In response to our excellent AF fact sheets I’ve begun some serious meal planning and snack ideas before I have my ablation next Friday. I’m determined to stick with a healthy diet and want to avoid highly processed foods, I only eat occasional white meat or fish. I’m assuming foods that are easy on digestion will be helpful, and that’s different for everyone. However, it would be really useful to know what meals and snacks helped you through recovery in the first few days/weeks. I’m lucky to have a cook in the house, but we want to keep things really simple in the first week or two. Besides which I’m finding thoughts of food comforting and distracting in the face of what lies ahead!!
With thanks 😀
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Rainfern
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Great you picked up on that. I think the reccomendation was to prepare lots of freezer meals if you live alone but that obviously doesn't apply to you. Many [people find chicken quite hard to disgest so be careful there. That said the famour chicken soup has been a staple "pick you up" in some cultures for eons.
I think the most important thing is little and often so as to reduce the load on your digestive system so not big late might meals eh.
Little and often sounds great advice, I seem to remember I only wanted quite light meals following surgery in the past. Also I’ll probably stick to eggs rather than chicken with fruit, nuts, avocado, and dips on the list for snacks.
Hi Rainfern, I’ll definitely keep you in my thoughts for Friday xx. Food wise, have whatever your favourite things are just smaller portions maybe . If you & hubby like soups maybe batch cook a few & freeze. If he’s doing cooking from the start why not chop & freeze things like onions & peppers to save time on the day he wants to use. You like fish buy in & freeze so he doesn’t need to shop much when you’re home. Obviously all depends on size of your freezer! ( I’m making it sound like you have a caterers freezer room 😆)
As I tell anyone who asks, limit salt, no alcohol & no caffiene worked for me (still does thankfully) I won’t touch a drop of alcohol then I know I’ve done my best! If you like wine maybe try the 0.0% ones you can buy in a wine glass so I feel part of the evening. If you can, this week to get up some strength before the op.
Don’t forget also, the result of your ablation may not be instantly felt. The blanking period was needed for mine. Nov was my 3rd ablation, it took almost 4 months for the heart to suddenly kick into normal rhythm so try not to be despondent if you don’t feel ok at first. Lots of love 💕 & virtual hugs 🤗 hope all goes well xx (sorry for the long post)x
Thank you Flipper for your encouragement and kind thoughts. I shall keep your words in mind if I’m not quickly recovered - it’s hard to get head around that blanking period!
I’m currently listing all my favourites minus too much sweet stuff. Unfortunately we have a freezer emergency at the moment due to bumper allotment crop! There’s room for fish thank goodness - thanks for that. Love the idea of pre-preparing fresh veg, and we’ve got a slow cooker great for tasty soups and stews.
Reducing quantity seems to be the thing. My husband makes a good wholemeal loaf so already looking forward to scrambled egg on toast and I’m going to prepare a few dips (hummus, avo, cream cheese) for snacks. And get in grapes, berries, nuts, oat cakes, peanut butter and some special cheese for between meals!
I can almost make this sound fun…. 🤣😂
Please don’t apologise for long posts else I’ll have to start! Good to hear from you and glad you’re doing so well xx
Sounds like you already have the food side whipped into shape growing your own! Yes slow cook or pressure cook is good as I believe it keeps all the nutrients in the food. I have one called Pressure King (there are other models available just so no one thinks I’m promoting a brand 😂). A freezer space saver is to put into ziplock bags then they lie flat (soups are great that way just measure a bowl full & bag it/freeze it. Bag fruit veg etc lots more space than boxing. Xx
ps I just read jeanjeanie post below - she’s right in that not everyone is floored by ablation (I’m just one who likes to get the most out of everything - like today just been for a walk & had to cross some stepping blocks (I was doing them one at a time when I came to a really small one. Hubby said do it as if you’re walking not one at a time - don’t listen to hubby - lost balance headed to face plant the banking just mssing falling in river but needed picking up
Yes & embarrassing as there were people behind 😂- always funny when it’s someone else, just the someone is usually me looking very muddy & grubby when stood up x
Not everyone feels totally wiped out after an ablation.
During the second week after my first one, I walked home from the town up really steep hills and was amazed that my heart didn't bang in my chest as it used to. Before my ablation I really didn't know that other people's hearts didn't do that when walking up hills. It was so lovely not to have it happen. I did get periods of extreme tiredness for a few months afterwards. I could walk so far and then that was it and I had to sit lifeless and recuperate. The same happened after my second ablation , it was always harder for me to walk after having eaten lunch. After my third ablation I felt better right away, but still had attacks of AF where cardioversions would put me back into normal rhythm. After 2 cardioversions in one year and once again going into AF I was told that I wouldn't be offered any more and was left in constant AF. Fortunately, that soon calmed to 60-90bpm and that's how I am now. I get periods when I can be really lively and others where I feel tired.
