Recovery from ablation.

[Electricblue1]

Hi everyone, I’m due to have my ablation in two weeks all going well and I read a lot of people taking along time to recover and experiencing problems after. Just wondering if anyone got good experience of recovery and quick recovery time with no or little problems.

Also I was told a trainee will be in the room at the time of procedure and want to know if I can say I don’t want him/ her to do the procedure for training.

I’m not comfortable with a trainee doing anything.

Thanks , would appreciate any advice.

[Barbadosgirl]

I think the trainee will be just observing. Hope all goes well.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Barbadosgirl]

Hi , when I spoke to the cardiologists assistant he said the trainee will be taking part and I said I didn’t want that and I will put it on the consent form .But it is scary to think trainees participate.

[BobD Volunteer]

heartrhythmalliance.org/res.... will be helpful. Please be sensible and take lots of time to recover. Pushing too hard has ruined too many people and wasted lots of doctors time.

[Electricblue1 in reply to BobD]

Thank you, do you know how long it take to recover.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Electricblue1]

Three to six months for full recovery as we say in the fact sheet. Ignore what doctors tell you, Patients wrote the fact sheet.

[Electricblue1 in reply to BobD]

Thank you.

[Jalia]

Hi, I had my 4th RF ablation at the end of July so still in the 3 month blanking period. It was 5+ hours under sedation. I felt pretty good straight away and have continued to do so with no problems and I'm coming up to 77 years old

.I made myself take it easy for the first 2 weeks but I was by no means waited on hand and foot and sofa bound.....chance would be a fine thing !

I imagine the trainee would be mainly observing as there is alot going on .

Good luck with yours and do let us know how it goes !

[Electricblue1 in reply to Jalia]

Hi, thank you , it’s good to hear your recovery is going well I hope my recovery does as well.

[Physalis]

When I had my vitrectomy last year I was pleased I had got a top surgeon doing it. However, I quickly realised it was a trainee and he was telling her what to do. It went as well I think as if he had done it.

I've no idea who did my ablation. As far as my heart went, I felt no after effects at all. I didn't feel tired or anything. I didn't need to recover, I was alright straight away.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Physalis]

Hi , thank you, sounds like you were lucky.

[Buffafly]

I was hosting my family for Christmas 10 days after my ablation but having visitors to stay over New Year was a step too far! You can feel good but overdoing it is asking for trouble. Best wishes ❤️‍🩹

[Electricblue1 in reply to Buffafly]

Hi, thank you, it’s so nice to have people on here to take advice from.

[Spitfire1863]

Hi I too had an catheter ablation on 2nd July for an atrial flutter and it took me 3 weeks to feel normal again. Heart issue was sorted immediately by the ablation and I had no discomfort from the groin wound so my mind said it’s only a little incision so you’ll be fine. For the first week I felt drained of energy and had a very uncomfortable feeling in my upper stomach- bloated and painful which I understood to be caused by disruption to the vagal nerve. I also had to focus on my breathing for the first 3 or 4 days as that was affected and headaches also. I had 3 weeks off work and for the final week was out and about as normal so just be prepared for a few days of discomfort from which it will get loads better. 3 months on and I’m normal again and have had no reoccurrence. I take daily Bisoporol 2.5mg fleicanade 50mg twice a day and Apixaban twice a day. I’m 58 and never been ill before so was quite a shock but life goes on. Enjoy.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Spitfire1863]

Hi thank you , I’m on 1.25 bisoprolol and 100 flecainide but can people get off all medication after ablation, I’m having this ablation in the hope I can get off all medication in the future at some point. The medication makes me feel so tired.

How come you are on medication still?

[Nick1957 in reply to Electricblue1]

Just received a call from Cardiologist after having what was described as a successful Cryo pvi x 4 plus a bonus one ablation at St Barts in August. No meds reduction yet.? Maybe in 1/2 months time if all goes well. Feeling OK physically and playing 18 holes of golf x2 a week. Making sure I rest up and recover well in between rounds. We're all different and have differing recovery times. Im making sure I don't overdo things!! Oh and touching wood too!!

