. What feared me into it was several doctors saying the beta blockers and other afib meds would not be as effective as I aged and the longer it goes on the more “muscle Memory” the heart retains and makes it harder to fix. Yesterday I probably wouldn’t have told anyone to do it. Today, not so much. Had two good walks and only a little sore other than the groin.
Hope they have you on blood thinners! afib and no thinner = prime chance of stroke.
