I had my ablation more than three weeks ago. I more or less have similar post ablation issues, with an exception.
I have shortness of breath (dyspnea) and some tight throat more than what should be expected, almost a month after the ablation now, it is even more than pre-ablation. It gets worse once the skipping beats (PVC s , VESs ?) emerge. I assume it may be due to inflammation and smth temporary. Did not read from others on issues of post ablation shortness of breath. Anyone with similar condition?
I am on anticoagulant and bisoprolol, can that be a side effect?
Thank you and good luck to all.
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Lonelytraveller
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Hi there, I’m not medically trained and I’m certainly not suggesting that you should make any changes to your medication. Although it’s still early days since your procedure, but if you are in AF and your heart rate is near normal, it’s possible the Bisoprolol is slowing the heart a bit too much so it might be worth getting the rate checked. Bisoprolol also can cause shortness of breath but these are things you should discuss with either your Doctor or the Arrhythmia Nurse. As far as the throat is concerned, that’s likely to be the after effects of the TOE (camera down the throat). It’s very common and normally improves after a few weeks……please do not change your medication without consulting a member of your medical team……
Thx Flapjack, that helps. You have a point. My heart rate dropped from 80s to 55-60 in the last week. I would say in parallel with increased shortness of breath and an increase in skipping beats... 4-5 normal beats-pause-a strong beat-and again some normal beats. I would speculate bisoprolol impact.
I would have this checked out. I had shortness of breath and a nasty cough after my catheter ablation. It was thought to be inflammation from the procedure, started about week2 and lasted about 6 weeks. Coughs are common, shortness of breath I would speak to you primary healthcare provider just to be sure x
I woke up from my anesthesia with a horrible cough that lasted 10 days as a result of the anesthesia or I should say some thing that they had in it which they now skip. I was coughing so hard in recovery other patients were complaining. Nice people huh. I even had breathing treatments in recovery. I also had the worst swollen throat I looked like a bullfrog but that was probably from everything they stuck down my throat yuck lol.
I also had pericarditis after both ablations. Everyone has a weakness and some area I think and evidently this is mine so if they find it again this time I won’t be surprised. This is the worst I have ever had trouble breathing and I never had my walking affected before but if you don’t have enriched oxygen blood going through everything all parts of the body suffer. My arms were also extremely weak and in pain. I just had a tug-of-war with my 65 pound dog with his leash LOL I think I’m getting better because I’m still upright.
If you ever have a general anaesthetic again tell them about the throat and coughing problems and request a laryngeal mask sounds like they were too rough putting the tube down through your larynx and into the lungs (intubation). It can really bruise the vocal cords and makes your throat sore and sensitive- hence the coughing.
Thank you and trust me I told them and they actually eliminated propanol I have not had a problem since. Then again I have had a different anesthesiologist also since then. If there’s one thing I learned over the years it is to be your own advocate because if you don’t tell them things they don’t know. My doctor truly listens to me unfortunately one or two of his staff did not. You can tell he takes note when you update him on things and I have a feeling it gets straightened out so it doesn’t happen again.
Hello Lonelytraveller... I had a cyro ablation about 1 year ago. Even as I was wheeled out of the operating room I felt short of breath. I was sent home the next day and really struggled with breathing and a cough as well. Turning over in bed took my breath away. I went to A and E. They did lots of tests on my heart all ok. Blood test showed very high troponin level, and this was my hearts muscle reaction to the procedure. After about three weeks I got better and better. Two months later I felt 100% Doing brisk walks most days and feel great no afib either. Just hang on in there.
Hope you can sort this out. Can ou contact your cardio nurses as Jajarunner says. Better than worrying and if you need help they'll have a heads-up.
I had the same problem, but I have COPD and sleep apnea. My cardiologist said it might be my sleep apnea or COD. I have an appointment on Monday with my pulmonologist.I am not a doctor. But I've had both of these problems for at least 15 years.
