Pericarditis symptoms or normal ablation recovery?

[Donna_68]

Has anyone experienced pericarditis post ablation? I'm finding it difficult to know if the discomfort I'm feeling is normal ablation recovery or symptoms of the pericarditis?

[BobD Volunteer]

Since you do not describe your symptoms it woul d be impossible to comment. Have you read our fact sheet on recoevry and what to expect? heartrhythmalliance.org/res....

[Donna_68 in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob, thank you for the link.. much more informative than the information provided by the hospital or my professor. I guess my heavy chest and pain when lying down or bending to pick something up is more the pericarditis than typical ablation recovery. I expected to get palpitations from time to time but the episodes are way stronger and longer than I was having pre-ablation. I will be patient and wait to see my Professor in a few weeks - it has only been 5 days since ablation. Thank you again for your reply Bob.

[Buffafly]

From my experience pericarditis causes more than 'discomfort' but I'm assuming you googled the symptoms? Only one way to find out really.

[Donna_68 in reply to Buffafly]

Thank you for replying Buffafly, I've googled and read plenty about both ablation recovery and pericarditis but I really didn't expect it to be so bad... in saying that though, I must admit that each and every day has been a different experience. I had an EP study done back in August but of course there was no ablation done and so the recovery was a complete breeze. This time I had 3 sites zapped and the pericarditis was identified first day and they sent me home with 7 days worth of colchicine and said "see your GP if you need more".... I'll be seeing my GP today maybe she will be more helpful than the hospital nurse with what I can expect in recovery.

Some information I've read suggests that you can resume exercise 3 weeks post ablation. and that it takes up to 3 months to recover from pericarditis. How long did it take for your pericarditis to resolve?

[Buffafly in reply to Donna_68]

I haven't had pericarditis myself, I've only had a pericardial effusion a couple of times, once straight after my ablation and there was some doubt whether I would be allowed home but they needed the bed so tipped me out! I am surprised you were sent home with pericarditis and colchicine does not sound like nice stuff at all. An ablation definitely tickles up your weak spots 🙁 And you are right about different experiences - I felt great 10 days after my ablation then overdid it and things went downhill fast....

I'm interested to know where you live as you mention a Professor?

[Donna_68 in reply to Buffafly]

I'm not sure what the difference between pericarditis and pericardial effusion is but I'd say they are very closely related when associated with an ablation... not a good experience by any measure.

I too felt it was odd to be discharged with such little post care information. Never the less I'm happy to recover at home. Funny how quickly they'll move you out to free up beds! I was in Westmead Hospital in Sydney under the care of Professor Chik.

I find that the Colchicine is quite good as it seems to settle the heavy inflamed feeling quite well. But it's the episodes of palpitations that just can't be stopped - you just hope that the next time you sleep you wake up and they're gone.

Sounds like rest is key. For both ablation recovery and pericarditis. I am most curious as to how long other people have taken to fully recover and resume their normal lives?

I hope that your condition is now under control and no further relapses occur!

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, it is very helpful and much appreciated.

Take care Buffafly

[Hidden in reply to Buffafly]

Absolutely, pericarditis is more than "discomfort." Our son had it at age 17. The number one symptom was a chest pain and he had a horrible cough. His chest pain was so severe that he would break out in a cold sweat as if having a heart attack. The school called me and told me to take him to the ER. There, they did a chest xray and decided it was pleurisy. But, what kept nagging at me was when the ER doctor said the x ray showed his heart was enlarged, but that was normal because he played American football and lifted weights.

Fast forward a few weeks and he was seeing a rheumatologist because they suspected lupus, and the chest pain and cough were considered symptoms. I told the doctor he had just had a chest xray and she told me to get the xrays. I went to the hospital, picked up the xrays and took them to the rheumatologist. As soon as she looked at the films she called a cardiologist and arranged for an echocardiogram the next day. His pain during a supposedly benign test was so severe that this big strapping football player was left in tears.

We got the call that afternoon that it was pericarditis and he was put on prednisone and Tramadol for the pain and removed from school until further notice. After 2 months of treatment he was markedly better, according to a second echocardiogram and a redo of the lupus panel bloodwork. The doctor considered letting him return to school after the Christmas break, with the caveat that he get a flu shot.

Well, he got the flu shot and within hours was running a high fever. Within a couple of days his chest pain was worse than it had been at the beginning of treatment and the cough returned. His auto antibody levels were higher than ever. He ended up in the hospital. There they tested his antibody levels to the flu and found none. Instead of making antibodies against flu, he made autoantibodies and his autoimmune disease had come out of remission and came roaring back with a vengeance. They had to cut a hole in his pericardial sac and he developed an infection in the hospital. We nearly lost him.

The initial cause of the pericarditis was determined to be the antibiotic minocycline, which he took for his acne. He came out of remission because of the flu shot. The doctor apologized, but that did not do a darn thing for the medical bills nor the additional 5 months of school he missed while recovering from the flu shot.

Pericarditis is not just "discomfort." If you have it they need to treat it and you need to be on bedrest for quite a while.

