I had minimally invasive mitral valve repair 18 months ago. 3 weeks after the surgery I had an Afib event. I wore an event device for 1 month and discovered I was having various rare arrhythmias lasting for seconds. Now I have to be on coumidan. Apparently touching the heart can cause these. Has anyone experienced this?
Arrythmias since surgery
- Thread starter Sunbeam
- Start date
Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:
Enigmalady777
Active member
I had a mechanical valve replacement in March of 2018. Prior to that, I'd have atrial fibrillation episodes sporadically. After the surgery, I was fine for a while, then around December of 2018, the aFib took over and made my life a living hell. Heart rates in the 120 - 130 range CONSTANTLY. PVCs throughout. I finally had a defibrillator implanted and a cardio version done last June and the problem was finally under control. I asked my doctors why this happened and I was also told that when the heart is "disturbed" like when a repair or other heart surgery is done, it can upset the electrical system in the heart and lead to arrhythmias and aFib.
ginahmk
Member
Yes, unfortunately I had a similar experience. It was time to get my bicuspid aortic valve replaced in Nov 2016 after about 8 months of paroxysmal a fib episodes. After the surgery, which included a Maze procedure, I needed a temporary pacemaker for about 5 days due to very low heart rate. That recovered, and all was well for about 9 months. I suspect the amiodarone that the surgeon had me on immediately post-op kept things at bay. Then I began having more episodes of A fib with rates to 140, which eventually evolved into ending with long pauses, called tachy-brady syndrome, leading to me almost passing out. The EP stepped in finally after 6 months of figuring out inderal and Tikosyn were useless and did the ablation. I am now 2 years post on Tikosyn with only an occasional pvc and a few beats of svt. Still on Eliquis. So, in a nutshell, my heart was twitchy to begin with and did NOT like the surgery, even though valve was properly repaired. Did all this intervention help? Did the heart also finally heal? Combination? At any rate, if this recurs I am ready for another ablation With a good EP with lots of experience. Have gotten back to exercising and full time work. Hope all eventually goes as well for you. Gina
Yes. I had A-flutter for months. That's not same as Afib though (flutter is too fast but regular where A-fib fast and irregular), but I'm on Coumadin too because two of my valves are mechanical. For the benefit it gives, the inconvenience of anticoagulation is worth it. With Afib, there is a clotting risk as you know so anticoagulation is going to save your life. I partitioned against mechanical valves so as to avoid Coumadin but surgeon had final call. I have a pacemaker too from way before the 2017 surgery. You would think that it could correct the arrhythmia but the pacemaker is only confused by it so it defaults to a steady baseline rhythm rather than follow the sinus node which would be impossible when it's in flutter. It was months waiting for a appointment before my EP was able to correct the flutter by overdriving the heart then slowing it down and like magic got me back in sinus rhythm. But the A-fib came back. It was months more before my EP told me he could program the pacemaker to detect the flutter and automatically overdrive the heart. That has worked so I been free of episodes for over a year. My cardiologist kept telling me the arrhythmia after surgery were common and would likely go away with time. He just never said how much time.
I was getting arrhythmias before surgery - probably PVCs, then after surgery. My mechanical aortic valve didn't seem to affect my heart rhythm. Then, a little over two months ago, I developed other rhythms. These were a severe combination, with rhythms competing with each other and, as a result, not much blood moving through me.
I had an angiogram, and needed a stent. The arrhythmias retreated, but didn't stop.
I had an ablation that stopped two of my arrhythmias, but a third ablation is very dangerous, and the electrophysiologist was reluctant to do it. Although the other arrhythmias were quiet, the PVC got more persistent, and I would have many pauses between beats.
My heart rate dropped fairly quickly, with long periods below 50 bpm, sometimes slightly above 30 bpm. With no delay, I got a pacemaker.
My point is this: although sometimes damage to the heart by surgical intervention can cause arrhythmias, there are times (like mine) where arrhtymias can happen long after surgery. Of course, I may have had these arrhythmias develop anyway - whether or not I had my aortic valve replaced.
GinaHMK - I'm hoping that when you got your valve replaced, it was a tissue valve. Eliquis hasn't been approved for mechanical valves. If your valve was mechanical, you should talk to your cardiologist about it. Although it may work - and is one of the anticoagulants that they use for A-Fib, there isn't enough evidence that it's safe for mechanical valves.
