Geeting worse not better

[rob506]

I have had periods of AFIB for years by by the time I was 59 I was in constant AFIB. I have also had GERD which is sometimes symtomatic, sometimes not. So around 10 weeks ago I had an ablation which could have gone better because they punched a hole in my heart toward the end of the job and had to pull out in a hurry so ED folks could control the bleeding. I left with a severe atrial tachycardia. Then 6 weeks later I had another right atrium ablation to fix the tachycardia. All was good for 8 days and then both the AFIB and Tachycardia came back yesterday. I thought we were out of the woods but guess not.It is increasingly unclear what to do. Advice around multiple ablations would help.

[Pegsf]

I came across a happenstance.  I was dx with Gerd in 1999 and was on zantac which after much time cleared up and zantac was stopped.  Starting in 2001 I happened to get an SVT episode.  In 2006 I had an afib episode and would have about 5 with each progressing year treated with verapamil "pill in the pocket".  I have had diabetes that was diet and exercise controlled for 10 years and my A1C was getting a little high each year so I felt it was time for the Metformin which I requested from my doctor.  I am now 59 years old.  Upon starting the Metformin I was getting afib every day and was scared because I've never had it everyday.  I immediately went to my doctor and he said "Metformin doesn't cause that".  He referred me to my cardio.  My cardio said "Metformin doesn't cause that".  He gave me another echo which came out normal except for a few PACs....I also had a stress test done last year that was normal.......and he had me wear a holter monitor for 24 hours which, as everyone must know, when you wear it - nothing happens.....I continued to have the afib episodes and one night was so bloated with gas crying at 2:00 am because I didn't know what was wrong with me and I needed to get rest to get to work the next day but couldn't with the heart beating all different ways.....I went to my computer and looked up bloating, Metformin, afib.  All signs pointed to GERD can cause afib.  And Metformin can cause gas, bloating, digestive upset.  The pieces of the puzzle were put together.  I just happened to have gas-x in my bathroom and immediately took 2.  Within one hour the gas and bloating were gone and so was the afib.  I literally got on my knees and prayed that I was on the right path to health.  I stopped the Metformin for a few days to give my stomach a rest and took zantac 300 twice a day.  No palpitations or afib.  I was amazed.  I am now on Metformin ER (which has less side affects) and with it I take a zantac.  I have had no afib.  Either this is a miracle or GERD causes afib.  I went to PubMed and confirmed it and here it is:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19911354
I hope that I reach out to people who can benefit by my post.  I know how you are suffering with afib and this could be the cause for many people (although not all).  I am going to have an endoscopy done soon to see if there is anything else causing problems.  Best of luck to all those suffering from the dreaded afib - it is truly a nightmare.

[LindaTX]

Seems a lot of this is happening in this forum all of a sudden in the past few days.  Maybe because there were a lot more ablations than usual in the spring....it makes me nervous going ahead with mine.  I've heard that Dr.'s don't usually like to perform more than three but that was a while back...maybe the limit has gone up.  Good Luck, Rob, praying everything will come together for you.

[Jerry_NJ]

Six week may not be enough time for your heart to completely heal.  That may be necessary before any final conclusions can be reached.  What does you doctor say about healing time, or the matter in general?