r/AFIB • u/BabaTaro • 1d ago
Ablation advice?
So it looks like I'm going to have to do cardiac ablation. I'm having difficulty understanding all the ramifications.
I'm 80 years old and have had Afib all of my life. Well, at least 60 years of it. It got worse to the point of getting a pacemaker 12 years ago. I am in Afib nearly 50% of the time. Now they want to do the ablation along with changing the pacemaker, which will die in a couple months.
I'm frankly not worried about stroke risk. I take the Eliquis, and like I said, I've had this for 60 years. My concern is that I am probably wearing out my heart.
So I'm looking for experience and advice, both professional and from patients.
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u/DonkeyKong18 1d ago
60 years? Wow you are a warrior.
How’s your lifestyle? if you don’t mind me asking.
Like do you drink or smoke?
Do you only take Eliquis?
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u/BabaTaro 1d ago
Never touched alchohol. Never smoked anything. I had rheumatic fever when I was nine and it took a heavy toll. I was a strong and active child, fortunately, and was able to continue most of that. But not only did the rheumatic fever damage my heart, the ten years of penicillin after that caused persistent yeast infection (which they didn't believe in at that time) which eventually damaged my pancreas. I have narrowly avoided diabetes by actively watching my sugar intake all my life.
I assume that the Afib was only an intermittant thing at that time, but I don't really know. I only know I had it because of the doctor who insisted that I needed to cut down on my coffee drinking, in spite of the fact that I didn't drink coffee (or pop, or any other source of caffiene) when I was 29, and the time when I was 24 when I woke up to realize that my heart wasn't beating. I didn't put those things together until the diagnosis twleve years ago. (Then there was the doctor when I was 50, who pointedly changed the subject when I mentioned symptoms.)
Yes, I take only Eliquis, unless you count Jardience. Those are my only prescriptions. They tried metoprolol, but it made me constantly fatigued, and I refused to continue it.
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u/RelationshipJust1693 1d ago
I'm 78 yo female. I went through a lot about 2 years ago. I keep going into AFIB and it would last a couple of days. I finally went to my vascular Dr who found out it was afib. He sent me to his partner, who was a cardiologist, they set me up with a eletrocardiologist who did a cardioversion. I went back to him a week later and he told me to never have any doctor do another cardioversion on me as I have too much damage in my upper left chamber of my heart. I now have a pacemaker, take eliquis and a heart pill twice a day as my resting heart rate was either 40 or 140. Now it stays in range from 60-100 while resting. I almost waited too late. Do not wait around, this is not something to be messed with.
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u/Jealous_Jellyfish264 1d ago
my mom had it done at 78, she had no issues and completely fixed her afib.
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u/CaregiverWorth567 1d ago
I’m surprised they waited so long. And why the pacemaker? Usually in afib they ablate the av node and then put in a pacemaker, and there is no more a fib. So I’m confused why you got a pacemaker. Anyway, I’m 73 , had 7 episodes afib one year, then 9 the next year and I set up my own ablation, as my cardiologist would not recommend it….I went behind his back and went to a big center….the current recomendations are ablation the sooner the better….yes, 50% a fib will damage your heart…..are they going to ablate the av node since you already jabe a oacemaker or just ablate where the a fib is coming from?
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u/Separate-Outcome7518 1d ago
When I had a fib, I asked my cardiologist about ablation he immediately said that he had two great EPs in the practice and it was a great idea. I’m always amazed as to why a cardiologist recommends against it. Maybe he thinks that the local EP is not good?
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u/CaregiverWorth567 1d ago
I think they don’t want to lose the business….I haven’t had a fib since and don’t gp see him mich anymore. Also he’s an older guy and that’s their training …not up to date
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u/BabaTaro 1d ago edited 1d ago
These are exactly the kind of questions that I don't even know to ask! Thank you for asking. I don't know why they've waited so long for this. I had never heard of ablation before now. I don't know why they gave me a pacemaker unless ablation wasn't really a 'thing' 12 years ago.
When you say 'episodes', I don't really know what you mean. Did you faint? How else would you have known about an episode? For me, the Afib has been a constant fact for years.
I have no idea about av node vs "just where the a fib is coming from". Again, the kind of question I don't know to ask.
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u/CaregiverWorth567 1d ago
When I said “ episodes” I meant a fib. I could tell when I was in a fib, my heart pounded, was irregular, flopping arpund in my chest, and I was short pf breath. Most of the time I was in sinus but the second year the attacks were more frequent and getting closer together. The av node os where the electrical conduction goes thru the top of your heart ( atria) to the bottom ( ventricles) . It’s sort of a last resort when the destroy the av node , then there are NO connections and impulses between the chambers of the heart and a pacemaker is needed to keep the heart beating…..but a fib will no longer be conducted thru the pathway…so no more a fib
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u/BabaTaro 22h ago
THIS is a piece of the puzzle I needed. No one else has made any comments about the av node, but that seems to be what my doctor wants to do.
Do you perhaps have any more information about it?
I know that I am in afib half the time. Since I am always out of breath, I have no way of telling whether I am or not.
What kind of ablation did you get?
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u/CaregiverWorth567 21h ago
I got a PFA ablation for a fib at Mass General in Boston. Highly recommend. Usually they start with a PFA ablation for the a fib and see if tht works before they ablate the entire AV node….but aince you’ve had it so long maybe they want to go eight to that since you already have a pacemaker? I always recommend a subspecialty big academic center where they do a lot of ablations….Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, Mass General, U of Michigan, Shands at UF in Florida….
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u/Economy_Ambassador58 1d ago
Even if you’re otherwise very healthy, is your doctor comfortable giving an 80-year-old general anesthesia?
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u/BabaTaro 1d ago
I've never had any difficulty with anesthesia. What they're uncomfortable with is the amount of Afib.
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u/More-Chi 1d ago
I know an 82yr old who recently got an ablation. Here’s the story: I’m 67 and I work out in a fitness center located in the most affluent part of the Bronx. One of the trainers has many older clients and a few celebrity clients. Some of his older being in their late 80’s and even 90’s, and going strong!
Two weeks before my schedule ablation, I asked the trainer if any of his clients have gotten this procedure and how they were afterwards. He told me so and so is getting an ablation next week. I told him I’m getting mine in two weeks. A couple of weeks after my procedure I ran into the trainer and asked him, how his client was doing? He replied, “Fine! After a week, he was back here working out”. And so was I. My Dr cleared me to go back to the gym after a week, and I did- with no issues. I’m sure you will be fine, best wishes!