I’m really struggling after my catheter ablation 10 days ago.
The palpitations and ectopics I’m experiencing are awful. So different to the palpitations I was having before my ablation. They are very erratic.
I have Dilated Cardiomyopathy and AVNRT.
I know it’s early days but is this normal?
I’m getting so anxious as they are lasting around 5 hours at a time. Mainly at night.
Today I’ve had them for 3 and half hours continuously and have ended up with a banging headache.
I’ve read palpitations after are normal, but I’m not used to these.
Mine normally last a couple of minutes.
I just need some reassurance and advice from anyone who has experienced the same. I know we’re all different and my recovery period will be different to others.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated 🙏🏻
Carol
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Carolx
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After my ablation I had 5 AF free days than it was worse than before. I hoped for the best but after 6 or 7 months it became obvious it was a failure. You may become one of the lucky ones where it works.
In my experience after 2 ablations, quite normal and I found the ectopics made me feel worse than the AF did - but gradually improved with time - slow and steady and help yourself by doing anxiety management as focussing on the sensations and worrying will only exacerbate the feelings.
Good advice from Bob - my other tip would be distraction - get involved which gets you focussing on something whilst you rest.
Is there a good Mindfulness class locally you could join? It really can help.
Wishing you speedy recovery and long lasting NSR - without the ectopics or palpitations.
I’m trying my best to relax when I’m having them, but it’s very difficult.
After 3 hours of constant palpitations today, I decided I’d had enough and I got active. I changed my son’s room round a little, swept his floor and cleaned all his surfaces. I sat down after and had some water and unbelievably the palpitations had stopped and I was back in NSR.
All ok since. I’m going to bed soon and praying they don’t start again.
It took my heart quite a while to settle down after my ablation. The first few weeks being the most erratic and then months before it settled down completely. I have to say I am so thankful for the ablation!! 🙏🏻ing for speedy recovery for you...
So glad that it has calmed down for you. Remember that your heart has really gone through it, and it can take weeks, if not months, to settle. Best of luck!
It’s easy to forget with no external scars. Lying down at night can feel odd at first - better sleeping on the right side. I had to prop myself up a bit. I think there was a bit of fluid retention going on.
In the end it didn’t get rid of my AFib, but the ablation works for the majority of people. It does sound like yours is settling down well.
I am guessing that your ectopic beats are caused by inflammation of the heart muscle, itself caused by the heat from the catheter ablation as well as the puncture wound through the atrial septum. This inflammation varies widely, I gather, so you have been less lucky. I also get runs of ectopics but can't imagine them going on for hours as yours are. I can well imagine how it must make you feel. Rest assured, though, that this is temporary, and they will go away when the inflammation heals.
I haven't seen it, but the video on the ablation failures seems less than helpful as, for most people, an ablation produces varying degrees of relief from AF. I don't think there is any evidence that an ablation can help the overall prognosis for heart-related conditions, but it seems it can dramatically help symptoms. Mine was for atrial flutter not AF, and worked really well but I am left with sporadic AF and lots of palpitations.
I didn’t know they puncture the atrial septum. This makes a lot more sense now. It’s big deal isn’t it when you think about it. No wonder my heart is skipping and jumping.
I have had a very calm day today. No palpitations but I don’t want to tempt fate.
I’ve just got in bed, so now is the time they usually start. I shall try my very best to remain calm and positive
I really do appreciate your advice, makes me feel like I’m not alone.
It’s good to hear others experience. Sorry to hear you still suffer with AF and palpitations.
Laying down in bed often sets mine off badly but for the past few months that’s not been happening. These things really do come and go.
Since last March, my AF has been well controlled (or is having a rest…) with a small daily dose of bisoprolol, thankfully. Long may it continue. I was told an ablation would be my only option as I can’t take anti-arrhythmic drugs as I have something called left bundle branch block, also.
You sound as if yours will definitely clear up. For AF, not AFl as in my case, the catheter enters the heart from the right side and the left atrium needs to be ablated, hence the puncture through the septum.
