Ablation for Atrial Fibrilation

Posted by rbm @rbm, May 4 2:25pm

I am a 71 year old male, diagnosed with afib a year ago, taking eliquis. 4 week recent heart monitor results showed increased afib events and cardiologist suggests ablation. Has anyone been through this procedure? If so I would appreciate you sharing your experience. Thanks.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart Rhythm Conditions Support Group.

allen4501 | @allen4501 | May 9 7:36am

Hello!

Gloaming provides an excellent overview of how these signals will do their best to circumvent an EP's work, regardless of the ablation procedure followed or their expertise. I had persistent AF and nothing was working, so I opted to undergo the convergent procedure, which has proven to be successful. You can enter the term "convergent" in the search area for more details. Other than being on Eliquis for a short time post-procedure, I'm also not taking any antiarrhythmic drugs.

rozy288 | @rozy288 | May 9 11:00am

In reply to @jc76 "@etawon2024 Per my EP they suggested 400 mg of Magnesium citrate. I asked about the other..." + (show)

I disagree with that .
Google it .
Most Cardiologists don’t recommend Citrate but Glycinate .
I actually take Heart Calm Supplement from Vital Biologics . Google that .
Saved me many trips to ER over past decade .
I take 2-3 only when PVCs start up . Not daily.
Good luck 🍀

etawon2024 | @etawon2024 | May 9 11:21am

In reply to @jc76 "@etawon2024 Per my EP they suggested 400 mg of Magnesium citrate. I asked about the other..." + (show)

how many of actual mg of magnesium (elemental magnesium) in each of your 400mg pills? It should say on the bottle label. Thx.

marie1956 | @marie1956 | May 9 11:36am

In reply to @gloaming "There are strategies that work for some people besides cardioversion (I know two who have been..." + (show)

@gloaming

There are strategies that work for some people besides cardioversion (I know two who have been CV'd over 40 times!!) or drugs. These people find out what their triggers are and avoid them. They also lose weight if they could stand to shed a few pounds, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and some find that limiting calcium intake works well. Others take L-Taurine and Magnesium. I know that high levels of potassium is not good for one's kidneys over time, but the first time I ended up in the ER for post-ablation arrythmia, they fed me two large horse pills of potassium once they had my blood assay results. I eat lots of foods rich in potassium most days, so I ought not to have been light on that element. Their numbers said I was indeed light, so now I eat pistachios, potatoes most days, drink coconut water, grow beets each summer, and I have at least 1/4 cup of peanut butter on w/w bread for breakfast. You'd think I would be good, but.....apparently I dump potassium.

Don't forget those statistics about ablations though: index ablations fail at the rate of about 25% across all surgeons. The ratio improves for second ablations meant to correct what was missed the first time. And almost all other forumites across various fora I attend where AF is discussed end up needing other measures in time, including subsequent ablations, because the disorder progresses. If the index caught it properly, and just a PVI was done, the heart looks for other re-entrant foci over the next months and years, and then the arrhythmia returns. The re-entrants are typically out from the pulmonary vein ostia where the antrum is. Or the Vein of Marshall, or the superior vena cava, or the coronary sinus, or it moves to the atrial appendage. It can take place near the SA node in a loop.

The good news is that, if one anti-arrhythmic drug fails to control it, whether from being the wrong drug or from the heart overcoming its effects in time (losing its potency), there are others. I have been on amiodarone. There are worse things, but some would argue with me. It's a harsh drug, and must be closely monitored. But it got my heart under control, and looking back, I am grateful for that three month interlude. And, there is usually room for one more ablation if the numbers total six or seven and less. After larger counts, the EP might suggest a pacemaker.

Jump to this post

Good Morning Everyone, I have been on Amiodarone on and off for the last few years. It helps with Afib. I have problems with my heart. I was admitted to the hospital on 2/27/2024 for AFib and aneurysm at the bottom of my heart. they put ICD for the heart because nothing worked except amiodarone to a certain degree. I don't think cardioversion or ablation will work. I seem to be ok with this ICD, Amiodarone.

dajasorenson | @dajasorenson | May 9 3:57pm

In reply to @jc76 "@etawon2024 Per my EP they suggested 400 mg of Magnesium citrate. I asked about the other..." + (show)

Thanks for the reply. I did look Magnesium up and for my age which is 73. I should be taking close to the amount you suggested. Thanks again.

