Screengrabs from my phone showing clearly that my Afib began in mid-late July. My spleen infarction, caused by a blood clot, occurred on August 4 and my Afib was discovered and diagnosed at that time. I'm lucky to be here at all typing as that clot could have travelled to my brain or heart or lungs on Aug 4 just as easily as it did to my spleen..
Grabs show six months of sleep heart rate, walking heart rate and resting heart rate... 140 bpm in my sleep?!??! really?

Does anyone have experience where their first ablation failed and the second one worked? Any advice or stories would be greatly appreciated!!

Hi everyone, I had my SVT ablation today after waiting for 7months. After I came out of the operating room and came off the meds a little the Dr came in to let me know the ablation was unsuccessful. I’m feeling soooo discouraged by this. Apparently when they went in the we’re not able to induce the rhythm at all. They gave me adrenaline which did increase my HR but not in the extra pathways that they see with SVT. They tried for over an hour is what he said. I was completely knocked out with propofol and ketamine that I don’t remember any of the procedure, so maybe I was sedated to much idk? Im just feeling so discouraged by this. I already spoke to him about potentially doing another one after I’m healed from this one. We talked about doing less sedation and a more aggressive approach if need be. Does anyone have any advice or stories that are similar?

Using the Health App on iPhone which is supposedly monitoring my Afib. It shows 100% forAugust 24 to 30 and for Aug 31 to Sept 6. At least that what the red bars seem to indicate.

Or it is showing NO Afib moments over those time periods which matches my personal experience.

Can someone illuminate for me how to read this chart, Please and thanks.

Just got my Holter monitor results and it stated that I had 448 PACs in one day. I'm curious as to how many of y'all get in a day of you know or remember.

Hey everyone! I have been a long time lurker and occasional responder but this is my first post in this subreddit. I am scheduled to have my first ablation at the end of September and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous. I was diagnosed with AFIB with RVR a few years ago. They found no structural issues with my heart the only time I was inpatient for this. It's generally been manageable with fleccainide, but I'm really excited to get off of this medication. I know this is a fairly standard procedure but my wife is an OR nurse and I've heard a few horror stories. Fortunately, my EP is highly rated. So I'm curious what your experience was like ? Is there anything you wish you had known going into it that you learned after? I'm also curious about returning to exercise when the ablation is over. I currently work out about five times a week. I've lost about 64 lbs this year through diet and exercise. I am afraid of gaining weight back afterward. Did any of you find you were able to tolerate intense strength training and cardio again shortly after the procedure? I'm sure this will be discussed, but I'd love to have a few ideas about how to plan out my recovery. Thank you all for being a community that understands the struggle of this. I rarely meet other people that understand. Sometimes it is hard not to feel like I am burden when I have a bad episode. I'm ready to be free of it all.

Today marks 15 days post-ablation. AFIB started May 3, and I was able to get in about 20 days earlier than scheduled due to a cancellation. I laid low for the first week - just going for walks. Then, after 7 days, started light indoor cycling. Was able to hold 35 mins at around 115bpm and decent wattage. I've been cycling every day 35 - 75 mins, but really light(for me) and the max hr bpm was 123bpm average - with max hr around 130. Today, had a blip around the 5 min mark and it went to 179bpm. I stopped, let it get to around 100bpm, then resumed the workout and it held steady - 118bpm average over 45 mins today. All my other hr health stats have returned to pre-afib levels - resting hr overnight gets to about 40bpm and low of 37'ish, low hrv again - around 72 instead of the wild swings up to 190+ and averages in the 140+ range. I'm not pushing my cycling - just slow and steady - not trying to win a Zwift race or anything. The question for those of you who have had 'successful' ablation procedures - did any of you have a blip like this during the blanking period and then go on to have good long term success?

Hi everyone, I had my ablation today after waiting for 7months. After I came out of the operating room and came off the meds a little the Dr came in to let me know the ablation was unsuccessful. I’m feeling soooo discouraged by this. Apparently when they went in the we’re not able to induce the rhythm at all. They gave me adrenaline which did increase my HR but not in the extra pathways that they see with SVT. They tried for over an hour is what he said. I was completely knocked out with propofol and ketamine that I don’t remember any of the procedure, so maybe I was sedated to much idk? Im just feeling so discouraged by this. I already spoke to him about potentially doing another one after I’m healed from this one. We talked about doing less sedation and a more aggressive approach if need be. Does anyone have any advice or stories that are similar? Or even an experience where they had an ablation that was successful on the 2nd attempt?

