6 weeks and still feel poorly

I had my Ablation/Pacemaker surgery 6 weeks ago and I still feel poorly.I feel so tired all the time and have zero energy.I get very light headed all the time whether its bending down to get the washing out of the machine or walking up the stairs.I am very breathless and just never seem to feel well.My pacemaker was checked last week all fine.I also had ecg and chest xray all ok.The only thing I can think is maybe its my meds but which one is making me feel naff.I take 5mg Bisoprolol,25mg Spironolactone,40mg Furosemide,25mg Losartan and Warfarin.My blood pressure is always abit low .I would love to be able to start planning xmas but I just cant go out feeling this way.

[Hidden]

Hi Bettergrace,

The recovery from an Ablation is a slow process which others on here will tell you...What you are describing is quite normal...The heart takes at least six months to recover after suffering such an invasive procedure....The symptoms you describe are mirrored in my own experience...breathlessness,tiredness and light headiness when bending down...The good news is it gets better a lot better...

Christmas is four weeks away a what a difference four weeks makes....Slowly but surely day by day as the weeks and the months go by you will feel like a new person....

Regards,

Carol...

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou for your reply Caromia.I had a Ablation in July also and then this procedure only to have another to attach a wire again with my pacemaker.So I guess I have had surgery 3 times in 5 months and it takes its toll on the heart/body.I feel I recovered abit quicker after my previous Ablation and I suppose that's what I am comparing it to.Having the pacemaker fitted this time during the Ablation is also something else to deal with during my recovery.This site is great to just ask other people questions because doctors just shrug a lot of it off and unless you have been through it nobody really knows do they?

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Bettergrace - I agree totally with what Carol has written.The way you are feeling is certainly the way I felt at the same stage after my ablations. I can remember thinking, 'Why don't I feel better after all these weeks'. Experience has now taught me that it takes time to pick up again.

Just having re-read your post I would also suggest that you talk to your GP as the drugs you are taking may be affecting you too.

Wishing you well.

Jean

[Hidden in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thankyou Jeanjeannie50.Its awful feeling like there is no light at the end of the tunnel but I know from experience things do get better in time.I will have a word with my GP about maybe lowering my Bisoprolol because I think maybe the dose is abit high now that my heart rate has lowered.

[Hidden]

Thankyou Happyjo. I have been put on a couple of new drugs after surgery so I will have a chat with my GP . Your right Christmas does come every year but when you have children that still believe its hard to put yourself first .Hopefully things will improve in time.

[Terjo]

Oh I do feel for you as I am feeling the same and I haven't been through all you've been through. I'm in AF and was sent to hospital and the consultant decided I needed to have a pacemaker fitted. I feel violated but suppose it was necessary. I was put on amiodarone and pradaxa . After being home a few days I began to feel really ill. Went to the dr and said I wasn't taken these new pills. I'm back on Flecainide and warfarin but still feel completely washed out. Sleeping very little and finding I have to crawl upstairs and feel everything requires and enormous effort. Having a cardioversion 26 Jan. I think Christmas will have to be a very low key event this year. I wish you well and will be thinking of you. The most frustrating thing is that I feel I felt a lot better before I went hospital. I have a cougacheck machine to check my warfarin so feel much safer taking that. Please keep in touch with us and let us know how you feel. This site is wonderful for letting off steam as there's always some who can understand. Hope you get well soon. Terry

[Hidden in reply to Terjo]

Thanks for your comment Terjo.I was on Amiodrone after my 1st Ablation and it made me feel so sick I couldn't eat so although it worked for me I couldn't stay on it for longer than 2 weeks.I hope your Cardioversion works for you and that you also start feeling better soon .

[shirlygirly]

Hi Bettergrace, ditto ditto and so on had my ablation 27th October and

Im really not able to do a lot. Ive started doing things in order of priority

because Im just not able to carry on as normal, Wednesday was determined

to go to supermarket under my own steam, took bus strolled through town

browsed the aisles then the overwhelming fatigue took hold, lucky my

husband insisted on coming early to meet me, hate it when hes right,

result was shattered rest of the day. My energy just doesnt last and even

when I move at a slow and steady pace it tires me out. My problem is

breathlessness and my heart races now and again but no af thankfully.

At least you know you are not suffering alone. Shirley.

