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[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. I had this procedure done more than a year ago.

It has pretty much obliterated my on again-off again at. fib.

They don't usually burn away the little nodes that cause it--rather, they generally use cold to freeze them. It can take several hours to do. My cardiologist had me under general anesthesia so that at the end of the procedure, I would not feel the shock they gave my heart. They shock the heart to make sure they've gotten all the little nodes. I didn't feel a thing although the next day, my abdominal muscles were a little sore from the shock. It passed uneventfully.

My doctor had planned to send me home that day, but my procedure was postponed since someone else needed a pacemaker urgently, so I had my procedure later and then stayed overnight.

I had several weeks of intermittent afib as my heart recovered from the procedure and this is pretty common. I still take medication to make sure the afib is gone but I tolerate it well.

Be sure to talk thoroughly with the cardiologist and get your questions answered.

Best of luck!