u/Ballajay

I had my PFA done on April 28, 2026, at Scripps La Jolla Cardiology. I'm 41, 6'1", 230 Ib. I don't smoke, and I have about 6-10 drinks per year. I eat pretty healthy 80% of the time and work out 3-4 days a week.

I was diagnosed with Afib in 2019. I do not have persistent Afib. My Afib comes and goes once or twice per week, and when I was first diagnosed, I was pretty miserable because I wasn't prescribed medication to keep it under control. Eventually, I started taking atenolol and flecainide. Exercise, eating too much and definitely alcohol brought on symptoms that became increasingly worse with a higher heart rate. I was considered healthy enough that I did not need blood thinners, according to my cardiologist.

My first experience with treatment was at Kaiser Los Angeles. I was referred for a radiofrequency ablation about four years ago.
This was before I did any research on the procedure and was going strictly off my cardiologist's recommendation. Long story short, it was a complete nightmare. The anesthesiologist, nurses, and the whole lead-up to the procedure were terrible. None of my family was allowed to enter the waiting area, let alone the prep room. The anesthesiologist had bloodshot red eyes, and the way they talked to me made it sound like I wouldn't survive the procedure. It was so bizarre that by the time I spoke with the electrophysiologist, I decided I didn't want it done. I literally had them disconnect my IV and left. Looking back, this probably saved me a lot of discomfort and pain.

Fast forward to 2026. In between that time, ! did a lot of research, mainly from Reddit and other forums, that helped guide and educate me about the PFA procedure. I watched videos of the procedure being performed and spoke with several electrophysiologists. After thoroughly researching facilities, I got a referral from my cardiologist for Scripps. It wasn't my first choice, but it turned out to be a huge blessing because my experience there was light-years better than at Kaiser Los Angeles. Everything I wasn't able to do at Kaiser, they allowed at Scripps. My family was able to be with me all the way until the procedure.

On a scale of 1 to 10, my experience getting PFA was a 9.5, with 10 being the best. My procedure only took an hour and a half. I had no sore throat and minimal pain at the groin site. The pain level was equivalent to a really bad paper cut or mosquito bite. To my surprise, the wound was about the size of a large paper cut. I spoke with my electrophysiologist several times before the procedure. He's absolutely amazing and communicates well. The nurses and staff at this facility were amazing. Everything was state-of-the-art and very comfortable.

Even though it's only been about two weeks since my procedure, I feel like I have a brand new heart. So far, so good. Right after the procedure, I went on a 3-mile hike. I don't recommend everyone do this, but that's just how little pain I was in and how good I felt. I'II give an update after the three-month blanking period. Right now, I don't have any negative effects - it's all positive since receiving the procedure.

I highly recommend doing your research and finding a good electrophysiologist and facility to have PFA done. So far, I feel amazing, and according to all my tests, I have zero Afib. The doctor recommended I be on blood thinners and take meds while I'm in the blanking period. Personally, I'm not taking any of that and I feel even better. I highly recommend sticking to a healthy diet and workout routine.
Getting this procedure is not a license to start smoking, drinking, or gaining unnecessary weight. The procedure is designed to give you relief from Afib so you can get healthier and off medication. Feel free to ask me any questions, and good luck and God bless to anyone dealing with this.