i posted last week a few days after my ablation. I was experiencing AF each day and feeling miserable particularly as my life pre ablation wasn’t that bad. straight away on the ward after the ablation and GA i had a bad bout which settled with bisoprolol and magnesium infusion then discharged home..
I really did take on board that it was early days and I MUST be patient (BobD, fact sheet etc ) but the last couple of days episodes are even worse and I am regretting the ablation. as i said life was manageable before. now it’s not. i’m too apprehensive to go out in case one erupts and feel very sad. is this ever going to get better.
gone from being a positive busy person to thinking i’ll never get out again with these totally unpredictable out of the blue AF bouts breathless etc. they do pass and Im fine for a bit and then few hours later back again.
i’ve started Bisoprolol in hope that will help but how much? i have my GP calling later but don’t have a lot of confidence.
noticed too last week that if i bend over that really is bad news and i immediately go into AF.,trying not to bend over is not easy. has anyone else found this?
i’m sorry i sound so self pitying. i am. if i thought it would go i’d cope but right now even as i’m typing this my heart is jumping around missing beats AF you name it all over the place.
thank you for reading xx
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foxglove1
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You are unfortunate but not very unusual. It will pass!
You obviously reacted badly to the procedure but it will get better . Imagine if you had sprained your ankle or hand. That would hurt. The same thing with your heart. Be positive please. Ring your arrythmia nurse if you really need to.
So very sorry you feel like this. I never had anything resembling this after any of my 4 ablations but it is still early days as you know. Notwithstanding, if it was me I would most certainly get on to my arrhythmia nurse for advice .
I agree with Bob. It is a scunner (a good Scots word - google it!) but it will pass. Your heart has been given a fright and it too is feeling hard done by. But it will recover in theme 😊
It's quite normal to feel drained for a few weeks, sometimes months after an ablation. Your heart needs to heal and form scar tissue to block the rogue heart signals. So you need to give it time to do that.
My heart raced constantly a few weeks after an ablation and I had to go back to the hospital, about 4-5 weeks after the procedure, for a cardioversion. If it's worrying you then I would call your AF nurse or EP's secretary and explain what is happening.
It is indeed a scunner! (Autocorrect wanted to change that the scanner.) I have been in constant AFib after mine - but it doesn’t have the unpredictability of yours. I’ve also noticed my heart rate rising when I bend to tie shoelaces.
I’m at 7 weeks now, and although I’m still down about it, there are one or two improvements. I’m noticing the palpitations a bit less, and I think the lightheadedness on standing has eased a little. I suppose I am a little more philosophical while I wait for the 3 month check - that’s on a good day though. You wouldn’t want to see me on the bad mornings, my poor husband has to put up with a greeting*, moaning thing. *Another Scots word for you = crying.
I would echo what Bob said and add - bending is almost guaranteed to bring an episode of either ectopics or AF for months after ablation - so don’t! Bend your knees, get others to help but just avoid.
Your expectations were too high, rest and then rest some more - listen to your body and cover your ears when your mind starts with the ‘shoulds’.
If you are still feeling very bad (a phrase which is very individual as your ‘bad’ could be my ‘tolerable’) after 4-6 after ablation then get an appointment with your specialist. In the really imagine what your heart looks like inside - it’s been poked and burned and aggravated so of course it’s telling you to go easy - so go easy and be kind to yourself.
Hiya foxglove, I had a similar experience after my ablation, it took my heart about a month to settle down. Your heart has had a real shock and it doesn't like it but long term you will feel so much better. Try and stay positive, I know this is really hard mentally as the symptoms are present all of the time but have faith and you will get there. Take care 👍
Sorry to read about your situation and I completely understand. Speaking to your arrhythmia nurse will help as it will put someone knowledgeable back in control and if you are like me that in itself will take some uncertainty and worry away.
After my cryoablation last July, I went into constant Tachycardia/ flutter . A phone chat with my arrhythmia nurse and a visit to hospital for an ecg confirmed that I would need another ablation ( this time RF) to zap other rogue areas other than the pulmonary veins. As soon as I knew this was on the cards, I felt calmer. 6 weeks later I had that procedure. It is now 5 months on and I have no AF/ flutter or tachycardia. I still have episodes of ectopics which are both annoying and uncomfortable but which I try to ignore. If I am successful at ignoring them they seem to go away.
