Two weeks post flutter ablation

[Lynnels]

Hi! I'm new to this site. Looking for some advice/ info.

I've had a history of AF for about 7 years, only cropping up every few months, usually related to gastritis, and always controlled with Flecainide as a pill in the pocket. The last few months however the episodes had become more and more frequent and hard to stop and I ended up in A&E after it going on for 36hrs. It was then found out I was actually in Atrial flutter and Flecainide doesn't work well for that. So after being given IV Beta blockers and I was back in Sinus I went home. Two days later similar happened and back in A&E I was showing both flutter and Fib. I was listed for an ablation. My cardiologist thought it better to tackle the flutter first and then see if the Fib went back to the old way of every few months, which I could cope with.

So I had the flutter ablation 2 weeks ago. A lot of work apparently as more complicated than expected but at the end appeared successful. Apart from initial 'chest pain' from indigestion the first couple of days I was doing well. Then out of the blue 8 days post procedure I had an AF attack ( could tell from the HR (169) it was AF so took Flecainide and it went quite quickly. Since then I have had AF every other day- relieved with Flecainide, until today when the Flecainide worked for a few minutes and my heart went into flutter again. I took beta blockers given prior to my ablation and it controlled it in 3 hours. So I guess my question is, is it normal to get your flutter symptoms back after being without for 2 weeks after ablation and is it likely my Fib will subside when my heart calms down after the ablation? Thanks.

[jennydog]

It's very early days in your recovery journey. After my ablation for AF I didn't feel my heart for 6 weeks. Then mild and occasional AF started and continues. I don't think that you will be able to judge the result of your ablation for another couple of months.

Be patient, be kind to yourself and keep a diary of events to show your EP at your next checkup.

[Lynnels in reply to jennydog]

Thank you for your reply. I suppose I was expecting to still feel things straight after and then for them to hopefully subside not feel fine and then things to pick up again. I know I'll have to wait and see but just wondered if anyone else had had things happen this way round.

[BobD Volunteer]

It really is very early days but surely you have contact details for the arrhythmia nurse specialist where you had eh ablation done? Call her/him and explain your concerns and if there is any advice.. Frankly I would at least get approval for what you are doing drug wise as this could be the wrong thing .

[Lynnels in reply to BobD]

Thank you. Left 2 messages now on the specialist nurses answerphone over the past 2 weeks and not heard back yet. Spoke to Cath Lab sister on day two as was given their number also but she just said phone specialist arrhythmia nurses. I'll see how I go. Just seemed odd to have nothing and then for things to return. I suppose I expected it to be the other way around.

[RichMert]

I would suggest an ECG just to see what is happening now. ditto that it is probably too early to tell. In theory you should be off the drugs after the ablation so, I would see what the ECG reveals.