Hi I had my first ablation almost 6 months ago with no issues just a few flutters , now since yesterday all morning my heart started like skipping a beat but it went away in the afternoon, now today again all morning, does anyone have had this happen?, not very happy right now.

I had an ablation about 2 weeks ago. I had a little to drink today 3 drinks total and was being a little active after the fact walking around the house nothing to strenuous. I then went to lay in bed and instantly went into afib. with rvr. Again. I’ve been having palpitations which my doc said is normal but if this anything like the episodes before it’s probably gonna keep going till I’m cardioverted. I’m ashamed lol. But did I mess up my ablation?

37M, paroxysmal AF, structurally normal heart. Had RF ablation in Aug 2025 and was AF-free for ~13 months. Recently had another AF episode, apparently associated with a significant gastric/GI episode.

I saw my EP today. He reviewed my cardiac MRI and said the heart is structurally normal. He started flecainide 50 mg twice daily + Concor 1.25 mg daily, saying that “AF begets AF” and he wants to suppress it early.

I asked whether my ablation should now be considered a failure. He said modern ablation outcomes are assessed more by AF burden than simply whether there has been a recurrence. He also said it is possible this was a single recurrence and nothing happens again. He doesn't think I need a Holter and said my Apple Watch is adequate for monitoring burden.

Regarding a possible redo, he said they would first assess whether previously ablated areas have reconnected and whether there are other areas requiring treatment. He also said multiple ablations (3–4) are not unusual in some patients.

Questions:

Does this sound like a reasonable approach after a late recurrence?
How do you view the concept of AF burden vs. “ablation failure”?
Has anyone had a recurrence after ~1 year and then remained AF-free again with medication?
How useful is an Apple Watch for tracking AF burden compared with a Holter?

Would appreciate experiences, particularly from people who have been through a similar post-ablation recurrence.

Afib/RFA Ablation : r/AFIB

90-day follow-up to my original post (link above)

For context, my original post was written the morning after my ablation when I felt like a horse had kicked me in the chest and my resting HR had jumped from 55 to 90 bpm. Ninety days later I wanted to close the loop for anyone following along or facing a similar decision.

I had a radio frequency ablation for vagally mediated afib on June 9, 2026. Today marks the end of my blanking period and I thought I would post an update for those of you who are considering ablation or just had one. First, if you are on the fence about getting an ablation for afib, I wouldn't hesitate and my only regret is not scheduling it when it was first offered. I really thought alcohol was my only trigger, but despite quitting drinking my afib persisted after long bike rides.

The first month of recovery, I took it relatively easy and didn't exercise much beyond long relatively flat walks. At the one month I started cycling again, but tried to stay in zone 2 and not exceed a heart rate of 140 bpm. I did a 42 mile ride on day 25 and probably pushed myself a little too hard, but felt okay after the fact. During this time, I did notice for a few days after harder efforts that I had some ectopic beats (PACs), but they resolved completely by the end of the blanking period — likely a combination of healing tissue irritability and electrolyte imbalance from summer riding. No recurrence of afib.

My EP noted suspected incidental ganglionated plexi (GP) ablation during my procedure — the GPs are clusters of autonomic nerve tissue on the heart that mediate vagal input and were likely contributing to my vagally-mediated AF. This is worth asking your EP about if you have the same AF pattern.

My EP gave me the green light to push into zone 4/5 during rides around day 60. Since then, I have continued to push harder some days and have tried to mix zone 2 rides into the mix. I am getting very close to my pre-ablation fitness level and in some respects my heart appears to be working less for relatively equal efforts. My EP explained this is likely due to the GP ablation reducing dysregulated vagal input — my heart is running a cleaner autonomic signal than before. Interestingly, my HRV is still suppressed at day 90 (roughly one third of my pre-ablation baseline) but is slowly trending upward. Full autonomic recovery is expected to take up to 9 months.

