Nightmare Holiday

[Ianp66]

Well just a week off my 3 month check after my cryo ablation most of you know about on 30th April this year, and it's hit the skids big time.

Stupidly Booked a holiday to lanzarote as I have been feeling so well, and been here a week today, though spent the last 4 days battling a cold, throat and chest infection it turned out , which I got admitted for yesterday to the hospital but it didnt end there.

Felt a little unwell past few days and knew my heart was racing a little but put it down do the infection as did the doctor at the med centre Monday. But couldnt sleep night before last and felt awful and short of breath trying to sleep . Went to medical centre yesterday morning and they put me on oxygen and IV antibiotics and steroid drip then did an ecg. Then it all went wrong , they called an ambulance as oxy was very low and my heart was at 145-55 constant though still in sinus .

Rushed in by ambulance , and feeling hard to breath they said I had flutter even though in sinus once examined by their cardiology team . And the breathing issue they diagnosed was my lungs not clearing because of my heart rate, virus etc and they needed to cardio invert asap to slow it down as 3 lots of bisprolol didn't work over and two hours. I agreed and had the cardio done which seems to have worked . Woke and felt better immediately to he honest , and was kept in last night for obs , heart rate dropped and is still in sinus, and BP back down to sensible levels thankfully . Been on a diuretic all night and checked by cardiology at the hospital in arricefe and allowed back the hotel just now with clearance to fly home tonight.

Has anyone had similar, is flutter typical, never had this prior to ablation. Need to speak with team in UK at freeman's today I've left a message just waiting for a callback. Really worried its all messed up or can this just be the virus etc at the centre of it all, I know nobody's medically trained and don't want a definitive, just looking for some views or similar experiences.

Worst thing is I took my son who is the only one with me and at 15 it's totally traumatised him, they said if I didn't invert I would have "heart failure" in front of him I feel so guilty he just totally broke down.

Just need get rest and this 4 hour flight home and him safe with family in UK then il be less worried. Feel such a failure putting him through this and so selfish.

Supposed to be a lovely holiday and turned into a nightmare from hell.

[Hidden]

Really don't blame yourself. You could not have predicted this. We cannot just sit at home worrying, life is for living.

Take time to explain things to your son, if it had been left untreated then you may have suffered heart failure, this is a catch all phrase for your heart not performing well enough, it does not mean you would have died.

Flutter is a possibility following an ablation, it will probably mean you need another ablation for it, but it is a lot easier to treat than AF, and a quicker procedure as they do not have to puncture the heart.

take it easy on your way home, stress is the biggest trigger of AF for me.

Make sure you stay well hydrated on that flight

All the best, it will all be OK

[Ianp66 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks mate, trying not to stress to much. Can't believe I've been OK for months then past week it's just gone this way. Hopefully like you say if it has to be rectified it's not such a big op. Guess I hoped for abit too much and was more worried about him than me really, just need to be home now, hopefully tonight.

[BobD Volunteer]

Life goes on and one needs to live it so please don't blame yourself. It is highly likely that this event was brought on by the virus and would have happened in any case where ever you may have been. I do not think it unusual to be honest . Stay well hydrated and rest as much as you can.

[Ianp66 in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob, I guess your right, was doing well until I fell ill last week with this, but did notice heart rate and BP elevated a few days before, maybe it was the start of it, just need get home now and him safe then il settle.

[Hidden]

Can’t add anything in terms of personal experience but the comments of others say it all. You must be so relieved and thankful for the care you received and that will enable you to make it home safely. Of course it will have been frightening for your son but as you progress, hopefully the unpleasant memories will fade. Wishing you a safe journey home......there is absolutely no reason for you to blame yourself for what happened, life must be lived otherwise what’s the point!

[Ianp66]

Thank you Hospital and doctors, staff etc were excellent, better than some of the UK ones I've attended over the years to be honest. Just be glad to get home, appt with cardiology on weds next week at freeman's see what happens.

[meadfoot]

Oh no what a trauma for you and your son and it could have worked out so well, you were extremely unlucky. First of all I am pleased you are en route home where you will feel safer, no place like home when in medical distress, although it sounds as though you were well cared for in Lanzarote. There was no reason to suspect things would go wrong so you were not irresponsible booking to go away, it's sheer bad luck so please don't punish yourself on that front.

The virus won't have helped which is such bad luck and I hope once back on track you won't let it put you off holidays abroad in the future. I don't think you are the first to experience flutter at this point in your healing phase but not having had an ablation personally there will be plenty of people here with direct experience to compare with.

I just wanted to wish you well, a safe journey home and a return to calm heart health plus relief from the virus ASAP. Thinking of you on your journey home, the medics will sort you and things will improve, be calm.

Best wishes and healing hugs sent your way to you and your son. X

[Ianp66 in reply to meadfoot]

Thanks Mead, spoke to freeman's today they said it Could be a blip or maybe need another look. Trying just to concentrate on the flight home now and getting little fella home without drama, hopefully bit more relaxed once back home. Maybe I should have a given a bit more time or it's just bad luck, like you said be a lot calmer at home x

[Naderz]

Oh i’m sorry about what you had to go through during your holiday but you shouldn’t blame yourself. Where’s the selfishness?!! U wanted to enjoy your holiday with your son! Accidents happen and this was pure bad luck! Stress is ur enemy right now if you wanna remain well till ur back home then you need to relax!!!All will be fine!

Best wishes

[Ianp66 in reply to Naderz]

Your right minds just working overtime I think, just got to get over flight and home now, thank you for your kind words.

[UnaY66]

Ahh - You have being doing so well once back home would get in touch with freeman and fingers crossed you will be back on track - the only thing I get following abilatiln is the odd flutter they are strong enough to stop what I am doing I mention this at my 6 months check up and they said at freeman it's common after an abilation and to be honest they are drifting away - Hope u get sorted I have being doing great since abilation I havnt got the confidence to go abroad maybe one day but I am enjoying life very much AF free x

[Ianp66 in reply to UnaY66]

Thanks Una, great to hear your doing OK, maybe itl settle I may have been doing a bit too much, at freeman next week see what Dr Murray thinks about it all. X

[Gowers]

My elderly neighbour had the exact same thing happen earlier this year in Lanzarote and was rushed to hospital there. He then found out it was a private hospital not covered by his insurance but no problem they sent him to another hospital quite a way further. He said nursing care, ambulance staff etc were second to none, they think it was brought on by infection caught on the plane, which could have happened to anyone. Although like you he regretted putting family through the trauma they also realised the holiday was important - and, as others it could easily have happened back home. Like you he flew home knowing he was already on the road to recovery.

Take care, hope you have safe flight home - and do keep us updated when you can

[Ianp66 in reply to Gowers]

Thank you, back home now, bit of a strange few days, totally exhausted , been to a good hospital local to me at home and they were great, did bloods etc and hooked me up to monitor heart etc, did an ecg, and good thing is still in sinus and no flutter so far. Just woke ad been sleeping for nearly 18 hours, hopefully it settles down and with rest this weekend I'm back on track, thank you for such a reassuring reply.

. Ian.

[Gowers in reply to Ianp66]

18 hours of sleep - you must have been exhausted. Good to hear you have had good care since getting back home.