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Pacemaker & ICDs: Introduce Yourself & Meet Others
Pacemaker & ICDs | Last Active: Aug 11 1:29pm | Replies (234)Comment receiving replies
Good morning. My name is Scott. I was first diagnosed with AFib in 2016. It was relatively well controlled until last November (2025). I had a PVI ablation in February of this year that didn't take. While attempting a second PVI ablation earlier this month I went into Vtach that they were not able to replicate to be able to ablate that funky rhythm as well. They aborted the procedure and put me on a Zoll Life Vest until I have ICD/Pacemaker installed on August 6th. I also have an AV Node ablation scheduled for September 9th.
Doc explained the xs and os of how everything will work and the meaning behind each procedure. I am looking for real world experiences with this whole process.
Has anyone had a similar story? Shocked or warned of shocks from Life Vest and how did that frequency translate to the device implant? Did the AV node ablation affect your arrythmias the way it's supposed to?
I appreciate you taking the time to read this and look forward to hearing your experience(s).
R/
Scott
Replies to "Good morning. My name is Scott. I was first diagnosed with AFib in 2016. It was..."
@scoleo70058
Hi Scott - I have some similarities to PART of your story! I have not had a Life Vest, although I have heard great things about them. Like you, I was on several different medications for AFib. First was amiodarone; that made me nauseous, caused lung toxicity, and brought my heart rate into the 30's. I was also put on metoprolol (which I am still on). Then I was on Sotalol, Flecainide, and Propafenone.
Nothing stopped my AFib, except for cardioversions. I had three of them, and they worked - but not for the long term. I already had a pacemaker (thanks to Amiodarone dropping my heart rate), and my doctor strongly believed that the only ablation that would work for me was an AV node ablation. He was reluctant to "keep shocking me". I resisted the AV Node Ablation for months, but I finally agreed.
I requested a cardioversion some days BEFORE my ablation; I wanted to NOT be in AFib when I had the AV Node Ablation because I wanted to know how I would feel when I would again go into AFib (having persistent AFib - I recognized that this would happen).
As you know, when the atria goes into AFib after an AV Node Ablation, it does not go to the Ventricles (because they "burned the bridge" between them). Hence, the pacemaker is necessary to keep the ventricles beating at a normal rate. You then become "pacemaker dependent".
To answer your question, YES, the AV Node Ablation did affect my arrythmias the way anticipated. Two months after my ablation, I again went into AFib. I had no personal knowledge of this; it was reported to me by my pacemaker monitoring. As I write, I know I am in AFib - but I am totally unaware. Prior to this, every episode of AFib was accompanied by RVR, causing my ventricles to beat very rapidly. Now my heart rate is normal, even though (as my cardiologist said) I will be in AFib the rest of my life! An episode of Shortness of Breath made me wonder if the AFib was causing it. However, that was not the case (my pacemaker was "tweaked" to accommodate my exertion and resulting SOB). I was worried about the AFib damaging my heart; both my EP and my cardiologist told me that is not happening. As much as I resisted, I am glad that I had the AV Node Ablation. I am never worried about going into AFib because I am already IN it, without problems. I wish you all the best!
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@scoleo70058 Hello Scott (your last name will be removed for privacy reasons) and welcome to Connect! I am not understanding "xs and os of how everything" you are asking about. I have an ICD installed after I was experiencing and electrical problem resulting in dizziness, giddiness and arrythmias after a septal myectomy, never had a shock. The Life Vest (I just looked it up) looks like a wearable ICD device. I'm impressed! Otherwise, you may have to be hooked up to a machine in the hospital until August 6th! Here is a link to read about AV node ablation https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/av-node-ablation/multimedia/img-20096449 Please do read the comments written by other bionic people in this discussion thread. Where will you be going for your procedure? How was your AFib controlled until now?