Post Ablation AF

[Dayu]

2 days ago I had my first Ablation at St Georges Hospital in Tooting SW London. All went well apart from having AF again. I had to stay in hospital overnight and I had a short episode @ midnight. But I got home I started having the usual episodes of AF although they are quite intermittent, sinous to AF and so on. I was told at hospital that AF can reoccur but you have to wait a bit for the heart to restabilize itself...Has anybody experience recurring AF after Ablation?

[pottypete1]

Yes it takes some weeks for your heart to settle down it has been through a lot of trauma.

Don't worry at this stage just try and rest as much as you can.

Pete

[Rellim296]

Yes, I had AF for a few days post ablation. It soon settled.

[PeterWh]

Very sorry to hear that. Common "recovery" / "normalisation " period quoted is 3 to 6 months but for a few it can be up to a year.

Keep in touch with the arrhythmia nurse / EP.

[BobD Volunteer]

It makes me angry that you are not told what to expect. It takes between three and six months for the scar tissue which blocks the rogue impulses to form so you may well get AF episodes for some weeks yet. Just because you do not have a giant zip up your front does not mean that your heart hasn't had a good kicking. Give it time.

[rosyG]

I think you are supposed to ignore anything for a few months !

[Coco51]

Hello Dayu.

I was interested to read your post. I had my first ablation at St George's in May. Yes I have had recurring AF after the ablation. But not as bad as before and it does seem to be settling.

Before the ablation my AF was 24/7 for 4 months. A cardioversion stopped it for 3 months. It came back 24/7 for 1 week. Then I had the ablation.

I have had 7 episodes since the ablation. Most so far (5) were in the first 3+ months. In the first month, one episode lasted 10 days and I was in despair! But I was given a magnesium drip and prescribed extra bisoprolol in A&E and it quietened down, then a week later it stopped. The other 6 bouts were much shorter, usually 4 hours - one 2 days. The gaps between attacks have been between 2 and 5 weeks. This is an improvement. I am getting short runs of wonky heartbeats for a few seconds but most of the time they don't develop into AF.

It still leaves me wondering what next? My EP said 30% of patients need a second ablation - a "touch up" as he called it. I see him early December (should have been August but it was re-scheduled due to his holiday). I shall see what he advises.

FYI the specialist nurse has said any AF occurring in the first 3 months after ablation should not be interpreted as meaning the ablation had failed. But as you never know when AF might start it does make for anxious times, e.g. when taking on work etc. "What if I get an attack when working a long way from home etc....".

[I have to say that by complete coincidence in August I suddenly developed a Gynaecological problem and was fast tracked for a different operation which landed me in Intensive Care. Probably the warfarin didn't help that. Thankfully it was not cancer but I do wonder if the recurring AF might have been worsened by the stress of that].

Good luck

Janet

[Dayu]

Hi Janet,

I went to St Georges today to find an explanation on why I am getting more frequent AF episodes than before Ablation. My procedure was done by Dr M Sohal who said that my Ablation was a success but not the results I feel. I know it is early days yet, 4 days but I am slightly worried that it might fail. For instance today it has intermittent, on and off AF, Crazy!

I work as a Petroleum Engineer and in the New Year I might be placed in Abu Dabi. God knows how I am going to cope if these AF events don't settle.

Anyway, we have to be positive and try not to worry too much, because stress is surely a trigger for AF, well in my case...

Best

Dayu