Pm vs. Ablation

what a pacer fixes

by Tracey_E - 2017-11-24 10:56:10

If you have untreated av block, it would be dangerous to take afib meds because they slow the heart down. There are risks to ablation for afib, including it not working or it working too well and you end up paced. However, if it does work and you can avoid the meds, that would be your best case scenario. That said, if you have av block, you may end up paced regardless. Ablation won't fix av block, meds won't fix av block. Pacing is the only fix for av block. 

People vary in how they respond to meds for afib. They say it takes  a few weeks to get used to it but for me it was more like months. I was tired a lot. I found it harder to work out.  Not impossible, I stayed very active while on them, but I struggled sometimes. My husband was on the same thing (it's also a treatment for bp) and has no side effects. 

If you do a search for ablation, there are lots of posts. Results vary from full cure to no change, most are somewhere in between. 

Untreated afib is not an option, that's a recipe for a stroke. You don't want to go there. My #1 question would be how bad is the av block. If you are going to end up paced for that anyway, it makes the decision a lot easier. No one wants to be paced and yes, you're young for it, but pacing isn't as bad as it first seems. I dreaded it but it turned out to be nothing but a blessing. If it can fix the problem, who cares how old we are? I've never understood doctors' reluctance to pace based on age. If we need it, we need it, whatever age we are. I've been paced since I was 27, 51 now, healthy and active, no complications. 

Agree with Tracey

by Theknotguy - 2017-11-24 14:04:48

I agree with Tracey.  At first they indicated they would have a hard time treating my afib and it may not work (that was four years ago).  Since I had a RBBB and I needed the pacemaker I ended up with that.  Fortunately my pacemaker has the ability to run additional programs that help control my afib.  

I'm at a point now where I can go with an ablation if I need to.  However the programs have done a good job of keeping the afib in check.  So I'm in a wait and see mode.  If the programs keep doing as good of a job as they do, I'll stay as is.  If they start getting worse, ablation will be next.  

For my wife, she had afib sessions that would start and never stop.  So they went with ablation for her as the pacemaker wouldn't have done any good.  She didn't have the heart block and didn't need the pacemaker otherwise and putting in a pacemaker just for afib isn't a viable treatment.  

Some people can't live with the constant threat of afib sessions.  Good friend of ours couldn't stand the uncertainty and went the ablation route.  I, on the other hand, have had afib for quite a while and can live with it.  Other people can't live with the thought of having a machine implanted into their body.  

Either way it boils down to a personal decision and a hard decision to make.  

Hope for Afib

by sooz - 2017-11-25 12:48:08

I have had 2 ablations for PSVT's and they worked well.  My brother and 2 friends who had Afib all had cryo ablations?  I think that is the term?  They all did wonderful and are fine now.  I also have a pacemaker and was scared at first but the benefits outweigh the fear sometimes.  Good luck.  Feel better.