Hi, I’m new to this site so am looking for some advice please. I had my 2nd catheter ablation almost 6 weeks ago now. I had persistent AF which made me very breathless when walking even short distances and especially going up stairs/any incline (I was pretty fit pre-AF and did lots of walking, some gym etc). I am very disappointed and beginning to panic that this 2nd ablation hasn’t worked as I still feel very breathless when walking/going upstairs etc - ie no positive impact so far. Though as far as I can tell I am still in sinus rhythm - so I don’t understand why that’s not having an effect. I don’t have a lot of energy but am making myself go out and walk for short distances, trying to build it up. What else can/should I be doing please? Any ideas gratefully received!
Why still so breathless 6 weeks after... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Why still so breathless 6 weeks after ablation?
Please read out fact sheet on recovery and take things easy. It takes months to fully recover and very easy to undo a lot of good work. heartrhythmalliance.org/res...
Thanks for taking the time to reply and for the fact sheet. I am taking things easy which is why I’m so concerned at lack of progress and still having the exact issues I had pre-ablation (shortness of breath). Oh well. I’ll just keep my fingers - and everything else - crossed that some positive impact is eventually seen.
If you seem to be in sinus rhythm then it has clearly worked so far but still early days and I expect your ticker has taken a bit of a beating so try ‘n be a patient patient 😉
Thanks for that encouragement! Let’s hope something good happens... Thanks
Share your concern, I noticed a significant improvement at about 8 weeks. Although at 8 weeks I was wondering whether the procedure was going to work at all.As an aside with both my TKR,s 8 weeks was also the most disconcerting time.
Now at 12 weeks post PVI ablation I feel really well.
Is it the shear trauma of the surgery more than the procedure itself?
I don't think it just age!!
I watched my 13 year old super healthy grandson go through 5 major surgeries after a horrific car crash, again 6 to 8 weeks always seemed to be the worst time!!
Thanks for sharing that. Really good to hear that you feel so well now, 12 weeks on. And encouraging too! Though so sorry to hear about your grandson - what a truly horrific experience for him, and everyone around him. Do hope he’s fully recovered now, or well on the way.
Thanks, Thanks to extraordinary medical support and hard work he is now in his Grammar 1st IV Rugby team!
It has been 4 months since my first ablation and shortness of breathe continues. Unable to walk more than 10 feet and discussed this with 2 CARDIOLOGISTS and feel like it is not heart. EKG is normal...BP is OK.....so why am I panting and out of breath? no answers
did you find out what was causing the shortness of breath? are you better now?
I'm three weeks post second ablation. Recovery is EVEN slower than last time and I'm doing next to nothing. Walking is hard, can only do a few Hundred yards at snails pace. Last time it was five months before I dared run (for run, think walk/jog). It's a long business and I wish the cardiologists would acknowledge that!Apparently the heart is inflamed,it's a BIG procedure (but no scars so you forget how big), shock to system, plus loss of condition beforehand and alterations to heart neurons.
Patience is the key, but I'm a very impatient patient!!!!!
Good luck and message me if you want a whinge, I'm a frustrated fitness freak too!!!!
Ps I've got an electric bike. If I wang that up to full power I end up not doing much (heart rate if 85 so really easy,) but at least I'm outdoors 🚴🤣
Yes, all very frustrating. Love the idea of the electric bike - I hadn’t thought of that. 👍 All the best with your recovery - hope you start to see real improvement soon.
Have you thought about your medication? Although it does take months to fully recover after ablation, maybe talk to your EP/cardiologist about your medication as well. All the best for your recovery.
I can completely see why you’re concerned. Can I ask why you needed a second one?
Hi, my first ablation had a sudden and dramatic but unfortunately temporary impact, hence the need for the repeat ablation. About 2 weeks after my first ablation I suddenly noticed one morning that it was no effort at all to walk up the stairs at home, and when I went for a walk outdoors, same thing - no effort. Over that and the following two days I gradually increased the amount of walking I did (from 1 to 4 miles) and all was fine. Then to my huge disappointment on day 4 I was back to where I had been - short of breath doing anything at all. I came out of rhythm and stayed there. My consultant advised that that demonstrated that a successful ablation should get me back on track, hence a 2nd one to do more scarring etc which should have a similar but longer term impact.
