Thanks for your earlier support for my 1st ablation. But now more questions.

[riffjack846]

I had my catheter ablation for Afib Dec. 30th. I went in with NSR, succesful ablation according to my Surgeon, and woke up in NSR. Yay!! Not so fast. In just 2 days I was walking around and doing light work, Yay! But here's the thing, on Jan. 7 at 6pm I went into Afib and it has continued even now as I'm typing. Thats over 24 hours. Even prior to my ablation I was in NSR on 300mgs a day of Amiodarone with maybe a couple of short episodes a month now I feel like I'm worse off then before. I'm still on Amiodarone 200mgs Metoprolol and Eliquis but this episode is worse than any I've had in the last 2 years. So I guess my question is has this happened to anyone else on here? The nurse said I may experience short episodes of AF during the blanking period and elevated heart rate but this is just so much worse than that. Why is this happening to me? Any thoughts will be welcomed. Thanks. Mike

[MarkS]

I had the worst AF I've ever had about 2 days after my ablation. I thought I had made a big mistake. However it subsided over the following months. Since then I've had hardly any AF and the ablation was 12 years ago.

[riffjack846 in reply to MarkS]

I don't know if you could hear my sigh of relief from all the way over here but when I read your response that's the kind of things I appreciate this forum so much for. My doctor upped my meds and said it's a waiting game. Peace.

[Gumbie_Cat]

I have been feeling a bit downhearted since mine, in mid December. I had gone into persistent A Fib just a few weeks before my ablation, and went right back into persistent two days after it. On Dronedarone, though it isn’t stopping it.

I am still hanging on to some hope. Yesterday, my heart rate out walking was lower than it’s been in a while, staying under 100. I’m getting less light-headedness, and not noticing the palpitations as much.

I’m still not great first thing in the morning, and have had days where I feel that I am worse than before. Just hoping that it’s early days, despite the persistent nature. I guess our heart gets quite bashed about and needs to heal.

[Singwell in reply to Gumbie_Cat]

It does take time and it may be you won't get completely better but will have improved QOL. My first one didn't work but I almost didn't go ahead with my 2nd because I was less symptomatic after about 4 months and just found it all more manageable. Glad I did go ahead though. Fingers crossed for you 🙏

[Gumbie_Cat in reply to Singwell]

Thank you! I went to my GP quickly after it set in again, and she has contacted the EP. Though of course with the holidays I’ve not heard anything. So just a waiting game at the moment. So it could be a wait until the 3 month check, if I don’t hear back. (This is when I wish we had arrhythmia nurses where I live.)

[Singwell in reply to Gumbie_Cat]

Ahh. They are such a joy those nurses! You could call cardiology directly? They might give you an email address. Mine aren't bad that way. Worth a shot, especially as your GP has requested advice.

[Gumbie_Cat in reply to Singwell]

I might do that, as last summer the letters from Cardiology weren’t seen by GP, due to the computer system.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Gumbie_Cat]

My heart went back into AF after my last third ablation and my EP called me in for a cardioversion. Have not had a fast heart rate since, but still in constant AF now between 60-90. It doesn't bother me at all so I just live with it.

Call your EP's secretary and ask her to let him know how you are.

Jean

[Gumbie_Cat in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks Jean, I will phone later this week. I want to give them a chance to catch up after the holidays.

[riffjack846 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I would give my entire bank account to have afib that I couldn't notice. My BP is stellar as well as my heart rate but this afib of mine is a 24/7 constant palpitation along with headache that is maddening. Hopefully it will subside. My doc doubled my antiarrhythmic meds and said it might take up to 4 weeks for the episodes to stop.

[riffjack846 in reply to Singwell]

Thank you

[CDreamer]

Yes it can happen, I needed a second ablation very quickly as the first made the arrythmias worse, second one seemed to work - for 3 years at least.

Best thing is to speak to your doctor and see if you can take meds to stop the AF sooner rather than later and consider a cardioversion as the longer the AF goes, the more likely it is to become established so the sooner you can stop the episode the better. If you are in the US you may have more luck getting fast access to your doctor.

Have you tried the usual vaso vagal manoeuvres?

[riffjack846 in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks. Yup I tried the valva stuff never works, and my doc upped my dosage of amiodarone and said if it doesn't subside by Wednesday morning he will schedule a cardioversion.

[Singwell]

Hi, sorry things have kicked off for you. It IS normal to get episodes after the ablation and I recall feeling as you did with long symptomatic runs in the first 10 days after. Hopefully you've slept now and woken up in Sinus rhythm. If not, call your cardiology office this morning and ask for advice. As CDreamer says, the goal is to stop the episodes rather than endure. This may be a one off so don't despair. Your heart is healing, that takes time and it doesn't mean the ablation has failed.

[riffjack846 in reply to Singwell]

I have woke up a couple times so far in NSR but within minutes go back to afib. Maybe it's like the others on here are saying it's a waiting game. hurrumpf

[Oldiemoldy]

I had much the same experience - and the only thing that worked was time. Metoprolol didn’t do much but tired me out. I think some of us just have very tough recoveries. At about 4 months AFib incidents did stop ( for 18 months) but lack of energy persisted. I had to keep going because of my dog - needed regular long walks. I also dropped alcohol “temporarily “ - will be 4 years in May. Eventually AFib returned but is controlled by 100mg of flecanide.

Just hand in there - and keep moving. Sometimes walking actually settled me down.

Good luck!

Lucy

[riffjack846 in reply to Oldiemoldy]

Thanks

[marcyh]

What is "light work" to you? I had to mostly rest the first week and then move around very carefully the 2nd. And don't forget - l i s t e n t o y o u r b o d y . Even if you don't like what it says.

[riffjack846 in reply to marcyh]

I felt fine after 2 nights bed rest and pretty normal in all other respects except for my afib coming back worse than before the ablation.

[Snowgirl65]

It seems you're going through what I did after my first ablation, constant long runs of a-fib like none I had before the ablation. They slowed down after the blanking period, and then suddenly stopped completely. I can understand your frustration. Your heart is healing now and the inflammation has to subside, at least that's what I was told.

[riffjack846 in reply to Snowgirl65]

Thanks for that. I needed some kind of light at the end of the tunnel to persevere.

[TracyAdmin Partner]

It is not unknown to experience 'break through' symptoms in the early weeks of an ablation. This does not mean that the procedure was unsuccessful. You may like to download the 'Recovering from an Ablation' patient information sheet available on the AF Association webpage: api.heartrhythmalliance.org...

patient information sheet

[mishugenah]

I went back into afib pretty shortly after my first ablation, needed a cv within the first 2 weeks, and afterwards, remained in nsr for around 2 1/2 years. Talk to the EP office about getting you in. Back in af now, but thats my issue. Get checked out and see if a little zap will snap you back into normalcy shortly - its definitely worth it!