[Electricblue1 in reply to Nick1957]

Thank you. Hope it carries on going well for you.

[Pinnie7]

Hi… I am due to have my first ablation in 3 weeks. I’m having second thoughts….wondering if I should just continue with meds. I have an enlarged heart so only got a 50% chance of success. Just not sure if it’s worth it 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Electricblue1 in reply to Pinnie7]

Hi , it’s difficult isn’t it, I am in two minds but I want to give myself a chance to get better, I think my AF was brought on by stress as I’ve had a long run of stress from my partner, another long story.What is your gut feeling about it.

[Buffafly in reply to Pinnie7]

Depends on how you see success. If you think of it as an improvement in your condition and QOL you are less likely to be disappointed if you have some AF still afterwards. My AF came back after two years but although I take minimal medications my AF is much milder and less frequent and I am much better all round 💜

[Kia62]

Hi Barbados girl. I had my second Ablation just over a week ago, so far no problems and going about my business as normal. It was a trainee that did mine under the supervision of the main man. Also there were several students in observing as well. I was awake and aware all through and was told of all the things the guy was doing. I, m healing up nicely with all bruising gone, just a small lump where he went in. Good luck.

[KMRobbo]

My flutter ablation was actually performed by my EPs registrar. I agreed to that. He was a trainee of sorts but was highly qualified. Doctors have to learn how to do things practically. (I understood my EP was in the lab during the procedure.) The registrar did a good job, no flutter since!

[Pommylump]

Hi, I went back to work the following day, started training for an Ironman 2 weeks later, I completed a full ironman 5 months later, my cardiologist told me to carry on as usual, so I did

[Jajarunner in reply to Pommylump]

Wow! I'm so jealous, took me four months to feel well enough to train. You make me feel feeble 😁😄😃😀

[Electricblue1 in reply to Pommylump]

How old are you if you don’t mind me asking, are you on a supper healthy diet . I’m intrigued to know more 😊.

[Pommylump in reply to Electricblue1]

I'm 59 now, I was 53 when I had my ablation, I was drug free for 4 years after my ablation then I started having episodes again, now I'm on sotalol and am fine now, but have stopped heavy training but still cycle around 150km a week but much slower.

As for my diet, it has always been very unhealthy, I did triathlons so I didn't have to worry about my diet, I used to train 15-25 hours a week, which generally meant I could eat a lot of junk

[Electricblue1 in reply to Pommylump]

Hi, thank you for the insight. I’m looking in to the old style Mediterranean way of eating like in Greece .I think having this has forced me to be healthy or at least try😊.

[TracyAdmin Partner]

Good Morning, we can offer lots of information regarding the procedure, please visit our online Patient Resources, we have booklets and factsheets available to download. You would also benefit from joining us for our 'Virtual' HRC2021 A F Association Patients Day that launched on Sunday 3 October, its now available 'on demand' you will have access to many presentations including Ablation. Follow the link for further details: heartrhythmalliance.org/afa... Further to your question regarding the trainee, as a patient you have every right to inform them of your preferences.

[Electricblue1 in reply to TracyAdmin]

Hi, thank you so much .

[momist]

I think Pommylump is a bit of an outlier in this forum, most people have some problems during recovery and you are encouraged to take it very slowly and let the damage to your heart heal.

Speaking of encouragement, please remember that the surgeon you are entrusting your procedure to had to learn himself some time ago. How did he do that? I understand that a doctor in training might make you nervous, it would do for me, but they also need to learn somehow, before they can be left to do it on their own.

[Electricblue1 in reply to momist]

Hi, thank you , yes I just think trainee and think inexperienced but I see what you mean , maybe I will just see on the day and let my gut tell me what to do.

