Node & ablation and Afib

AV Node ablation for Atrial Fibrillation

by Gemita - 2023-10-21 15:35:08

Graham, I can see you are still uncertain how to proceed, whether to go for the regular, potentially curable pulmonary vein isolation ablation where they will attempt once more to try to stop your AF, or to go straight for the AV Node ablation which will essentially disconnect your upper chambers from the lower chambers, leaving you pacemaker dependent and pacing in your ventricles.  However your atria would still be fibrillating and in AF.  Personally I would first try another regular ablation and try to go for a potential cure and if that doesn’t work, then perhaps look at an AV Node ablation.  That is what your doctor recommends too, I believe?

But let us suppose you do go for the AV Node ablation, how will you feel afterwards?  Your experience will be unique of course, but essentially you shouldn’t feel the fibrillating, quivering, irregular fast heart rhythms any more, so that should be a relief.  These irregular heart rates and rhythms are what causes us to feel so symptomatic when in AF.  Block these signals and you should feel better immediately. Your ventricles certainly wouldn’t be pushed so hard any more either and you could then be paced at a nice steady, controlled heart rate.  

But you then ask:  how will I feel being paced?  That is something that no one can really tell you.  Some members do very well with 100% pacing in the ventricles, but it can take time for the heart to settle and get used to pacing.  It will depend of course too on the pacemaker they choose for you since you don’t have a pacemaker at the moment.  With a lead in both ventricles to synchronise pacing, pacing should feel “natural”.  You could ask your doctor if you would receive a CRT device should you decide to go for the AV Node ablation? 

My husband has persistent/permanent AF.  He has a single lead pacemaker to his right ventricle.  He is doing okay and hasn’t needed an AV Node ablation or any other ablation.  I have AF too but only intermittently.  I was scheduled for an AV Node ablation, but chose the pacemaker route + medication which has worked well for me.    Neither of us “feel” being paced.  We just feel our hearts ticking away.  I am very symptomatic when I go into AF.  Hubby is not, but his AF is always present at a very slow heart rate.  My AF always occurs at a high heart rate.  

We do have a few members here who have had an AV Node ablation and are very pleased with the results.  I hope you come to the best decision for you Graham.

Node and Ablation

by cnmorris - 2023-10-22 13:51:24

At one point, after having my pacemaker/icd for several years, the Medical folks thought I might be having an infection around my leads.  My device was removed.  After 2 weeks, I told the Dr that I wanted it back.  He had wanted to wait until the hole in my chest was healed.  I said that I could not wait that long.  I had under estimated how much I depended on the pacemaker.  Didn't realize it's presence until it was gone.  Bottom line, they agreed to implant it on the right side and I felt better immediatley after the surgery.