gloaming | @gloaming | May 9 4:14pm

The easiest Mg form for uptake, meaning how easily it is absorbed, is the citrate form. This is established in the literature. There are other salts, with modest strength in the research showing that other salts are better for different conditions. What you should do in my estimation, unless you are specifically prescribed a certain formulation by a competent medical practitioner, is buy what is on sale and try it for tolerance. Few reading here will need more than 200 mg per day, some will find that they do much better with twice that. Whatever you can get cheaply and use fully, get that and your levels of Mg will rise commensurately. It is incumbent on all of us, though, to not overdo any supplement. THERE IS SUCH A THING AS MAGNESIUM TOXICITY.

jc76 | @jc76 | May 11 6:27am

In reply to @rozy288 "I disagree with that . Google it . Most Cardiologists don’t recommend Citrate but Glycinate ...." + (show)

@rozy288
My Electrophysiologist recommended the 400 mg of Magnesium Citrate. He is Director of Electrophysiology at Mayo Jacksonville. I was asked a question and answered what my EP recommended not what I thought or what a research showed.

EP says there are many forms of magnesium that can be taken but should be what is best for you. I was taking magnesium (non citrate) when he recommended the 400 mg. of citrate. So I switched and saw drastic improvment. Howe will stay with caveat this is me, my body, and how I reacted to different forms of magnesium.

I did check again with my EP and says research is all over the place on the best type. One type may work with some and not work as well with others. There is nothing unusualy with Citrate it is easlily absorb by body and that is what EP states is good.

There are other forms of magnesium that are also easily absorbable and if that works for you that is fine and you should do what works for you. When I am asked a question on MCC of what was medically recommended for me by my EP I will respond with that medical recommendation I received and note it was FOR ME by my EP. I am instructed to take the magnesium daily not just in your case where you only take when your PVCs act up. Why is it taken daily? My EP states are trying to prevent PVCs from happening.

jc76 | @jc76 | May 11 6:56am

In reply to @etawon2024 "how many of actual mg of magnesium (elemental magnesium) in each of your 400mg pills? It..." + (show)

@etawon2024
I take different manufacturers of magnesium.
One is NatureMade Magnesium Citrate 250 mg. It takes two tablets to reach this 250 mg. I looked at back of bottle and per 2 pill serving it states Magnesium Citrate 250 mg. which is 60% of daily value. I take two of these daily.
Two: LIfe Extension: I augment the NatureMade magesium citrate to get my 400 by taking Life Extension Magnesium Citrate. It comes in 1 tablet for 100 mg of magnesium. I take two of these a day. They are 100 mg of magnesium in each tablet per bottle.

Heart Calm. You will read a lot about this product. I did research it and the form of Magnesium it contains is Taurate, Glycinate and Malate. It takes 3 capsules to reach 300 mg of magnesium. I do have this product but it also contains Taurine and Co-Q-10. I take Taurine and Ubiquinol (higher form of Co-Q-10) as separte supplements so the heartcalm is not my main source of magnesium. It do take the heart calm routinely but will reduce the Health Extension amount to stay close to the 400 mg. recommended for me.

My Mayo EP suggested the citrate based on his research and what was best for me. My EP stated many forms of magnesium and what may work better for one person but not the next. It is why citrate was reommended by him as it (research wise) as it is usuallly a very easy absorb form of magnesium.

About a month ago I did change from a magnesium, calcium, zinc combination tablet to the citrate because the combination tablet did not use citrate. For me, and must emphasize for me, I experienced a dramatic reduction in my PVCs. This was confirmed by my holter montior test as well as my ICD/Pacemker monitoring remote device. So the citrate is working for me and that is what I can pass on to you a personal experience for me and what my EP recommened I try.

jefck | @jefck | May 12 9:27am

I had an ablation for afib 17 years ago and it stopped my afib until recently when it started up slightly. I definitely recommend it but I’m not sure how they do it now but mine was a 7 hour procedure with no sedation whatsoever. Best of luck with your decision.

gloaming | @gloaming | May 12 4:21pm

The procedure these days lasts between 100 and 180 minutes, depending on how things go and what they find they have missed each time they challenge the heart. It is also usually the case that the patient is fully sedated/anesthetized because of the insertion of the TEE * into the esophagus to monitor the proximity of the RF wand, or other ablating device, to the esophagus to prevent IT from getting zapped inadvertently...and most regrettably.

*https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/diagnosing-a-heart-attack/transesophageal-echocardiography-tee

View More View Less

Please sign in or register to post a reply.