Ablation for flutter

Hi Is anyone who has had this procedure able to tell me what it is like in terms of pain and recovery times etc? I will be having it in approx 4 weeks and doctors are very casual about it and have said very little I have a re entry arrythmia and they said it responds well to ablation Thank s

[jobristol]

Hi, I had a flutter ablation in October. Didn't have any real pain during procedure, it just felt a little uncomfortable at times but I let them know and they just topped up the sedation. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. My groin was a little sore for a few days after but didn't need to take anything for it. I rested up for a good two weeks taking it very easy, just going for a very short walk after a couple of days and built it up day by day. I've had a couple of times where my Kardia has given me some AF or non classified readings which I sent to Arrhythmia Nurse and she confirmed all was ok and it was ectopic beats, so expect some of them and maybe your heart beating a little fast at times. 5 Months on and I'm doing really well. Am sure it will be the same for you, good luck and try not to worry about the procedure.

[Hidden in reply to jobristol]

Thanks for the reply I am delighted to hear it worked well for you and you are on teh road to recovery

[Ianc2 in reply to jobristol]

Take a book/magazine in with you, after they have finished you have to lie still and let the entry point for the canula heal up, which can take a few hours, you will better straight away so don't push it

[jondeanp]

I had a flutter ablation on 2nd February. Procedure was fine. No issues. Back on the recovery ward after about one hour and back home at tea time.

Heart area felt fine immediately afterwards. Groin wound was probably not even uncomfortable. I was just aware of trying not to aggravate it ie being careful when getting off the sofa.

If i hadn't been warned to do as little as possible for 2 weeks i probably would have felt like just getting on with things as normal straight away.

Good luck

[Hidden in reply to jondeanp]

wow that sounds amazing and a quick successful result!! Long may it continue I will heed all the take it easy for a fortnight advice as it seems to come up over and over

[barabas]

I had both flutter and A-Fib ablations about a month ago. Flutter only ablation is simpler/quicker procedure, apparently, and has higher success rate. Apparently many who have flutter only ablation are released same day, whereas for A-Fib or both almost always hospitalized overnight.

Procedure was painless..out entire time. Pretty tired for a few days after, but was under general anesthesia for quite a while since two procedures. Another person I know had flutter only procedure and was only under local, not general, anesthesia. Groin catheter entry point requires you to take it easy for several days and not lift anything heavy for 5 days or so after.

I did 30 minutes on an elliptical exercise machine, and then played 18 holes of golf, 6 days after the procedure.

Compared to even arthroscopic knee surgeries, the pain is way, way less - and in my case essentially no meaningful pain - and recovery time much shorter.

The only thing I really noticed, which many others on this site have reported, is "unusual sensations" for a while after procedure. Not pain, but feelings of light pressure in upper chest or neck...some shortness of breath if bend over and then stand up quickly. Apparently much of this is caused simply by Rx's that are taken post-procedure for a few months. They lower BP and pulse, so your heart/blood flow doesn't react as quickly to sudden movements. Psychologically these things can be worrisome because they are "new sensations" , but I have checked with MD's several times and even had a post-procedure CT scan....and all was viewed as normal.

Good luck with your procedure, sure it will go well!

[Hidden in reply to barabas]

This sounds good from a pain POV but more complex re recovery which is what I needed to hear! Thank you

[fifitb]

I had an ablation for atrial flutter last July. I want to let you know, that I have a completely different opinion from the others above! I had a local anaesthetic in the groan area. No problem with that in any way and it healed afterwards really well. The procedure itself should have been one and a half hours and ended up being 3 hours - twice as long. It was really uncomfortable and I had to ask them to stop sometimes! I was told this ablation would give me a better quality of life. After the procedure, I had to rest in bed for about 2 hours. Then I got a train home, accompanied by my son, who came over from the USA especially to be with me. Well, I could barely get home without feeling faint and dizzy, and almost collapsing. Since then, I have had so many 'episodes' of AFib some for two hours, some a few minutes and I never know when or why.

Having had no support from my local cardiologist and a few comments of 'oh yes, that is to be expected' from the arrhythmia nurse, I have been referred to a London hospital, where I shall be having an ablation for atrial fibrillation under general anaesthetic. This different cardiologist believes I should have had both types of ablation done at the same time.

This year has been ghastly and my visit to see my new grandson, born 2 weeks ago, is now on hold due to my erratic and very symptomatic episodes of AFib preventing an Atlantic flight, and I am not able to help out with the new baby!!! Also, my part-time work has been interrupted, as I have had 'episodes' on the way to work, or while there! Being so symptomatic, I am unable to carry on. So, although, this atrial flutter procedure may work for you, and some other people, this is to say, that it can not always be the success you hope, and I feel I was not given enough information before the procedure, or during or after!!! Until my new referral!

PS I am very fit in every other way, and most people think I am far younger than my actual age, so it is not because I am physically (or mentally!) falling apart, I have had so many trips to A&E when episodes are extended or heart beat is far too fast and erratic, and they find everything 100%, apart from my electrics!

[barabas in reply to fifitb]

Good points, it sounds like your first MD was really off track. I was first diagnosed with only Atrial Flutter, but it is common that people will have both Flutter and A-Fib, not just one or the other. But, they present at different times so it takes some tracking and analysis to determine if have both.

My EP had me wear a high tech version of a Holter monitor....tapes on to chest for 2 weeks and is like a continual EKG. It records everything on a chip in the device, plus sends the data to a cell phone device that you carry in pocket or on belt. The cell phone device then uploads data to a server continually, runs algorithms against it, and if anything is above warning boundaries, it sends a text message to the EP.

After wearing this device for 2 weeks, it was determined that I did, in fact have both Flutter and A-Fib...which is what they wanted to know before doing the procedure, so could do both at once.

You and Teddy223 may want to inquire about wearing one of these monitoring devices for a couple weeks, before having a procedure, to help confirm what the root cause issues may be.

Best wishes to both of you, know it is stressful!!!

[fifitb in reply to barabas]

Thank you Barabas!

[cuore in reply to fifitb]

Perhaps you might want to ask the question whether your atrial flutter is in the right atrium or the left. Atrial flutter in the right atrium is an easier procedure with a high success rate. Not so for perimitral atrial flutter which is in the left atrium and a more difficult arrhythmia to ablate.

[fifitb in reply to cuore]

As usual, I was not told anything about WHERE it was. I shall have to find out now! Thank you!

[Hidden]

IT is in the right atrium he did say it was an easier one to treat.

[KMRobbo]

I had an afib ablation on 29th January but developed A flutter 9 days later In he right atria. I then had 2.5 weeks hell before having a right atrial ablation for the flutter on 26th Feb.

Both ablations themselves no problem. As others have commented you have much worse pain at the dentists.

I have been In NSR since the ablation. Still on drugs - another month before coming off them. I still am rather tired but really I think this is owing to spending 3.5 weeks mostly in bed owing to the high 140 bpm flutter and the fact I am still on flecainide, diltiazem /etc. when I don't really need them! I can easily walk 7.5 miles cross country in 1 hour 40, despite this " tiredness so I am not at all worried. I was walking a couple of miles 10 days after the ablation. I was being cautious after having the flutter problem immediately after my first ablation .

Best wishes

[Susiebelle]

I did - I had massive bruising all down my leg where they had inserted the catheter for the ablation - and swelling - other than that fine

[Hidden in reply to Susiebelle]

Thanks I did wonder I have had an angiogram many years ago but don't remember how it felt! Mine is scheduled now for next Wednesday so am excited as feeling so unwell win bisoprolol and also scared of the procedure too