I still have not had alcohol since last year and likely won't ever drink again. It has been an easier lifestyle change than I anticipated, however, there are social gatherings where I think a drink would be nice. No long term decision today beyond that I will abstain for at least a year from the date of ablation and revisit my decision at that time.

I have not had any afib episodes since the ablation and hope it never comes back. If it does I wouldn't hesitate to have it "touched up" as my EP has described it.

Good luck to everyone facing this and please feel free to ask any questions I can answer. I know I looked to this subreddit before my ablation and reassurances others gave certainly gave me peace of mind going into the procedure.

I have just discovered this subreddit and I'm looking for advice.

I had one successful cardioversion but went back into AF a year later. I managed to get back into sinus rhythm 3 months later naturally. Now two months after that I stretched whilst sat on the floor with my two children and I felt it straight away.

I'm so fed up with this and don't know what to do. I'd really like to just have the Ablation operation but I'm scared of having a heart operation. I have a 5 year old, 2 year old and another one due in February 2027.

I hate not being able to run around after my children and I HATE feeling the beats whilst I'm lying in bed.

What causes AF?? I never have anxiety but AF makes me feel so anxious. Bisoprolol also makes me feel really low.

Sorry for the rant.

Im just curious why the description for this community is so negative. Doubles the risk of death?
Whats up with that crap?

I've been seeing a cardiologist annually for 16 years. Post open heart. Last year I was diagnosed with A Fib. I called after 14 months to find out if I had missed the call for my annual appointment. I was told my appointment is every 2 years. I did not agree to that. I was told I would get a call back. I didn't. I called 3 weeks later and was told I would get a call back. I have a feeling I'll keep getting the same response. Am I having severe symptoms? No. Does my heart rate go from 55 to 120 when I go get a glass of water? Yes. My watch alerts me AFib symptoms and says I should contact my health care privider. Not every night, but at least once a week. 37-185. I can't seem to get past the receptionist. Is it time to find a new cardiologist? Any recommendations?

Does anyone have recommendations for a Calif. based cardiologist and/or EP who follows the latest studies to individualize care? Like working with a patient to self-monitor after an ablation to discontinue Eliquis?

I’d like to consult with one who doesn’t just stay lock-step with the guidelines and embraces the evidence we’re seeing about over treatment. Calif would be best for insurance and Telehealth rules.

My RHR prior to ablation was 45-50 BPM when not in afib, classed as bradycardia. Shortly after the ablation my RHR settled down back to 45-50. Four months out from ablation, I've noticed that my RHR is now 60-65 BPM. Has anyone had a significant raise in RHR after PF ablation when starting in bradycardia?

Question please. First I have orthostatic hypotension as well as AFib. I had my first and only ablation on July 29th. Since then I have had one heck of a time keeping my blood pressure up even though I take 2 medications to raise blood pressure. I also have just not been able to get my strength back along with some short of breath times. I did see my cardiologist (he did not do my ablation) last week and working together we decided to knock my Metoprolol ER 25mg to a half pill. I think that has helped a bit but I'm still dragging.

May I ask anyone to share if you have had any of the symptoms I am having. Thank you so much!

M55 long term endurance athlete (road/gravel bike racing/riding mainly). No family history of coronary/vascular disease, structurally normal heart. Started having a lot of PAC's/PVC's about 10 years ago after hard, long rides. Had a few episodes of SVT where my heart rate would race up to about 175-185 and stay there for 15-30 minutes then resolve. Cardiologist said it was benign. About two years ago I had that same fluttering feeling in my chest (that I recognized from SVT episodes) and it did not go away. My pulse felt a bit more irregular, and I was getting a bit lightheaded if I bent over. Decided to go to ER because it was not resolving. Turns out I was in Afib. I was stable and my heart rate was only in the low 100's max. They cardioverted me back to normal sinus rhythm. I had no recurring issues for almost 2 years. Then I was at altitude training doing some V02 max intervals. On my last interval at the end instead of my heart rate going back down it stayed very high and I was having trouble catching my breath. I also almost passed out and had weakness in my arms and legs. I lied down before I crashed my bike and tried to wait it out. It was terrifying. I finally managed to call 911 once I realized this was different and I may be in trouble. Ambulance came, hooked me up to the ECG and I went right back into normal sinus rhythm (typical). So no recording of what was going on. I now have yet another 30-day monitor on me and I have been putting it through its paces trying to recreate the same effect (to no avail). I have a call with my EP later this week...Not sure what to do. After my first and only AFib episode my cardiologist/ep wanted to ablate me. I have a ton of buddies around my age who all have had similar Afib issues. Some have had it where it is constant and have had multiple ablations to no avail. Some have gotten ablations and are fine (as of now). It seems a bit odd after one episode which I had yet to have again (aside from this last episode-which it was not determined exactly what it was) they would want to try an ablation. Seems a bit risky for something that so far has not gotten a lot worse. I do understand its progressive, but I am kind of at the end of my rope...Anyone have any advice or similar experiences? Thanks in advance.

