Post Cryoablation

[Nanabrodie]

Hi I'm new here. I had a cryoablation six days ago and and just beginning to feel a bit more like myself. My heart is missing every third beat most of the time which does make me feel a bit dizzy and very tired. My groin hurts when I walk although I haven't left the house yet to really test it. At the site of where the catheter went in is still very tender and feels very hard in that area like a hard lump but not bulging. I'm not sure whether I should ignore this for a while or speak to someone about it. Am I expecting to much too soon I'm not sure how long I should expect before everything settles down.

[jeanjeannie50]

The bruising will take a few weeks to go, a little longer than for other people maybe as you are hopefully on an anti coagulant.

Re the large bulge in groin, I had one like that after my second ablation and was convinced they must have left something in there. It felt like a wide tube. anyway went to see my GP who told me it was perfectly normal. Few days later I went to A&E who also confirmed it was normal. So off I went happy, I think it's what they call a haematoma (not sure of spelling). If it's causing you concern I would see your GP to be reassured, then you can also check out your heart missing beats and the dizzy spells too. Another thing you could do is ring the hospital where you had your ablation and ask to speak to someone re your concerns.

I felt different after each of my three ablations, poorly after the first two and like nothing had been done with the third, even though it took 5 hours.

Please let us know how you get on.

Wishing you well.

Jean

[Nanabrodie in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Hi Jean

Thank you for you helpful comments. How long did you feel poorly for after you first ablation? I keep having moments where I feel perfectly alright and then go down hill very quickly. As it's not been a week yet I suppose I should expect this. What little bit of info I was given by the hospital made me think I would be up and about within the week.

Sheila

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Nanabrodie]

Hi Sheila - After my first I felt poorly on and off for a good two weeks. Think it was about two and a half weeks before I went back to my desk job. After the second one it was a good couple of months, I was retired then but can remember going to London two months later and was fine until I tried to walk any distance, then felt I was on the point of collapse. Then as I said after the third I was fine immediately after.

Yes, it's early days for you yet. Do you work?

Jean

[Nanabrodie in reply to jeanjeannie50]

No, I retired late last year so no pressing commitments.

I have a follow up appointment in three months time which will be the 16th of August so hopefully will know if it's worked by then.

Thank you once again for replying it helps to know how it has been for others as you are not really told what to expect after leaving the hospital.

Sheila

[Sarah57 in reply to Nanabrodie]

Hello Sheila

To be honest it took me up to 3 months before I started to feel any stamina starting to return, and at least 6 months before feeling really any stronger. As advised by the comments on this site, I decided to take recovery time very slowly and carefully and was lucky as I was able to be signed off from school for a whole term in the end. Now a year on, and all still good so far ,after my cryoablation, I still feel that I am getting stronger every day as the confidence in my ❤️ Has increased over the months. Think it can depend on your age, (I was 58 when had my ablation) whether you are working and also very important, how long you have had AF for. ( 20 years for me as PAF) last few years had become really quite bad, more drugs, under active thyroid un detected, and bucketfuls of emotional stress looking after a very aged Dad who I loved dearly. Also school extremely stressful and decided after ablation to cut down to just 2 days a week for last couple of years before I retire. (Again, I realise lucky enough to afford to be able to wind down slowly) I have also found meditation exercise very helpful in making one find time to be still and rest without feeling one must "be doing"

good luck and stay well.

Hope this helps a bit.

Best wishes

Sarah

[Hellie54 in reply to Nanabrodie]

I felt shocking for three weeks after my ablation - in persistent afib, dizzy, breathless, tired. Then suddenly I woke up one morning I was in nsr and felt so much better. Coming off all meds now. It can take time but worth it so please try not to worry.

[BobD Volunteer]

All quite normal from my experience. You should do nothing for the first week and not a lot more for the second and then start thinking about trying some gentle walks round the block. It takes at least three months for the heart to heal and you will have some strange goings on in that time. Ectopic (Missed) beats are actually a good sign as it shows the heart is trying to go into AF and failing.

If you are worried then call your arrhythmia nurse or the team where you had the ablation done but I what you describe is all normal. You should start to feel a bit better in a couple more weeks. Just because you do not have a giant zip up your front does not mean that your heart has been seriously assaulted and will need some TLC and time to recover. I used my groin bruising as a guide. Once the multicoloured swap shot faded to grey I knew things has started to heal inside.

[Hidden]

I had my ablation two and a half weeks ago. Felt pretty good for the first 9 days then had a run of missed heart beats and flutters. Seems to be settling down now and getting them less frequently.

Started back at work yesterday (desk pilot) and was totally wiped out when I got home.

[Billius]

I'm about a month (a little over actually) in after my first cryo ablation. The hard lump you're referring to will go away eventually - I was convinced that something was wrong too. The hardest part for me was the after effects of the general anaesthetic - I felt really low for about 2 weeks, and got a sever migraine for about 3 or 4 days in week 2. After that subsided all was good. I've had some heart flutttrs and I did go into arrhythmia last weekend, but it didn't last too long and it wasn't afib (which made me feel so much better). I started exercising after week 2 (brisk walks) and I jogged 2.5k last night for the first time since the ablation . I was shattered after it though!! So just take things very slow! Rest up for the first two weeks, at least. Also try to Ignore any flutters or skipped beats, your heart is just healing (easier said than done I know).

[lucillear]

Hi I had mine 10 days ago . I have had missed beats and even some af but the EP told me this is down to inflammation and should resolve in a few weeks. Also on the discharge information it did say you can develop a pea like lump in your groin where the catheter went in. If your worried speak to the heart rhythm nurse at the hospital as they are great and will help you. Good luck x

[Nanabrodie]

Thank you all for your comments it is so good to hear from people who understand and have been through it. It's seven days exactly since my op and I thought I was doing relatively well but today not so good, getting strange headaches and feeling very faint which of course then makes me feel nauseous. I was hoping to go to a wedding anniversary lunch on Saturday but looks like I'm going to have to cancel😕

[Nanabrodie]

Hi everyone

9th day since I had my cryoablation and heart has been nice and steady for the last two days. Just been out for a walk with my very slow dog for the first time since the op and so far so good. Groin still uncomfortable but no problem. 🙂

Sheila

[Nanabrodie]

Hi everyone, went to see my GP yesterday 12 days post ablation because the lump in my groin was larger and still suffering dizzy spells although my heart beat is really steady if a little slow. Have been reassured that the lump is a clot that will gradually disappear.

He told me to stop taking the bisoprolol that the hospital prescribed for me as my blood pressure is very low (110/53) and could be causing the dizzy spells and I guess this is why I still feel so tired. This is the first time I've been free of any heart rate pills for over 10 years! Bit scary.

I'm glad I went to the GP as the nurse is now going to take my blood pressure and an ecg weekly for the next four weeks when I have another appointment with my GP, really helps put my mind at rest.

[Nanabrodie]

Can anyone help me? I am now just over two weeks since cryoablation under general anaesthetic and I am having terrible problems tasting anything. I can taste sweet, sour, bitter and salt and that's about all. Has anyone else had the same problem?

[Nanabrodie]

Hi there, three weeks now sinnce my ablation. Went out for lunch on Tuesday for my birthday and yesterday Wednesday had a Physio appointment for my back so quite a busy week so far. This morning I have woken up feeling very dizzy and a bit nauseous also very tired and wonder whether I should put this down to post op or something else.