I'm home from hospital

Bill Mattocks

Bill Mattocks

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I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation in January during an annual physical; it showed up on an EKG.

I had a cardioversion but it didn't shock my heart back into rhythm.

I met with an electrophysiologist (actually two of them, I got a 2nd opinion). They recommended cardiac ablation.

Due to covid and general long wait times, I didn't get my ablation until today.

It seems to have gone well. Despite being told I had a 50% chance of achieving a normal sinus rhythm due to my age and how long we estimated I'd been in afib, I have a normal rhythm now. I will be taking some drugs to try to keep it that way.

Not sure how long I have to avoid serious workouts at the dojo, but I'm hoping to get my fitness back in order if I can.

Thought I'd share my little victory.
 
Bill Mattocks said:
I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation in January during an annual physical; it showed up on an EKG.

I had a cardioversion but it didn't shock my heart back into rhythm.

I met with an electrophysiologist (actually two of them, I got a 2nd opinion). They recommended cardiac ablation.

Due to covid and general long wait times, I didn't get my ablation until today.

It seems to have gone well. Despite being told I had a 50% chance of achieving a normal sinus rhythm due to my age and how long we estimated I'd been in afib, I have a normal rhythm now. I will be taking some drugs to try to keep it that way.

Not sure how long I have to avoid serious workouts at the dojo, but I'm hoping to get my fitness back in order if I can.

Thought I'd share my little victory.
Click to expand...
Great news. I hope you have a drama free recovery and get back on your feet fast.
 
Bill Mattocks said:
I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation in January during an annual physical; it showed up on an EKG.

I had a cardioversion but it didn't shock my heart back into rhythm.

I met with an electrophysiologist (actually two of them, I got a 2nd opinion). They recommended cardiac ablation.

Due to covid and general long wait times, I didn't get my ablation until today.

It seems to have gone well. Despite being told I had a 50% chance of achieving a normal sinus rhythm due to my age and how long we estimated I'd been in afib, I have a normal rhythm now. I will be taking some drugs to try to keep it that way.

Not sure how long I have to avoid serious workouts at the dojo, but I'm hoping to get my fitness back in order if I can.

Thought I'd share my little victory.
Click to expand...
Good luck to you sir!
 
Absolutely awesome news Bill!!! Please keep us posted, and hoping all continues to go well and on the up.
 
Bill Mattocks said:
I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation in January during an annual physical; it showed up on an EKG.

I had a cardioversion but it didn't shock my heart back into rhythm.

I met with an electrophysiologist (actually two of them, I got a 2nd opinion). They recommended cardiac ablation.

Due to covid and general long wait times, I didn't get my ablation until today.

It seems to have gone well. Despite being told I had a 50% chance of achieving a normal sinus rhythm due to my age and how long we estimated I'd been in afib, I have a normal rhythm now. I will be taking some drugs to try to keep it that way.

Not sure how long I have to avoid serious workouts at the dojo, but I'm hoping to get my fitness back in order if I can.

Thought I'd share my little victory.
Click to expand...
Love to hear this, Bill!
 
You know what they say, "Two steps forward, three steps back." or something like that. At least, that's the way it seems. But what's life without a challenge? Best of luck in overcoming this one.
 
Go slowly and be careful. There were a LOT of things I experienced during my recovery from bypass surgery that absolutely no one mentioned or warned me about. Not only is there a physical recovery, but there was a spiritual and mental recovery I had to go thru, too. You can do it. This is a poker chip I had make up to give to students that need a nudge. It's my IN NAE challenge coin. I hereby give it to you!
Coin Front.jpg
 
Bill Mattocks said:
I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation in January during an annual physical; it showed up on an EKG.

I had a cardioversion but it didn't shock my heart back into rhythm.

I met with an electrophysiologist (actually two of them, I got a 2nd opinion). They recommended cardiac ablation.

Due to covid and general long wait times, I didn't get my ablation until today.

