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Goodbye Atrial Fibrillation - I Hope! #4552023
07/09/14 11:09 PM
07/09/14 11:09 PM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,547
NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly Offline OP
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QuietButDeadly  Offline OP
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NC, Orange Co.
I was diagnosed with A-Fib, as it is commonly called, in 2007. The kind I had would come and go away on its own. I never had to be shocked to get back in normal rhythm. The first cardiologist I went to seemed to be more interested in collecting money for stress tests than he was in helping me manage my condition.

During a conversation with a friend who had a heart valve issue, I got a number for his cardiologist at Duke. This Dr. stays booked 3 or 4 months ahead but when I called, he had had a cancellation the next week. He put me through the wringer and did not find any heart problem other than the A-Fib and the fact that I had been on a low dose of Lipitor for slightly elevated cholesterol. He recommended a fairly new medication that was more effective and had less risks/side effects than others on the market. The only catch was that I had to be monitored in the hospital for three days when I started taking it. I evaluated the alternatives and told him to schedule the hospital stay. He then told me since I had to be in the hospital anyway, he was going to schedule a couple more tests just to make sure he had not missed something with the non-invasive tests. The first test was an echo-cardiogram of the back of my heart. Everything was fine there. The second test was a heart catheterization and it was amazing to lay there and watch the doctors thread that wire through my blood vessels. I had seen an area that looked different and my Dr. pulled the image up on the monitor and explained that my right coronary artery was 90% blocked at that spot and recommend placing a stent. And if I recall correctly, I asked him what he was waiting on. Do it!

So you might say that having A-Fib actually extended my life because that blockage would have surely led to a heart attack.

Now back to the medication. I did not have any complications with it and it certainly helped reduce the frequency and severity of my intermittent episodes but it did not eliminate them all together. Most of the time it was not a quality of life issue but occasionally it was. And A-Fib patients are definitely at a higher risk for stroke since it allows pooling and possible clotting of blood in the heart. Most patients are on some type of blood thinner to reduce the stroke risk. With the improved control with the medication, after much discussion with the Dr., I took a calculated risk by staying on an aspirin regiment rather than warfarin and my Dr. and I sure were glad I was not on warfarin when I had my fall in 2011 and broke my pelvis.

All the research I have done on A-Fib indicates that it tends to get worse as you age. The Dr. and I have had several discussions over the years about an invasive procedure that can possibly eliminate the A-Fib all together. We discussed the risks and the advances in technology that have been made to reduce the risks and improve the success rate of the Catheter Ablation procedure versus staying on the medication with the stroke risk.

I decided to have the ablation. Spent most of Monday at Duke getting pre-op tests and paperwork done. Checked in at 6:15 yesterday morning for the procedure. They rolled me into the electrophysiology lab about 7:00. That room was around 20' by 20' and jam packed with monitors, machines and people. They turned me every way but loose in the few minutes before they sent me to the twilight zone and beyond. The procedure took about an hour with another 4 hours in recovery then another 4 hours flat on my back and that was no fun. At around 6:00 yesterday evening a nurse had me up walking the hall. Then I had some issues when I tried to eat but finally worked through all of that.

It is amazing to me that yesterday morning they were threading wires around inside my heart and burning tissue to create scars to block the extraneous electrical impulses that cause the A-Fib and today, I am sitting at home on my couch.

It will take about 3 months before we know for sure whether it was 100% effective or not but so far, so good. I hope my A-Fib is history!


Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI
Member: FTA NRA NWTF
Re: Goodbye Atrial Fibrillation - I Hope! [Re: QuietButDeadly] #4553663
07/11/14 01:51 PM
07/11/14 01:51 PM
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3
Northern Nevada
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SteveB Offline
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Northern Nevada
Great news that you decided to have the ablation. Although I have not taken care of cardiac patients for some time I try to stay up to date on treatment of afib because it is not uncommon to see patients with it. I remember reading an article earlier this year that argued ablation should be considered a first line treatment in some cases instead of long term medications because it is proving so successful!

Best wishes for 100% success!

