Has anyone with Dysautonomia had an ablation for Atrial Fibrillation?

[Sushi]

If so, how did it affect your dysautonomia? I know that ablations are not recommended as an intervention for POTS, but for Afib, they ablate different areas. My concern with ablation for Afib is that there are autonomic ganglia in the heart and these could, intentionally, or unintentionally be ablated if they are a source of Afib. I have not been able to get an answer on this from any of the cardiologists I have asked.

I have been taking antiarrythmic drugs to prevent Afib for years but recently, the one I had taken for several years caused complete heart block (very much not good!). I am taking another antiarrythmic drug now but think that it is increasing my fatigue. I'd really like to get off these drugs as they all have side-effects, but the only other reasonable treatment course is cardiac ablation. So if anyone knows anything about this, I'd really be grateful to hear about it. Thanks!

[Pistol]

@Sushi -what I understand is that ablation is not useful for POTS and will not improve the symptoms. But you would be getting the ablation for afib, not for POTS, and it is absolutely proper for this. I am not aware that an ablation for afib would affect your dysautonomia. 

This is just my own opinion but considering the potential dangerous complications from afib I would seriously consider an ablation if the cardiologists recommend it. Afib can kill you, POTS cannot.

[Sushi]

On 4/13/2022 at 4:29 AM, Pistol said:

@Sushi -what I understand is that ablation is not useful for POTS and will not improve the symptoms. But you would be getting the ablation for afib, not for POTS, and it is absolutely proper for this. I am not aware that an ablation for afib would affect your dysautonomia. 

This is just my own opinion but considering the potential dangerous complications from afib I would seriously consider an ablation if the cardiologists recommend it. Afib can kill you, POTS cannot.

Thanks again. I have an update: I was able to contact the electrophysiologist who would do the ablation--he has done more ablations for Afib than anyone else in the country and is very familiar with working with the autonomic ganglia in the heart. He felt that ablation would not affect my dysautonomia and will discuss the options we would have with me before I go into the procedure. 75% of his ablations are done on patients with complex medical conditions that put them at higher risk, so he has seen everything. If all goes well, I will be scheduled for sometime this summer. It would involve travel and one night in the hospital so it has been a big decision, but it feels like the right one. After 6 years of medications with significant side-effects (one was potentially fatal) I have had enough of these drugs! 

[Pistol]

@Sushi - I am glad you had your concerns addressed, and it looks like you will be in the best of hands. Good Luck, and please keep us posted!

[MikeO]

Wish you the Best @Sushi

[MTRJ75]

On 4/29/2022 at 3:00 PM, Sushi said:

Thanks again. I have an update: I was able to contact the electrophysiologist who would do the ablation--he has done more ablations for Afib than anyone else in the country and is very familiar with working with the autonomic ganglia in the heart. He felt that ablation would not affect my dysautonomia and will discuss the options we would have with me before I go into the procedure. 75% of his ablations are done on patients with complex medical conditions that put them at higher risk, so he has seen everything. If all goes well, I will be scheduled for sometime this summer. It would involve travel and one night in the hospital so it has been a big decision, but it feels like the right one. After 6 years of medications with significant side-effects (one was potentially fatal) I have had enough of these drugs! 

It sounds like that's really the best you could hope for in a doctor. Good luck. 

[Picklesquish]

My EP did not recommend ablation as he feels the afib is caused by the autonomic dysfunction. I was having afib attacks every week until I finally found a dysautonomia cardiologist who started me in Cozaar and Clonidine. I’ve been afib free for six months since then.

[Sushi]

On 5/1/2022 at 2:22 PM, Picklesquish said:

My EP did not recommend ablation as he feels the afib is caused by the autonomic dysfunction. I was having afib attacks every week until I finally found a dysautonomia cardiologist who started me in Cozaar and Clonidine. I’ve been afib free for six months since then.

That is great to hear! I have taken Clonidine (it was not a good drug for me though my autonomic specialist had me try it for a good while), though I have not taken Cozaar. I have been on most of the drugs usually prescribed for dysautonomia and though my electrophysiologist agrees that my Afib most likely is the result of dysautonomia, I have not found a way to treat dysautonomia that improved my Afib. So glad that you did.