[Hidden in reply to shirlygirly]

Hi Shirlygirly.We do sound very similar in the way we are feeling.I cant even walk my daughter to school because I get very breathless and tired.I did manage the supermarket and the garden centre at the weekend but like you I was shattered once home.My heart also races at times but at my pacer check last week I was told only one episode of AF that lasted 5 seconds so I was pleased with that.Yes it is nice to know that others are feeling the same and that its probably normal recovery symptoms.

[Hidden]

Hi betegrace,Also your pacemaker will have been set to a slow pace to give you time to recover and they will alter it slowly over the next few check ups.It,s 18 months since I had my PM fit and I,m slowly just getting back to some what normal.You can,t rush this it,s a long slow take it easy time.so set your self for the long haul and you,ll be fine.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou for your comment argzxoni61.

[meadfoot]

So sorry you are feeling so poorly. As all these good folk say time is the healer post procedure and the battering your heart has taken.

Best wishes

Dee.

[Hidden in reply to meadfoot]

Thankyou for your comment meadfoot.

[Terjo]

Bête grace, how long did it take for you to stop feeling sick from the amiodarone? I'm finding this the most awful symptom to bear although trying to get upstairs on ones hands and knees takes forever. You're all such a wonderful bunch to moan to, thank you for being here ! Terry

[Hidden in reply to Terjo]

Terjo I had to stop taking the Amiodarone because I just couldn't cope anymore.I felt sick 24 hrs .I was only on it a few weeks and it got me back into NSR but within days of stopping I was back in AF.

[Terjo]

Thanks Bettegrace, went to have my INR taken this morning as I've started on warfarin as I couldn't stand the Pradaxa. She says she'll come to me on Monday as I wasn't well enough to go to the surgery, her suggestion as I looked so awful!

When did you feel able to live in the real world again? I was put on amiodarone on the 19th Nov and took it for 9 days. The other thing is would the pace maker make it difficult to breathe. I'm finding it very difficult t move around. Just living on hope at the moment. I keep thinking of JeanieJean coping with AF for so long. I've had it for a year before but it didn't make me feel as ill as I feel this time. Hope you're feeling better today. Terry

[Hidden]

Terjo,It took me a good 8-9 weeks( after my 1st Ablation which I was on the Amiodarone for 2 weeks) to start feeling not so poorly and breathless.I felt very weak but maybe not as sicky after a couple of weeks stopping the Amiodarone.I don't really know whether the pacemaker can make you breathless its all very new to me but I do know that meds often do.I really do understand how poorly you are feeling .Im also struggling to do normal everyday things and really wont go out unless I have to.Its not that I don't want to go out its just that I cant walk far without getting breathless and light headed.Things will get better .I had OHS April 2013 and felt very poorly after that and was back and forth to the hospital for a few months.I thought I would never feel normal again but I did and you will to.We just have to give it time and recover gently.

[Hidden]

Go onto drugs.com and check drug interactions to see if theres any issues on that side which are keeping you feeling unwell. xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

lloegr I checked any drug interactions and there is 2 that should only be used with caution.I have taken them for quite a while and my Arrhythmia nurse ,EP doctor etc all know that I take them but I will query it. Thanks.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Maybe you can take them a few hours away from the rest and it would be ok. Hope you sort it out soon, hard enough being ill without the feeling worse on top.

Carole xx

[Terjo]

Thanks for your support. I feel worse today than yesterday as though I'm being poisoned. Terry

[Hidden]

Terjo I am sorry that you have been feeling very poorly.Its certainly not fun feeling like that .Maybe you should go and get checked out.Are you still very breathless ? We all look on here for answers and hope that we can chat to someone who really understands what we are going through don't we ,but although i can certainly relate to you i think a check up is the best option for you.It will put your mind at rest to hopefully be told its normal to feel this way after what you have been through.Please let me know how you get on.

[Terjo]

We went to the GP again yesterday and he's crossed it off my medicines. I haven't taken it for days. I was checked by the inr nurse and they are seeing me again tomorrow. Can't do much, legs still very swollen and feeling very sick. Can't move about much. I read on the advice on the sheet that amiodarone shouldn't be given to people over 75. I'm 82. I feel as though I've been badly poisoned but there's no antidote. Thanks for all your support I really appreciate it, any suggestions welcome. Terry. pS the Drs didn't seem to take any notice of my red wrist band. My GP said they couldn't read my notes as they were a different health authority. This is madness.

[Terjo]

Just an update. Went to see theGP and the inr nurse. Up to 1.4 going again on Tuesday. Stil feeling sick and cold but managed to eat more today. Hope you're feeling better by now. Are you still in AF I am. Keep in touch. Terry