Post ablation fatigue - update

[oddbeats]

Hi all

At just over four months since my 7th June ablation here's an update on how things have gone.

Overall the experience was not trivial. The whole thing was exhausting. The recovery from general anaesthetic was unexpectedly unpleasant.

During the three month blanking period I was taking flecainide 100mg and apixaban 5mg twice a day as advised by the cardio and after two weeks getting back to normal activity, ie badminton, gym occasional cycling.

There was a two week period in the third month where I experienced quite extreme fatigue. This is where you want to lie down for the weekend, not just a bit tired.

This was never mentioned by the cardiologist, but is apparently quite common. At this point I reduced the flecainide ( again allowed to do so by cardio) as I thought it was making the fatigue worse. It might have been.

After three months, stopped both pills and hoped for the best. All good, but do not feel as fit as before. This can also just be age or the life disruption, difficult to separate the possible causes. I think even so this is massively better than the experience of exercise induced afib which can be crippling.

A few times I have thought I felt some vagal afib when sitting or walking around, maybe four times in total and very brief, ( minutes or seconds).

There are a few flutters or ectopics ( can't tell which ) day to day but they don't cause any problem.

During one particularly adrenergic badminton match I thought the afib started again, but again mild and brief. And that was the only time.

Overall at this point I would say the procedure ( and all the pre and post stages) is 85 %or 90% successful and I'm very glad I did it.

The cardio was at pains after the procedure to set expectation that this is a journey and they treat it with ablation and medication. And he would not go in again within 12 months.

Medication may be needed again, let's see. Hope not!

Just posting this in the hope its helpful to someone

Best wishes to all

William

[BobD Volunteer]

Great EP then. I think far too many jump back in too soon. I waited at least a year or more between my three. As we say in our fact sheet on recovery, many people are still improving at nine months or a year. Listen to your body and keep looking into life style changes.

[oddbeats in reply to BobD]

Yes I'm quite happy to not rush for another one. Thank you, yes alcohol is 5% or less of what it was. And it's fine, choices we make.

[Buzby62]

Very helpful, thanks, I’m on the waiting list for cryoablation of pulmonary veins under sedation not GA. I was told some need a second follow up ablation and that would be RF under GA if required. Hopefully I’m in the 60% that don’t need it. Meeting the arrhythmia nurses Wednesday for counselling session and an echocardiogram on Thursday so it’s becoming real !!!

Would be interested to know which ablation type you had under GA if you don’t mind sharing.

Thanks

[oddbeats in reply to Buzby62]

Hi, actually I don't know what type I'm afraid! I have been meaning to get back to them to ask. Very best of luck with the procedure. I spoke to a friend of friend who had sedation and he was fine with it. I would consider that to avoid the nausea and blood pressure drops I had during the GA recovery.

[Fullofheart in reply to Buzby62]

I had both cryo and RF under sedation then another RF with GA.Cryo is usually under sedation. You may need a second procedure (as you say) which is likely to be RF with GA. Much easier in my experience though of course recovery can be slower.

All tolerable. But as someone else said not really comparable to a trip to the dentist.

[mjames1]

"Overall the experience was not trivial. The whole thing was exhausting. The recovery from general anesthetic was unexpectedly unpleasant."

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Thank you for posting as ablation sometimes get trivialized here with one member saying he'd rather have an ablation than go to the dentist! Maybe so for him, but tone deaf to the many whose recovery takes many months.

The fatigue and recovery you speak about is not at all uncommon. I had it myself. And it took over six months for the haze of general anesthesia to abate. About same amount of time until my exercise tolerance returned to per-ablation levels.

Hope you continue to improve.

Right now

[Fullofheart]

I haven't heard of post ablation fatigue before but relate to your experience of being wiped out sometimes and weekends needing to include catch up sleeping. I'd put this down to other factors (underactive thyroid/ menopause/ general heart health) but I'm interested in your ideas. Are others experiencing this?Any articles on this that you know of?

[oddbeats in reply to Fullofheart]

Hi, I was just reporting my experience and interested in that of others. So I've not seen any articles but many seem to have experienced it. My feeling is that the heart seems to be far more connected than just a mechanical pump and so many different symptoms can arise when it is upset.

[Fullofheart]

Ps I had 3 ablations last year (2 x cryo, 1 RF) so maybe not surprising for that to have some impact.

[Gumbie_Cat]

I had sedation and, while the procedure was fine, I did get nausea plus low blood pressure for a day - was kept in hospital overnight. I didn’t exactly appreciate my two days of sinus rhythm.

I would say that it took me about 4 or 5 months to really feel fine again. I’ve put some of that down to coming to terms with the fact that it didn’t work for me. I would still have gone through further ablations had they been advised. Doing ok in constant AFib at the moment though - with the help of rate control and anticoagulants.

[oddbeats in reply to Gumbie_Cat]

Sorry to hear it didn't work and I hope the symptoms are not too bothersome.

[Gumbie_Cat in reply to oddbeats]

Kind of used to it. Really just a bit of fatigue in the afternoons/evening, plus legs are sluggish going uphill or upstairs. Could be worse!