Maze drugs or ablation?

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Posted by Tim on February 08, 2002 at 06:35:17:

I seem to be having problems making a major decision about my afib. I woke up at 3 AM this morning thinking about it. Maybe I could get some support form this board? I have been a regular reader of this board for several months. I’m a 55 year old long time runner with afib for about 5 years now. I am currently taking Norpace and Atenole to control afib. The last time I was stuck in afib was Aug. It lasted a total of 30 days continuos before I was cardioverted. I have been mostly free of afib since then but am having problem with multi PACs that I didn’t seem to have before I started these drugs. My EP doc says they are a result of the drugs and that it is a good trade off for not being in afib. I can’t keep taking these drugs forever and I know that they will probably stop working and I will have to switch to something else to control the afib at a later date. In the past I was taking Amiodarone for about a year before I stopped it out of fear of side effects. I don’t like the fact that my heart is loaded with these drugs. I am having problems with exercise. I notice that after running I seem to be much more tired than I use to be. I guess I am having trouble staying in shape. My max heart rate has been cut back about 25 bpm due to these drugs.

I did contact the CC in Dec and sent in my records. They said that I was qualified and they are ready set up a schedule for me. I just can’t seem to get moving on this. I did talk to another EP doc who has done about 100 (according to him) ablations for afib. He told me yesterday that I probably have a single foci that is causing my problem and that I had about a 30 percent chance of a cure on the first ablation but it would probably take two. After the second I would have better than a 70 percent chance of a cure.

My other problem is that I earn my living as a pilot. The FAA is aware of all my problems and has finally allowed me a normal medical with afib while controlled with these drugs. I would have to wait for 6 MOs following a maze or ablation before I could test and apply to get my medical back. If I ablate and than wait a month, than ablate again, it would be 7 MOs before I could apply. What if afib came back? I would be worse off than I am today. It would be easier to just schedule the maze if I was chronic afib, but I’m not. I know that I could become chronic if I don’t get this fixed.

Thanks for listening.

Tim

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