back in a-fib post ablation

[Norman17]

So, about two and a half weeks after ablation, I kicked back into a-fib this week. The problem is that the a-fib is worse now than it was before the ablation. Is this normal? I'm scheduled to have another cardioversion next Friday to see if I can get back into sinus rhythm. If not, I'm back for ablation #2 at the end of August. This is really, really frustrating. I'm a former mountain bike racer, and now I can't even ride 200 meters without feeling faint.

[jedimasterlincoln]

I get the frustration. I was a keen 10mile a day shift worker and regularly hit 10 miles walking in the Peak District on my days off. I'm not doing that any more. I'm 37 and at my most unstable I feel 77.

2 and half weeks isn't a massive amount of time at all, and it's well within the 3-6 months period where things like this can be attributed to the ablation and not the return of AF due to ablation failure. But if you need a little bump to get back into NSR it's probably best it happens sooner rather than later so that the pathways heal the right way - so it's good it's next Friday.

Did you maintain any medications post-ablation?

[Norman17 in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

I'm on diltiazem once per day and flecainide 2x per day. Dosage was upped to 75 mg/per dose after I slipped back into a-fib this week. Of course, I'm also on Eliquis and another med (can't remember the name) for the post-ablation heartburn (which I haven't really experienced.)

[BobD Volunteer]

Firstly don't even think about riding yet and if you already have then shame on you. Your heart needs three to six months to fully recover and you really should not go anywhere near the bike for at least two weeks after you DCCV.

[Norman17 in reply to BobD]

I expressly was cleared by my cardiologist after my ablation to engage in limited post-ablation exercise - including slow, very short rides - after the first week.

[Hidden in reply to Norman17]

Sorry Norman, but you ought to consider what you have been through and treat the recovery process with some consideration rather than just listen to what you want to hear from your Cardiologist.

By your own admission you anticipated that success with just one ablation might be a challenge. Assuming your groin was or may still be heavily bruised where they inserted the catheters, spare a thought for what the inside of your heart must look like after all the prodding, poking freezing and/or burning it experienced less than a month ago.

You might find it helpful if you take a look at the "pinned posts" to the right of this this page and click on "Recovering from an Ablation". Scroll down some of the posts and you will quickly find a link to a factsheet which you should find helpful.

Of course, the choice is yours, but you need to consider the sensible route to getting the best possible result from your ablation.

[wilsond in reply to Norman17]

Most cardiologist s haven't had an ablation and it seems from comnents on here that they wildly underestimate recovery time and effect on heart. You may not have had open heart surgery but your heart has been traumatised..please rest

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

It is not at all uncommon to have episodes of Afib in the early post ablation weeks and months. It takes 3-6 months for the heart to heal. The actual work of the ablation is not complete until then, and the success rides by a great deal in how carefully we recover to let those ablated areas heal. It's not like other surgeries where the surgery itself is the entire repair. It takes time for those "fences" to form to keep the electrical impulses from jumping over. I too had a couple solid weeks of Afib after my ablation and required a couple cardiofversions and some meds to help support my healing heart. It's been 4 years of NSR since then. The biggest. gift you can give your heart is that full 3-6 months before pushing it with endurance exercise. Rest well. You only get one chance to heal perfectly from this ablation!

[Norman17 in reply to SRMGrandma]

I had persistent a-fib for at least a year or more pre-ablation and my first cardioversion lasted about an hour or two, so I had anticipated having to be ablated more than once. I am just surprised how much worse the a-fib is now than it was before the ablation.

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

If you think about it. Your heart just had countless burns (or freezings depending on the type of ablation) and it has. to heal without benefit of any creams or bandaids. It is angry and inflamed, so it makes perfect sense that the Afib can come on strong during this time. My first post ablation cardioversion lasted about an hour....just enough time to get me home from the hospital. It wasn't until another 10 days later when I had plenty of Propafenone on board that the next cardioversion worked and I've been in rhythm ever since! Being patient is really, really tough. People think nothing of giving that new hip or knee a good 6-8 weeks to heal, but they tend to expect their heart to just be fine at the end of a day's ablating! Wishing you patience, peace while you wait, and NSR

[Brad43]

My ablation was exactly a year ago. For the first few months after, the AF was worse than before and I regretted getting the ablation. But after those few months, I had an episode only about 1 per month for a few more months (down from about once per 2 or 3 days pre-ablation), and haven't had an episode for more than 2 months now. Nor do I have any noticeable number of skipped beats, which I had lots of before. It might come back some day, but for now I'm very much pleased with the outcome.

[ChrisR64]

I completely understand what you are experiencing. I ran 12 marathons and multiple 1/2s prior to my ablation in May last year. About 2-3 weeks afterwards I experienced multiple bouts of Afib daily (PAF). After about 6 weeks, it went away. Don’t lose heart. It takes more time to heal than you want it to. I’ve run two half marathons this year.

[Leeson]

My cardiologist said treat the ablation like you would open heart surgery for recovery, as the heart has been traumatised and I needed three months of r and r and give the heart time to heal.

[Nanabrodie]

I had an ablation in April 2017 but after 9 weeks my AF came back and like you was worse and happening at least weekly. I had a second ablation in the August that same year and have been AF free ever since. Before the ablation I just thought I was terribly unfit couldn’t breath after climbing up hills etc but now that doesn’t happen at all.

[Amurray77]

My a fib comes about once a month. My metropolol makes me tired if I am not active, I fall asleep. I take Flec as a PIP. Had ablation 1 in Nov 18. Now my episodes are faster and I sweat like crazy and get dizzy. I working on getting my second. Oh fun.

[Hidden]

So sorry to hear about your experience and do hope you get sorted soon. As the drugs are all based on the average male I thought men were at an advantage with AF but it seems not in your case!

[Ianc2]

Beg, borrow, steal or buy a copy of 'The Haywire Heart' written by John Mandrola and others. He is a cyclist, a Doctor and Afibber. Fascinating book, lots of case studies and plenty of thought provoking information. Take it easy for a while, gently does it.

[johnMiosh]

Road and track cyclist here and know exactly what you are going through. Advice given to athletes often underestimates the recovery needed, possibly because cardiologists underestimate the level of sffort that we see as normal. Look back at my posts, I logged my recovery in detail. I wasn't in AF as much as you, but the attacks over the first few weeks were very disheartening. I have now been AF and drug free for over two years.