When I had my ablation earlier this year, there were a few others that posted with similar experiences, many of us exchanged posts and we learned from each other. I would really like to hear how your getting on, normally the lack of posts is a good sign so hopefully your all recovering well.
Ablation Recovery: When I had my... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Ablation Recovery
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Shcldavies
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Almost 4 weeks post ablation had a lot of skipped beats at the start but they have settled down to a couple a day but still don’t feel as great as I should do, I think with me it’s the anxiety of don’t want to push my heart to hard until I know the ablation has worked but I suppose it’s still early days yet
Thank you, thats good news, it does take time, I am sure you will keep recovering but there will be few hiccups on the way
Thank you mate 👍🏼
6 months post ablation. Rocky few weeks after the procedure but things pretty good since apart from skipped beats. Have reduced my flecanaide right down but can’t seem to come off it completely which is a touch frustrating.
Thats good, similar to my recovery, hope it continues
My last ablation was in March and I’m so much better than I was. I’m back at work after 12 months off although I’ve gone back 3 days a week rather than full time. I’ve had a few minor bumps which my EP said is to be expected. Last week I had a 2 hour AF episode which is the longest since the ablation. My medication has been reduced but I’ll stay on a low dose of a beta blocker and the anticoagulant. Life is definitely on the up and up.
Good, hope all is well after last week.
So far so good 🤞🏻
My full story is in my bio - I am 4.5 months post ablation - the 6 hour under GA kind. Still struggling with super low energy, dizziness and even feeling sick to my stomach when I do more than ten minutes of normal activity.
Unlike most, my ablation did not work - so I have a pacemaker and am still on a full course of meds including the "zombie drug" - amiodarone.
~shrugs~ I guess this is better than the alternative 
Wow you sound alot like me.
Mine has been going on since 2015. Although I have the MRI Compatable Pacemaker they still are too scared to do one. Leaves me the fun cycle of trying different medications till something works. Still trying.
I hope your Doctors figure out what's happening with you soon. Take care
You have been through the mill, must be hard keeping positive after all that but keeping a positive attitude is a must. I know it will take time for your body to adjust but your heart is a strong and robust organ that does its best to fix itself when it can - just takes time. I would not be surprised if your kidney problems has a major factor in your heart as well. Keep positive and keep us informed of your progress.
As someone who hasn't yet had an ablation, I'm very grateful to all you people for taking the time to describe your post-ablation experiences (both in response to Shcldavies in the original post and on other occasions). Reading what other people say is enormously helpful to me in working out what to expect. Best wishes to you all for healthful recovery.
Yes I found the same before my ablation. Please remember that you are not getting a true reflection as many with successful ablations do not continue to post. The other thing is that the ablations are all for different conditions, for example an AF ablation will likely improve your Quality of Life significantly but unlikely fix the problem, an Aflutter ablation will likely fix the problem.
I had mine in March. Off all medication. I have been pretty good.
I still get the odd run of af for a few seconds every now and again but it doesn't feel the same as it used to (e.g. it doesn't feel as bad - not the same).
On my 3 month follow up wore a monitor and it picked up a run and EP said we may need to go for 2nd ablation but can look at again and re-assess in 1 year check up.
I would have another if warranted without hesitation. I now have hernia surgery to look foward to later this year. Nervous about this too but hopefully goes well too!
Thank you, similar to my recovery. I am sure your hernia procedure will be a walk in. the park.
Had mine last November. Recovery was harder than I expected. Took me a month to be back to reasonable energy levels, and a couple of afib occurrences in that first month. But since Christmas - GREAT - much better, no afib and getting back to normal life. Hoping it continues!
Thank you, similar to my recovery - long may it last
Had a radio frequency ablation in June which left me feeling great for a month but unfortunately had a day when my heart rate was all over the place. Back into permanent AF and trying to get on the list for another ablation. It’s always good to hear of success stories; keeps me motivated!
Sorry to hear the ablation has not worked (though may still be a bit early), are you going to get a cardioversion to get back into NST or straight into another ablation.
Haven’t been offered a cardioversion I’m afraid. Just on a 3 month waiting list to see the cardiologist. Looking at options to go to other health trusts as everything takes so long on the south coast despite everyone’s best efforts and intentions.
It's likely to take just as long wherever you go as Cardiology waiting lists are long. Im in South West and will have waited 5 months for my EP appt in Nov and having phoned round different hospitals it's the same wait times.
Had mine in April near 7hrs under sedation , had a great 6-8 weeks then hit a few bumps,had to be cardioinverted in July with my pulse at constant 142bpm with flutter. Since been incident free, now back walking a couple of miles again, EP said may have been a virus as I had a chest infection and heavy cold, or that I "might" need a touch up if it reoccurs , marked down for checking again in a few months. Still early days as those I've read about its more like 9-12 months before you fully heal, especially if it's a long op, so not to concerned and enjoying the fact my pulse is steady at 60-70 at rest and walking is going well. Key I think is don't expect too much too quick...
Ian.
Thank you always good to hear good new stories. getting back to "normal" is better than winning the Lottery.
8 months on and feeling great and off all meds. Hope you are well too x
Great news, yes I am feeling really good at 7 months, just on Bisoprolol 1.25, hope to get off it completely when I see the Cardiologist later this month.
Does this mean no apixaban or any blood clot prevention? I still have that as well as metoprolol and two for BP...but the Afib is gone!
Yes no apixaban any more, no tablets at all🤗
Yes, no blood clot medication as I no longer have Aflutter.
