Hello everyone. I went to the hospital yesterday at 5:30 AM and had my ablation at 7:30 AM. The doctor said that it went very well better than he had hoped for. Today I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. I had General Anastasia and I think they used the tube that was too Big and it really messed up my throat etc. I think they cardioverted me because my chest is a little bit sore but I will find that out today when I go to his office he wants to see me at 10 o’clock this morning. I wasn’t able to urinate very much at all when I left the hospital but I drank tons of water last night with electrolytes and have now begun to urinate. I have a bad headache but no aura as you all describe. My doctor took me off of all medications except Eliquis and a half of my blood pressure medicine which is very low dose to begin with. My heart rate is between 87 and 91 which I’m not sure why it’s still high but I will address that with him when I go in this morning. The thing that’s bothering me most is that my throat is so torn up. I’m in normal sinus rhythm and I feel good about that of course but I do feel like I’ve been hit by a truck today. I don’t know if this is normal or if it’s just me and I’m ultra sensitive. I’m hoping tomorrow will be a better day I’m glad I did it and I thank you all for your support. Especially since he feels that he got all the areas and that it was very successful but only time will Tell that. I’m glad I listen to all of you about going for it. Of course I don’t know why am saying that because I feel like I got run over but I know that I’ll be happy about it soon at least happier! Bless you all😊
Ablation yesterday: Hello everyone. I... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Ablation yesterday
Pleased it went well, good luck with the appointment later this morning when you'll have a few more things clarified!
Thank you yes I would like to get a few more answers it’s funny how you have more questions afterwards then before. Take good care
A sore throat is normal. My EP said there’s all sorts down there like the transoesophageal echocardiogram (TOE) which checks for any blood clots at the back of the heart and if it’s a RF ablation which uses heat, they have a temperature probe in the esophagus to monitor things (that can be for a few hours depending on the time needed). I’ve had 4 ablations and it’s normal to feel like you’ve been hit by a truck. It’s also normal for the heart rate to be raised after an ablation. You should see it drop over time. I hope you have someone that can spoil you and you can sit back, relax and recover.
Just take it very easy for a couple of weeks now 😊
I didn’t have any problem at all with my throat after my first ablation but after the second I had difficulty swallowing properly for a couple of weeks. It still doesn’t feel quite right 2 months later - I think my voice is softer.
I am afraid these are all things that?regularly follow an ablation.
As time passes you will feel your old self again but you must be patient.
Your heart sounds like it is behaving, the rate sounds about right for this stage and of course being in NSR is just what you need. It has been through a lot although you can’t see it with your own eyes.
Don’t do anything more than lifting a cup if tea or coffee or maybe the TV remote for at least 2 weeks. After that you must gradually but very gradually get back to doing normal activities (no marathons!).
Pete
No no marathons. I managed to pick something up in the hospital so now I have a fever I’m 99.5 so maybe the problem in my throat is not just all ET tube. Oh well as it goes.
A throat infection is not good at the best of time. Good that you have seen the EP already and that he is treating the infection for you.
Hope you feel better soon and can get on with recovering from the ablation.
Pete
It's good to hear that you're in sinus rhythm.
I've had three ablations and never once had a sore throat afterwards, but it certainly looks like others have.
Please let us know what your EP says.
Jean
I saw the EP today and he put me on Augmentin. He doesn’t want me to get an infection and my glands on my left side are swollen and he’s not sure exactly what’s going on but it needs attention. He actually wants me to come back tomorrow and I asked him how many spots or areas he had to oblate and he said a lot of area both on the right and the left side of my heart. He said that it’s good that we did it. He did not have to cardiovert me and he used radio frequency which is heat. Honestly I feel exhausted and my husband and my daughter just went to the dodger game and I’m thankful. I really encourage them to go so I can get some rest!!Thank you all of you it’s so good to be able to talk about these things with people who understand.
Please show these replies to your husband and daughter - they need to be running around looking after you, not the other way around! You sit, drink warm drinks and be tended on hand and foot for at least a week.
Just because you haven’t a scar down your chest doesn’t mean you are going to be immediately OK. You will take time, sometimes much, much longer than we think to recover and to heal. Do too much, too soon and you will undo all the good work of the ablation.
