On September 27, 2022, I went to the hospital for the first time because of A-Fib. I posted my experience in my A-Fib blog entry.
On December 19, 2023, I went back into A-Fib. I posted that experience in my A-Fib -Round 2 blog entry. Did my bout with COVID-19 cause the heart stress, or was it bound to happen anyway?
On April 1, 2024, I had an ablation to correct the erratic heart signal that was causing the A-Fib. Between December and April, I never returned to a normal sinus rhythm. I posted the procedure experience in my A-Fib – Round 2 – Fixed? entry.
Dr. Talreja performed the ablation procedure in April. As he explained, a device is inserted into the heart via the femoral vein in the groin. The device burns or freezes the atrium cells that were causing the bad electrical signals. The procedure has an 80% success rate. If unsuccessful, it can be done a second time. There was only a 1% risk of a side effect.
Rather than the ablation procedure, some drugs eliminate A-Fib. However, the drugs have potentially severe side effects and work only 10% of the time.
It appears I’m part of the 20% non success rate. In October 2024, I returned to A-Fib for about a day and came out on my own. In January 2025, I had an A-Fib episode for about a day and managed to come out of it on my own. Lastly, in October 2025, I returned to persistent A-Fib, and Dr. Talreja performed a cardioversion to shock me back into normal sinus rhythm. At that point, I was prescribed Flecainide, the 10%, to keep my heart in sync while getting my cataracts removed. With all three A-Fib episodes, Dr. Talreja had mentioned the words “second ablation”.
Not wanting to stay on the side effects of Flecainide the rest of my life, I decided to get the second ablation at my February 6 appointment. We were able to get it scheduled for March 2. I told my Flecainide story in I’ve got a new drug.
Initially, Sandra was going to help me with the procedure, until Bruce was hospitalized on February 16. He is not doing well and is still in the ICU. With everything on Sandra’s plate, I flew Meg back from Utah. While here, she was able to see a few friends, Sandra, her nephews, and her mom. Meg came to Fredericksburg on Sunday to help. We had a late arrival time and had to be at Mary Washington Hospital by 9:30 am.
After a short wait, I was taken to the Cardiac Cath Lab observation rooms. I changed into the tie-in-the-back gown, and they hooked me up to the heart monitor.
The nurse reviewed my medications and ensured I had not eaten anything since midnight. She inserted an IV port in each arm. Incisions are made on both sides of the groin to access the femoral veins, so she shaved the hair away from the operating area.
Around 11:30 am, Dr. Talreja talked to me a little, and a little later, the Anesthesiologist came in and talked with me and had me sign a consent form.
By noon, a couple of nurses came and rolled me down the hall to the operating room. They walked me into the room, and I sat on the table while they stuck cold pads all over my torso. Finally, they had me lie back. The Anesthesiologist told me he was giving me something to relax with three deep breaths through a mask. That is the last I remember.
In my first ablation, he ablated the four pulmonary veins and a spot on the back wall of the left atrium. As part of his recommendation for a second procedure, Dr. Talreja indicated that we might have missed a spot or that there was a breakthrough.
This time, I was worked on for 3 1/2 hours. The read of the procedure report on MyChart is interesting, including the mapping and technological steps performed. The last was that I was then started on isoproterenol infusion, which was increased in stepwise fashion to 15 microgram/minute. There was non inducibility of atrial fibrillation. Rare Isolated APCs were noted. I hope this is a good sign.
I woke up in the POCU from a dream that they couldn’t do the procedure. I was a little nauseous, my jaws hurt, and I had tension in both temples. They gave me something for the nausea. Around 5 pm, they rolled me back into the Cardiac Cath Observation Rooms, and Meg joined me. They wanted me to lie flat until about 7 pm.
The nurse changed the bandages and pulled out some of the hairs that were still in place. I tried, but she had to help with the portable urinal.
Dr. Talreja came and showed me pictures of the inside of my heart. No running for two weeks, keep my heart rate under 60% (115 bpm) until March 23, under 70% (124 bpm) until April 20, and under 80% (133 bpm) until June 5. I need to stay on Flecainide and Eliquis for 3 months.
I may have started pushing too hard, too soon after my first ablation. This time, there is no rush. It’s not worth it. Taking beta blockers before running or walking will slow me down.
The care of the incisions has not changed: shower on Tuesday night and replace the bandages each night from Tuesday through Thursday. If the incision started to smell bad, swell, feel warm, ooze pus, or bleed excessively, that would be an issue.
They had me sit up, walk a little in the hallway, and do an EKG before letting me get dressed and released.
I’ll monitor my blood pressure, weight, SpO2, pulse, and temperature each morning. If my SoP2 is < 90, I need to go to the ER. Also, I’ll do an EKG on my Kardiamobile. For the next 90 days, I may have some A-Fib. I don’t need to worry until my Kardiamobile indicates A-Fib for a few days in a row.
Meg drove us home. I wasn’t allowed to drive until 4 pm on Tuesday.
Tuesday afternoon, I looked at the bandages for the first time. There was not excessive blood, but a lot of bruising around the taped area. The incision looked good. After taking a shower later that evening, I realized what I thought was the left incision was a bruise. The real one looked good. I taped some gauze over the incisions.
At about 3:45, I drove Meg to the train station to start her trip back to Utah.
After the procedure, my blood pressure dropped slightly, but it is still in the 115/72 range.
I have a follow-up visit with Dr. Talreja on March 13.
Meg and Sandra have been a great help during this whole period. I hope I didn’t whine too much.
A big thumbs up to Mary Washington Healthcare. They were delightful throughout the entire process.