I call it my smoker's reward. Just like credit Card's rewards. Nowhere near as good though
SOB could be caused by heart failure or bronchospasm as in asthma. Heart failure can be diagnosed by CXR and listening to the lungs and hearing rales at the bases. This is something that should be ruled out immediately. Bronchospasm would be made worse by bisoprolol and the doc should hear wheezing if this is the case. Do you have a pulse oximeter and do you know your oxygen saturation while having an episode? In any case you need to be evaluated ASAP to rule out serious causes. If your O2 sat is below 92 you should go to a+e. Best of luck,etheral
I can relate to your problem. I went into AF early 2020 probably caused by Covid, certainly a serious chest infection. Because of the pandemic I was not able to have an ablation until October 2020. I was quite breathless after this for some time. In fact I think it was 3 months before it was noticeably less Like you I was disappointed but think the heart had to repair and regain strength and I had to become fitter. Difficult to exercise much while in AF. So give it time you will be ok
Hi I am in my second month since my Vein of Marshall at Houston Methodist. My first five weeks were pretty much hell with only five days of good days as compared to the other days. I could not walk and even trying to go across the kitchen I could not breeze. Long story short I had my follow up last Monday. My Dr’s staff evidently did not tell him. I believe that will change in the future considering my first call was only four days after discharge and if you were inside my body you would know it was like a heart attack. I too had this tight throat. His staff member put me on a fluid pill which trust me I did not need. Anyway the past few days I have probably been able to do more than I have since last fall. Depending on what you had it takes time. Dr. V told me pain should only be a week or less he suspects I have fluid around my heart even now and I am having an echo done Monday. there is probably a good chance of inflammation or infection as well and another thing I just discovered 20 minutes ago is that yes stress definitely triggers the breathing issue.
Have you called your doctor yet? The harder you breathe the more pressure you’re putting on your heart and saying this because I got quite the lecture. Let your doctor tell you not to worry don’t listen to anyone else get it checked out ASAP
PS when I saw my doctor there was one positive note I was in perfect sinus rhythm even though I thought I was still having a fib. That’s why you need to find out if you have an inflammation or some thing else. We are not the experts they are the ones that went to school for so many years. My doctor was tickled with my ECG he did last week. Up to three months you can still get a fib events I had a totally different procedure and it may take me between 6 to 12 months to really know how it turns out but I am already off Multaq. I am on Xarelto and still on Metropolol. If all goes well eventually I will be off everything. The problem with a fib you can pop it sneaky head out from wherever it feels like it unless it’s been ablated. My previous two are still holding well this was a completely different place.
Best of luck let us know how things go but please don’t put off about the breathing any longer don’t be like me. I was miserable for six weeks almost convinced I was going to die
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with much detail. Honestly, I think I am improving compared to last week. I have some SOB and some heaviness on chest and I feel less of a throat tightness. Still, I can not talk powerfully and like you mentioned my stamina is also low. Thanks to many respondents, I now realize my situation is not extra ordinary. Anyway, I will see a cardiologist next week to see if a complication affects. In my situation both the left and the right atrium was ablated. Plus, both atria were enlarged (dilated) to some degree. You might be aware this is not good in terms of the prospects for a totally successful ablation and enlargement of atria (though very much related to Afib) is already a risk factor and singly causal of SOB, tiredness, etc. And this keeps me anxious as I can not figure out whether it is the post ablation issues or the atrial enlargement that makes life harder already at this point. You may agree in this phase we are all sensitive sometimes over-sensitive I would say. Thanks for your remarks and I hope keep on posting the progress in time. LT
I never took a fib seriously when I heard about it I had no idea what it consisted of because you never heard about it. I am very glad I found this site it shows me we are not alone and how many different varieties of symptoms etc. there are. This is why it is hard for us to say anything for sure. I had a new procedure done by the pioneer of it. It is the vein of Marshall using ethanol and my doctor calls it aggressive. This morning I was able to get up and fix some breakfast. I know it doesn’t sound like much but you would understand how just being able to get to the kitchen is a big deal. To not have the heaviness and crushing in my chest or as you mention tightness in the throat seems like a miracle. I am finally having some energy also. I still sleep a solid sleep quite a bit during the day some thing I normally cannot even do at night. On the sixth I could barely get from the car to the doctor in his office. I just want you to know that even though it seems far away right now better times are coming.
Hey, following up on my own question, as recommended by some of you today I went to a cardiologist to check after 4 weeks. Had an ECG test. Yet, even on my short walk from metro to the clinic , I sweat , felt some SOB and had a series of ectopic skipping beats. I was frustrated and worried that my ECG would come out arrhythmic. I even waited to calm down for 20 mins before the examination, so that I would not be measured with arrhythmia. In the end, thank God, the EKG result was NSR, with some “ST&T wave abnormality consider inferior ischemia” , that the cardiologist did not see relevant to afib. So, Regardless of my feeling the machine says I am okey. My impression is that pre ECG anxiety and negative determination would have a huge role in how we evaluate the symptoms . So far so good, I hope it will end good, will keep on posting for others to benefit by following my story.
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