New Member, getting a pacemaker December 3rd

Hi Everybody,
I'm a 35 yr old male and I have been living with afib which has been getting progressively worse for 7 years now. The Dr's believe it is caused by scar tissue from the heart surgery I had when I was 3. They have tried countless medications, I've been cardioverted at least 10 times and they have tried 4 ablations with little to no success.
They will be putting in a biventrical pacemaker on December 3rd, a few weeks later they will be doing an AV node ablation.
I'm just wondering if anyone else has gone through this and what I should expect. I believe I will still need to take Pradax but will I need to stay on rhythm medication?
How long till I start feeling normal again?
I am a little nervous but cautiously optimistic about getting my life back, the past 7 years have been very difficult.

Thanks for any help/advice,

Bart

3 Comments

CRT-P & Pradaxa

by Vinnie - 2013-10-27 04:10:49

Hey Bart; I'm 76 and had the AV ablation 4 years ago after 4 ablations. I was fitted with a dual chamber pacemaker in 2007 so I already had the pacemaker when the AV-node was ablated in 2009. In June of this year I was fitted with a CRT-P and feel much better than with the old pacemaker. I have been on Pradaxa for over two years and so far so good. The medication I take is geared for CHF. I'm in AF much of the time but don't feel a thing. Hope this info helps. Good luck with all.
Vinnie

CRT-P in 2 Days time

by Anne53 - 2013-10-27 09:10:47

Hey Bart,
I too have Afib, also heart failure and cardiomyopathy. I am getting a CRT-P plus AV node ablation in two days time. This is going to be a day procedure, with me going home in the eve and then returning to the PM clinic the next morning. The Docs have told me I will need to take anti-coagulant, Xarelto and ramipril and carvedilol for ever.
The hope is that I will be back to my normal energetic self again, or near as possible.
In my area there is a cardiac nurse at the docs office who can usually answer most of my questions, if not she gets back to me within 24 hrs with answers. I have found they are very good at putting your mind ease and making the wait easier. I suggest you phone your cardio's office and ask your questions.
Good luck to you.
A

My switch to CRD-D

by Bill T - 2013-10-27 11:10:23

Hi Bart, I'm 76 but our Afib problems are similar. I was upgraded to A CRT-D in June 2011 and had an AV Node ablation the next day. I still have Afib and take strong meds, including Pradaxa, to try to keep the Afib down.

I normally don't recognize when the episodes are occurring unless they last for many hours.

Also as a bonus the resynchronizing of the lower chambers has restored my EF to normal.

Hope your results are similar. Best of luck,

You know you're wired when...

You make store alarms beep.

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