That’s you told - so just pass it on. Very best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Thank you for your reply. I actually was glad that they went to the dodger game because I have a 10-year-old daughter. She’s full of energy and it’s hard for her to understand in many ways what’s going on with me. We are older parents and so it was kind of a relief to just have many hours to sleep. I will show him the post though that’s for sure!I have to go back to the doctor today and it’s such a pain. I don’t know why I have had a difficult recovery but then maybe as you all say this is very common. I read one post earlier on where someone said that they felt chipper as a jaybird the next day. That’s what I was hoping for!! I agree with you that I don’t want to undo all the good that’s been done. My husband asked me how long I was planning to take off work and honestly I only wanted to take a week. But I see that that is not a reasonable amount of time to recover. I am not fragile and never have been I am a hard worker and I always work through my illnesses. I had a hysterectomy in 2002 and was back to work in a week. That wasn’t the brightest thing to do but that’s just unfortunately the way I’m wired. But I will tell you I have met my match with this a ablasion plus I’m a lot older than I was when I had that surgery in 2002. Thank you all for your comments it is so reassuring to know that there is a place to just say how you’re feeling and people understand I will always respect anyone now that has this procedure it is definitely not a walk in the park.😊
My throat was sore for days following my ablation.
My HR was also raised (90-100 bpm) for months following my ablation, IIRC it took 9 months to get it down. It is now in the mid 50's with no beta blockers required.
It's early day's , try and rest and relax
After my ablation 12 months ago I also had an awful sore throat and esophagus. I realised later the TOE had caused the pain but it was very disturbing at the time
Good luck
Thank you. I see now it’s common. How are you doing now?
So far so good. I had persistent flutter and A Fib and neither have returned in past 12 months. My excellent EP said on my last check “we nailed it”. But then said there are no guarantees and it can always return. But so I feel good in NSR
The throat will heal. A 4 week course of PPI’s will help as they did me
I too suffered from a sore throat after ablation, and also gastric reflux, worst I have ever had, not sure what caused this.
Good to hear it was successful but now you need time and patience to recover. Can take up to six months for odd beats etc to stop and a year before heart rate goes back to normal. Good luck 🍀
I'm now 5 days on from mine and I still feel - although on the mend - as you describe. I think many people are either luckier than me and you, or, for some reason, have a different experience. The throat feelings you describe are what I had but they will diminish over the next days. Paracetamol will help a little.
The worst feeling I have now is a physical awareness of my heart, or something like that, a feeling as if I have a balloon under my left rib, slight chest pressure and pain, along with a slight shortness of breath, which all combine to bring a lot of fear.
But... I can see light at the end of what has been a rather dark tunnel. I had permanent atrial flutter, not fibrillation, and, frankly, it was awful and quite incapacitating. The ablation seems to have returned normal rhythm, so, once I'm off the 2.5mg bisoprolol, I'm hoping I'll begin to feel a bit more like my old self.
Here is a very useful website from a US doctor that "tells it as it is". You'll find it very useful, I think. My family and I did:
drjohnm.org/2014/12/ten-thi...
I’m glad your going in the right direction but still that pain under your rib is unsettling. The throat soreness is a constant reminder of the procedure we experienced. What does the flutter feel like constantly? Do you feel light headed all the time? How long did you have that problem for? I am so glad you are in NSR. I hope it stays that way forever. I will take a look at the article. Than you for sending it to me. Get rest and be good to yourself. 😊
Hi - I've just written a post that I think answers the questions you've asked. I forgot to mention the light-headedness. That has disappeared but was easily one of the most debilitating symptoms when I had the flutter. I realise that the bisoprolol might have contributed - I just can't know what was the illness and what was the drug. I didn't feel as if the drug had been the cause, though.
The feelings caused by the permanent flutter were awful - extraordinary tiredness, and if I pushed myself too far (which I did twice, the second time taking me to hospital), mild chest pain, light-headedness, a feeling of breathlessness and the most frightening of all, a kind of inner feeling of doom.
I do hope the ablation brings me fully back to health as the whole experience has been truly awful.
All of that sounds terrible for you. I figured that you had a lot of dizziness or lightheadedness because I have heard that about flutter. This common problem that we all share is really ominous at times, but we put a smile on our face but sometimes it’s not easy is it? That feeling of doom is awful and I hope you never experience that again.I’m glad that you are feeling better and I pray that the ablation helps you with this issue. Take good care
That was a very kind and pleasant thing to read. Thank you. I am feeling much better today for sure and look forward to continuing improvement - especially once I can stop the bisoprolol, maybe, in a few days? I hope you also continue on an upward trend, well - of course you will. Some people breeze through this, I can see that - just not all of us!
Absolutely agree that Dr. John Mandrola is a wonderful resource!
I was fine after mine but as others have said they felt like you. I wonder if some of the 'hit by truck' feeling is because you have a fever.
I'm glad your EP is looking after you closely and all going well with they heart to date.
Take it easy and keep us posted.
