I was diagnosed with A-fib in 2017 . Over the next couple years , every cardiologist I saw essentially told me the same thing. "You're young . You're otherwise healthy . Think you'll be fine." Then the stroke hit in August 2019.
I was supposed to have ablation in November 2019, but they had to stop due to the fact that I still had a blood clot in my heart. Felt like we had been told to "settle your affairs". Scary time.
February 2020, they were able to get the ablation done. And for the most part its been successful.
For the most part.
January of this year, I was hospitalized for an intestinal infection. It turned really , really bad. Ended up being in the hospital for two weeks , two surgeries . The pain was unlike anything I 've ever experienced. Violent vomiting , followed by a tube inserted to drain stomach fluid. Wound vacs and , eventually, a colostomy due to colon resection.
Good times !
And , of course, I went back into A-fib. Haven't had an episode , since. Been on blood thinners and metoprolol since the stroke.
Doing pretty well now. Finished up all my IV antibiotics about three weeks ago. Colostomy bag is supposed to be removed in May. I hate that thing. But my heart is back to behaving like it should. But the stress of that really had my heart on the fritz.

I do take some weird comfort in knowing that my obituary will never read," After a long illness ... ". My heart won't be able to withstand a " long illness ". I'm ok with that.

Were you on blood thinners before the stroke ? Sorry you went thru all that and glad you’re in the mend !

No sir. None of the doctors I saw considered me as “at risk “ for heart attack or stroke.
Appreciate the well wishes.

An electrical leak between the terminals of a dirty battery is similar to what an electrophysiologist explained to me as my problem of an atrial flutter which is form of irregular heartbeat. I had an ablation which involved burning the area of the leak moving the electrical signal back to the terminal where it belongs. That took care of the flutter. He told me I had a 97% chance it would never return.

Think BP is right about AFIB after covid. I had covid. I was diagnost with Afib after that. Had an ablation. Have had a few flare ups but nothing like before the ablation. All the flare ups came from heavy exertion I probably shouldn't have been doing or stress.
Doctor told me they can mitigate the Afib but there is no complete cure for it. Take metropol and blood thinner as a precaution.

Seems to be plenty of cardiologists that recommend ablation. Worked for me since 2017!

I was told a high systolic number usually causes a heart attack. While a high diastolic number causes a stroke. This is not always the case, but most often.
I take Eliquis for AFIB and carvedilol and amlodipine for blood pressure. My systolic number is always around 120, but my diastolic number runs around 80-90.
I keep seeing ads on tv about this Watchman procedure, but don't know anyone who has had it. Supposedly, it will do away with AFIB and eliminate your dependence on blood thinners.

My ablation did away with my a-fib and the need for blood thinners. Had it done in 2014, normal rhythm since then. I do take a baby aspirin a day because I do have one stent that was placed in 2007.