Post ablation arrhythmia

[John3333333]

I am almost 4 months post ablation for atrial fibrillation. Whilst jogging after my daughter, who was on her scooter, I had an odd heart episode. It may have been AF, but it felt like it could also have been ectopics combined with sinus rhythm - my heart was already beating quite fast, which made it hard to tell (possibly bigeminy during exercise?!). The episode lasted around 3 minutes. Also, I've never experienced any arrhythmia during exercise before.

Anyhow, my question is, realistically, after 4 months, what is the likelihood that this is due to my heart still healing from the ablation?

[djbgatekeeper]

Hi John, I'm no expert but my heart was still recovering/improving a full year after my ablation, therefore what happened could be a result of the heart still healing. There are folk on here who may have a more technical explanation... Best wishes mate.

[Singwell]

I'm only 6 weeks after ablation 2 but from my experience last year, highly likely this little arrhythmia incident is just part of the post ablation package. Even though we knew mine wasn't going to be successful first time around I felt noticeably better 6 and 8 months in.

[momist]

I'm not sure I would be jogging after only four months. However, I never was a runner, and everyone is different. I understand that odd reactions from your heart can continue for a year or more, with diminishing seriousness. A short duration event should not be worrying. Don't push too hard, yet.

[Ppiman]

I think doctors officially allow three months, but, although I've lost the link, a major retrospective study found many people suffered some arrhythmia during the first year but most were still free at the end of the second year.

It would be possible for some kind of conduction issues to persist, I suppose, since the areas that are ablated are not always sufficient to stop all misfirings. My ablation was for AFl in the right atrium, so rather different, but, two years on, I still have various conduction related events.

I suppose there's a high chance, though, that what you felt was a "healing event" caused by the scars still maturing. I would think so. It's also possible, I suppose, that you might end up with some AF but with a much reduced frequency, with the odd issue now and then. The aberrant conduction pathways are individual to us all, I gather, so ablating 100% successfully is hard to do.

Steve

[Hidden]

Several years ago, EP’s started to move the first review after an ablation from 3 months to 6 because there was increasing evidence that the healing process took longer than first thought. Personally, I would not be jogging/running so soon and maybe take this as hint that you are doing too much, too soon………

[Madscientist16]

Hi John, I am 2 .5 years post cryo-balloon ablation and still get short bouts of tachycardia, bigeminy/trigeminy and other weird heartbeats. They usually occur when I exercise, am stressed or have eaten too much. These episodes usually don't last more than a few minutes and I just consider them as part of my new normal. As for ectopics, others had them immediate post ablation and then they would subside. I still experience ectopics daily, but they are few and I barely notice them unless they develop into trigeminy. EP says everyone is different, but what I am experiencing is all considered to be normal and expected. Best wishes to you.