Hi
I'm 69 year old male and have had Afib for about 8 years. In the early days it was once or twice a year for a few hours each episode, then 3 to 4 times a year and this year about one episode a month. On Dec 4th I hade a cryo ablation and since then have had 10 episodes so far lasting from a few minutes to several hours, one even put me in A&E. My Doctor thinks this is normal, I myself see it as a spectacular failure, what are your thoughts on my experience
Hi there, you must be feeling a bit fed up I would guess ... I had a Cryo in September 2018 and for a period of 2 or 3 months after that my heart was all over the place. It's because the heart muscle has been severely aggravated by the procedure and once it settles you should start to feel the benefits.
It's not easy I know but other than flagging anything that causes you concern to the medical professionals you just have to ride the storm.
I was still seeing improvements after a year although this last week has been a bit up and down... I wish you the best of luck and patience is the key to getting better, it's takes quite a while. Dave.
I found this post helpful. I'm in week 6 amd lying in bed feeling my heart o various odd rythems and ectopic beats which feel like they are knocking the wind out of me and I had exlectee it to be better by now, so its encouraging to know that this us expected even after 6 weeks.
You have read it from two people now. Please relax. read our fact sheet and understand this is not failure . Give it time!
I wholeheartedly agree with Bob. You have no idea of the complexities of a cryoablation yet you want to cast judgment on the ablation team? Really? Two weeks out from a serious cardiac ablation. Did you think that you would be cured right away? My ablation was last March and I am not taking any chances by stressing my heart. Sometimes I get this hard thumping in my chest and I immediately start taking some deep breaths for about two minutes. Breathing will help control that Afib stuff really well. Take magnesium. Relax man, you are in the second inning of a long game.
Thanks for your reply. I did have some concerns with the team as the registrar who saw me post op completely muddled me with another patient as to what they had done. Also nothing of what to expect and experience was adequately explained, so forgive my retinence.
I second that I had a catheter abalation almost 19 weeks ago and still getting skipped beats heart is still recovering but not according to my EP who said the heart has healed by now
I don't know why they say that. After having 3 ablations I know it took almost six months before I could really start doing normal stuff.
Yeah really upset me him saying that
The accepted blanking period after ablation is 3 months. I’m 10 days post ablation and am doing ‘normal’ stuff. My doc advised there are quote -‘no restrictions’ on the heart whatsoever after the procedure. Your experience is not everyone’s.
Neither is yours!
Not much to add, but the link below will take you to the infamous factsheet.
It’s too soon to judge whether the procedure has been a success; the so-called “blanking period” is three months, yet barely three weeks has elapsed in your case. That said, ten post-ablation episodes seems rather a lot and I would insist on speaking to the EP who conducted the procedure about it, particularly given that one episode was serious enough to warrant a visit to A and E. He would know if there were aspects of your individual procedure which were particularly stressfull on the heart.
The definition of “success” for the doctor is not necessarily the same as that for the patient. I think that from the doctor’s point of view “success” means (roughly) that the procedure was carried out technically correctly, whereas success for the patient means being rid of the condition (although ablation is certainly not a cure). Of course, if your ablation turns out not to have worked, you should be offered another. I would clarify that with them immediately- they should have informed you that first ablations are often not successful.
All this points to one of the most worrying aspects of ablation (which I am due to have in a few months): a high number of people here who have the procedure report that after an initially promising start the condition comes back after about a year (or even before). Yet ablation seems to be the only game in town. I question whether patients are fully informed of the chance of success and, in the UK at least, after-care seems to be unsatisfactory.
It seems quite incredible that the medical profession are so poor at explaining what is likely to happen post procedure which would save so much worry and concern - just as well we have Bob’s note as a sticky!
Have you changed your lifestyle to give yourself the best chance of success? Got your weight right? started gentle exercise? Looked hard at the diet and the drink? Nice and easy does it?
Hi Ian 2.. My weight is 14st 6lb at 6ft 3ins in height, diet is pretty good ie no caffeine, no added salt, very little red meat, plenty of fruit, no alcohol, had 3 more episodes since last scribe and awaiting next one as its been more than a day since last one. I don't see what more I can do, by the way all this is after upping dose of Bisoprolol to 12.5mg
O.k. Your BMI is 25.25 so you are not too badly placed, but a slight drop to about 24 might help to get you into waist half your height territory.
The other way to go is to get your exercise levels up - but not just yet because you have just had a burning expedition inside your bodies most important muscle and your brain is probably running all sorts of diagnostics try to work out what the devil is going on.
You may well have a hole in the dividing wall in the middle of your heart and it will need to repair itself and your body will be trying out all sorts of procedures to do so but it won't necessarily be a swift process.
Perhaps a bit of rest and recuperation will be required for a while before you open up on very active exercise . Nice and easy does it, spring is coming, you will feel better given time.
It's hard right after cause you want to be all better right away. It takes at least 3 months to heal before you can assess whether it didn't fully work. I'm at 4 plus months and still having short episodes of I exert myself. I see EP again in January to assess further treatment and maybe a ablation touchup. Best wishes
Cryo ablation for AF
Cryo Ablation
15 months post Cryo ablation 
AF 6 months after ablation
