I am a 47 year old healthy female I had a heart ablation which the surgeon said went well. I stayed in two nights as my blood pressure kept dropping every time I would stand. I had a very heavy chest feeling almost like a balloon was surrounding my heart. I completely lost my appetite. The hospital informed me to rest at home and it would subside. Day 8 I ended up at surgeons room to get bloods and echo done as the pain hadn’t subsided and I Just wasn’t hungry All came back fine he informed me it probably was my vagus nerve. It’s now 18 days post ablation and I am slowly getting a bit stronger. Today was the first day I sat at the table to have breakfast I felt strong and then the chest pain came again and lasted all day. My surgeon has booked me in for a stress test next week. Has anyone else had this tightening pain after ablation that feels hard to breath and wraps around your heart then goes into your shoulder and arm? I just need someone else to have similar recovery. As everything I read is 3 days after surgery you will be feeling great.
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Paris76
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Had similar, but mostly pain in chest and throat area which was made worse when breathing. Diagnosis was procedural pericarditis, not uncommon after an ablation. I was treated with a couple of rounds of colchicine, an anti-inflammatory. It did subside after about six weeks.
Whoever told you will be feeling great 3 days after an abation, is living on a planet, I am not familiar with. Most take weeks or months to get going. I didn't get back to pre-ablation baseline for about 7 months.
It feels like inflammation but the echo and bloods were all normal. I said to the surgeon I would never have had it done if I knew this is how I would feel.
Hopefully, they will sort it out, or it will just sort with time. I was pretty convinced by week five that some of my side effects might become permanent, but thankfully all I needed was time and patience. In my case it was many months.
Thanks Bob I haven’t had a temperature so I don’t think infection. You just start thinking worst case when you don’t hear other people having same recovery
I’ve had such a medley of symptoms since my ablation nearly 4 weeks ago, including chest pains out of the blue and tightness in the chest maybe when I’ve eaten over rich food. Maybe some people’s hearts do settle right down after 3 days but after such a major procedure I think the majority of hearts go on complaining and having conversations with themselves for a good deal longer than that. Hope yours soon feels right - it sounds like your medical team are on your case.
Thank you for writing they have booked me in for a stress test on Monday which at this point don’t see how I can do it? It feels like it’s completely inflamed but isn’t showing that on echo. I just worry my heart is now failing.
I’m sorry for my ignorance but not sure what you mean by a stress test. But if you think your discomfort and pain may prevent you from getting there for the test you should have another conversation with your arrhythmia team or call 111 or your GP. Never be afraid of calling out an ambulance if you have chest pain. I’ve had paramedics out twice for AF related symptoms and they were brilliant even though I felt I’d wasted their time cos I didn’t need hospital. And the lovely people on this forum were very reassuring about it too. If you’re afraid then don’t be there suffering that on your own but get the help and reassurance of medically trained people.
A stress test is when you walk on a treadmill whilst they monitor your heart I have informed them I won’t be doing much. I had an ambulance out last Friday and they were brilliant they took to to the hospital where they did several bloods and X-ray nothing showed up they told me it was probably inflammation and put me on celebrex.
I’m finding it helpful seeing other people don’t recover as fast as you are told you will
Not Always treadmill.I am sure the thought of that would terrify you.They can chemically stress the heart.There might be other ways of doing it these day.Don't worry they do know what they are doing & you will be looked after.
It is 20 years since I had a stress test.
I had pain but not till a few weeks after but I am sorry you are having such a bad experience.At least you are being looked at .Good luck.
I am 8 months post ablation and so glad I had it done.
The description fits an irritated vagus nerv. Sounds to me like somebody's hand may have slipped during the procedure. You don't get to read your own report, do you?
The surgeon actually said it was my Vegus nerve and give it another 2 weeks to recover I just wanted to hear other people’s recovery to make sure I wasn’t just going to die suddenly 😩 I have never had so much anxiety and tears as I have over the last 2 weeks x
I had pericarditis (without effusion) and oesophagitis following my RF ablation. Immediately after coming round from GA it was so painful that I was knocked out again with i/v fentanyl. In hospital 5 days then readmitted 2 days later for another 6 days. Pureed, cold diet as I could not swallow properly due to swelling in the oesophagus, colchicine, and many scans & tests to rule out perforation. Unfortunately it all took a few months to resolve completely.
HiI think they interferred with my vagus during my ablation. I had stomach issues and completely lost my appetite ( I can eat without being hungry usually but this was different). I llost 7 kilos( about à stone?) In 3 weeks. I also had a bit of liquid round the heart which showed up on an echocardiogram. Has this been checked ? This can cause discomfort even pain . But it does get better! It all cleared within the blanking period but you do need to get checked to pinpoint the problem if problem there is .
HELLO, my ablation was in August and it failed, I still get your symptoms daily apart from loss of appetite. I do however get considerable GI upset. My EC says it needs time to settle down.Roger
A short time ago the ablation kind placing a balloon during the operation through the USA recall Association recalled that balloon because it collapsed instead of staying up.
Not to say that you have a faulty balloon as I don't know which ablation you had.
I seem to vaguely remember it was the cytoballoon ablation or something like that word.
I just had my second ablation yesterday they went into both sides of the groin and the neck flutters when off the Flecainide ughhh 180 beats out of the blue. I had the same feeling you are describing very uncomfortable feeling felt like I had a vise around me. On the other hand my first ablation last year was a breeze this one surprised me I didn't want to eat felt tight around the heart and rib cages they gave me Protonix according to there protocol and within a half hour it went away I ate two good meals no problems. It wore off this morning the same feelings started up again they gave me my morning another Protonix on a empty stomach before breakfasts and within 15 minuets it was gone. They told me heart ablations can cause these symptoms sometime it will cause the stomach pumps and vagal nerve to over react. I have to take it for 7-10 days. My ablation last year I never needed it they were surprised I didn't I went and filled the prescription but never used it this time its a life saver.
Hi Paris, It was a lot more than 3 days for me to start feeling ok after each of my ablations.!! We are all different but I can’t imagine how recovery from ablation can be painless or come without any discomfort ? Someone has made their way into our heart’s with an instrument and burned areas of tissue.!!! no wonder our hearts are upset and hurting.? I got a number of weird sensations and pains for first 4 weeks for definite and I started getting a little worried sometimes but every time I phoned the arrhythmia nurse he said it’s normal and they will eventually settle.!!
I thought he was fobbing me off😳 but he was true to his word.👍 they did eventually settle down 👍
Thank you for your response. My surgeon is the opposite and says he hasn’t seen a patient with such a slow recovery. It’s so frustrating but good to hear others haven’t healed as fast as expected. Thanks again
Well you have take their word because they are the experts.👍 on discharge day on my first of three ablations I asked him about the recovery period and what to expect, although I’d read up on it. He said everyone is different and hopefully you’ll be feeling fine in a few weeks with rest but you may not? because some folk experience different symptoms and everyone takes different times to get there.? I’m sure you’ll get there Paris and they will get you sorted.👍
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After the ablation
Ablation Success
8 days post ablation and chest pain - anyone else still hve pain that many days after? 
