Av node ablation

[shirlygirly]

Hi, Havent posted for a while but Im now really looking for answers

to my question. I had pacemaker fitted mid September as my af had

got out of control and Im intolerant of beta blockers. I felt I had run

out of options but was very reluctant yet seemed no other choice.

The pacemaker didnt make any difference on its own so went for

the av node ablation which I had a week ago exactly. Whilst I was in

hospital, just overnight I felt ok as I was first few days at home, but

as I wasnt really given much advice apart from take it slowly, rest etc

that was it. My pacemaker is set at 80 thats all I know, going in a month for

to PM clinic. Im generally very active so the last 6 months havent gone

down too well but I have been good. My problem is that something like

making the bed, filling the washing machine causes breathlessness and just simple things tire me out. I fall asleep mid afternoon a thing Ive never done.

How long will it take before Im feeling like my old self or at least have some

energy. I dont want to moan but just want to feel even slightly more energetic than I do now. What are the dos and donts. I so want to go into town on my own but at the moment I know I couldnt do that. How long before I will feel

able to do my own thing again. I think a few of you have had this procedure.

Any advicevwould be appreciated, thanks so much.

[CDreamer]

Hi and interested to hear about your experience. I also had PM implant at about the same time in September but that did really help my symptoms of AF.

A week is not long enough for your body to recover - I would suspect it is a matter of time and patience and listening to your body and building your confidence by taking small, gradual steps.

I will also be interested in others responses. What type of PM did you have?

[Gincalpe]

It takes more than a week to recover and feel better as your heart needs lots of rest and time to recover. Contact your arrythmia nurse if you are concerned. Hope you feel better soon.

[shirlygirly in reply to Gincalpe]

Thank you so much for your replies. I had a 3 lead PM, it was done

by an EP but not the one I usually see as he was on holiday and my

situation had deteriorated. It was a nightmare actually, very very painful

and I wished I had waited for my EP, he himself said that, but needs

must. Quite a lot went wrong but alls well in the end.

The only thing I ask myself is, he doubled my dose of bisoprolol because

he thought I would be ok with the help of the PM. I took 1.25mg because

any more made me extremely breathless and when he doubled the dose

the PM had no effect and I was left extremely breathless and unable to

walk very far or do much. I was like that until my av node ablation on

February 4th. It seems to me I would probably have been better off just

on my regular dose of bisoprolol but what do I know.

I know that Im expecting too much really its very early days, I have got

a bit depressed at the speed my af developed into out of control, when

I was doing ok for so long.

Sorry for the long rant, I was just hoping for a reply from someone who

had the same proceedure to compare notes.

On the positive side my heart is perfect, not a single blip I just cannot

feel anything even a beat!!

[shirlygirly]

Sorry didnt make that clearer, that was when he had just fitted the PM. I only take my anticoagulant now. I go for PM check early March

so Im hoping to find out a bit more. How do they decide what your

PM needs to be set at?. I understand that makes a difference.

When do you stop feeling like a robot !!!

Thanks Happyjo

[NanaSews01]

Good morning Shirley, your story is exactly my experience. I had AV ablation almost two weeks ago. My pacemaker was set at 80 and my heart and BP soared with any activity. I saw EP last Tuesday and my EP set the pacemaker rate to 70 and the pacemaker response to fifty percent. Now I am having frequent PVC’s that are causing my heart rate to drop into the 40’s and it takes the pacemaker about ten seconds to kick in. My EP said that the pacemaker was resetting itself. He then put me back on metoprolol and said that should hold the PVC’s down. Now I am waiting to see if it makes things better or not. I too have not done much but sleep. I am frustrated. Take care and feel better soon.

[shirlygirly in reply to NanaSews01]

Oh dear you sound exactly like me, what a b..... Its just that I feel I

made a huge sacrifice and like you you expect the results will be

'normal life' resumes. You too are new to this game and nobody

ever promises it will be perfect. Inkeep scouring the net for any information because I feel at least you know what they are talking

about. I can talk to my EP so I will be quizzing him at my next appointment because hes the one that calls the shots and decides

what rate the PM needs to be set at.

For the time being I guess we will have to go with the flow and try

and take it easy. It is hard Im trying to get a few jobs done today,

doesnt the sun show up all the dust. Its a bit late to train my hubby

ive always been chief cook and bottle washer and at 83 hes not

going to change. Hes recently developed a 'signature dish' boiled

eggs which he does perfectly so we wont starve!!

Thanks so much for your reply.

[NanaSews01]

I know What you mean. My husband does lend a hand to do the grocery shopping and washes the dishes but laundry and cooking don’t happen u less I do them. One day at a time and don’t stress yourself.