😀
Amanda
I’m in the US. In California. I asked to go home and they allowed it. I had so many drugs in me I felt ok until they wore off. I have an indefinite my throat and lymph glands pretty bad. I look like a chipmunk. I don’t k ow how that happened so quickly. I’m staying in NSR and usually when I took antibiotics in the past they put me in afib. That’s not happening so that a good thing for sure! Sounds awful to bite your tongue. We’re you completely out for the cV?
Morning Horse57 how are you Im in texas. Had tachycardia ablation in my right groin yesterday morning at 6 am. My vitals looked good in recovery so they sent me home by 430 in afternoon. Well last nite I too felt that i was hit in d chest. Chest was tight n shortness of breath and sore throat... trying to rest. But it woke me out of my sleep.. anything else u think we shud do at home to ease the feeling??
I’m so sorry you’re dealing with that. I realized last night that sleep is very important. I kind of didn’t realize that I had such a serious surgery until Ppimana kind person posted that article about Ablations. I mean I knew that it was serious but I didn’t think about 50 to 80 burns in my heart. I think rest is the key here as everyone is saying and not to be underestimated. There are wise voices on this blog and I will take heed. How is the tightness in your chest now. I understand that it is from the tube and that it is normal as my EP told me that it will last several days. I hope you’re doing well this morning. Take good care of yourself and keep us posted.
I think you will find a few days will be what you need before the feelings go away slowly and you begin to feel better. I am on day five and still have chest pressure and tiredness - but this might be the tablets (bisoprolol) as well as the ablation. It's clear that some of us have a different response to the procedure than others. I wish you well - and please do keep posting to say how you are doing!
Steve
Thanks for telling us as forewarned is forearmed and knowing what to expect takes away a lot of dread... So you are carrying out a public service... Keep us up to date with your journey eh ? I suggest gargling with whisky and ginger (any excuse )... Sick of doctoring right now what with MS (in remission) and prostate cancer (zapped with cyberknife), and now atrial flutter...... My calendar is full of specialists, and now a colonoscopy the following week ! That's all I need... We need a medal ! Good news is that once we attend to these inconveniences and get em patched, we should pose a threat to the pension scheme's solvency for decades to come !
Well done. I had the most awful sore throat for days afterwards. I think it is partly the camera they use to map the heart and I don’t know how long you were under but mine took 5 hours. Still worth it if it has done the trick. You will soon bounce back!
Five hours is a long time. What did they have to do for you. I think my surgery was about 3 1/2. One thing I noticed is going into the Cath Lab is like going into outer space. It reminds me of a planes cockpit. A little intimidating.
He just found extra bits he wanted to do and I think after 2 failed cardioversions he was pretty determined to get it sorted. Also once under a general I suppose they can take it their own speed. I had a check up this week after wearing a monitor for a week and all still ok and as I am 9 months down the line he is pretty pleased with himself!!!
Excellent!
Thank you so much.
Do you agree with him? There are so many schools of thought.
You could have been describing me on April 12 - the day after the catheter ablation with general anesthesia.
There are excellent materials on this site and on Dr. John Mandrola’s USA site -just put in his name. All about what you can really expect recovery to be like.
Takes at least 3 mos for heart to heal and fatigue may continue longer. You may experience breakthrough AFib attacks and you may have post surgical anemia and need extra iron.
The cough is awful / I too have narrow esophagus AND acid reflux. The tube and the anesthesia really did a number on me. Slowly slowly getting better.
Be patient with yourself and don’t panic if you have a few AFib breakthroughs while the scar tissue is forming.
Good luck!
Gosh this happened to you too? I wonder how many others? I am already preparing myself that could experience breakthrough afib. I am so glad. It to be on the other meds. I am of course taking eliqus. I’m so sorry that happened to you! I can say I honestly know what it feels like. My EP said the same things you mentioned. I will look up add Johns Information You take good care😊
We will get there. My last Afib attach post ablation was May 21st, so I do feel that the ablation probably did "work". Also, ask your doctor about magnesium - my GP recommended it to ward off any constipation and generally help relaxation.
Very day is better than the day before. I had a coughing fit this morning as I got this infection in the hospital plus I can’t even eat a banana as it hurts my throat so horribly from the anesthesiologists fine work. I didn’t have any rhythm issues with the coughing thankfully. Before that would be me in afib. Yes to magnesium. I have been reluctant to resume my supplements as I am afraid of aggravating anything. I hope my fear passes soon. I am glad your on the mend. It is a process isn’t it? Take care 😊
Ablation yesterday
Ablation update
Ablation
Sore throat after ablation
