I've been dealing with atrial fib for 25 years now, and I still have a spell of it now and again. I'm on beta blockers, c blockers, aspirin as a thinner, and a few others, one of which is actually a regulatory drug. My doctor wants me to get as much exercise as I can. So I'm getting back into biking. I've learned not to get too freaked out by the fib situation, It's just the way we're wired. There is a surgery that will correct it once and for all (MAZE surgery), but it's open heart, so we'll just keep that on the back burner for now :-)
The MAZE open heart surgery is rarely used any more, and then only in the most extreme of cases. There are numerous other ways (i.e. PVI) of treating the heart using cryogenic, radiofrequency and now ultrasound techniques. None of these in any way involves open heart surgery. Instead they use a catheter through your veins into the heart.
My AFib is different than yours as mine is permanent, not now and then. That means all the time.
Thanks for your response.