I had an angiogram, and needed a stent. The arrhythmias retreated, but didn't stop.
I had an ablation that stopped two of my arrhythmias, but a third ablation is very dangerous, and the electrophysiologist was reluctant to do it. Although the other arrhythmias were quiet, the PVC got more persistent, and I would have many pauses between beats.
My heart rate dropped fairly quickly, with long periods below 50 bpm, sometimes slightly above 30 bpm. With no delay, I got a pacemaker.
My point is this: although sometimes damage to the heart by surgical intervention can cause arrhythmias, there are times (like mine) where arrhtymias can happen long after surgery. Of course, I may have had these arrhythmias develop anyway - whether or not I had my aortic valve replaced.
GinaHMK - I'm hoping that when you got your valve replaced, it was a tissue valve. Eliquis hasn't been approved for mechanical valves. If your valve was mechanical, you should talk to your cardiologist about it. Although it may work - and is one of the anticoagulants that they use for A-Fib, there isn't enough evidence that it's safe for mechanical valves.
I had a aortic aneurysm repaired and the aortic valve replaced earlier this year. Went into Afib a couple days post surgery and was inverted before I left the hospital. Went into Afib again less then a month later and was inverted again. A couple of weeks later I was back in Afib and was inverted for a third time the middle of March. So far I have stayed in rythm since then. From what I have been told the next time I go into Afib, ablation will probably be necessary.
I am also on Eliquis due to clotting potential due to Afib even though I have a tissue valve.
John K
I am also on Eliquis due to clotting potential due to Afib even though I have a tissue valve.
John K
ginahmk
Member
Yes, I have a tissue valve. Thanks for highlighting that. Gina
H. Gayle
Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2020
- Messages
- 6
Im the same as Gina but I was born with heart issues ASD with MR. My first surgery in 1975 repaired most of the ASD then I had Mitral valve replacement in 2007 (mechanical). I've always known there would be issues and now its permanent Afib its been like that for almost a year. I was on metoprolol but I had a minor heart attack and it was changed to something else (Bisoprolol?)
almost_hectic
Well-known member
i have a history of afib, been cardio verted a few times in the years prior to my valve surgery. I had mostly learned to manage it with lifestyle changes, avoid all caffeine, limit alcohol, quit smoking, eat a healthier diet, exercise regularly... all the boring stuff for a guy in his twenties. And for the most part things improved. I still had arrhythmia from time to time but stayed out of prolonged afib and never needed to be cardioverted again. They claimed they would not do an ablation as I was pre-valve surgery. Never knew for sure why that wasn’t an option prior to needing a new valve, which didn’t come til many years later. Made it to and through valve replacement years later. Had some arrhythmia troubles after surgery but no cardio version necessary. Fast forward a couple years a blood test reveals slightly low B12. Doc said that was nothing as it was barely even low. I decided to take a supplement anyway. Wow! What a difference! My heart rhythm greatly improved. I don’t know the science behind why, or if it would do the same for others, but I swear by it (for me). I even thought maybe it was all a fluke, so I stopped taking it for a while, it all came right back. Back on it and improvements returned. My rhythm is greatly improved, still a few palpitations once in a while but far far fewer, my rate has settled considerably, I even sleep better. Plus it’s completely safe and fairly cheap, so why not try it maybe... I don’t think it could hurt.
H. Gayle
Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2020
- Messages
- 6
I had the same thing but after my valve replacement as a teenager I did everything opposite what you did I was addicted to drinking pop (with caffeine), smoked, drank and smoked pot occasionally . I even had 3 kids naturally. Out of everything I did it was have kids I was told I never should have survived. Now 13 years after my replacement I live the way you do and am in permanent afib. I take supplements but it never occured to me to take B12 too Im going to give it a shot. Is there a particular brand you find best?
almost_hectic
Well-known member
It says cyanocobalamin. I take 1,000 mcg, twice a day. One in the morning and one before bed. From what I read b12 is such that you can’t get too much of it, that any excess would simply be passed in your urine. But I’m in no way making an offer of advice to people. This is just something I found works for me. And works incredibly well actually. So glad I found out what b12 can do for me!