Hi Jean, I always find your posts helpful and informative, so thanks for this. I’m in persistent AF, but my heart is otherwise sound and average resting HR has recently dropped with the help of digoxin which also helps me up hills! In the past HR was usually in 80s or low 90s. Now in 50s or 60s. As I have become quite used to some of the unpleasant symptoms of AF such as irregular heartbeats, exhaustion and breathlessness on hills, it has made me wonder if ablation(s) is really worth all the trouble. Cold feet I guess! So it’s good to hear that ablation can improve the condition even if it doesn’t cure it. Also to know it’s possible to make a reasonably quick recovery from the procedure.
After my 1st ablation I did everything the fact sheet suggested. Not because I was being good but because I physically couldn’t do anything else but sit on the sofa. I felt as weak as a kitten and had two speeds, dead stop and slow. Living on my own I had prepared meals in advance so nothing was a real problem but oh the weakness was something else. Good time for catching up on the TV. Second ablation I was the complete opposite and had to remind myself continually not to jump up and do things at speed, not to do housework, run upstairs etc especially not in the first week or two.
Hope all goes well. Love all the pre planning you and your husband are doing. Sounds like you are having fun and keeping yourself occupied.
I was told to carry on as usual food wise but it might be distracting and fun to plan a different diet.
A low roughage diet always strikes me as likely to be “easy on the digestion”, which would mean avoiding the fibre from the outer layer of plants. It would be important not to slow down gut transit, however, as gas would result and possibly dry stools and painful constipation. With that in mind, “soluble” fibres such as from oats, peas and apple flesh would help keep the bowel gently full and thus moving well. Water soluble nutrients such as vitamins and minerals would need fruit and vegetables, but avoiding the outer layers.
Meat-based food seems likely to be “easily digested” given that it’s what our system evolved with. I can’t imagine why blood would be difficult to digest and red meat does provide far more nutrients than white.
I totally agree Steve. Everything In moderation, and little and often is much better for the digestion. It’s important to keep our electrolytes in sync.,which is essential for the working of the heart. Red meat and offal are rich in iron an essential nutrient.
That’s good advice, I think - moderation in all things. Boring to some, I imagine, but, well - it sounds right to me (not that all the various bits of me that seem to be wearing out bears testament to its success!).
My niece’s daughter is vegetarian and has often complained of tiredness. A recent blood test revealed mild anaemia. Despite not eating meat, she told me she hates traditional green veg. I shook my head.
Yes, my sister is a vegetarian and has recently been diagnosed with thyroid problems, so agree with that too. Nothing will make us live forever (the tent wears out), but l believe that everything God has made is good and necessary, but moderation is key. It doesn’t have to be boring. I find abstinence is more boring and sacrificial. Life is too short. I always enjoy your posts Steve thanks.
Unfortunately a lot of vegan and vegetarian diets these days rest on highly processed convenience foods that fail to provide a balanced diet.
My sister has been vegetarian all her life and has never been short of energy. She is constitutionally very strong and by far the fittest member of the family!
I would never give up meat entirely because I don’t want to get in arguments about wether we “should “ or “shouldn’t” eat meat! Like you’ve implied- moderation and the middle way …
I think you’re right about the low roughage diet in aftermath of surgery Steve. My instinct is heading towards scrambled egg on wholemeal spelt toast for first day or two, though I’m normally a big vegetable eater. And good to hear about the soluble fibres in oats and apples as I have these for breakfast most days.
I do find meat very hard to digest and I nearly always have a bad night’s sleep after eating it. Besides which I much prefer the flavour of imaginatively cooked non-meat dishes. I think my ancestors were the variety who left piles of evidence in the form of empty shellfish when they weren’t up in the trees grabbing fruit!
I think, on reflection, something like prunes for breakfast would also be good as the one thing you don't want at all is to have to strain. But... you'll be fine. At least it's not Friday 13th!
Oh goodness not had prunes for years! I think I’ll cheat and buy a can (unsweetened) if available. Forgot my husband loves these, so will get a couple. I’m enjoying this foodie diversion, thanks so much for your contributions.
