Sunshine10

[Beachwave]

Hi. I had ablation 3 wks ago for Afib. I am having more extra beats than ever before. And still tired. Is this even normal? I have a checkup in 4 days but today seems worse than usual. Any ideas? I called dr last week but he didn’t seem concerned. ??

[jedimasterlincoln]

I think three weeks is still pretty early days, your heart has been through major trauma and its very early in the recovery.

[Beachwave in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

Thanks. Think I will stop at health food store on my way home for some magnesium taurate. So if that helps.

[BobD Volunteer]

This is quite normal as you will see if you read our fact sheet on recovering from ablation. This is far from instant and can take from three to six months so please don't worry.

[Beachwave in reply to BobD]

Thank you. I am trying not to worry. Just seems like a whole lot of them. More than before. 😕

[Hidden in reply to Beachwave]

your heart is still angry with you, it takes 3 to 6 months for the scars to heal.

I had a terrible period of palpitations at about the 3 week mark, 2 years on i am still AF free.

As for the tiredness, are you on any medication? A beta blocker is a usual med for Afib, and can cause terrible fatigue.

Also I remember that I did not return to full fitness for at least 3 months after my ablation, I think that professionals play down how long recovery can take

[Beachwave in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Mike. Makes me feel better. Waiting for better days ahead. I am not on any beta blockers just eliquis.

[lizardo in reply to Hidden]

I couldn't agree more. I was told it was 75-95% successful. No mention of what may happen. I was in NSR for a few days post ablation but soon moved to Persistent AF. I am 17 days post op and having a wonderful day today. No sign of AF and the feeling of tiredness that renders me virtually disabled. I am living the dream today that this may continue. I have always recovered so well from major procedures so this continual tiredness is totally foreign to me. I am on a very mild dose of beta blocker, so I do not think that is what is causing my lethargy.

[Hidden in reply to lizardo]

I hope your wonderful day continues.

Don't rule out small doses of a beta blocker making you tired, at one point I was on .65 mg of bisoprol and still feeling the effects

[DrOxford]

Hi Sunshine10, I had my ablation last July (2018) --- I went through a 'horrible' series of what the doctor called 'flutters' that seemed far worse than my afib. This lasted during what they call the 'blanking period' of @ 3 months. During these 3 months, the scars that were made during the ablation are forming and it is these 'healed' scars that block the Afib.

I'm happy to report that I am now Afib free and am very, very rarely having a 'flutter' episode. When I do have the 'flutter', I take an extra tab of Atenlol and it usually resolved in a few hours. I'm feeling much better, more energetic and exercising --- very happy I had the ablation done!

[lizardo in reply to DrOxford]

That is heartening.

[Beachwave in reply to lizardo]

Thanks. I love hearing positive outcomes. Thanks for responding. It does make a difference. 😊

[Bob56]

I do sympathise. It's only natural to think something hasn't worked if you don't feel immediately better, or actually seem worse than before. My AF episodes were definitely more frequent in the first few weeks after the ablation, as were the ectopics after that. I was a good 3 months in before I really started to feel the benefit. I also realised that whilst it would have been great to get off medication completely, I ended up back on a small dose of medication, supported by a "pill in the pocket" which has worked pretty well for me for the last 3 plus years. My prolonged AF episodes are a thing of the past, at least for now, and I live with the ectopics, which you can mitigate to a degree with things such as breathing exercises and supplements eg Magnesium. Hang on in there!

[Beachwave in reply to Bob56]

Thanks Bob. I started the magnesium taurate on Thursday evening. It does seem to be a lot less of the Ectopics. Hope that lasts. Thank God! Have my first checkup on Tuesday this coming week.

Sleeping better. I appreciate your experience as it does help!!

[Bob56]

You are very welcome and hope you continue to improve.