Ablation for Afib

Hello! I had a pacemaker put in July 30th. I have Sick Sinus Syndrome and Afib. My first electrophysiolgist said an ablation wouldn't help. I sought out a 2nd opinion because I am on a large dose of sotalol, still having issues with my Afib and chronic fatigue. I'm young (41) and really want the quality of my life to improve. The new doctor wants to do an ablation and thinks she can get get my medication lowered or remove the need for it. I am wondering if anyone has experienced doing this and if so did it help? 

2 Comments

Sotalol is why I have a pacemaker but...

by AgentX86 - 2019-11-01 23:27:02

I don't know why your EP said an ablation wouldn't help.  Perhaps because he doesn't do them?  If you're symptomatic, and being on a "large dose of sotalol" tells me that you are, an ablation is probably the right move.  However, make sure you go to someone who does a lot of these procedures.  You want someone who has done hundreds of them, if not thousands.  The center doing the procedures should be doing hundreds per year.  The skill of the EP really does matter. There is a huge difference in not only the (lack of) skill of the EP and bad outcomes but also the skill of the EP and good ones.

The procedure itself, assuming nothing goes seriously wrong, is a piece of cake.  Just remember, even the best EP doesn't have a 100% sucess rate and often it requires more than one procedure to do the whole job.  ...and sometimes it just doesn't "take".

ablations

by islandgirl - 2019-11-02 09:29:10

My EP sent me to OU twice for specialized ablations about 12-15 years ago.  I am assuming the EP has retired....Dr Jackman.  That was a great facility in Oklahoma City.  Get another opinion, and yes, go to an EP that does many of the specific ablations you need.  My EP tells me the longer you are in AFib, the more difficult it is to successfully ablate it.  I have just been diagnosed with up to 21 hours of AFlutter and also taking an much-increased dose of Sotalol without any improvement.  I will be planning on an ablation in the next month or so.  Ablations for AFib and flutter are constantly evolving.  

Diet....my friend's husband has found that diet does a play role, with red wine a trigger for him.    He did have an ablation about a year ago and he is AFib free.  He still carries a 'pill in the pocket' just in case.  

History shows it can come back.  

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