Ablation for A-flutter only 6 weeks post op?

[Lionheart]

Hi all,

I have been in A-fib which shifted to A-flutter for the last 14 days. Resting heart rate is about 105. Mild activity makes me winded and sometimes short of breath. I feel great from my surgery otherwise and everyone says A-fib is a common bump that will pass, but the A-fib/flutter has really slowed me down.

I see an electro-physiologist (EP) tomorrow and he wants to do an ablation the next day. I am only 6 weeks post AVR, and I am currently on Atenolol, Lisinopril, Amiodarone, and Warfarin. I had a few bouts of A-fib in the hospital after surgery and they cardio-verted me 3 times but I eventually returned to A-fib each time. Finally I self converted to sinus rhythm a few days before leaving.

My cardiologist thinks I will not maintain sinus rhythm after the cardioversion so he suggests just doing the ablation.

Has anyone else been ablated so soon after surgery and has anyone had ablation without trying cardioversion first?

Anyone come out of A-fib/flutter on their own after two weeks?

Your shared experiences are really helpful.
Thanks much,
John

 

[Cooker]

Hi John...sorry to hear that you have this problem...I had a-fib/a-flutter on and of prior to AVR...it would start then stop, then it would start and not stop and I had 2 trips to the ER where I converted with IV drips...I was put on several drugs and then Ameoderone ....I talked to the surgeon and it was decided to preform ablation during my AVR...I was told that it was no guarantee and that it may take up to six months to see if it stopped the problem....One or two weeks after AVR, I don't really remember, I went into a-fib again....I was immediately cardioverted...I have not been back in a-fib/a-flutter for over two years....I'm one of the lucky ones....we have several members who live in a-fib....I wish you the best and hope it works for you as it did for me....Good luck.

 

[HeartPart2]

I'm not sure what the flutter part means?? So it has me a little freaked out, my heart has had a flutter and I'm only 4 weeks out of AVR, Im going in tomorrow for a 24 hour heart monitor, ya know, to find out why its doing what its doing. Are we talking about the same flutter, the one that races from your chest and ends up in your throat?? Just curious??

 

[Lionheart]

Kelly,
If I overdo any activity I can get the "heart in your throat feeling", but it has really only occurred when I forgot my heart-rate control drug (Atenolol) one morning. The feeling goes away if I lie down and rest and take my meds.

Atrial flutter is a technical term and I think it requires an ECG (EKG) to know whether an arrhythmia is in A-fib or A-flutter. I was originally in A-fib and eventually it shifted to A-flutter, if I understood my cardiologist correctly. You can Search for Atrial flutter for a better description. I found this site
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/atrial_flutter/article_em.htm#Atrial%20Flutter%20Overview

I encourage you not to freak out over your flutter. I think about 30% of OHS patients have some sort ofarrhythmia, but don't quote me. You are doing the right thing seeing your cardio tomorrow. He will probably do an ECG. Ask him what you have and as everyone tells me: "Don't worry, this is just a little bump that you will get over."

Cooker- Thanks for the info it's very helpful.

John

 

[PairoDocs]

Re: Flutter

Re: Flutter

I'm not sure what the flutter part means?? So it has me a little freaked out, my heart has had a flutter and I'm only 4 weeks out of AVR, Im going in tomorrow for a 24 hour heart monitor, ya know, to find out why its doing what its doing. Are we talking about the same flutter, the one that races from your chest and ends up in your throat?? Just curious??

Usually flutter refers to a specific type of cardiac problem where your atrium beats at a much faster rate than the ventricles, but only 1 impulse in 3, for example, makes it to the ventricles to contract. It is a regular pattern, but obviously not efficient. Usually, cardiologists will comment that someone has a 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, etc pattern for flutter. In atrial fibrillation, there is no regular pattern; the atrium fibrillates, and the electrical impulses that get thru to the ventricles are random, which causes an irregular pattern. PVC's, or premature ventricular contractions, are usually (but not always) the cause of that fluttery feeling in your chest and throat. Some people call them palpitations. Everyone on this planet gets PVC's, but some people, my husband included, seem to feel them more than other folks. A-fib or A-flutter are usually faster than normal. No matter the sensation, it's always good to get it checked out.

Cooled Off in Idaho,
Laura