three week ablation update not great

[Sfhmgusa]

I had hoped that a weekly update post ablation would provide an ongoing picture of growing QOL & optimism.. but sadly since Sunday I have been in a rapid heartrate that even after 5mg of Bisoprolol is over 125 bpm. I am feeling quite depressed by this, I have had a number of conversations with my EP who is not over anxious and who is not in favor of cardio inversion just yet.

My pessismistic but uninformed opinion is that I am sat on the bus with the destination of Ablation #2 ...

On the upside all scars bruises etc are long gone and the day before I went into afib I felt fantastic!

Steve

[BobD Volunteer]

Far far to early to get down Steve. Wait another three months before you decide and even that may be too soon. As we say in the fact sheet three to six months minumum for healing and many people are still improving at nine months. Just because your bruises have gone doesn't mean your heart is healed.

[Padayn01]

I agree with BobD far to early to predict anything, i'm still recovering almost a year after ablation

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Steve that's a long time for you to have been in such a high rate AF. I once had to wait at that rate for over 5 weeks before eventually having a cardioversion. It made me feel out of breath and totally exhausted, but I did unknowingly have an under-active thyroid too.

How are you feeling now and have you tried the valsalva maneuver? Someone else has written on here that having a cold shower took his heart rate back to normal sinus rhythm, so that may be worth trying too.

Jean

[Ppiman]

Bad luck - it must be very dispiriting to feel the ablation hasn't done the trick. But patience might yet help you out! I remember reading of a two-year-long large study once that showed how common attacks of fibrillation were after ablation but also that after two years, most people were feeling far better and most afib free. That might be why your cardiologist isn't worried by your experience as he knows that the scarring caused by the ablation won't have settled and healed yet?

Steve

[CDreamer]

I had high HR for months after ablation and it seems that it’s not uncommon - I could manage daily activities with a HR of up to 135 but life got problematic if it went higher. I didn’t take any HR meds at all as I couldn’t tolerate them, which may have been part of the reason it continued high for so long but about month 9 it started to fall and although it has never fallen to before ablation rates, resting rate is now 65-75. Have faith, it will very slowly start to come down and the worst thing you can do is to worry about it, with the proviso that you have spoken to your doctor and that you are otherwise well.

I found sticking to this rule of thumb - if I could maintain my daily activity without becoming so breathless that I couldn’t walk and talk then there wasn’t too much going wrong. Yes my HR would spike sometimes and general resting rate would be around 90 but a little more rest and a little more pacing myself worked. You need a lot of patience with ablation recovery, far more than you ever imagined.

As Jean’s experience demonstrates, there could be an underlying condition, which is why it is wise to check these things out with your doctor.

[jerseygirl49]

So sorry to read your Saturday post Steve. As hard as it will seem, those with experience on here have said it's too early to get down so I guess patience is needed now. I feel for you, as you were doing so well. Take it easy and try not to worry too much.

[KMRobbo]

Have you had an ECG with this latest afib?