2 weeks post ablation fed up

[Diamondcat]

Here at am at 4.30am wide awake because my heart is all over the place. Had my ablation 2 weeks ago and all was going well but seems now I’ve been in Afib since Saturday with a heart rate of 110-139. I know all the info says that this can happen but I thought I would get bouts of it not be in Afib all the time. I’m praying that this settles down but feeling really low and not sure if u should call the cardiac nurse. Don’t want to be a burden and not sure if I’m stressing over nothing., Did anyone else have this? Will it settle? X

[Ianp66]

I'd certainly give the nurse a call as no sleep and being so anxious isn't good for your recovery , your not a burden at all don't think like that , it's more than natural to worry , its only a phone call. Please give her a call instead of worrying.

[BobD Volunteer]

Could be atrial tachycardia which is not uncomon post ablation. Call your arrhythmia nurse.

[jeanjeannie50]

Please give your cardiac nurse a call, she's there to help people just like you.

Don't despair either as your heart hasn't had time to heal from the ablation yet.

Please let us know how you get on.

Jean

[Diamondcat]

I called the arrhythmia nurses at Barts they said this can happen. However if my heart doesn’t revert back to NSR by the end of the week then it’s unlikely to and I will need to go back to hospital. God knows what they would do. Maybe more drugs? Honestly feel so down. This whole situation has taken over my life for 4 years and seems like I’ve taken one step forward and 5 back!

[ijan in reply to Diamondcat]

I experienced something similar after my second ablation. All was going well then arrhythmia which wouldn't go away. I was cardioverted and remained in NSR for two happy, active, years before being diagnosed with atypical flutter for which I had a complex mapped ablation five days ago.

[Sfhmgusa]

I know this is easy for me to say but often an ablation needs time to settle down, even if it doesn’t stop your afib it will certainly change it. My first ablation moved me to atrial flutter and so I needed different drugs to settle that and then three weeks ago a second ablation that maybe just maybe has done the trick! Keep the faith good people are working on a fix for you.It may take time but I’m sure you will get there and banish this or at least the worst of it from your life

Steve

[Diamondcat in reply to Sfhmgusa]

Hi Steve Thankyou for your kind message. I totally expected to get runs of AF but my heart rate is 140 and irregular all the time for almost 4 days. The hospital said to get back to them Monday if it is still the same and I will possibly need to go back in but not sure I can put up with this feeling for another 6 days. I just don’t understand how they have frozen 3 areas of problem but that my heart is now worse than before. I’m sorry for being negative. I’m trying everything to get my rate down but medication isn’t touching it. Maybe I’m just one of the unlucky ones. X

[Sfhmgusa]

Hi there I am not a cardiologist so what I say draws down my experience and the real depression when my first ablation was similar to yours

I f that is the case they will say that you now have an atrial flutter. This was what happened to me . The ablation “ simplifies” the arrhythmia and you effectively lose the afib and it makes way for flutter

Flutter is apparently easier to ablate away than afib ( seems to be the case for me after just 3 weeks)

If that is the case the interim will be based on rate reduction( beta blockers) more than anti arrhythmia ( flecainide) and hopefully a second ablation will sort it out once and for all.

[KMRobbo]

After a PVI ablation I developed A flutter. My HR was initially variable 110 to 140 like yours. It stabilised after a few days at 140. However once settled flutter was regular. I have heard it described as a " regular irregular heart beat". So its irregular as in not normal, but the beats are pretty even.

I was taking flecainide, which my EP says probably promoted the flutter.

Are you taking flecainide?

I was asymptomatic in afib, even at 243 bpm, (I had that rate whilst running. )I got very breathless in flutter just walking lounge to kitchen. For me it was quite different.

I am not medically trained so just recount my experience with it.

We are not qualified to diagnose you.

My PVI Cryoablation was in left atria. The a flutter was in the right atria, which is normal for flutter but I have read you can get it left atria but rarely.

I believe you will need an ECG , and someone competent to read it

to diagnose what you have.

Just for info, I was in flutter for 3 weeks and had an ablation to stop it.

That was February 2018. I have not had either flutter or afib since.

So don't worry too much if is flutter, but I am not sure you can tell from where you are.

If you feel worse or you have different symtoms call the medics again.

Best wishes

I

[Diamondcat in reply to KMRobbo]

Hi Thanks so much for your advice. I was in Flecainide but this caused a life threatening VT back in February which was a major emergency and I was hospital for 2 weeks, hence not on that anymore. Lol. I am on sotalol and tildiem but nothing is touching the rate or rhythm at the moment. I have just spoken with Barts and have sent them my Kardia readings. My heart is around 140bpm all the time and is so uncomfortable. It was all going so well after the first week! Gutted is an understatement. X

[KMRobbo in reply to Diamondcat]

I understand the feeling as I was the same , but 2 years 9 months later I am perfectly fine (well so far!) and am very happy what I did and what happened is a distant memory! Hopefully you will feel the same later!

Also hopefully Barts will come back quickly with advise of what it is, and what can be done or some action they can take to further establish/clarify what is occurring. What you need is a plan to progress from the medics.

Try not to worry - my hard earned experience (well I think so anyway) is that worrying makes everything heart related worse, as the adrenaline /etc makes your heart more "nervy" and LOUD. Difficult not to worry but focus on something else. It IS early days yet anyway.

Best wishes.

[cuore in reply to KMRobbo]

I am one of the rare ones then because I did have flutter in the left atrium-- Perimitral atrial flutter. But, I am a hog. I also had flutter in the right atrium. both have been ablated.

[KMRobbo in reply to cuore]

Wow, were both ablations succesful??

[cuore in reply to KMRobbo]

I have had a total of three ablations. All three were done in Bordeaux, France. In terms of flutter, the second ablation was for the perimitral Ffutter in the left atrium ablated via ethenol infusion of the vein of Marshall. The third ablation dealt with right atrial flutter via cavo-tricuspid ithmus. In all three ablations, other areas were also ablated. I am now one year six and a half months sinus and going --going.. going!

[Diamondcat]

Thankyou so much. This forum is a godsend. It’s so good to hear other people’s experiences and you have really brightened my day. Xx