Thank you so much for your reply Lou. I asked because I have a difficult decision to make soon.I went back in sinus rhythm after being on amiodarone for 6 weeks and now as that toxic (for me) drug is slowly worrying it’s way out of my system, I’m beginning to feel really good and can do normal things again. I thought that everything was great and was so happy... (back in rhythm for nearly 3months) then my consultant rang to say that I should go to Bristol for an ablation.
When I asked why, because I was back in rhythm and feeling good after so long (went into AFib last September) and he said it was because it always returns.
So many people on this great forum have had several ablations (some 5 or 6) and so it seems that going down that route won’t be the end of it! Also, it’s hard to put yourself through that when you feel fine.
I’m a pretty proactive person and so am seeing an acupuncturist regularly to help me keep in sinus rhythm.
I’m sorry that all this doesn’t help you at all.... except that I was so pleased to be back in rhythm after my electrical cardioversion that I didn’t rest up and went walking etc. I only stayed in rhythm for 3 days...
Maybe hearts take longer to adjust than we’d like?
Hi Sliding doors, thanks for your post. Like you, Amiodarone proved toxic for me too (it gave me ‘Amiodarone-induced thyroiditis’ which took 6 months to treat). And like you I was thrilled to be in sinus rhythm after a successful cardioversion (which I had before my first ablation) - though interestingly, the advice from my consultant was to do nothing for as long as I was in sinus rhythm as for some people he said it can stay like that for some years (if you’re lucky). I was all good following the cardioversion for 12 months.
As for ablations not being a final cure - I guess that’s true, but my understanding from my consultant (and from the experience of several acquaintances who had successful ablations some years ago) is that a successful ablation can and should last for 10+ years or so. Which currently I guess we’d both be very happy with!
I hope that helps (a bit, at least) and hopefully others on this forum with far more knowledge and experience than me will be able to shed more light. Do hope it all gets sorted!
It does help and thank you so much for that. I really hope that your breathlessness goes away very soon. 🤞🙏
I'm nearly 4 weeks in to my ablation. Still breathless at times, pulse still pinging between 54 and 130 when it feels like it and the odd AF swishy feeling but the leaflet on here and from the hospital mention that it seems par for the course. So, I'm persevering at this point rather than panicking. Back to work tomorrow (short day) so I'm hoping that goes ok.
🤞🙏 for tomorrow Ducky.
Hi Ducky, all the best for your return to work.
Two weeks after my ablation I suddenly felt breathless and dizzy, went on for two weeks and subsided. Now into my tenth week and not happened since. Tiredness and bloating more of an issue now, down to the meds I think. But the breathlessness seems to be common after ablation.
Everyone is different in their ablation recovery, which takes months for the heart to heal. You're still in the "blanking period" and prone to various issues while your heart recovers. My second ablation was also almost 6 weeks ago. My energy developed slowly and I think yours will too. Keep active but don't overdo it! Best wishes that your energy returns.
I suspect (and this is only my own funny little idea) that ablation can affect the lungs. I woke from my ablation feeling as though I was drowning and had a panic attack. I recovered very quickly but after a few weeks developed a nasty cough. A few weeks later I was admitted to hospital with sepsis and had a full CT scan to track down the cause which was actually a bowel abscess but the doctor told me they had also found a small pneumothorax. So many people complain of unexpected breathlessness after ablations that I began to wonder if that was the explanation.
Personally I wouldn’t have a clue about possible impact on lungs (others on here may well know) but really sorry to hear about the multiple complications you’ve had - and hope you’re getting over them now.
Thank you, that was in 2016 and I’m fine now except that my ablation’s effect only lasted about two years, but I’m better off than before.
6 weeks after 2nd ablation and sadly back in AF . 
Breathlessness in Sinus Rhythm
Post ablation 2 weeks
Now 6 weeks post ablation
Getting back to sport after ablation (and AF hopefully)