It seems to have gone well. Despite being told I had a 50% chance of achieving a normal sinus rhythm due to my age and how long we estimated I'd been in afib, I have a normal rhythm now. I will be taking some drugs to try to keep it that way.

Not sure how long I have to avoid serious workouts at the dojo, but I'm hoping to get my fitness back in order if I can.

Thought I'd share my little victory.
Click to expand...
Just had a follow-up exam. I seem to be healing ok. Blood pressure 116/79, pulse 76, normal sinus heart rhythm. I still have chest and back pain, dry cough, a lot of bruising where the catheters went into my femoral arteries, but all normal. I'm still off work until next Monday.
 
Bill Mattocks said:
Just had a follow-up exam. I seem to be healing ok. Blood pressure 116/79, pulse 76, normal sinus heart rhythm. I still have chest and back pain, dry cough, a lot of bruising where the catheters went into my femoral arteries, but all normal. I'm still off work until next Monday.
Click to expand...
Nice to hear! Good healing to you!
 
It's been 20 days since the cardiac ablation. I was in normal sinus rhythm for 10 days. Then the atrial fibrillation returned, and with a vengeance. Whereas before I had been asymptomatic, now I was feeling the AFib. It was like my heart was doing flip-flops in my chest. I'm taking twice-a-day Flecainide to try to force my heart back into rhythm, but it didn't seem to be working. At night, I really felt sometimes like maybe I would not wake up. I told the doctor, and sent copies of the ECG output my handy little portable ECG tester was showing, and they agreed I was back in AFib and told me to keep taking the blood thinners and Flecainide and don't worry about it. Fun.

However, yesterday I went back into normal sinus rhythm again spontaneously and I've stayed there for over 24 hours so far. So I'm hoping for the best.

I was never given a high chance of this working, since I was apparently in atrial fibrillation for so long to begin with. So I guess I should simply be grateful.

Anyway, just an update. Tonight's a dojo night. Another night of standing around and feeling basically useless.
 
Bill Mattocks said:
It's been 20 days since the cardiac ablation. I was in normal sinus rhythm for 10 days. Then the atrial fibrillation returned, and with a vengeance. Whereas before I had been asymptomatic, now I was feeling the AFib. It was like my heart was doing flip-flops in my chest. I'm taking twice-a-day Flecainide to try to force my heart back into rhythm, but it didn't seem to be working. At night, I really felt sometimes like maybe I would not wake up. I told the doctor, and sent copies of the ECG output my handy little portable ECG tester was showing, and they agreed I was back in AFib and told me to keep taking the blood thinners and Flecainide and don't worry about it. Fun.

However, yesterday I went back into normal sinus rhythm again spontaneously and I've stayed there for over 24 hours so far. So I'm hoping for the best.

I was never given a high chance of this working, since I was apparently in atrial fibrillation for so long to begin with. So I guess I should simply be grateful.

Anyway, just an update. Tonight's a dojo night. Another night of standing around and feeling basically useless.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear this Bill. But glad it went back to normal
 
Bill
Bill Mattocks said:
It's been 20 days since the cardiac ablation. I was in normal sinus rhythm for 10 days. Then the atrial fibrillation returned, and with a vengeance. Whereas before I had been asymptomatic, now I was feeling the AFib. It was like my heart was doing flip-flops in my chest. I'm taking twice-a-day Flecainide to try to force my heart back into rhythm, but it didn't seem to be working. At night, I really felt sometimes like maybe I would not wake up. I told the doctor, and sent copies of the ECG output my handy little portable ECG tester was showing, and they agreed I was back in AFib and told me to keep taking the blood thinners and Flecainide and don't worry about it. Fun.

However, yesterday I went back into normal sinus rhythm again spontaneously and I've stayed there for over 24 hours so far. So I'm hoping for the best.

I was never given a high chance of this working, since I was apparently in atrial fibrillation for so long to begin with. So I guess I should simply be grateful.

Anyway, just an update. Tonight's a dojo night. Another night of standing around and feeling basically useless.
Click to expand...
Bill take it easy...honestly
 
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