After successful ablation can I eat foods that were once a trigger?

[Dixiegurl]

Caffeine is a trigger for my arrythmias including afib. And I also suspect too much cheese and also spicey foods. My question is can you eat these foods again after ablation if it was successful?

[Hidden]

It should be remembered that ablation is rarely a cure for AF. It improves quality of life. You may well find that you can now enjoy foods which were triggers before . Go carefully and find out. A healthy lifestyle and diet are the things to aim for.

[jeanjeannie50]

I believe you only had your ablation a week ago so you're a little early in asking this question. I certainly wouldn't risk eating anything that normally triggers an attack of AF at this stage. Why not wait a few months. If you find that your AF free then, perhaps introduce those triggers very slowly but myself I'd never touch them again.

Best wishes

Jean

[Dixiegurl in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I know you are right Jean. This part of afib never really occurred to me before, just wondering. I've lost 25 pounds in the last 7 or 8 months from a horrid panic disorder and I am just now beginning to get an appetite back...somewhat. I know I will never do caffeine again ever. Thank you. I'm learning a lot

[caos52 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

agreed - despite only having had the one AF event

[pottypete1]

I have had numerous ablations and now I am avoiding as many triggers as I can think of to be on the safe side as right now I am in NSR and want to stay that way.

Pete

[Dixiegurl in reply to pottypete1]

When I first joined this group I pretty much was under the assumption that after A-fib ablation if it did not return within 3 months or so you were pretty much cured. Well now I am finding out that it can come back in 3 years 4 years or even 10 years later, anytime it wants to. There is no cure. I learn something new every single day. Not totally my doctors fault that I am so uninformed. I had to use a hospital 200 miles away. He explained as best he could in the pre- ablation visit.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Dixiegurl]

Yes ablation should be considered part of on going treatment which of course should also include a better life style. Don't blame your EP as he probably doesn't know having never been in your situation. A few EPs have AF but not many.

I am constantly fighting for more honest and detailed fact sheets about recovery and what to expect as we spend so much time here re-assuring new ablatees that they are normal because "nobody told me". There really is no excuse with this forum,.

[Afibsimon in reply to BobD]

Bob. You are right. There was so little information offered to me having just had my first ablation. I know we can use this forum, however not everybody does surely more could be provided by the hospitals and Ep's. It would be sensible as it may prevent some reoccurrence of Afib following treatment.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Afibsimon]

OK I'm on it. Starting to day to write to people about trying to change this situation. A simple hand out fact sheet would be a start.

[millie-becca-187 in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob, it was the fact that the EP told me I'd be back to 'normal' in less than a week that confused me.

Having read your advice previously and having had two ablations, I know that this is not the reality.

I tried explaining this to the hospital staff, as they yet again gave me the same information on discharge from my 2nd ablation.

They disagreed, and I told them nicely, that I should know as I'd previously had a longer recovery. They didn't like or appreciate my experience and knowledge.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to millie-becca-187]

I know. It is so annoying when EPs tell people they can go back to work in a couple of days.

[Adiepie in reply to BobD]

So true. Eight weeks later, signed off for another four weeks, and just BEGINNING to feel capable of work....

[dmac4646 in reply to BobD]

Had this experience last week , Cryoablation now 1 hour (true) and back at work/ normal following week, to be fair did go through complications , but it’s the post procedure reality even when all is successful seems to be an issue

[Dixiegurl]

I thank God I found this forum.

[Chris1945]

Me too!

[irene75359]

My husband had an arthroscopy and meniscus 'trim' at the beginning of September. He is in more pain now than he was prior to the procedure. I googled 'pain after arthroscopy' and found literally hundreds of links to people going through the same problems as him. He wouldn't be quite so disappointed if his expectations had been managed prior to the surgery. It appears this happens to many people undergoing different procedures - a complete lack of information. It just doesn't make sense.

And when I did get a leaflet for a procedure it said 'some people may experience some discomfort'. My experience was the stuff of nightmares. Use the word pain, please, discomfort suggests slight irritation!

[BobD Volunteer in reply to irene75359]

It is the same with everything Irene . After my prostatectomy I struggle with incontinence and felt a complete failure because of being told it may take a few weeks to learn not to p--- myself. After six months they changed to "oh you are doing ever so well. Lots of people never manage it." FFS!

[dabend36]

Hi Dixiegirl, based on what I have read on this forum, everyone is different. What triggers one person does not trigger another. Ablation works for some people, but not for others. For me, it was hard to determine if I had any triggers. But if I were to guess, I would say lack of hydration was the biggest. Maybe alcohol. Since my ablation 3+ months ago, I have had no problems. And unlike many on this forum, I believe you can be cured of AFIB. (I know it can return, but until it does...) I eat whatever I want. I enjoy the same amount of caffeine I used to have (1 cup of coffee/day) and drink the same amount of alcohol I used to drink (5 - 8 beers/wine a week). I exercise with no restrictions which includes bootcamp-type classes in which my heart rate can be at maximum. All of this with my EP's approval. I consider myself very fortunate that the ablation has worked so far because I know not everyone gets the same result. Bottom line is that if I were you, I would simply ask my EP if he/she thinks you can eat those same foods. My EP seemed to feel that the whole point of the ablation was to fix my AFIB so I COULD do those things again. So far, so good.

[Dixiegurl in reply to dabend36]

Thanks for your reply dabend. So happy ablation has been such a success already for you. I think I need to pay more attention to hydration also.

[mhwhiting in reply to dabend36]

Thanks so much for recounting your positive post ablation experience. While I know it may change tomorrow I am still in SR 2.5 months after my ablation. Happy to report that I am tolerating to bit of coffee and half a bear most days. Just out boogey boarding today.....at 71!