So, ring your nurse and try to believe and do what she says. Either your AF will go away as your heart heals or you may need some other intervention, a cardio version or further ablation, either way , try to relax a bit and go with the flow. Easy to say I know.
What do you mean ‘go out’? ☺️ I am joking but I am sure the post ablation info says you are still at the ‘now you can make your own tea’ stage (as in ‘cup of tea, not ‘English tea’). We all differ, for everyone who is hosting Christmas celebrations two weeks later (me, but it wasn’t the best idea) there is somebody who can barely lift a kettle for weeks. If you develop other symptoms, particularly breathlessness while not in AF, definitely seek help though. Best wishes ❤️🩹
Sorry to hear you are feeling this way and having additional heart instability after your ablation. If it provides any consolation I have had 3 ablations over the past 2 years and during the first 4-5 weeks of all 3 my heart was all over the place tachycardia, 1000s of ectopics and runs both short and long of higher rate afib (so I definitely understand the way you are feeling right now).Do know though that on all 3 occasions my heart slowly settled down and though not perfect my quality of life and outlook improved. Give it some more time as very likely your heart will settle down as well.
If things remain jumpy you might want to discuss short term use of an anti- arrhythmia drug with your health care team to help settle your heart for a few months - and then come off the drug in a few months time once heart has settled to see how well the ablation is holding. Just a thought 🙂
sorry to here that you are feeling worse than before but it is still early days for you I am in a similar situation as I had mine done in November and I too wasn’t well after mine with tachycardia and kept having them after I got out of hospital. at the moment I seem to be having three good weeks then 10 days of feeling horrible. I have just had a heart monitor on for 14 days but as you can guess it decided it didn’t want to play up then two days after taking it off I am now in tachycardia again, I too feel as if it it worse now than before I had it done so at the moment I do regret it. I hope yours settle down soon.
good morning Bell50 that is interesting. everyone is different but seems we are similar ish. Three good weeks is great, 10 days of not good isnt. hopefully it will settle properly. i’ve discovered over past week bending or even just leaning over is a No. Easy to say don’t do it, but when you’ve always been a busy person with an active life trying not to isn’t easy. I am trying though. low heart rate so not good candidate for bisoprolol my mantra is I must be patient.wishing you the very best - we just have to keep going. thanks for getting in touch x
Invest in a "grabber" that enables you to pick things up you have dropped . Getting out any dishes or things in low cupboards - husband's responsibility. Forget housework . Although I have never had an ablation I could not bend over for 2 months after 1st hip op and 3 months after 2nd. It is frustrating but you have to do it. Think of the time like a holiday at home doing relaxing things like reading or watching tv.
I don’t often reply but I am feeling your pain. I had an ablation in August and felt very much like yourself wishing I hadn’t had it done and feeling worse after than before. I was constantly having runs of AF and tachycardia. It went on for a while my last significant bought of AF was the day I reached the end of my 12 week blanking period. Since then I have only had a couple of very very short episodes and I now feel back to my old self. So what I’m saying is stick with it You will feel better it can just take time. I think some people Sail through the whole procedure and others of us take a bit longer. It took a while for me to regain my energy and stamina
Truffles thank you. Im going to keep your words on my phone to look at when hit by the ghastly af. very reassuring and so pleased you feel back to normal.
I replied last week and mentioned I was due my 4th ablation? My big plan post-ablation is to do the OPPOSITE of what I did last time and just truly rest. Please take time to recover as it’s part of the process and recovery.
I rushed each time to show the kids how strong mummy was, attend a birthday party and get on the dance floor etc. I don’t know whether this went against me or not but I’m not risking it next time.
Don’t be afraid to call the arrhythmia nurses too as they’re in the best position to advise about unceasing your meds etc.
thanks BeeBee. i’ve been thinking the same that i would try doing zero! difficult when you’ve always been active but i’m going to try. the bending over thing def is a trigger for me - even just leaning- so i have to concentrate on that.
everyone has been so helpful and understanding but i feel i must stop complaining now as some are far worse and coping.
