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I truly hear you! I also don't know what to tell you except that you have my empathy. I was diagnosed with A-fib about 15 months ago. I had a cardioversion after one month on Eliquis. I was placed on meds, they worked fine for a few months, then three episodes of A-fib (a few hours duration with each one) and I asked for an ablation. P.S. I left out a dozen lifestyle changes that sort of work, but age is the one I can't change. I tried an anti-arrhythymic for a few days and decided an ablation was the answer for me. I waited for several weeks to finish tests, get scheduled and then had the ablation on Nov. 24 of last year. Three weeks of heaven, then I started having "skipped beats" and when I went in for 6 week follow-up was told that I now have premature supraventricular complex--a different kind of arrhythymia! No A-fib so far, but just another version of annoying heart rhythm that "isn't going to kill me!" I had to ask to get my blood pressure medication restarted since it was discontinued after the ablation. I have had to seek my own information about this condition because the APRN who saw me said (and I quote) "well, we have to wait for 3 months before we can call the ablation a failure!" Needless to say, I am truly bummed, angry and pretty much fed up with this condition, as I can see that you are! I have to say that, like you, I don't have shortness of breath, weakness or severe discomfort, but after a big $100,000 procedure, one could hope for a little more "success" and a whole lot more consideration from the EP team. I have made up my mind that I will see my regular cardiologist to adjust my meds, hopefully give me some more info on the condition and then insist that I see the real EP for the final checkup--not an APRN. If I were you, I guess I would be on the phone either getting the cardiologist to help you ASAP or else find a new one! I'm a nurse and I can tell you, unless you advocate for yourself and forcefully, you won't get any attention! I do hope you can find something that will alieviate the sensations; mine are usually worse at night too! When all else fails, I take two extra strength Tylenol and usually it will block out the discomfort so at least I can get 2 to 4 hours of decent sleep. Good luck and keep searching for answers!
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@sjm46 I sympathize with you because it’s terrible. I’ve been dealing with PVCs my whole life, but they’ve progressively gotten worse and I’m on medication for it. I have an electrophysiologist a cardiologist psychiatrist a psychologist a therapist a PCP I’ve had all of the test plus I demanded a cardiac MRI a couple of years ago because my panic disorder would not let me let it go and of course everything was perfect and they laughed at me for wanting it done, but my mind doesn’t stop thinking the worst once they start up and I’m trying to be a Mom and work two jobs and it’s just you would think by this time with all of the breakthroughs in the medical world that we would have some kind of answer for these arrhythmias and PVCs, besides telling somebody they are benign. you’re fine. You. have to learn to live with them“
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@sjm46 It is common for two new arrhythmias, PACs and flutter, to take the place of AF after an ablation. Dismayingly common to those EPs who feel they've successfully, and conscientiously, nipped your AF when they send you away from the cath lab. 🙁
If it is news to you, approximately 25% of all index ablations are failures. Those patients need a touchup, and it's usually about 5-8 months after the first ablation. And yes, that blanking period is exceedingly important as a step to ensure the heart calms enough to be deemed successfully ablated by the time the Holter is administered. Even so, I have read posts by people who say they had their last bout of ectopy many months after what was seen as a failed ablation, but now have gone years without any blips. So, the three month blanking period is a 'one-size-fits-all' guesstimate.
I agree, and I'm not even a nurse, every grownup has the responsibility to manage their life, including how they seek diagnoses, assistance, advice, and how they elect to follow the various prescriptions.