Will I ever fly again?

[SamR]

Depending on your indication for anticoagulaion you may be able to use the newer ones that do not require INRs.

Indeed! My pulmonary doc has just put me on rivaroxiban. So recently in fact that I haven't had a chance yet to get the script filled.

 

[sinophile888]

I thought that I would update my post.

Since being diagnosed with AF, I have had an angiogram followed by an angioplasty. I do not cope at all well in AF so was given a TOE then cardioverted. Since then I have had 6 more cardioversions on average about 20 days apart.

I have discussed an ablation but need to lose a significant amount of weight before the specialist will go ahead with it. So far, 17kg.

I have been changed off rivaroxiban to warfarin and have indeed bought an INR machine. It was particularly useful early on when my levels were settling down.

Flying seems like a distant memory to me. My husband wants to be AF free for 6 - 12 months before we venture more than 10 km from a large hospital.

Thank heavens that we flew far and often for the last 13 years.

 

[drron]

Seeing your first post in the thread was only 5 months ago you have done very well to lose 17kg so keep it up.
Also as your AF was obviously symptomatic Ablation is definitely worth considering.Results have definitely improved over the last few years.Though like everything medical there is no guarantee of success,but it is getting close.

 

[sinophile888]

An update for all those kind enough to reply to my initial post.

I have now had 14 cardioversions, the last two this year, and have lost 27kg. While I was in hospital for the last cardioversion, my cardiologist asked the ablation specialist to see me. He said he could bring the ablation forward to July due to my weight loss and went away to find a date. He came back about 10 minutes later and said how about next Monday.

So 9 days ago it was done and so far, so good.

It wasn’t until the ablation was booked that I had the courage to look up airline and cruise schedules. If all continues to go well, I tentatively plan a trip to Melbourne in about May, a trip to Singapore in about September and a cruise out of Fremantle in February 2016. I want to take things in small steps initially.

My husband and I can’t wait to return to China.

 

[Fifa]

That's terrific news sinophile888!
May you enjoy many many years of future travel .

 

[Sprucegoose]

Good news mate a world of possibilities opens up !!!

 

[JohnK]

Great news. Hope all goes well.

 

[drron]

Great news.
But don't get down if you get some AF in the future.Some people do need the procedure to be repeated.

 

[sinophile888]

Thanks again so much for all the messages of encouragement.

I have been AF free since the ablation in mid-January. And I’ve now lost over 30 kg.

So we are off on a quick trip to Melbourne at the end of the week. It will be my first flight since November 2013. Hopefully Melbourne will be followed by another trial run to Singapore next month and finally back to Hong Kong and China in a few months.

I am so excited!

 

[Revolio]

well done!

 

[Cynicor]

30kg is excellent, great work. Not sure if your original weight is unthread (iPhone, not convenient), but how much more until your target/ideal?

 

[sinophile888]

The ablation specialist initially said 50kg before he would do the ablation. It seemed at the time to be utterly unattainable. Now it is still my long term goal.
I met two women recently who had both had bariatric surgery; one had lost 36kg, the other 34kg. I hope to have passed both of those losses before my son's wedding in November.

 

[scaredeycat]

Losing so much weight definitely improves your chances of remaining in rhythm. Congratulations!.
For many (but not all) patients AF is lifestyle related - e.g. carrying too much weight, over indulging in alcohol and snoring (especially if one has sleep apnoea). Often correcting these issues makes a substantial difference in the number of episodes experienced by patients.