Feel free to complain away because as a fellow AF sufferer, it’s good to speak with people going through it. It’s hard for others to understand especially when on the outside (for me), I look “normal” plus going through an ablation and not feeling any better is incredibly frustrating.
From what I have read online up to an average of 25% of patients have what you are experiencing to a greater or lesser degree. Yours feels unusual to you because you were so settled before the ablation - now you have AF happening inside a sore heart. Poor you!
However, the chances seem high that the AF will settle and disappear. That said, there is evidence that late recurrence (i.e. ablation failure) is more common when there is AF during the blanking period.
The study linked below might interest you, but, overall, I think you'll settle slowly and fully, myself.
By the way, self-pity is normal and feeling positive isn't possible for many people. One of the problems with social media is that many people are luckily either naturally chipper sorts or feel the need to present a positive persona on social media. Have no fear about your 'down' feelings: they are entirely normal and will also pass with time. You will not sink into depression, even if it sometimes feel like that. Time alone is the great healer but for now, you need sympathy, along with extra care and attention from people around you. Put on some good films, maybe sip some nice drinks and enjoy what remains of those lovely Christmas chocolates!
It was like this for me after my first. And although I did need a 2nd procedure the horrible daily outbreaks did stop. Took 3 weeks altogether if I recall. The bending causes AF because of organs squishing together inside the abdominal wall and putting pressure on the heart, which has scar tissue in it. Try to lean and hold onto something while you do that if you need to bend down. Use a chair and if necessary get down on one knee. I found that helped- both times. Be patient - it will improve.
I hear you 😔 You took me right back to Dec 22 @ 3 mths post ablation. God it’s tough for you right now. I’ve just read all the supportive replies so it’s temporary … it will change 😊
Don’t despair. Try distraction & keep on trying. Something creative to occupy your mind. If you can change your mindset you’re off to a winner regardless. I’m not making light by the way. I know exactly how you feel. Have shed tears of anger & pity. It got me nowhere. I took back control as I needed a purpose. Extremely tiny wins (not all AF related) became my goals. It’s 6 wks later & now, now the effects are showing. What I was told I’d need to have done, has changed drastically. Talk to those AF nurses they are like gold dust 👼.It’s all consuming without even trying this blooming AF malarkey isn’t it? Dig deep. Give your mind a different focus & your body will follow. Wishing you back to your positive mindset when you can - small steps, small changes …. Just keep going! X
There are many of us who went through what you are experiencing ( myself included). I think it happens more than we are told and that is why this forum is such a godsend as when we read about people having similar experiences we don't feel so alone and can even feel optimistic! So hang on in there. You may need other medication with the Beta-blockers to help you during this period. Wishing you the best and keeping fingers and toes crossed for you.
Hi Lilpocket i couldn’t agree more about potential horrible after effects, it’s been a struggle, and also the so helpful and reassuring responses from everyone to my post. What I don’t get is why i was not offered meds on leaving hospital to help after the ablation. The good news however is i’ve started lowish dose of Bisoprolol that I take in the morning (GP prescribed) and am on Day 3 with no afib. I’m also trying hard not to bend lean over as that kicks off af for me - ablation will be two weeks tomorrow, still very early days I know that, but dare i say i’m hopeful! so grateful to everyone for reassurance, as you say this site a Godsend!!. x
It sounds as if the heart is settling down - the Bisoprolol only helps to bring the rate down so if the episodes of Afib are diminishing it is a good sign! 🤞x
I am so sorry about how you are feeling. After my first two ablations , I felt better. My third one however, I ended up feeling like you do. I would not waste anymore time and would reach out to my EP. You don’t mention your heart rate and what it’s running and is it most of the time high? I have been in tachycardia for ten month. I have. I have been this way on an almost constant basis. Heart rate up around 150 most of the time I got a little reprieve but now it’s been continuing around 120. Today I met with my EP and will be getting a pacemaker. I am at the beginning of heart failure, and, he stated point-blank it was because of the length of time with the heart rate I have had. By the way, I too have problems bending over. I was supposed to stay in the hospital for several days last month, so I was trying to do a few things I was sweating some things on the floor, so kept bending over and next thing you know my heart felt like it was in my throat , it was one of the worst episodes I have had. To bend over for one thing I get dizzy if I do it more than once I will pay the price again please don’t waste time if your heart rate is up especially yes I know we have the blanking period but to keep feeling like you do continually is too much to tolerate I think without talking to your doctor. I found a great app that is free on the phone. If you can get it called Cardiio. You can check your heart rate and it even shows a little graph similar to an EKG. Again today it was right on the money with what the EKG in my doctors office gave for a heart rate.