Hope it all goes well for you. I have PAF and need to lose a lot of weight before I can have ablation. In the meantime I have become diabetic. I have really looked at my diet over the last few weeks and cut out carbs as much as I possibly can and go high protein. Lifelong vegetarian. My meals are smaller and much more satisfying. I have baked halloumi often with asparagus or green beans, or sliced mushrooms fried in a little olive oil with garlic again with asparagus and couple slices melted Brie over, chopped tomatoes, olives, spring onions, feta crumbled as a lunch or with a two egg omelette for bigger meal. Breakfast is usually fruit or handful of almonds or both and as nibbles also during the day. I usually add seeds or nuts as topping to salads. I don’t miss the carbs now at all. Blood sugars are much better and the greatest, apart from steady weight loss, is the lack of palpitations snd flutters that would fill my day. Rarely now. There’s some great books on eBay for ideas for disease related cooking. If you eat meat then there’s loads of protein choices, I don’t nor meat substitute, or fish. Anyway. You take care and keep us updated with the ablation. 🦊xx
Reading your post has made me very hungry! I love halloumi! What a wonderful diet you have, so tasty as well as healthy. I prefer vegetarian to meat dishes these days and try to get a good mix of protein through beans, nuts, tofu, eggs and dairy. My rule of thumb is half the plate vegetable, quarter protein, quarter carb- though growing our own can add weight to veg intake! Plus a tablespoon or two of olive oil. And of course a good lot of tasty recipes. After cutting processed food and sugar from my diet I lost around 2.5 stone over 2 years and have kept a healthy weight since.
Well done for bringing your weight down! Remember you’re more likely to succeed in the long run by taking it slow and steady, but a difficult balance when awaiting surgery. It’s good to hear how much a change of diet has improved your AFib!
thanks for reply, glad u like sound of the diet. It takes some thinking about but the doctor saying your diet will probably kill you in the end so that helped and she verbally kicked me well and truly up the a**e. Reduced blood sugar has reduced inflammatory effort on bones and gut and I’ve lost that overwhelming fatigue, I’m not going back to that lifestyle. Love and best wishes to you. 🦊x
I live alone and didn't really do much planning ahead for my ablations (3). Since I cook in bulk and freeze portion -size meals anyway, that of course worked well for me. I eat lots of chicken and fish, with some lower-fat beef, so that was on my menu plans too. My humble recommendations are to steer clear of added sodium, alcohol (that's a given) and don't eat too close to bedtime. I hope everything turns out well for you.
Thank you Snowgirl. I haven’t had alcohol since I was diagnosed with Afib a year ago. I’m happy with this but have noticed friends and family can sometimes feel sad or confused about it! It sounds like you have a good system of meal planning. I hope you’ve had some success with your ablations - brave to have had 3 and living alone.
I think it was a shock to my friends when I had to quit alcohol 9 years ago! I've gotten used to sitting with my friends while they have a nice glass of wine and I have my diet coke. I wouldn't exactly call it brave to go through ablations on my own, just a way of living that I'm used to. Thanks for saying that though. I think you'll be fine -- you're well prepared. Another added recommendation, that's also on your fact sheet I'm sure, is to not lift anything over 10 lbs. for a couple weeks. I did, and my chest hurt for a while afterward. Just remember a wound on your skin takes a while to heal -- same as your insides.
What type of ablation are you having? I had a left pulmonary vein RF ablation back on 22nd June and it was acutely successful.
Apart from feeling a bit tired in the first few days, I had no other symptoms apart from an elevated heart rate. HR is still elevated, but coming again down bit by bit.
It’s a strange procedure because you have no typical surgical scars (apart from the groin incisions).
Just watch out for the blood pooling in your upper thighs. It’s suddenly appeared in mine on day 5! I gather it pools in the leg muscle compartments and then works its way out to the skin surface. But it’s not bruising, it’s just blood in the tissue. I gobbled down Arnica 30C for a few days and it soon dissipated.
Good luck with it darling and I sincerely hope it’s a great success for you. xx
Thank you Dippy for you kind thoughts. All I know is it’s a cryoablation and that I’m having sedation rather than GA. I’m still awaiting my preparatory phone call and hopefully a few more explanations but I have been away in Scotland. I didn’t feel like an interview in the middle of the Scottish National Gallery when they called!
I’m so glad your ablation has been successful, you must be feeling over the moon and you give me hope. Thanks for advice - I must get some Arnica. I believe arnica is good for shock and trauma generally? I was once treated with it when an icy avalanche of snow slid off a roof and landed on my head! Hopefully the ablation will be less painful. I understand about the blood pooling. Something similar happened with my husband’s hernia op. Keep on being well!
Thank you Scott, I hope you’re soon able to plan your next trip to Fife. We were in Crail a week ago, Lovely coast. I’m glad to hear you’ve had a successful procedure. Take it easy!
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