Good to hear the Bisoprolol works for you. I tried that last year and I felt awful. I ended up in A&E. Palpitations were very bad and my chest was so tight. I felt like someone was sitting on me. My cardiologist told me to stop taking them.
I then tried Nebivolol and had the same reaction. So stopped those too. Now I’m on Ramipril and Diltiazem. They have helped a lot but not stopped the palpitations. Just calmed them down as in duration and intensity.
It’s so common isn’t it people with heart issues. I didn’t realise how many there are.
My problems are quite trivial in the scale of things. I’ve read some pretty harrowing stories on here.
I should be grateful I can still lead a normal life. My condition is more of a nuisance than anything else. One I’ve learned to live with.
I have a loop recorder implant, so all these palpitations and ectopics will be picked up on my app.
I emailed my cardiologist so I’m sure if there was anything to worry about he would have got back to me immediately .
He would have - you'll be fine. The key two things to ask about are the health of the coronary arteries (hardening and blocking from cholesterol / calcification) and the condition of the ventricles. Any high blood pressure needs to be resolved, and any asthma / COPD considered.
I think laying down pulls at the heart which is a known fact for setting of ectopic beats, and those, in prone individuals, can start AF. The heart is nearly sitting atop the diaphragm with the stomach and large intestine, and other large organs, just below. Physical movement can do the same such as stretching high or kneeling low, as can a large or gassy meal or drink.
Hi Carol, I had an ablation just over 3 weeks ago and after 4 days of pure joy with no AF I went back into fast AF and felt even worse than before the ablation with even worse extreme fatigue the stairs seemed like Everest . I was sent for a cardioversion last Friday, no effect . Then on Sunday I suddenly went into normal sinus rhythm, that lasted just under a day now I have ectopic.
I think with ablations you can not determine the outcome , we have to be patient and just wait and see, take things easy , get plenty of sleep, avoid getting stressed, keep dehydrated.
Sorry to hear you’ve not had a great time. I’ve felt really tired today. I guess hours n hours of palpitations does take its toll. I feel quite lethargic and everything is an effort.
I will take your good advice. Sleep when I can and try not to overthink things.
I think I was expecting instant results. Very naive of me.
Everyone is so kind on here. It’s literally a lifeline. I was losing the plot yesterday when the palpitations went on and on. It affects you mentally doesn’t it.
Thanks Carol …..bed time can be problematic for me too and last night I lay down and went straight into fast AF 150 bpm where I have been most of this year. It has been lovely experiencing what normal used to be like . I am just going take each day at a time and to see what it brings ….take care 🙂
Hi Jacki that is a Kardia reading. I have to report to clinic on Monday they are going to try digoxin to try to lower my heart rate .I am still hoping the blanking period wii bring success eventually . Hope you are doing well .
Hi Carol, I know it's exhausting... I'm sorry you're going through this--we can all empathize with you. I was also getting triggered by lying down, so for the last few years, I got used to sleeping in a comfortable velvet easy chair (not a recliner) with my feet up on another chair. I set up my books, water, etc. on a side table and figured out how to get my neck comfortable. Now it's my little refuge because I rarely if ever go into AF while sitting up. I sleep great all night. If I wake up w/ ectopics, I make tea & spend the time praying for all those who are also awake, scared, or having surgery in the morning, might be having trouble breathing, etc. When I consider all those who, as you said, have it so much worse than we do, it puts things in perspective and dials down my anxiety. This, too, shall pass... May we all be at peace! Diane
Thank you so much. I’ve had another calm day. However I was awoken in the night at 1am having palpitations. I sat up for a good 10 minutes and went back into sinus rhythm. I was so happy. Went back to sleep no problem ☺️
Just to say I had my ablation 10 months ago and although the first 9 days were dreadful, with AF stop start stop start, things settled and I have been AF free ever since. I dont take anything for granted though but just grateful. All the best
Ahh this fills me with joy. How wonderful for you. This is very reassuring.
