6 months post ablation

[Hammerboy]

I was just congratulating myself at not having any AF episodes other than a short mild episode 2 weeks after the RF follow up ablation and feeling generally very well , exercising carefully and keeping my weight steady . Off to bed last night and woke up suddenly sweating profusely and feeling flushed . I didn’t check my pulse and after a trip to the loo to wash myself off I went back to bed and slept for an hour , waking about an hour later feeling a little odd . Checked my pulse and there was that familiar pattern of erratic pulse , speeding up and slowing down with missing and then extra beats . I couldn’t sleep so tried deep breathing exercises but in the end told myself it’s not worth stressing at the disappointment and just dozed until about 90 minutes later when I went back into NSR with a noticeable feeling of normality.

I have no idea if this is a sign that the ablation has failed and I know it can take some time for the heart to fully heal but it probably has sowed a seed in my head that I’m not out of the woods and can’t take for granted the comfort I’ve began to feel at not suffering episodes for the last 6 months .

It’s a bloody minded condition 🤨

[meadfoot]

Seemingly we are never far out of the woods with this condition, ready to bite us whenever we feel its leaving us alone. Horrible issue to handle. Hope its just a blip, could be. Best wishes, rest it out.

[Moremy]

Hi, after 6 months that must be so frustrating. I’m not as far post ablation as yourself and we share the same Cardiologist at NNUH but it’s not easy to not to worry that it all comes back, I was in persistent AF. The arrhythmia nurses are brilliant, perhaps a phone call to them. Have you been taken off your meds?

I spoke to our consultant last week and after an ablation September I was tachycardic and a cardio version was required in December. Sinus rhythm restored and last week he took me off both the beta blockers and anticoagulants. I can’t help worrying about it but he is the expert. I can’t help feeling that we’re never going to live without noticing every heartbeat.

[Hammerboy in reply to Moremy]

I’ve made the choice to stay on anticoagulants as I don’t want to take the risk but I’ve not been advised otherwise by my consultant . I’m feeling fine now but it’s in my head I’m not free of the possibility of AF returning as I’d almost forgotten about it lately . Staying positive though and see how it goes , I’m done with worrying lol

[Moremy]

Ditto, I dropped the beta blockers but not confident yet to come off the anticoagulants.

I love your positive mindset, well done.

[Hammerboy in reply to Moremy]

thanks 😊

[BobD Volunteer]

Personally I wouldn't panic just yet. As we say in our fact sheet many people are still improving at nine months or a year. Stay well hydrated, relax and keep smiling. At least if you do need a third you know what to expect but again from my point of view you need at least a year between ablations..

[Hammerboy in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob , I’m staying positive and don’t fear a third if necessary. With waiting times as they are I doubt I’d get another within 2 years anyhow 😊👍

[4chickens]

Hopefully it’s just a blip, and you converted back to NSR so that’s a positive. For me the unpredictability is one of the worse bits of AF, we just start to relax and not constantly think about it, start to plan adventures, then wham it’s decided to punish us for our complacency. The overwhelming disappointment, loss of confidence and disappointment is difficult to explain to others. If you can have an easy day and think beautiful thoughts. I’ve got everything crossed for you ( well what still crosses 🤣)

[Hammerboy in reply to 4chickens]

Thanks , yes you sum up perfectly living with this rogue disease

[stoneyrosed]

Hi , As you probably are aware we are on similar paths regarding our situations. I had my top up ablation (RF) last June, I have had 2 incidents of AF in one week (Dec7-14) that’s it, sometimes I get a feeling I’m going to have an episode but don’t. I think what we must remind ourselves is that it isn’t a cure but a quality of life procedure. I know if I drink alcholol or eat copious amounts of chocolate I will get AF. So a reminder perhaps to keep stress and certain food intake out of our lives as much as possible. I think you will find it is a blip but blips will come our way every now and then.

[Hammerboy in reply to stoneyrosed]

That’s how I’m trying to live with it, you begin to feel it’s in the past and maybe slack off and it bites you again 🤨 Hopefully it’s a blip and it’s still relatively early days but once it gets in your head that’s the problem. Onwards and upwards as they say 😊

[Quilter43]

Weae up sweating at times.thinking to do with AFib.sleeping pattern changed.4 to 5 hours if lucky.used to sleep 7 to 8 hours

[Hammerboy]

Yes the sweating was unusual for me but certainly my regular 8 hours sleep is in the past . I’m lucky if I get 5 now 🙄

[dedeottie]

I had my top up ablation in August in which other areas of the heart were zapped. I had a 3 day episode of tachycardia about a month later. EP said if it happened again he would put me on amiodarone to get me over the blanking period. The idea of that was enough to put me back in NSR! I haven't had another episode since and it is now 6 months since it was done. However, I do have more SVE than I ever had before and sometimes they tip over into extremely short runs of AF. Less than a minute each. ( or so my Kardia says… I know Bob, I should probably throw it in the bin!)

I am choosing to think that this means that the ablation has been a success as my heart is trying to do AF and failing. 🤞 that I am right.

You are correct Hammerboy, there is no point stressing. What will be will be at this stage and you know the next steps if necessary as do I.

Good luck with it all. AF is indeed a strange and unpredictable beast.

Jane x

[Hammerboy in reply to dedeottie]

Thanks Jane , we seem to be on a similar path . I had a short run of AF two weeks after ablation which self resolved after about 90 minutes . I get ectopics now and again which feels like tipping into AF but doesn’t or lasts about 10 seconds and back into NSR

I was offered Flecanide at the first episode during the blanking period but declined and up until this last short run I’ve been mostly fine .I guess it’s always possible I ate something that evening that caused a reaction and the profuse sweating in the night was very unusual for me as I rarely sweat .

I am , like you resisting the urge to check my Kardia very often as it’s just adding to stress but it’s handy if I need to send a report to my EP for feedback . Here’s hoping we both keep AF free for a while 😊👍