AFib and flutter

[NMAC12]

I have bouts of atrial fibrillation and also Flutter. Since January I have had several visits to Emergency. I take 120mg X2 daily of Sotatol. Most days I have heart flips and flops and sometimes I need to sit, as I feel I will go into AFib. The doctor advises that he is hesitant to recommend an ablation, stating that atrial Fibrillation is less likely to produce a good outcome with the process, also states there is a higher risk of complications.
Anyone with two similar rhythms who had an ablation. If so what is the process like, I  have heard one must go of meds prior to the process for 3 days. That thought worries me, if I was to proceed. I am 59 years, have poor quality of life and feel anxious and confused.
Nocola

[RIP72]

I am 72 yrs old and for the past 3 yrs I have had progressive bouts of AFIB.  My Cardiologist put me on Coumadin and I had to take increasing amounts as bouts with AFIB became more frequent.  After my insistence to get off coumadin (constantly bruising and bleeding) my cardiologist recommended  I see an Electrophysiologist for an ablation procedure.  On Jannuar 31, 2009 I had the ablation.  The procedure was not bad but took about 5 hours.  After the procedure I was told it would take about three months for my heart to heal and I should remain on the Coumadin.  I left the Hospital the next day and that evening my heart began to flutter.  My cardiologist ran echocardiograms and an EKG and said my heart was not damaged but recommended I give it a month to see if I would return to normal sinus rythem.  He put me on a drug called Flecanide (50mg daily)  After the month  remained in Flutter so my EP recommended having another Ablation to correct the flutter.  I had the second procedure on April 6, 2009 and for about 30 days my heart was fine.   Around mid May my heart began a continuous flutter   again.   I am dissapointed of course and am hesitant to have the third procedure by this EP even though he came highly recommended .  Both procedures were done at the Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas.  .  I have a friend that had the Ablation done 3 times in Salt Lake City and his was cured.  I will probably try again later.  I hope this helps you decide what course to take.  Good Luck

[stutterheart1]

Hi Jerry,
Although I acknowledge that your condition is benign, I have to disagree with your doctor's assesment, or at least the scope of his consideration. Doctors tend to look at you as if you are a machine. That's fine: we are machines for the most part and I want my mechanic to focus on the car running before he thinks about waxing the exterior. But the quality of life is rarely taken into consideration.
I had a horrible experience with (they say ) benign palpitations after exercize and went to a cardiologist who referred me to an electrophysiologist (EP). The EP did some workups and concluded that I'm 'fine' and that an EP study would be too invasive relative to my problmes. But I couldn't get answers out of him. He was always snippy when I'd ask for an explaination of 'WHY" am i safe and "Under what conditions...". So he did not provide me with peace of mind and I went to someone else.
My new EP is amazing. He recognized that my quality of life is a key factor and eventually did an EP study and an ablation. Unfortunatly it didn't work but that is beside the point.
My point is that he considered the psychological element and provided me with one of the two things I need for resolution "either fix me or tell me why it definitely won't get worse". I wish he could have fixed but he did help me understand what is going on and why I am at low risk (not to say I don't still get very very paniced about my condition).
They explained to me that the chances of an 'occurance' during an EP study/ablation are 1:1000. This includes bleeding from your entry wound. The chances of a cardiac event are about 1:8000. But this includes all the 90 year olds, all the doctors doing this for the first time, all the doctors that went to poor medical schools and/or smoked pot during class and coasted by on superior memorization aptitude etc. The risk factors seem remarkably low, all considered. I'd urge you to at least consider a second opinion, perhaps with someone more confident in his ability.

[Jerry_NJ]

I believe the risk of ablation for AFib are tolerable, that is if your symptoms are severe.  Both my EP and my Cardiologist state my symptoms are not troublesome enough to take the risk.  I recall the risk of complication being in the couple percent range, low but not so low at to not take into consideration   I am also in continuous AFib, but get reasonable "rate control" using Metoprolol.  My condition is less responsive to ablation than is "lone" AFib, which I think is what you have.  

From what I've been told, the recommendation/experience from twinbee seems right on, go for it.

[twinbee]

For years I suffered from both a-fib and a-flutter. I was on every med, but it kept breaking thru. I was very symptomatic. My h/r would go up over 300 when I had episodes of fib and flutter together. In August of 2007 my episodes became a daily occurance and I would pass out. In January 2008 I had an ablation done for both fib and flutter. The procedure lasted almost 8 hours. I am doing great. I have no fib or flutter. I am off meds. I was just taken off the coumadin a couple of weeks ago. I do get an occasional PVC or Pac but nothing bothersome. I would not hesitate to go it again. My life has changed 100% for the better. The only regret I have was that I should have done it sooner. Good luck. I wish you well and I wish you  enough...