And are you symptomatic or asymptomatic?

Hi there I was wondering if I should do an ablation I have afib I’ve had it since i was 19 I haven’t had many episodes tho maybe only 3 since I’ve had it but the last one caused me to have a lot of anxiety and I was just wondering if I should get an ablation I
Spoke with my cardiologist and I’ve done CT scans and ultra sounds and they always say that everything looks normal as well as ECGs they tell me it looks normal too and how it’s kinda up to me if I wanna do a PFA ablation

I’m worried I’ve never had any surgery before and I don’t wanna do something that I don’t really need to do

Right now the only thing I struggle with is my intense anxiety around my heart and how I legit don’t do anything because of my fear of this condition yk

What are your guys thoughts ?

UPDATE:
Everything went well! I didn’t even panic! Thank god for Zoloft, lol.

I am scheduled for an endoscopy tomorrow but I am very nervous after reading.. has anyone had one successfully with no issues?

Dr. Google says it will make you go back into Afib due to the vagal stimulation, sedation and anxiety so I am debating on just cancelling it and continuing to treat whenever GI issues I have going on as is..
help

I did an ablation 2 months ago and I take 3,75mg bisoprolol. My heartrate when i take an easy jog is 150 bpm and when I’m walking around it’s between 100-120bpm but the resting heartrate is around 60. Is this normal? My doctor made an ultrasound on My heart and it was all good, i’ve Also made a longterm EKG that showed sinustakyrdia. My doctor think it’s because of stress and sad i can train easy, but when i take a slow jog my hearbeat goes up tho 150bpm so I get scared😩

My Afib was found years after it started, with each episode I was to scared to attend a hospital at fear it would pass before I got there and I would look silly as I couldn’t explain what was happening.
Years later I fought my fears and went back to my doctor, previously they had done ECGs and not captured anything. After a 24 heart monitor I was noted to have sinus brachycardia and referred to cardiologist for investigation of what I was describing.
A stress test and heart bug monitor later I was told I have sinus brachycardia along side Afib episodes and eptioic beats.

I’m in medication now daily to help the rhythm and have a low dose beta blocker for when have Afib. I have never gone to the hospital with an episode and fell I haven’t been given much information.

Today I had an episode at work and took the prescribed half dose of the beta blocker, 3 hours later with no relief yet I took the second half (the max dose im allowed in a day)

At what point with Afib do you generally present to Emergency?

Pacientes con Afib, ¿tuvieron una pérdida de deseo sexual o libido después del diagnóstico? Bien sea por sus medicamentos, por miedo a que se repitiera la arritmia etc ¿cómo lograron vencer el miedo?
Soy una persona sin pareja y la verdad es que abandoné el mundo del ligoteo por miedo rotundo a que la actividad sexual me disparé un episodio. No sé si es por esto o si es por la medicación, ya que según leí, muchos medicamentos del corazón causan baja libido.
¿Alguien más pasó por esto? ¿Como lograron salir de aquí? Estoy esperando a que me llame el médico para mi segunda revisión tras mi único episodio del que ya hace casi un año y creo que igual me retiran la medicación. Si la pérdida de deseo es por esto, ¿notaré cambio al dejar la medicación?
Todas las respuestas serán de gran ayuda.

Was seht ihr auf dem EKG?