Yes, you Best of luck from someone who has been going through what you are. I am hoping you get a break but I would say check it out now and see what the doctor says. I don’t understand why do you have your medication and talk about putting yourself on it and how much you should take? Can you just buy that stuff over the counter? I have noticed quite often on here people seem to put themselves on and off some meds, I am not familiar with being able to do that. Whatever my doctor tells me is what I take until I talk to him because side effects of withdrawal can be horrible. Again best of luck.
I just wanted to send you a big hug and say hang on in there. I’ve been lucky so far, following my ablation in November, but as everyone says, we’re all different. I do hope you feel the support that we are all sending you, and it helps to keep you going. X
Yes I get you. Every bit of it. My life was manageable till I got my first ablation in nov 21 then bad for a month then awful just awful for the next 6 months. Felt despair. Then I had a cardioversion which brought out all sorts of rhythm felt really despairing. Then second ablation back to manageable Afib the third ablation and really I have my happy days back. It was a very long hard year but has been well worth it Good luck it will get better
Your experience of an ablation sounds pretty awful. There sèems to be a lot of helpful advice in the replies people have sent you. I know very little about ablations apart from what I read on here and the fact that I am on a waiting list for one. It sounds like it is still early days for you - hope things improve for you soon.
thanks Hilianna some people sail through it all. i’m saying constantly to myself “ early days” and hopefully things will improve. today was a better day. intermittent arrythmias short lived but no AF - a bonus.
This is interesting. I had my first and only ablation (cryo method) for paroxysmal AF in July 2021. The consultant put me on rivaroxaban, flecainide and bisoprolol (low doses) for 6 weeks before the procedure and I was told to stay on these for three months after the procedure. He warned that without them, my heart would feel as though it was a WW2 battleground. I managed to keep up with these medicines but gradually dropped the doses from the two month mark, keeping the rivaroxaban until about three months. Flecainide was problematic and I suspect was causing issues. I continued to have periodic bouts of AF during 2021 and it was only in February last year that the improvement started to show. Matters improved during the year and at my one year follow up in August last year we decided on no further action. I feel as though the 'cure' has worked and although my heart doesn't like extreme exercise (gets a bit fluttery) I am good with moderate exercise and all the usual activities. I gave up alcohol and caffeine in June 2020 but resumed normal tea (my weakness) in summer '22. Although a moderate / light drinker before, I have enjoyed being tee total and feel great for it. I had (wrongly) expected an immediate fix after the ablation and can now see that the healing took time. I wish you well in your journey
Well, this is all very eye-opening. I haven't been on HU for a few years and just saw this in my email inbox by chance.
I haven't had an ablation, but am on the list for one. I have been in chronic AF for about 4 years, despite having a complete pericardiectomy midway through that which was supposed to fix the problem. Slightly less confident about this idea after reading some of the comments here.
What I can offer is that the bending down thing is very common. I have pushed my exercise capacity throughout my unwellness at varying degrees (not so much immediately after the open heart surgery) and have always been perplexed that most of the time I can jog for 5 miles quite reasonably, and press my own bodyweight overhead without change to my heart rate or rhythm over and above that which a 'normal' person would expect, even though my HR at rest hovers between 105 and 115, but squatting down or bending to pick up the mail off the mat can send my HR to 170 and cause me to become hypoxic to the point of borderline blackout.
After ablation my heart was also irritable. This too will pass. I was anxious about it since it would last for periods of 5 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. I hope you level out soon.
thanks Mountainyogini. good to hear. just read Hammerboys post today of AF after 6 months. Very disappointing for Hammerboys but hope isolated. i’m only 3 weeks today post ablation. first two weeks were seriously awful but after starting low dose of Bisoprolol the last 10 days no AF with odd ectopics. I had not used Bisoprolol pre ablation when PAF.
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