4-months post ablation, what I have been through.

[Lonelytraveller]

Hi All,

Giving an update on my post-ablation progress, which may inform those of you in the same process or more importantly those who are looking for answers to their immediate post-ablation concerns. A caveat, read on my experience but always talk to your EP. You may follow from my previous posts, I was ablated in May 22, and now almost 4 months passed.

In the immediate healing period, I had only a few afib-like attacks. Mostly tiredness, sweat, sore throat and remarkable shortness of breath. All I consider now as pretty normal issues. In two months post ablation, I started feeling ectopis -PVCs , VESs. Maybe 2-3 in 60 seconds and sometimes more. It even felt that my heart was having difficulty with beating, kind of weird feeling. This I informed to my EP and he said that’s pretty normal too.

In my 3-months check-up, both the ECG and echocardiogram was good. EP even commented on the narrowing of my atria (both left and right) that were considerably dilated before the ablation. Also 24 hrs holter was okay. As for the ectopics, even they were considerably less when compared with the pre-ablation level. This meant that I was not even aware of having ectopics before the ablation and now I accept I was kind of sensitive to them and over-concerned in the post-ablation. My EP cut the anticoagulant and I am still on bisoprolol and will be for a long time. A follow up check is due in 6-months.

However, for the last two weeks I have palpitations. Maybe more than palpitations it is like my heart is moving and single-double-triple movements making itself felt under my breast. Sometimes like making a couple of strong beats or like being touched on. It is like it tries to go Afib but it can not. It is a weird feeling and quite common these days, yet I follow my pulse simultaneously and do not sense any irregular beat. I assume this is also a part of the healing, as the blanking period extends well into six months. Today I even made 2-3 miles on the treadmill and feeling even better.

So, this is my report 4-months out of the operation. I hope it may pacify somebody who is having some of the above in early days out of the operation. I know we all have different conditions, yet more or less following a similar track. That said, every issue/concern should rightly be discussed with medical professionals. Wishing health for all.

[stoneyrosed]

Thanks for the informative post. I had my second ablation on jun 7, I am in the UK and clinics are well behind so have not been able to discuss at all with anyone regards my recovery. Your issues mirror mine in the fact that I have had a few AF events and I too sometimes get the feeling it wants to go into AF but doesn’t quite do it. Your post gives me hope that indeed the recovery period can stretch to 6 mths and perhaps further. Here’s hoping for the healing to continue and a better quality of life. Good luck !

[ETHEL103]

Hi i had a flutter ablation on May 15th had no follow up yet but have chased it up.I was doing great till i had the covid booster Friday then 2 days later hr shot up to 130bfor a few hours then irregular.Kardia says a fib with fast ventricular response.My point is it just shows its a bit of a lottery re followup care.

[Singwell]

Hi there. I'm almost 7 months post ablation so relate to your journey. For me - when my heart is disturbed- it's either PVCs or Supra ventricular ectopics. It sounds like you're getting bigemenys and trigemenys, which like PVCs can be normal. Maybe this is part of the remodelling - our hearts attemp to 'go off on one' but fail to make it into AF - so a good sign.

Keep up the positive thinking and paying attention to the body's messages. Ive been in NSR nownfor 4.5 months and feeling stronger month by month.

[GardeningMK]

thank you for giving this reassurance. Was very lucky to pick up two, quite a rare, complications. One was Pseudoaneurysm As a result of intervention through my artery. Fortunately my Cardio consultant Picked it up on CT scan as I was complaining about pain in my groin. he referred me to the nearest hospital for emergency and I was operated next morning on my femoral artery. The second complication which I still have and possibly will last for sometime., Is damage to a nerve which caused neuropathy. I have part of my leg feeling numb but also painful. They said it’s not too serious and not life threatening as pseudoaneurysm was. It needs treatment and possibly physio, might go away but might not. However on the heart side of things after the ablation I did not have a single blip yet. I had it on 7 September and hope the removed ectopic beats will not come back.!