A-Fib Patient Story #91

Urinary Tract Infection Leads to Persistent A-Fib Followed by Two Failed Cardioversions

by Jay from VA, October 2016

Jay from VA

I am 64 years old and live in Virginia. In January 2016, I was afflicted with a pronounced arrhythmia. I could feel it often. I had a stress test done and a sonogram of my heart. All were good, but they could see I was going in and out of A-Fib.

In early March, I got very sick with a urinary tract infection and a 104° temperature. I could not eat and was in constant A-Fib. After I got well with antibiotics, I stayed in A-Fib.

We tried Cardioversions twice. Each one took me out of A-Fib for 3 days, but then right back into it. I was on blood thinners (Eliquis) then.

Experience of a Lifetime: Ablation at Fairfax Hospital

On May 18 I had an ablation. Wheeling me into the operating room was an experience of a lifetime. This was a brand new hospital building at Fairfax Hospital. The operating room was right out of Star Trek. Huge! The operating table was skinny with 8 people standing around it as I climbed on. None of them were doctors.

I wasn’t nervous, but for some reason I was feeling VERY sick. I don’t know why. They all got very busy on me. There were 2 computer cubicles off to the side, stainless steel machines hanging from the ceiling, and a floating lap top. IT WAS AMAZING!

It all went well, out of A-Fib. My doctor was Dr. Haroon Rashid at Virginia Heart. He was very good.

Minor Bleeding Complication Post Ablation

During the ablation, they had inserted 2 catheters into veins in my left and right groins. But that night one hole started to bleed. That’s a big problem. They patched it up REAL QUICK. But I could not move for 8 hours total. <!–more.

There was no pain involved after the ablation. But my heart felt like it was bound up with rope, like it was a loose jellyfish before but now it felt tightened up with a rock sitting on the top of it, but not painful, just there. I was still able to go home the next morning.

Recovering Back Home

I had gone to the gym regularly, about 3 times a week for years. After a few weeks, I was able to try that again but really couldn’t do much and then was exhausted for the rest of the day. I was on Eliquis and Multaq. I got short of breath very quickly. This was true for 2½ months. I came off of Multaq, then felt somewhat better, and at 3 months came off Eliquis and felt much better.

I had A-Fib 2 weeks after the ablation for 2 days and then again after 6 weeks for a few hours. [This is common during the 3 month ‘blanking ‘period’.] I am at now 4 months post-ablation. I occasionally go into A-Fib for a few hours now, but feel good. Only taking aspirin now.

There is an App for your smartphone called Kardia by AliveCor that can tell you when you are in A-Fib. [See our review of the AliveCor Kardia by Travis Von Slooten]

Lessons Learned

Don’t worry about having an ablation. The operating room is an amazing experience, and there is no pain. The ablation procedure is very successful.

It won’t feel like you had a serious operation, but you did. It may take months to get back to feeling like yourself. You may feel a large loss of energy and need to sleep a lot. Plan on resting a good deal. 5 months since the ablation, I have only about half the energy I had last year at this time. Do the ablation right away.

Life and your abilities can change overnight. Get done what you want to do. Finish that bucket list.

Jay from Virginia

Editor’s Comments:

Jay didn’t mess around. With persistent A-Fib he wanted results. When 2 cardioversions failed after a few days (most patients’ A-Fib returns in a week to a month), he didn’t waste time with six-months to a year of drug therapies. Just four months after his diagnosis, Jay opted for a catheter ablation. Good for you, Jay!

Is Jay’s ablation a success? Even though Jay from VA still experiences occasional A-Fib episodes, he feels much better than when he was in Chronic A-Fib. His ablation was for him a success and greatly improved his quality of life.

Because of having been in persistent A-Fib and because he may have had paroxysmal (occasional) A-Fib for years, he was probably a more difficult case. If Jay from VA wants to be completely A-Fib free, he may have to return for a second touch-up ablation which has a higher success rate. Rather than having to do a complete Pulmonary Vein Isolation procedure, the EP during a second ablation usually only has to isolate a few A-Fib producing spots or gaps to make Jay A-Fib free.

Why shortness of breath and loss of energy? It’s unusual to feel shortness of breath for as long as 2½ months after an ablation, as Jay did. It’s hard to speculate what may have caused that shortness of breath. Perhaps it was the medications. The bottom line is Jay feels OK now and is back exercising at the gym and living a normal life.

Most people after a successful ablation feel more energetic or at least as energetic than before they developed A-Fib, because their heart is pumping normally. We don’t know why Jay is experiencing a loss of energy. It may be because he still has occasional A-Fib episodes.

I am concerned about his low energy level. Jay should continue to discuss this with his doctor. Together they may find a solution to getting his pre-ablation energy back.

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