A-Fib after an ablation.

[Victoria55]

I've had A-Fib for 6 yrs. After trying many drug therapies, EP decided it was time for an ablation! I had my ablation January 2017 and things have been great. I will always be on a blood thinner, which I'm fine with, but in the past two weeks I have had two A-Fib events😫 neither of them lasted very long, but I'm just bummed. I see my EP in two weeks. Just wondering if others have had the same experience, and what was their protocol? Thanks

[Clareowenpearcy]

An ablation is not a cure! Some people are lucky and go years with no Afib symptoms after an ablation. Some go months others have seen a reduced amount of episodes. There is no set rule. I have had 3 ablations the last just in June this year. Early days I had quite a few Afib/Aflutter episodes but nothing the last 3 weeks. Hopefully you will not see an increase in yours. All the best😘

[Victoria55 in reply to Clareowenpearcy]

Thank-you for your quick reply, it's nice to know we are not all alone with this condition! Fingers crossed that all is well for you too!

[Hidden]

I agree with Clare, everybody seems to react differently after an ablation, if they experience an episode, they often they say the effects and severity are less than before. In my case, I had a couple of short blips within a week of the procedure and then nothing until a couple of days after my 6 month review when I had another short blip. Fortunately nothing since and now it's 14 months. If you are concerned, and your EP does not mention it, ask him about a Pill in the Pocket as this might provide you with a solution should you have a prolonged episode.....WHICH YOU WONT!!!

[higgy52]

HI i had my Ablation 2nd Feb this year, Some days i have tacacardia or A F.or Eptopic beats,

Feal ok Heart still setteling down, It takes up to a year so im told.

Good luck

[opal11uk]

It is not a cure, some people are lucky but for me the opposite, it made my condition a lot worse than it was before ablation so much so that it severely affected my quality of life, they offered me another but after the first one my answer was a definite no.

[Barry24 in reply to opal11uk]

Hi Opal,

Same boat as you, l had three ablations, if l could turn the clock back l would do it in a heartbeat. Bad decision on my part.

Regards

Barry

[opal11uk in reply to Barry24]

My experience was weird Barry, I had a couple of days after ablation and all seemed well then I started to experience burning heat coming from my feet up my body and to my head and at that point I would experience what I can only call a 'white out', I guess same as a black out but everything went white and I'd feel so bad, also had extreme trouble breathing not just with this but on any exercise or exertion at all, felt so very ill. Urgently rang the hospital who had carried out the ablation, they called me back to discuss and assess (there was talk that the doc may have touched the Sinus Node during ablation etc), offered me another ablation which I refused and then the next thing after that was going into PAF for over 12 hours being called back to hospital to have a cardio inversion however I got prepared and on the table and promptly went back into sinus so never did have the cardio inversion and returned home (after a 4 hour drive there and back). Suffered this for a while and then had an appointment with my cardio, I wrote everything down so I wouldn't forget and let him read it for himself. Cardio then put me on a tape to record, can't remember for how long, and it revealed that my heart would stop beating and not regain for quite a while, again can't remember how long in between and at this stage he urgently scheduled me for a Pacemaker because, as he stated, the PA/F won't kill me but the irregularity of regaining beat could, he was also concerned as the white outs were pre fainting and this could happen at any time, going downstairs, crossing the road and so on. Thank goodness for my Pacemaker is all I can say, so not a fan of ablation lol. To this day I am left with gastric problems, cannot eat much, in fact half of my dinner goes into the recycle bin, have gone of lots of foods, don't fancy anything I used to enjoy and feel as if I have a large painful ball in the middle of my abdomen which has been investigated but nothing found so I live with it. I have been on this group a little while and see lots of positive ablation comments but for me it made my life a damned site worse hence not posting this before because I hate being negative as normally such a positive person and for anyone reading this going or having gone through ablation, I am sure my case is one in a million so please don't worry, just wish my experience had been a positive one but hey ho, can't have everything lol.

[Barry24 in reply to opal11uk]

Sorry to hear about your situation, mine is not pleasant neither, and yes l am also a very positive person as well, but what happened to me is very rare as well.

During my 2nd Ablation, my vagal nerve was damaged, this has resulted in:

bloating, persistent abdominal band-like pain 24/7, pulsating stomach.

These symptoms continue 14 months after the ablation, no improvement as yet.

I have seen a gastroenterologist and had a ct scan and a endoscopy which revealed all is well.

My pain Consultant placed me on pregabalin and amitriptyline which have not reduced the pain l am having. He is of the same opinion that the vagal nerve was touched during the ablation.

This looks like a long-term condition for me, and to be honest l am struggling with it.

I am trying to stay positive, with walking/swimming/biking etc to keep my mind positive.

Best Wishes

Barry

[opal11uk in reply to Barry24]

Thank you for your reply Barry, which for me was somewhat reassuring because looking at your symptoms I can see some of mine and no its not pleasant. After my gastric tests, all clear, I was put on Lanzsoprazole which do help most times however I did not like the contraindications much so stopped taking them, now when I am in pain and discomfort I nibble a Gavascon tablet and that does help but the bloated and tight band feeling is always there and not feeling hungry or fanciful persists. I also have difficulty sometimes with swallowing, its as if there is a blockage along the route leading down but tests proved negative. Thinking about it, no medic actually linked the two together, I guess not really aware of the ablation so I am wondering if, like you, the Vegal nerve has been touched and hence my problem as a result, if this is so then I won't worry too much as I can put the indigestion, hiccoughs after eating etc.etc. down to this rather than worrying it could be something more dire, having had cancer this is always a concern. We must remain positive at all times going forward, now at 73, I am just grateful to be where I am lol. Congratulations by the way on maintaining a good and active exercise programme, it certainly helps to remain active if you can. Ps forgot to mention my ablation was in 2014

[Barry24 in reply to opal11uk]

May l sent a private post to you?

Regards

Barry

[opal11uk in reply to Barry24]

yes

[Victoria55 in reply to Barry24]

Yes, that would fine.

[Sunshine89 in reply to opal11uk]

Do not feel bad about being negative because your report is very important to those of us who are in a position of considering whether or not to have an ablation. I am really sorry to know you have had, and continue to have such problems and I wish you better days ahead.

Take care and thank you for sharing

[opal11uk in reply to Sunshine89]

Thank you

[Barry24 in reply to Sunshine89]

Thank you.

Regards

Barry

[needlestone]

I had to go gluten free and avoid anything with aspartame or sucralose. Those are immediate triggers for me. Alcohol also will get my heart going but not too terribly especially now that I have detoxed for over a year from gluten. My ablation was a year and a half ago and the following month after I went gluten free per naturopathic doctors recommendation and everything calmed down. It's worth a try.

[cindy7matty]

After an ablation I had 1 fib attack while my heart was healing. Now 2 years later I am free of afib. Be patient while your heart heals.