Hello everyone. I had an ablation in November and all was well until Saturday when I went back into full on afib heart racing at 159 bpm. Feeling dreadful so exhausted and dizzy with headaches. So frustrating as I haven't had an episode since Jan 2022. They have increased my Bisoprolol to 5mg per day which seems a lot to me and are reviewing my case. Any thoughts or advice very welcome.
Post ablation : Hello everyone. I had... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Post ablation
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Deb86290
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You need to ring your GP and get him/her to check exactly what your heart is doing. Mine would always say to go to the surgery right away for an ECG. Let your AF nurses know too, they may say go to them. That rate is too high for you to stay in for long you need advise from a professional.
Or ring the 111 NHS number. They will send paramedics to check you out.
Jean
Thank you for your reply jeanjeannie50 and your advice. I saw my GP on Monday and he did an ECG. I am waiting for my AF nurse to get back to me but nothing as yet. Three days like this is completely exhausting. Hopefully I will hear back from them today.
Did your GP send you home with that 159 bpm? Surely not. It's too high you need medical advice right away.
Take care.
Jean
AF nurse????? I have nothing like this. I don’t even have a consultant I can contact. My gp doesn’t help either. How did you get an AF nurse?
At my local hospital after seeing a cardiologist and having many cardioversions I came under the care of his AF nurses.
After having 3 ablations carried out at another hospital about 30 miles away I also came under the care of my EP's AF nurses.
Jean
I can’t help but think my gp doesn’t give a stuff about me. I have no one I can refer to. Thank goodness this forum exists so I can get others views on things 😩😩
Is your AF really bothersome? If it is, why don't you ask your GP if he can refer you to a cardiologist, or should you want an ablation to an EP.
Jean
I’ve been to a cardiologist privately. He referred me on to the guy that does the ablations. I’m due yet another telephone app now with this guy. I just never seem to have anyone I can contact when it starts. I’ve had 3 hospital stays last year with high pulse during episodes
When you speak to the EP ask him who you can contact if you have any worries, then ask outright about the AF nurses if he doesn't mention them.
Good idea. Thank you x
Hi macy007, I know how you feel I was diagnosed!!!! well it was found nearly 3 years ago come this March I did tell my GP I had the symptoms for years and that I wasn't aware what it was. I also don't have a cardiologist or AF nurse. I bought myself a afib watch it was showing afib everyday. It took 9 months to be seen by a cardiologist who said I'm in afib now,!!! yes I said I'm in afib all the time. I had a call from a GP he mentioned I have Lbbb too. My GP said we will have another look in 6 months time then he changed it to a year's time. During that time my bisoprolol was put up from 5mg to 7.5mg . I never heard from my GP during that year other than a blood test and my bisoprolol was then put up to 10 mg aday. A year on I still didn't hear from my GP I so I booked to see my GP he couldn't remember saying for me to see someone a year on. Soon after that I was sent to have a echocardiogram . During that time I had been doing research I took things into my own hands and asked my GP for a refural to Sheffield hospital to see a very special afib surgeon Mr Steven Hunter. A letter that was sent from my GP to Mr Hunter a copy was also sent to me saying This 60 year old lady with persistent symptomatic atrial fibrillation as well as left Bundle branch block, reduced ejection fraction and regional wall motion abnormalities on the echocardiogram. Well I wasn't aware of all the other defects. I'm so pleased I took it in to my own hands. I had my surgery in November at Sheffield 6hrs from home.
I'm now in NSR. I'm not sure about the damage afib has caused me but I'm so pleased I'm in NSR. Since then it will help with the ejection fraction. Which was at 40 to 45%. Heart failure according to the pharmacy that called to put me on apixabin just before my operation.
I'm not saying for you to do the same as me everyone is different just be aware of not doing nothing push your GP to see a cardiologist.
it’s crazy isn’t it? Our NHS is brilliant most of the time but they do let themselves down on occasions. I’m so glad I have private health insurance to fall back on if and when I need it
Appalling treatment/non treatment at first. Glad you're in nsr
My husband has an AF nurse at the arrhythmia clinic but he has had a stroke and had stage 2 heart failure so maybe that’s why
Are you in AF continuously at around 160 bpm?If so then you need to get back to your GP or phone 111.
