I had a typical aflutter ablation six weeks ago. The first night after I slept long and deep with vivid dreams.
However, this has continued to this day although getting better. First few weeks 10 -11 hours a night sleep as opposed to my usual 7-8. Again with vivid dreams and waking up groggy/drugged feeling. This week a bit better with only 8-9 hours of sleep but still lower energy levels during the day.
It could be the procedure (they had to electrical cardiovert me at one point) but it also could be the anesthesia. It wasn't general anathesia (tube down throat), but they used the same drug, Propofol, and I was out pretty deep.
Wondering if any of you experienced anything like this after your ablation, or any other procedure requiring anesthesia for that matter.
Jim
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mjames1
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I could do one thing a day - walk the dog or do the housework or go for a shop. I spent the rest of the time pretty much sleeping. That lasted for about 5 weeks!
I always found that it take a few months to fully get rid of anesthesia. In one five year period what with three ablations a radical prostatectomy and a hernia repair I had about twenty hours GA and it took forever before I started to feel normal again. Brain fog was the worst part.
Thanks Bob, That's both reassuring and concerning. Reassuring you recovered, but concerning that you were no doubt a lot younger than I am when you had those 20 hours of GA. I am concerned to face too much more anesthesia in my mid 70's and yet I need another ablation. Unfortunately, here in the US, they are much more GA oriented than in Europe where conscious sedation is either a given or a choice. I've been offered MAC (monitored anesthesia) which is something in between. No breathing tube but still propofol, albeit a little less than with GA. One good reason to get ablated earlier in life, I guess.
Did you always wait till you were "fully rid of the anesthesia" from one procedure, before you had the next? I had my aflutter ablation six week ago and am waiting to get scheduled for an afib ablation, probably in another six weeks. On one hand, eager to get it out of the way ASAP, but on the other hand considering postponing it until fully recovered from this one. BTW do you know what anesthesia was used in your case?
Not an option I had the luxury of. It happened when it needed to. That said I had about a year between ablations but only about five months between prostatectomy and hernia repair which I think was really damaged while recovering from the former. It was a really big incision as they had a lot of digging to do. Key hole would not have discovered all the cancer which had spread so lots of other bits also removed.
Bob, I hear you, but sounds like you came out the end, ok, in spite of all the anesthesia. While not an emergency, not sure how much of a luxury I have putting off my ablation as afib is so unpredictable. I'll probably just schedule now and then reevaluate based on how I feel as the date approaches.
My first ablation four years ago was a horror story - lss - had a MI and kidney failure a day afterwards and then a pacemaker implanted. The past 4 years had me sleeping 10-12 hours but still not able to do much at all during the day. I was able to get my GFR (kidney function scale 1-100) to just over 40 and it won't get any better. The 1st doc said I'd need a 2nd ablation to fix the rest but as you can imagine, I was very reluctant.
Anyway, I had my second ablation today - three areas ablated and my heart rate is under 100 for the first time in ages and no Afib! I am going to do a sleep study soonish - I'll be waiting a while due to very few docs here. Plus I am going to check in with my nephrologist for an opinion on my weird blood gas results.
So too much sleep and fatigue can have multiple causes - if it lasts longer than six weeks, you might want to check kidney function, lung function and do a sleep study - not all sleep apnea sufferers snore!
But wait a bit and see if it improves for you... good luck!
I slept pretty much well every night, I was always slightly aware of my procedure in terms of being anxious but otherwise slept well. Bit slower the first few weeks but only slightly and picked up after that.
I'm two weeks out from my ablation and was getting frustrated because I'm so tired. Glad to hear that others have the same problem. Reading these comments is reassuring to me. Now I will focus on resting and healing, knowing that it's normal and might last a bit longer.
Thanks. Seen the fact sheet, but it doesn't cover my specific concern here. Agreed on what the doctors tell you. Hey, two days ago, a doctor told me I didn't have afib because he didn't have a confirming ekg in front of him
I was the opposite, could not get a good night sleep and not a chance of napping. My heart rate was much higher than usual, though. Good luck and rest up!
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