13 days post ablation.

[lifegoeson]

After the events of last weekend I've been pleased to have a fairly quiet week. I ended up calling an ambulance last Sunday and apparently had a 'reaction' to adenosine in A&E. I was discharged with Atenolol added to the Flecainide and Apixaban. I'm pleased to say I have been in sinus rhythm since then! Big relief!

So, rhythm wise, things are a lot better, and I'm cautiously optimistic that the ablation has been a success. However, I have a question for anyone who has taken Atenolol. I've been quite breathless all week and have been trying to be patient assuming it will eventually pass as things heal. Last night I became quite wheezy and fairly uncomfortable. Would this be the Atenolol? I've had it before (Atenolol) and was fine on it but it was along time ago and things change. Should I keep taking it? I'm kind of scared to take it and scared not too. I don't want to set myself back rhythm wise but want to continue breathing

I have Bosiprolol so could substitute it, however, as it's also a beta blocker it could have the same effect.

I could be overthinking the whole thing and just need to take a chill pill lol! My brain hurts!

I've also been experiencing what feels like having a ball stuck in my oesophagus. This is intermittent and passes. It's not connected with eating, although I feel uncomfortably full after eating a small amount. My feeling is that it comes under the the whole 'recovering from an ablation' umbrella and I'm happy to stick it out till things improve....not so much the breathing thing!

Any advice/opinions gratefully received!

[jennydog]

Atenolol was the first beta blocker that I was given. It did nothing for my AF so they gave me Amiodarone, then Soltalol and finally bisoprolol. I was breathless on 10 bisoprolol but post-ablation I am down to 2.5 which I take at night and this helps to ease any side effects.

Quite a few drugs have affected me but I don't remember Atenalol doing anything - but we're all different.

I'm sorry that you have had such a rough recovery hitherto. It's early days yet. Provided that you go steady from now on I suspect that you will feel very much better in a couple of months time.

Very best wishes.

[lifegoeson in reply to jennydog]

Thanks Jennydog, I'm a bit low today. The cardio wanted to discharge me on Verapamil but thought id rather have the Atenolol as I'd had it before with no probs. I imagined I'd be skipping of into the distance by now and leaving it all behind me. I had no bother at all after the ablation for SVT but it seems this is an entirely different beast!

[BobD Volunteer in reply to lifegoeson]

It really is still very early days as I am sure you know. It will be at least three months before things are healed enough to make a judgement. The ball in oesophagus is most likely inflammation from the ablation as they will tell you if you speak to your arrhythmia nurse and should pass after a week or two.

Beta blockers will make you breathless but equally so will the ablation until things heal so try not to over think it as you say.

Bob

[lifegoeson in reply to BobD]

Thank you, Bob. The breathlessness is a bit like my throat closing over so thought I should get it checked out before I take any more Atenolol. All this has come as a bit of a shock to me as I wasn't too badly affected by the AF, although it was becoming more troublesome as time went on.

[lifegoeson]

Called nhs24 and have an appt at out patients. Weary, but thank goodness they are there!

[CDreamer in reply to lifegoeson]

Good luck.

The oesophagus gets quite inflamed due mainly to the TOE and a lot of people suffer the sorts of symptoms you describe plus heartburn etc. It took about 5-6 months for mine to subside so that I had no symptoms. These are the sorts of things you are not told to expect after ablation, I assume because a lot of people do not get them, I know the TOE got stuck as my oesophagus spasmed so that is probably why I had symptoms.

Breathlessness is a completely different matter and you are wise to get it checked out.

if nothing shows up, may I suggest you try to slow your breathing down and breath into your belly and slowly exhale. Try doing that for 5 mins, I find it really helps to close my eyes and focus entirely on my breathing,

Best wishes and let us know how you get on, best wishes CD.

[lifegoeson in reply to CDreamer]

Hello, CDreamer, Thanks for your reply. I'm just back from A&E. Called NHS 24 and they got me an out of hours GP appt. They referred me to the duty cardiologist who wanted me checked for angioedema. Since they ruled that out they thought I was experiencing bronchospasm caused by the Atenolol. I have Bisoprolol and have been advised to start that instead. They didn't use a TOE in my case so not down to that. Bronchospasm definitely fits with the symptoms I was experiencing although I would have said it was more oesophageal further down and tracheal further up. Anyway things seem to be settling so I'm hoping the next wee while is completely uneventful.

[CDreamer in reply to lifegoeson]

Glad you were able to see someone and hope this has put your mind at rest that it wasn't something to worry about. Hope you feel better soon, take it easy, best wishes CD