I was starting to regret having it. I’m much worse than before the ablation. All very common I hear, so I’ll be a patient patient and hope for the best.
I had my ablation 9 weeks ago and I’ve had ectopic beats almost since day 1. It’s very off putting. They come and go, but seem worse in the morning. I’ve read and re-read about this and also , like you, asked about it on here. I’m trying to convince myself that they’ll go eventually and also that my AFib won’t come back. Trouble is, you’ll not know if the ablation has worked, , unless the AFib shows it’s ugly head again. I have my fingers crossed, that it’s been successful. 🤞🤞🤞🤞 Hope yours has worked. Best wishes.
9 weeks is a long time to be having them every day. It’s draining isn’t it. I’m trying not to dwell on it too much but it’s hard not to.
I had a total knee replacement in January and the recovery was brutal. The pain was unreal, but in a way I coped with that better than this.
You’re so aware of your heart aren’t you. I could take painkillers to help with the knee pain and it would ease it, but this is very different. You can’t take a pill and they magically stop.
It’s just a case of enduring them until your heart decides to settle down. Which it does eventually.
I’m not seeing my electrophysiologist until July 😩
I hope your knee is ok now. Yes , I think if you have AFib, you’re more aware of your heart.As you say, you just have to put up with the ectopic beats and just hope they stop eventually. I’m supposed to see the Dr, 3 months after my ablation, which is December 19th, but no appointment yet. Will probably be in the New Year now, I’d have thought. All the best.
dear CarolX. I can’t even imagine how you’re feeling, but I do know this that blanking. That can be many months after an ablation and there’s still hope that you can go into NSR the people that posted about the wolf mini maze, I have a few questions:1. did you personally have one and 2. what are the risks of that procedure and % of issues and 3. what is the success rate anc for how long?
Such difficult big decisions.CarolX I pray for your ablation to turn out successful!
So I’ve just had a call from the reveal clinic regarding my loop recorder readings.
She said she can see I’m having lots of isolated arrhythmia, not like the ones I had pre ablation. These are more erratic and more like ectopics and odd beats. So in some respect this is good news. She said there are no recordings of my previous sustained palpitations, so it looks like the ablation has eradicated those ☺️ (Hopefully)
She is going to send the readings to my electrophysiologist, if he is at all concerned he will request to see me sooner than my appointment in July.
I am feeling much better about all this now. So hopefully once these isolated palpitations settle down, I will be on the road to a SVT free life 🙏🏻 ❣️
Hi, not unusual, neither is a rise in pulse rate. You are in the blanking period and rhythm disturbances are normal. In fact you will not be evaluated to see if you have reverted to NSR until a few months. My EP also said you can get slight chest pain in the early days. All correct. Should settle. By the way many people with Afib find sleeping on the left side problematic at first, so just change your position...Any issues, get back to your team
The palpitations lasted 4 weeks then it all calmed down. It was such a huge relief.
Just being able to get a good nights sleep is wonderful.
But I had a phone call the day after Boxing Day from the reveal clinic at St Thomas’, about my internal loop recorder.
The EP said my heart isn’t beating properly. When the atrium contracts there’s a delay in the ventricles after. I don’t really understand it if I’m honest. She is going to contact my EP and see what he wants to do.
I feel fine. I still get the odd ectopic beat but nothing like the prolonged ones I was getting before.
My original arrhythmia has completely disappeared. 55 years I’ve endured those.
I even had a few drinks over Christmas and I had no palpitations at all.
Pre ablation that would never have happened.
So I shall await the response of my EP.
It’s not pleasant is it having constant palpitations/ectopics.
It was affecting me mentally. Felt like I was losing the plot. They just went on and on.
Have faith that yours will settle soon. It’s all about time. The heart has been though a lot of trauma. It just needs to find a new route.
I hope you feel better very soon and thank you for asking how I am.
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