It's Back!

Hi Boys and Girls!! Don in Willow Alaska, Home of the Iditarod Dog Sled Race here! I'm new to the site ..So have mercy, Im a persistant Afib guy.I had a pacemaker installed last summer after about 5 yrs of every nasty medicine out there, 4 Ablations,,I was Bumpn along pretty good then The racing heart came back,My Doc decided it was time for a Av Node Ablation,That did pretty good for about three months..Now apparently the "Flutter " is back....My Question is Whats next?
I'd appreciate some imput!

Thanks
The "Deshkadude

6 Comments

OK so what's next?

by Theknotguy - 2014-01-21 10:01:02

I'm also a persistent a-fib guy. Had it for about 8 years. Collapsed on the hiking trail and woke up six days later in the hospital.

I have the a-fib where, if they don't treat it, it goes faster and faster until it kills me. If they do treat it, my heart goes slower and slower until it kills me. So what they did was to give me meds to make my heart drop below a-fib then use the PM to keep my heart beating at a rate fast enough to keep me alive. It's a suggestion for your cardiologist.

Another question - do you have a Medtronics PM? The newer medtronics has an a-fib setting. FDA hasn't approved it yet. But the new medtronics have the a-fib software. So that's another option to discuss with the cardio guy.

I don't know if you can get the a-fib setting for the Medtronics turned on in an emergency situation or not. Since you're in Alaska that may qualify as an "emergency" and you'll be able to get it turned on? It's a thought. Another question for the cardio guy.

Don't like the info about ablation. It's been held out as a cure for me, but with the meds and the promise of the PM setting I'm holding off on ablation for now.

You should be going into spring in Alaska soon. So it will end the endless dark and start going towards the all day light. A time for optimism, hey?

Was up in Alaska in 2004. Woulda stayed if I coulda found work. Had a-fib at the time so was looking a hospitals too. Think you have to go to the lower 48 for heart problems? But I bet your nursing people are second to none.

Hope this gives you some options. Hang in there. But sourdoughs are tough, hey!

Theknotguy

Medtronics afib setting

by Theknotguy - 2014-01-21 11:01:18

This was on a previous post on this site.

http://newsroom.medtronic.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=251324&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1856936&highlight=

Took the corresponding printout to my cardiologist in December 2013. He said not FDA approved. Gone through first set of trials but not second. If he's wrong, would like to know it.

It's AdaptivCRT on the Medtronics site.

My Atrial Preference Pacing is set to "Off". I'm doing OK without it so I'm not arguing with my cardio guy.

Hope this helps.

Theknotguy

Medtronic setting for Afib?

by Duke999 - 2014-01-21 11:01:30

I've been reading quite a few times from Theknotguy mentioning about a Medtronic "special" setting for Afib that is not FDA approved yet.

Theknotguy, are you referring to the "Atrial Preference Pacing" setting? Which my EP told me that it supposed to suppress Afib. I have the latest Medtronic Revo MRI SureScan pacemaker implanted in March 2013 and that setting is set "ON". I never heard of any setting that is waiting for FDA approval. Can you direct me to the right place for that information?
Anyway, regarding "Atrial Preference Pacing" or APP is a software algorithm that is extremely complicated to comprehend. I tried to read its explanation, but gave up. All I know is that this setting can help to control your Afib.
I did post this question sometime back and I know DonR did explain it in general term, but to really understand what the PM does when Afib starts is really complex. Anyway, back to Deshkadude question: You can ask your EP about the similar setting to Medtronic Atrial Preference Setting (APP). I think other brands do have that similar setting as well. From my own experience, I'm not really sure if it's working or not. I'm interested to hear from anyone with APP setting for Afib. I wish you well.

Duke

Never gone

by golden_snitch - 2014-01-22 03:01:57

Hi!

If you have persistant Afib, and had an AV-node ablation for that, it was never actually gone. The AV-node ablation doesn't stop flutter or fibrillation in the atria. What it does is that it controls the ventricular rate, because when you ablate the AV-node the flutter or fibrillation from the atria can no longer reach the ventricles, the AV-node won't let it go through. Instead, there now "sits" the pacemaker, and the pacer decides that it won't track the atrial arrhythmia, but make the ventricles beat at a steady and appropriate rate instead.

So, I don't really understand what you mean by "the flutter is back". Also, if the AV-node has already been ablated, there is no therapy now, except for a blood thinning medication. Your pacemaker will take care that your atrial tachyarrhythmias will not make your ventricles beat too fast or too slow or irregularly.

Best

Inga

Thanks!

by deshkadon - 2014-01-23 03:01:14

Thank you guys for the imput! What a pain in the arse!! I'll keep learning and check back in after I digest your imput

Thanks Deshkadon

Hi Deshkadude

by janetinak - 2014-01-23 03:01:34

I have had 2 AV node ablation ( couple of months apart) for persistent Afib. I live about 25 miles from you so if you want to private message me, be glad to share my experience & also written up in previous comments. Go to "Search" button top right of this page & can look up previous topics.

Janet

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