Hi, I was diagnosed with AF in May 2011 It makes it very hard to train. I will get an episode a day for 2 weeks, then nothing for a few days, then more episodes. I sometime needs a cardioversion to get my heart back in rhythm.
I will get a cryoablation in the next few months, so hopefully that will solve my problem.
I haven’t done an Ironman yet, only half Ironman, but I’m planning on doing an Ironman in 2013, if my heart can handle the training…
Those of you who got the ablation/cryoablation, were you able to get back into Ironman shape and compete it one? How long after the ablation were you able to resume training?
I have had 2 ablations and I finally did my 1st Ironman! I am finally an IRONMAN!!
It was 4 years in the making and yes your heart can handle it. Train smart and listen to your body
I had a heart ablation carried out a number of years ago to deal with tachycardia issues (HR hitting 230’s during episode’s) caused by a tertiary pathway.
funny thing was they sent for me a “stress test” as part of the pre-op investigations which I completed without evening hitting my anaerobic threshold. i guess the idea of a “stress test” for sedentary, and usually older people isn’t quite the same as what regualr ST’ers would have in mind!
I think this might be different to atrial fibrillation but the ablation has worked and I have been training away ever since, not for ironmans, but I have done plenty of sprint, oly and duathlon races
I don’t recall it every being given a specific name.
I had always referred to it as palipatations but a doc friend of mine referred to as SVT (supra ventricular tachycardia). however, that wasn’t a clinical diagnosis and VT / SVT is potentially quite serious so I don’t think that is what I had.
re getting back to training, I don’t remember what the instructions were post-op, but there was never any suggestion that I would have to give up competitive sport / training. presumably I took a few months off, but i don’t really remember
tachycardia generally refers only, if i’m not mistaken, to ventricular beats. a-flutter and a-fib are arrhythmias specific to the two atria, rather than to ventricles.
tachycardia generally refers only, if i’m not mistaken, to ventricular beats. a-flutter and a-fib are arrhythmias specific to the two atria, rather than to ventricles.
Incorrect. Tachycardia is a generic term referring to any abnormal increased heart rate regardless of cause. A-fib, v-fib, a-flutter, v-tach, WPW are more specific causes of tachycardia.
If I understand correctly, it’s relatively dangerous for anybody to do an Ironman. If my doctor tells me it’s not more dangerous for me that it is for anybody else, I’ll do it. If he tells me it’s more risky for me because of my AFIB, I won’t do it.
had ablation for a-fib and flutter April 28; have not had any episodes since and have returned to training
MRI showed best example of what they wanted heart to look like after the fact - said they were going to use photos in publication
feel good - but 5 weeks ago they call and say they want me on metoprolol - last monitor reading showed
abnormal beat from lower heart
metoprolol took a couple of weeks to adjust to - headaches, fatigue but seem to have subsided
see doc’s in two weeks for another mri and consultation - hope to learn more; sure they’ll want me to wear monitor again for a week
at some point - not sure why I’m been so accepting and in no rush to know more - maybe just to bug the wife
“i’m in heart failure leave me alone”
“is your life insurance paid up?”
one body, one mind, one swing through life
.
If I understand correctly, it’s relatively dangerous for anybody to do an Ironman. If my doctor tells me it’s not more dangerous for me that it is for anybody else, I’ll do it. If he tells me it’s more risky for me because of my AFIB, I won’t do it.
Thanks for the feedback everybody.
Eric
You are rolling the dice my friend. But hey, what’s the worst that could happen. It’s only your heart.
The question you need to ask your EP cardiologist i.e. the person that ablates your afib focus- is that if post ablation, you are still at risk for recurrent afib with sustained exercise. Typically with those that we cardiovert with afib, we admonish to avoid extreme increases if heart rate. And by definition, training for high performance i.e. triathlons is considered so. Especially for those that are older, the concern is that the increased heart rate of high demand exercise makes you prone to having another bout of afib. The expertise I don’t have is what happens post ablation. That is something that you need to ask your EP cardiologist. Oh yeah, also just a warning that finding the afib nidus may take some time so just plan on chillling for a while during the procedure. Best of luck!
They put me on metropolol for a while and I hated it. I was always tired, and it didn’t work anyway, so they put me on bisoprolol and another I can’t remember the name of.
The question you need to ask your EP cardiologist i.e. the person that ablates your afib focus- is that if post ablation, you are still at risk for recurrent afib with sustained exercise. Typically with those that we cardiovert with afib, we admonish to avoid extreme increases if heart rate. And by definition, training for high performance i.e. triathlons is considered so. Especially for those that are older, the concern is that the increased heart rate of high demand exercise makes you prone to having another bout of afib. The expertise I don’t have is what happens post ablation. That is something that you need to ask your EP cardiologist. Oh yeah, also just a warning that finding the afib nidus may take some time so just plan on chillling for a while during the procedure. Best of luck!
Cardiovert a-fib? That’s a great way to give someone a stroke especially w/ a known hx of a-fib. Thats why they created Cardizem.
Just by curiosity, white wizzard, are you an electrophysiologist or cardiologist? You seem to know enough about AFIB to be convinced that I’ll put myself in trouble. Have you ever heard of someone getting an cryoablation and then die in an endurance event later on? I’m only 38, does it change how you think, or is age irrelevant?