[Donna_68 in reply to Hidden]

OMG Molly that is terrifying ordeal your family has been through... thank you for sharing - your experience is a testament to how complicated heart conditions can be and how important it is to treat the recovery process with respect. I hope that your son is living a full, active and healthy life. All the best Molly

[Dawsonmackay]

Ablation recovery has its own set of unique pains and given the fact that you just had an ablation, I would say wait ten days and then ask your question again.

[Donna_68 in reply to Dawsonmackay]

Hi Dawson, I will be more patient and see how things go. The pericarditis has thrown my expectations up in the air. I'm probably a little too anxious to have my life back - this whole arrhythmia thing has been a nightmare.

I appreciate your advice, it is helpful.

[Kaz747]

I had pericarditis and gastritis post ablation in September last year. I had a severe inflammatory response and ongoing fast AF so was hospitalised again for three days two weeks after the procedure. The pericarditis wasn’t diagnosed though for 5 or 6 weeks after the ablation. It took a couple of months (and drugs) for it to settle down.

I had another ablation in March (no drugs would control it) and thankfully I didn’t have the same reaction.

[Donna_68 in reply to Kaz747]

Hi Kaz, thanks for sharing your experience. It's so difficult to gauge what is normal as there doesn't seem to be a normal - everyone's experiences with irregular heart beats is so unique. Even for you, your two ablation experiences are different. Did you take colchicine for your pericarditis? Looks like I'll be resting up for some months and exercise will have to be on the back burner until it resolves. Is it very obvious when is all good? How many good days in a row before I should kid myself that I'm in the clear lol???

I wish you well with your AF and that you have no recurring episodes - enjoy your xmas festivities!

[Kaz747 in reply to Donna_68]

Hi Donna

Yes I took Colchicine and Prednisolone for 3 days. I didn’t have any AF free days until after my other ablation. Those that were following my journey last year and early this year know I had a pretty tough time. I was a 1%er - 1% chance of a blood clot (initial AF ablation was abandoned) and 1% chance of such a strong inflammatory reaction to the ablation. Thankfully life is good again now 😀

[Cat04]

I had pericarditis and oesphagitis following the ablation. It is very painful! Given i/v fentanyl in recovery followed by oral morphine 2 hourly for the next couple of days. I couln't breathe pain free. I was in hosp 5 days, home a couple of days and readmitted for 6 days. There is both peri and peri with effusion where a layer of fluid is in the pericardium. My EP said that I was the first case that he had had and he had only seen a couple of others during his career at John Radcliffe Oxford.

Full diagnosis by CT scan, echo, xray etc. Colchicine for a month (another month given later by gp as pain of peri can often return ) You may also need anti inflammatories and/or steroids. It can stay with you for years if it becomes chronic rather than acute.

Rest, rest and more rest, no exercise, keep your heart rate below 100. It's like a broken leg -you wouldn't run on it until it had healed, so don't exercise your heart until it has healed.

Facebook sites 'Pericarditis' and 'UK Pericarditis Group' have lots of info and I think the British Heart Foundation pages on HU now have peri as a topic.

Good luck.

[Donna_68]

Wow, just WOW... what an awful experience you had, I hope that this is all behind you now. I most definitely have far less of a case than you Cat04, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience I do appreciate it.

I will be sure to follow doctors orders and rest rest rest!!! Great advice, Thank You

[cpalmermn]

I had an ablation last Wednesday, developed pretty painful pericarditis later the next day. Pain in chest got increasing worse when breathing, changing position, radiated up into neck and head when lying down. Became unbearable.

Called into doc on Friday and was prescribed colchicine and ibuprofen. Symptoms improved dramatically by Sunday, quit the meds by Monday. The colchicine would make me a bit dizzy when it hit.

[Donna_68 in reply to cpalmermn]

This gives me hope that speedier recovery is possible. It is incredible how different everybody's experiences are. Did your doctor recommend you stop colchicine so quickly? How do you know that it's resolved apart from feeling better for just a day? Please take care not to over do it so soon Thanks for the positive feed back, I appreciate it.

[cpalmermn in reply to Donna_68]

Well, it came on quickly, and resolved as quickly...could have been the meds helping and/or a factor of time? I don’t see it as some long term threat, given it started right after they were in there messing about. In the simplest terms, it’s inflammation. And didn’t see any reason I couldn’t restart the meds if I quit too soon?

[Donna_68 in reply to cpalmermn]

I feel the same about this inflammation as a short term problem although I've been told it can take months to resolve. I guess re-starting the meds as needed is far more practical that going back to exercise too soon.

Cheers for that!

[Madscientist16]

I had my ablation on November 5 and I experienced chest heaviness and I had to cough when I took even the slightest more than a shallow breath. It got better as time went by but still took about a month to diminish to a point where it wasn't always on my mind. Give it some time.

[Donna_68 in reply to Madscientist16]

My symptoms sound a lot like yours.... have you stopped taking colchicine?

[Madscientist16 in reply to Donna_68]

I have never been given colchicine.

[lwm1198]

Hope you called your Dr. So painful, and did get meds for mine...says it happens for some but no longer tell you so I was quite alarmed.