Steve


Re: Goodbye Atrial Fibrillation - I Hope! [Re: QuietButDeadly] #4554134
07/11/14 09:36 PM
07/11/14 09:36 PM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,547
NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly Offline OP
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NC, Orange Co.
I had been seeing a Duke cardiologist since 2007 and we had the ablation discussion more than once. The advances in technology have decreased many of the risks that were prevalent just a few years ago. Add to that, the Duke EP lab has done over 1,000 of these procedures and has state of the art equipment and top notch doctors. There are still some risks with the procedure since it is invasive, although minimally, and it requires anesthesia but there are risks going to the grocery store too.

I did a lot of reading and asked a lot of questions and came to the conclusion that there was less risk with the ablation than there was without it. I felt good about my decision going in and feel even better about it now. I posted this story on 3 forums and I know that there are several people sharing my story with people they know who are living with A-Fib.


Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI
Member: FTA NRA NWTF
Re: Goodbye Atrial Fibrillation - I Hope! [Re: QuietButDeadly] #4554154
07/11/14 09:49 PM
07/11/14 09:49 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,947
Central Pa. 62
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bic Offline
"Mr. Sensitivity"
bic  Offline
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Central Pa. 62
My wife had the ablation done last year with No complications. They also implanted a "loop recorder" under her left breast to continually monitor her heart rhythm. Once a month she holds a little gizmo over the implant and dials a number on the phone. It somehow transfers the information like a modem to her doctor. If any irregularities show up, he will call. So far no phone calls from him. After 3 years, the battery will go dead and they will remove it if all the readings continue to show no problems. The implant is about the size of a pack of Gum.

BTW Quietbutdeadly, my eldest son worked in the Cath lab at Duke university Hospital for 5 yrs.


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It's called Tomorrow
Re: Goodbye Atrial Fibrillation - I Hope! [Re: QuietButDeadly] #4608002
08/18/14 03:48 PM
08/18/14 03:48 PM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,547
NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly Offline OP
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QuietButDeadly  Offline OP
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NC, Orange Co.
Well, six weeks have passed since my procedure and I have had ZERO A-Fib so far. The doctors will not declare victory until 3 months have passed but I sure am happy with the results so far. I am so glad I decided to try to get cured instead of continuing to just manage symptoms and hope for the best.


Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI
Member: FTA NRA NWTF
Re: Goodbye Atrial Fibrillation - I Hope! [Re: QuietButDeadly] #4763402
11/26/14 12:59 PM
11/26/14 12:59 PM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,547
NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly Offline OP
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QuietButDeadly  Offline OP
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NC, Orange Co.
Approaching 6 months post op and not a single recurrence of A-Fib! What a blessing it is!

A-Fib is fairly common and if you have family or friends that are dealing with it, I highly recommend that they talk to their cardiologist about the ablation procedure.

I am certainly glad that I did. I have been able to stop taking two medications and have reduced my risk of a-fib related stroke.


Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI
Member: FTA NRA NWTF
Re: Goodbye Atrial Fibrillation - I Hope! [Re: QuietButDeadly] #5050842
05/17/15 10:45 AM
05/17/15 10:45 AM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,547
NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly Offline OP
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QuietButDeadly  Offline OP
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NC, Orange Co.
Approaching my one year anniversary of my ablation procedure. Just completed my annual turkey hunting trip to OH, NE and KS where I log 5 plus miles per day for 2 weeks on some land that definitely is a challenge from a physical exertion standpoint. I could definitely tell a difference this year versus last year. I definitely was able to handle the hill and canyon country better this year than last year.

If you have been diagnosed with a-fib or have loved ones that have, I certainly recommend that you look into an ablation procedure. It may not be the best for everyone depending on their overall health condition but it certainly has improved my overall quality of life. And pushing 70, I am still trying to pack as much enjoyment into whatever time I have left as I can.


Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI
Member: FTA NRA NWTF
Re: Goodbye Atrial Fibrillation - I Hope! [Re: QuietButDeadly] #5072851
06/05/15 06:33 AM
06/05/15 06:33 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 343
PA
woodchuck Offline
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Assuming this is an old issue but am a heart patient (clean hole in the valve, had Doctors puzzled as yo why, Rhumatic fever leaves scar tissue when it does this) that has had my mitral valve replaced with a Lillihi-Kaster mechanical valve back in 1976. That began to go bad and in 1990 had it replaced with a St. Judes valve. Better valve design and as of 2015 no problem. Atrial valve began tearing around the leagflets so had it replaced in 2000 and at the same time put in a defibrilator so on rat poison (coumadin) and need monthly blood test tom make sure inr (blood coagulation) is within range. Basically since a few years later would go in and out of atrial flutter. Finally went into atrial fibrilation for over 5 years. Had shocked myself out of it several times by the defibrilator but one time it didn't so had the cardioversion scheduled but a few days before got the heart rate too high and the defibrilator zapped me and went out of it. Back in it for several years then right away after that time it went off. Talked to several people about the obliction but the majority had gone back into it after they had it. Something new(er?) is a cold obliction which seems to be more lasting. But the doctor decided to try Tikosyn. With this drug you need to be hospitalized for 3 days. 2 hours after each dose (one a.m. & one p.m.) they need to do an echo to make sure you are nor reacting to it. Since then have basically been out of a-fib. Medicine in made by Pfizer and is fairly expensive (about $350.00/month before insurance) as is newer so "copy rights" still in effect. Pfizer does have an assistance plan for low income and now I get it free from Pfizer.
Just a different perspective on a few options.

Re: Goodbye Atrial Fibrillation - I Hope! [Re: QuietButDeadly] #5072958
06/05/15 08:47 AM
06/05/15 08:47 AM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,547
NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly Offline OP
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QuietButDeadly  Offline OP
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Posts: 6,547
NC, Orange Co.
Woodchuck, Tikosyn was the medication I was on prior to my ablation procedure. It did provide a level of control for me but I still experienced intermittent episodes of A-fib. Had lots of discussion with the EP about the type of ablation, burn or freezing, and the risk associated with each. I chose the heat and have no regret. Following the successful ablation, I no longer take Tikosyn or Coumadin but I do not have any of the valve issues that you have. It is my understanding that valve replacement of any type requires Coumadin of some other anti-coagulant for life. I hope the combination Tikosyn and Coumadin will keep you ticking in rhythm for a long time.


Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI
Member: FTA NRA NWTF
Re: Goodbye Atrial Fibrillation - I Hope! [Re: QuietButDeadly] #5076196
06/08/15 10:26 AM
06/08/15 10:26 AM
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 639
Southern Illinois
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ilbucksndux Offline
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Southern Illinois
Great. My wife works for an EP and she tells me that sometimes more than one ablation is necessary to FIX the problem so hang in there if you start having Afib again it can be fixed


Gary Bartlow
Re: Goodbye Atrial Fibrillation - I Hope! [Re: QuietButDeadly] #6460388
02/13/19 03:12 PM
02/13/19 03:12 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 15,594
MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
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Trapper7 Offline
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As I mentioned, I don't have A-fib, but atrial flutter which involves the right upper area of the heart. I believe A-fib involves the left upper area of the heart. I was told the ablation for the flutter is about 90% effective in stopping the flutter from ever coming back. But, patients with atrial flutter after the ablation have about a 50% chance of getting A-fib later.

Bic, several years ago, I had a loop recorder implanted in my chest. I had several episodes of rapid heart rate (180 BPM). So, the cardiologist I was seeing at the time had me take a stress test, some kind of test to determine blockage, and an echocardiogram. I passed the stress test without any problem, didn't have any blockage, and the echocardiogram was normal. I had the loop recorder removed after 2 years. I didn't see any reason to have it since they never did anything after I'd had several episodes anyway.

The way I found out about this atrial flutter was I went in to have laser surgery on my eyes. They did a BP and I was told to go to the hospital emergency because my BP was 166/131. They did a bunch of tests and found the flutter. I was hoping the ablation would have a positive effect on the high BP.


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