Hi I’m eight months now, all goung good, had three sets of funny runs of skipped beats, with a low pulse, although I feel lousy after so I’m not sure if it’s been afib, but cardio says oh those things can happen afterablation........cardio still keeping me on all tablets, flec, apixaban And bisoprolol, till I see him in new year.....I think this is because I’m goung to Australia for a two month long trip..and it’s my security......quite honestly I speak French quite well but he gabbles on so fast and I find it hard to keep up..so I think that’s what he said!!!
Sue
Thank you, I know your posts were reassuring at the time I was going through the mill, really good to find your continuing on the road to recovery. My personal experience was the lower the meds after the ablation the better I felt (I had agreement from the GP to reduce my meds significantly a week after my ablation) but we are all different. It would be good if the Cardiologists gave us a more realistic view of the recovery, without this site I would have been really concerned with the first month or so after my ablation. I still get the odd short run (10 seconds max) occasionally, but nothing like before. I am sure your holiday will be fine, your Doc would be over cautions and not let you go if he thought there was any chance of any problems.
Hi glad you’re doung well, it’s a horrid cloud to live under, .......yes you’re right nobody said anything to me about what to expect, re migraines, blips etc.....this forum was the only place to find these out. In fact this forum was the only place when afib first started to make me feel calmer about it all.......My cardio is lovely Chap, and I’ve seen him often since the ablation,.....doing it all in French can be challenging as I miss bits!!.....he’s happy I’m off on the trip....it’s a 4000 miles road trip so I’m working on the surmise I’m well ........ha ha best say fingers crossed eh!.......
Sue
I traveled by car from Edinburgh to Sarlat in July (5 months after my ablation), had nearly 3 weeks in the very hot sun (July was hot in France as you would know) and apart from the first day which I really felt exhausted, I acclimatised and had a really good holiday. Just 1 blip about 10 minutes after drinking some very strong cider when I had minor palpitations for around 10 seconds. Really glad I decided to go.
Have a good holiday you have deserved it.
Had a Laser Ablation 5 months ago and have been AF free since then. EP told me it was a resounding success and doesn't expect any problems.
I feel great and hopeful this continues.
Steve
Great news, well worth sharing with us all
November 2018, 5th ablation, all seems ok after feeling ill fir four months after op. At the moment ok but get a few missed beats and drinking anything cold go into AF fir 30 seconds then normal rytham again ! Strange but in general ok!
Good news, not perfect yetI know but I think your heart will fix itself slowly if given time and nothing to trigger it.
Had my ablation on 30th November last year at Liverpool Heart & Chest, (highly recommended!) stayed on amiodarone for a month, & Apixaban for 7 months. I had a few visual “aura” episodes for about 3 months but they’ve stopped now. I get the occasional ectopic beats (lasting only a couple of minutes at most) but probably no worse than I used to get in my life before AF, it’s just you tend to notice them more! Seem to get a little breathless when climbing hills etc but probably did before AF and didn’t notice it as much! I’m very lucky, I seem to have had an easy time of it compared with a lot of people, & wish you all the best with your treatments & recovery.
Thank you, yes I also feel like I have had a relatively easy time of it (still bad enough though).
Just had my 2 year post ablation anniversary ❤️🙌🏼 and my first and only run of AF was November 2016. They got in quite quickly and done my ablation procedure, I am so glad I had it done because I had other things that was not picked up ie a form of SVT and an AT , I had cyroablation and RF ablation all in the same procedure, took me a good 12 months before I felt the full benefits but had to change my diet as well .
Thats good, it does take much longer to recover than we are lead to believe.
I am 1 year and 2 month post of my ablation. I’m am doing very well. It took about 3 months to really start to feel better. Now it’s just working hard to do the right things to keep the rhythm.
Kahst3
Good, knowing what the right thing is can be difficult and some trial and error involved to
Had my catheter ablation - 5 hours, general anesthetic- on 4/11. I’m 73 and AFib incidents had become more frequent and I did not want to be on meds.
Recovery was much more difficult than I had been warned of. Fatigue, cough, anemia, and breakthrough attacks.
BUT after 2 months I felt much better. I also stopped all alcohol at least for a year.
Long story short - recovery was hard but the ablation has worked and I’m glad I had it. Recent echo cardio gram was good and I am relieved.
I do wish doctors would prepare patients for the possibility of a long recovery and earn them not to make lots of plans/commitments during the 99 day recovery period.
Thank goodness for this group.
Good to have good news stories, I totally agree with information given by the Docs on recovery, I also relied on this group during my recovery.
I agree, keeping everything in context can be difficult but well worth trying
4 vessel PVI ablation 18 months ago-off all meds and AF free since! Had annoying ectopics that were controlled with Magnesium Taurate twice daily. I exercise, scuba dive, travel and drink whatever I want without an problems.
However-it took a full year for me to heal. Migraines, shortness of breath, fatigue, exercise intolerance.... it was a long, long, anxiety provoking experience.
Thank you thats good news, hopefully I am following in the same vain as your recovery. A long recovery with a few hiccups seems to be the norm.
About 10 weeks post procedure. For the most part, I feel good. Energy level is up, though I am totally done by around 8 pm, and have had some blips in heart rhythm and a few short runs of AFib.
Sounds like a really good recovery thank you
I am one year post ablation. I have not had any AFib episodes that I know of. Recovery was slower than I thought, and if say it was 6 months before I really started feeling like myself again. I'm on Apixaban and was on Metoprolol until May. Recently I got a loop recorder because I would like to stop the Apixaban, and am waiting to get into a clinical trial to study the efficacy of continued anti coagulants after ablation. EP says if I can go another year without an episode, and if I don't get randomized into the group that has to keep taking the anti coagulants, he will consider letting me stop.
Great news, its a long recovery but just like most of us on this site. All the best for your continued recovery.
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