Afib Questions: Is it too late to have an Ablation?

Thank you. It's good to know.

Wow - this is excellent information to have. Thank you very much. I will definitely request my Zio and loop recorder data. Much appreciated and safe wishes for the holidays!

My husband is 76. He had a mitral clip 2 years ago but the valve started leaking again this year. In March he had a mitral valve replacement and is doing very well. Prior to the surgery he had an ablation which was only effective for about a week. After the surgery he had a cardioversion which was successful and he no longer has afib. Good luck to you.

Thank u all for the excellent information ... great group.
I started AFIB at 76 and now am 81. I've had two cardo version and one cardo ablation. Taking Sotalol (120 mg -- 2 times a day) and Eliquis (5mg - 2 times a day). Had taken Ammo and Multaq found both meds horrible. If I have another AFIB event, they want me to take Tikosyn which requires a 2 1/2 day hospital stay to find the right dose. Does anyone has any experience with Tikosyn?

My doctor replace amiodarone with Sotalol (120mg -- 2 times a day).
Amiodarone gave me pain in my back and overall feeling bad.

I had cardo ablation at 80 and it helped. I would recommend it.

Hi maryahs,
I am 79, have apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and presented with persistent Afib with rvr in March 2023. First on Metoprolol which caused fatigue and dropped blood pressure, then on diltiazem which did the same. In September I did the hospital loading of Tikosyn (dofetilide) and cardioversion. Have been in sinus rhythm since. It has only been seven weeks but so far so good. I was scared to do the loading, but there was nothing to it. Feel so much better. Good luck with your decision.

I was also on amiodarone and hated it. Hair loss, night sweats, finally went off it after a swollen optic nerve episode. I had several med changes and two cardio conversions. I am now in afib continually and on another set of drugs. I am not a candidate for an abliation. Always hoping for the best.

Just curious ... why aren't u a candidate for abliation? Currently, what meds are u on for AFIB, are they helping?
Mary

It was useless for me. Very disappointing. I am 84 and now in permanent a-fib. My first a-fib episode occurred in 2017 following knee replacement surgery, which I was very uptight about. Cardioversion restored rhythm. It had to be repeated 10 months later. Simultaneously I took diltiazem, then sotalol. When they stopped working, I was given Tikosyn and then amiadarone, neither of which worked. Finally I was given metoprolol, which controls my tachycardia pretty well, but I I am hardly back to my old vigor. I ride a bike, walk a mile or so, try to do what I can, but the old high energy and confidence are gone. I recently got a second opinion from a highly regarded EP, who feels it's too late to do an ablation, and wonders why my primary cardiologist didn't recommend an ablation when my tachycardia first appeared. I wonder, too.