[Jajarunner]

Yes, you can totally refuse to have the trainee do it. And I totally understand why you would. But if everyone refused we would have no new experts. Also as he is under supervision everything will be done extremely carefully so you may even get a better result!Not intended as a criticism just as a thought. Either way, hope it goes well for you. Best regards xx

[Electricblue1 in reply to Jajarunner]

Thank you. I always worry about everything so I guess that does not help matters. I think because it’s the heart it just seems more serious.

[Jajarunner in reply to Electricblue1]

Absolutely. The heart is quite important 😃. I think if it will cause you more stress it'd be good to refuse the trainee, the less stress the better. I was quaking when I had both of mine done so I'm not as brave as I might seem 😄😃

[Electricblue1 in reply to Jajarunner]

Hi, yes me too , with anything hospital I’m always a bag of nerves. 🤞it goes well. Thank you.

[Oldiemoldy]

Many people need the full 3-6 months to recover. I was one of them - lots of breakthrough AFib, bad cough returned, fatigue was terrible and loss of blood from incision brought in near anemia. Iron pills to address low hemoglobin brought on constipation. Eventually stabilized but will probably never really feel like I did pre-AFib and pre ablation.

I got 18 months AFib free with no meds but xarelto/anti-coagulation pill. Then AFib started up again and now is controlled with flecanide.

I don’t regret ablation. For one thing I quit alcohol when I was so miserable, and that was a good thing.

Bottom line: don’t expect the doctors’ happy talk about being back to normal in a week. It’s true for some people but for many of us it takes longer. Lots longer.

It was the advice and support I found here that helped. I thought I was going nuts or would never feel good again and stumbling upon this group at 3am one sleepless night really has saved my sanity.

Best wishes to you.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Oldiemoldy]

Hi, thank you. Well I will update people on here, just hope it’s a quick recovery with no problems but we will see.

[fabjabfab]

Don't panic everybody has to learn . . . . I do get your concerns though. But I would look at it as having two specialists instead of one, the senior will be watching like a hawk and the trainee will be overly careful.

Personally I had a trainee anaesthetist, who didn't look at me once and spoke over me like I was not even there - which obviously triggered me tearing a strip off him, I would like to think that he wont do it ever again. The senior staff member simply said that he could not of said it any better - fabulous learning experience.

My (male) cardiac nurse over night was a freshly qualified cardiac nurse and being a woman under the age of 45 I had come on my period (due to all the blood thinning meds they give you) and made quite a mess. He didn't know what to do and had to go get someone to help. Now he does know what to do. Bless him.

I was training the other day (totally different profession obviously) and the chap being very wet behind the ears almost (emphasis on the word almost - because I was there watching him) lost £9mill. Now he knows what not to do.

Recovery time is different for everyone. I was out for 3 months, I stupidly listened to a client who told me I would be up and about after 24 hours (like him) and had appointments at work booked for 2 days after the procedure. Your body will tell you what it needs and if it needs a bit longer then give it time. My advice would be cover all bases, prepare your favourite series to binge watch or get all your favourite books together. Make some meals that can be frozen in batches (I have a small family so this was essential - otherwise I am confident they would of all lived on sweets, cereal and pot noodles).

We are always available for a good chat on here to keep you amused

[Electricblue1 in reply to fabjabfab]

Hi ,thank you so much. All the advice is so helpful.

[Dick20]

Had mine done 4 years ago and was told to take it easy for couple of weeks and felt great ever since. Had some pain in my middle chest next to my heart for a day but that's all. Was on flecanide for 6 months and suddenly fainted while driving, luckily able to stop. Then had ablation. Technology is so great and getting better. Good Luck.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Dick20]

Hi , thank you, was it your AFIB that made you pass out? , glad you are doing good.

[Palpman]

I had to keep reminding myself that I've just had an ablation as I felt normal.

Stopped my Flecainide just before and that too made no difference at all.

[Electricblue1 in reply to Palpman]

Hi, thank you, I really want to get off this toxic medication, I understand that if the ablation does not work then I won’t be able to but I crave my old way of life ( being normal) .

[bassets]

Excellent news but I think I'd err on the side of caution concerning your meds. Best wishes