Exercise after one day after ablation, really? Should I?

[RaquelP]

Hi everyone. So Monday I had my cardiac ablation. Found out I have SVT and not Atrial Flutter. I feel great. Meaning I did not expect to feel as well as I am. I have no bruises and feel hardly any pain. EP doc said I could immediately start jogging and working out if I wanted and not to worry about etopics. I'm curious to know if anyone has every been told this by their EP doctors and what y'alls thoughts are about it? I find it surprising that he said I could start doing exercise.

[Sam72-]

Hi , I had my ablation 2 weeks ago for SVT and AFib , I no the AFib ablation is more complicated as they have to pass a needle through the right atrium to the left one . But I do no it's the same procedure going in through the groin . Believe me it's very early days as I feel worse this week than last week now my heart is probably starting to scar inside. However it deapends on how many burns you had done for your SVT ? But eaven then I would not be exercising for at least a week as you don't want to lift anything and bust your groin open. But if your EP has told you to exercise and not worried over that then go for it . Can't see him saying that as he must no what he's doing . If your not taking any anticoagulants then your probably ok to exercise as you have probably clotted in your groin 😊👍🏼 good luck , but please if you start to feel tight chested or very breathless I would stop and rest .

Best wishes

Sam x

[RaquelP in reply to Sam72-]

Thanks Sam. He said it was difficult for him to find the arrhythmia and it took longer for him to find the arrhythmias then his other patients. I truly don't have to bruise near my grion area. I'll may just start walking around my neighborhood frist to see how I feel.

[Sam72- in reply to RaquelP]

They found my SVT before my AFib , that wasn't found easy . Everyone on here has been there so I would listen and also read your body , I can't believe how your body shouts at you 😲 I am 2 weeks down the line and only just walking around a little!! Bob noes his stuff on here 👍🏼❤️😊

[Sydneyside]

Hi Raquel, I had mine on Monday as well. I am feeling better than I expected too. I am not very patient.. but I am trying follow Ep advice to take it very easy for couple of weeks. I need this QOL improvement.

[RaquelP in reply to Sydneyside]

Hi Sydneyside, thank you. This may be a silly question but what does QOL stand for?

[Sydneyside in reply to RaquelP]

Sorry, I was referring to 'quality of life'. I am hoping I can get off some of, if not all, my meds in time. I want to be careful post ablation, to get best benefit. Take care and I wish you the best too!

[Davebe]

Accept the EP's word, but use your own common sense and take things easier than previously. No matter how well you feel you don't want to damage to the good the ablation has done. Maybe ectopics are harmless, but I definitely don't think so. Dave

[RaquelP in reply to Davebe]

Thanks Dave. Your right, I don't want to damage the good ablation that's why I found it strange for him to of said I could start working out immediately. But I am going to take it easy for the first two weeeks. I agree with the advices people on this forum are saying.

[jeanjeannie50]

I certainly wouldn't and like Sam says, you can sometimes feel quite well immediately after the ablation and then gradually start feeling a lot worse.

I'd do nothing for the first week and then just a little the second. Mind you I think we all recover differently depending on how much we've had done during the ablation. Following my first two I felt drained for many weeks afterwards and had lots of bruising.

After the third my EP came and told me I could stop all tablets (apart from anticoagulants) immediately and on the evening after I'd had it done I felt wonderful, but next day I went into high rate atrial flutter and had to stay in hospital. I restarted my tablets, my heart calmed and I was sent home feeling really well and from then on I had none of the extreme fatigue I'd experienced with my other two ablations, very little bruising either.

If you really must do some exercise immediately, just start with a few short walks on the level.

Honestly, you will regret it if you attempt to do too much and your heart goes back into AF.

Best wishes.

Jean

[RaquelP in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you Jean. I'll take it slow.

[BobD Volunteer]

I am horrified by that advice. I was told after my third ablation not to screw it up like the first two. Do nothing for the first week and not a lot more the second. Here in Uk we have the rule TV remote only for the first week and second you can make the tea (or coffee). Your call but for goodness sake listen to your body and if it starts shouting at you then stop it.

[RaquelP in reply to BobD]

I like the TV remote rule. Lol. After reading all the responses. I will take it slow. I'm not in a rush to start working out. I just found it odd that he would state that after one day of ablation.

[CliveP]

I was told the same by my EP after my ablation. Inignored him.

I'm a runner and was determined to return to as close as I could to my previous exercise levels.

A big part of that was allowing my heart to heal fully before returning to exercise. I did as advised here, nothing for a week then little more after that. I resumed dog walking after 2 weeks ( very slowly). i did no more than that for 3 months. No running, nothing remotely strenuous.

When I returned to running I started really slowly and for very short distances. I used a heart rate monitor and kept my rate down in zones 1 and 2.

I did this for a further 3 months and then started to slowly increase my distance and pace.

I'm currently running just as fast as I did pre AF. Indeed I've recently set Several PB's . Last Sunday I ran a hilly half marathon and finished respectably in the middle of the field.

I have been lucky I'm sure but I have had no AF at all in the year since my ablation. I can't help but be glad I took a cautious approach to my return to exercise.

[RaquelP in reply to CliveP]

Hi CliveP, thanks for the advice and breaking down the steps and time of how you set your pace.

[Hidden in reply to CliveP]

Hello Clive

I don't know why but this thread appeared in my news feed. I read your post and though not asked, I felt it reasonable to share my experience with you.

I exercised obsessively for nearly 50 years. I developed PAF.

My EP found I had advanced atrial fibrosis out of all proportion to my AF burden. He said there was probably a connection between my exercise habit and the atrial damage.

I wonder if we are wrongly reassured by a low AF burden after ablation.

I believe AF is seen in part at least, as due to inflammation. Over exercise is pro inflammatory.

You describe setting further personal bests in your long distance running. Your lack of further AF is great news, but I don't think it is necessarily indicative that you are protected from further remodelling of the left atrium.

Is your EP happy that your exercise regime has intensified?

I hope my advice, kindly intended, is not seen as intrusive. I recognise it will not be welcome, my response to being told to cut right back on my exercise was a real blow at the time.

[Jajarunner in reply to CliveP]

That's great! I'm going to have mine in march and hope to return to my old running speed.( Slow but not as slow as it is now.on betablockers). I was planning on a slow return but thinking six weeks rather than three months so that's good.to.know.

It took me.over three months to get over 5.5 weeks of Afib and a cardioversion so I suppose that is more realistic.

Thank you for the encouragement!!