Afib Ablation

[Appelonia]

Hi. I am a new member, aged 72, and just had an ablation for AFIB nine days ago. I am still very sort of breath on exertion. Did others have this experience and how long did it last? Thanks.

[BobD Volunteer]

I know that you have already seen one of my posts from about 6 years ago but yes this is normal. If you go to AF Association under patient information---fact sheets , there is one on recovering from ablation which we compiled to help people not worry when new things happen to them. Another thing nobody will have told you about is migraine aura which often occurs afterwards.

[Appelonia in reply to BobD]

Thanks BobD for your quick response! I'm having trouble finding the fact sheet you mentioned. Is there a link that could direct me to that?

[baba in reply to Appelonia]

healthunlocked.com/api/redi...

[Appelonia in reply to baba]

Thank you.

[Quilafizz]

Hi Appelonia,

I noticed you are from the USA, as am I. For as many ablations as we perform, the post-operative information is awful. I seriously was told that I could go back to work after 3 days. What a joke. I had my ablation exactly 1 year ago at age 49. I worked out 6 days a week prior to that and was extremely fit. I could barely walk up the stairs for months without getting short of breath after the ablation. It probably took a solid 9 months to feel normal again.

This is NOT a heart 'procedure'. It is a heart surgery. When you think about it that way, you can appreciate everything your heart has been through and be patient with yourself regarding healing. Take it slow and easy and put your heart, not your head first.

Just for the record, I am an Emergency Room Doctor. When my E.P. kept correcting me that this was a 'procedure', I asked him to explain this rationale since I had arterial lines in my groin, wrist and neck, a hole punctured through the wall of my heart, 4 pulmonary vessels frozen, numerous cardiac medications and blood thinners I.V. and general anesthesia.

His response was, "We are required to say this is a procedure and not a surgery. It is less scary to the patient".

In reality, it is only misleading to the patient and causes unnecessary anxiety when post-op symptoms occur, which is almost always.

Ablations are a big deal. Your heart is going to be pissy for a while as are your lungs since the major vessels leading to them have all been freezer-burned and are inflamed and temporarily narrowed. So be sweet to your ticker and give it all the time it needs...it just took a beating!

[Appelonia in reply to Quilafizz]

Your post is a godsend. You're so right about the impact and anxiety created by the minimization of this heart "procedure." In spite of my research I was ill prepared for the actuality of it. Thanks too for your explanation about the traumatic impact to heart and lungs. I have a better

understanding now and less fear. Thanks so much!

[Morzine]

Hey don’t worry as bob says it’s pretty normal.....I’m now two months since my ablation......I was like you initially amd as bob says I also got migraine headaches for a bit.........now two months on some days I’m normal other days I definitely feel I lack energy.......I think just cos we haven’t got a big scar we tend to forget it’s our heart that’s been battered somewhat.....you should still be resting as the advice is to be resting the first couple of weeks.....wishing you well, Sue

[Appelonia in reply to Morzine]

Thanks Sue.

[Goldfish7]

Hi Appelonia, I had my second Ablation for PAF last November and am still breathless and experiencing fatigue, weird heart rhythms, occasional sharp pains, and other assorted odd symptoms which have prevented me from returning to work. My specialist team are saying not to worry as the healing process can vary wildly between people and between different ablations (My 1st one took months to totally settle down but I had returned to work within a month or two). So please don't worry. I think a lot of the printed advice received medically is optimistic to say the least and the advice from my specialist team verbally appears to underline that its actually normal to need significantly longer than 2 weeks to recover. Please don't worry.

[Appelonia in reply to Goldfish7]

Thank you Goldfish 7. These words of encouragement and more accurate information help a lot. Good wishes to us both for our ongoing recovery journey!

[Dodie117]

You should be getting lots of rest at the moment and then gradually short walks and build up. It took me 5 months for all odd bumps and arrhythmias to stop and almost a year for my resting heart beat to return to normal.

That was in 2013 and still AF free.

So take care of yourself, be patient and stay positive. Good luck 🍀

[Appelonia in reply to Dodie117]

Wow. 5 months and a year. I'm sorry it took that long but it sure let's me now I should adjust my expectations and give myself time to heal at my own pace. Thank you.

[cuore in reply to Dodie117]

Wonderful! You are in your 6th year, Iallym. Was this after one ablation?

[Dodie117 in reply to cuore]

Yes, just the one so very lucky so far.

[cuore in reply to Dodie117]

So far, in this forum, the ones who have had a span of years , say 6 to 10, without reoccurrence after the healing period were paroxysmal and with up to 3 ablations. I have yet to come across someone who was persistent and only one ablation or even up to three with the same AF free span. I will have to pool by writing a separate post.

I was six months persistent, have had two ablations and am scheduled for a third. I do think about reoccurrence.

[Dodie117 in reply to cuore]

I was paroxysmal

[Hidden]

I was 49 when I had mine, took 6 months to get back to pre ablation fitness.

You will get there, it just takes time, and of course any meds you are on may well cause some unwanted issues like shortness of breath

[Rhspw in reply to Hidden]

When my husband had the procedure done, we found out his breathlessness was due to them hitting a phrenic nerve which caused him to have a paralyzed diaphragm. It eventually healed a year later. You could ask the dr about it and ask him to order a sniff test if really concerned. Btw, There is nothing they can do for it and it typically heals within a year. Sometimes it is permanent, but most of the time it heals itself. Sorry you are suffering.

[Appelonia in reply to Rhspw]

Thanks for the info & support.

[Appelonia in reply to Hidden]

I've wondered about the meds. I'm still on diltiazem 360 mg per day which I know makes me very tired. How long did you have to stay on heart meds? (I'm told i must be on coumadin for life.)

[Hidden]

A little over 12 months before getting off the bisoprolol , digoxin and amiodarone were stopped before my ablation