Yes I am. Ok I will call them again then. Thankyou for youyr advice
if you're continually in a fib with a heart rate of 160 I would go to the A&E now, and let them bring the rate down and not wait for anyone to get back to you
Hi - I had an ablation in December and went to A&E Xmas day - IV Metoprolol brought it back down but went up again - My AF nurses advised they thought it was due to inflammation caused by the ablation and if it stayed at 160 for 7 days to go in and advised they would look at possibly Digoxin and/or cardioversion - luckily after 5 long days it came down and has been settled ever since, so 3 weeks total chaos now nearly 14 days settled and NSR. Don’t give up just yet as we’re all different. I also know what brought mine down- don’t ask me why but I was desperate and decided to try anything - I necked a glass of bicarbonate of soda followed by chewing 3 cloves of raw garlic - mouth, tongue and throat on fire, then swallowed it down and felt the heat go down- 30 seconds later the consistent 160bpm I’d had for 5 days broke, went into a lower AFib pattern for several hours (which actually felt worse) but then completely settled down and has remained that way since and I just know it was the garlic that resulted in this - how or why I have no idea - I know garlic is anti-Inflammatory (why I tried it) and suspect as the oesophagus is close to the heart it somehow “shocked” me out of the rhythm - sounds completely mad I realise that but it worked for me.
Wow, MWIC I missed your Christmas post, it’s on BHF not AFA. I’ve been OK since my day 6 episode for 16hrs. Glad to hear you’re settled now, it does seem to be a bumpy ride for some and still settle with time to be successful 🤞
Oh is it - hadn’t realised that 😂 - great to hear and yeah bumpy couple of weeks for me but very happy at the moment - hope we both get some longevity with this as massive relief to have even 10 days consistently without it (was every 2 days prior to the ablation) so worth the bumpy period
I have to confess I'm surprised - when I was first diagnosed I was at 140 BPM and sent by my GP straight to a Cardiologist at the Heart hospital .
Yes, similarly I was kept in on cardiology ward for 2 nights when my AF could not be reduced below 140 bpm. I had previously been at home for 3 days at this rate. I ended up with DCCV.
They did nothing when my hubby went to a and e with heart rate of 164 , he jd a stroke two days later . Didn’t put him on blood thinners just gave him verapamil
So sorry to hear that . Very bad. Where was this ?
Great Western Hospital Swindon Wiltshire
Assuming you’re still in your blanking period and review probably at 3 months, you should really have the support of your EP Nurses or Arrhythmia Nurses attached to the EP team that did your ablation. If they’re not responding try the EP secretary as they are in close contact with each other. When I had an episode at day 6 mine were great and I was to get back in touch if not returned to NSR in 72 hours.
That support is part of the ablation process and you should chase up that support any way you can in my opinion.
Good luck
Thanks for your advice. I have been in touch and they are waiting for the doctor who performed the ablation to get back to them. It does seem to be taking a while. I will call again tomorrow if I hear nothing. I am supposed to be travelling on Friday and more than a little nervous about it now.
Oh dear - what a shame for you. I bet you are fed up as well as feeling rough?
I have read that doctors ignore any recurrence during the first 4-6 weeks "blanking period" but are more suspicious of later breakthrough episodes as a possible sign of future recurrence. And yet your ablation is still not fully healed for much longer, so your breakthrough AF might yet prove to be a part of that continuing process and will settle. You'll never know until later.
Bisoprolol 5mg seems the standard dosage to treat fast AF initially in hospital. It's what I have been given while awaiting a cardioversion, but the bisoprolol did the trick and the CV wasn't needed. It might be that an anti arrhythmic like flecainide is offered also, after the review?
Do you have a home ECG device?
Steve
Thanks for your reply. I don’t have a home ECG device maybe I should get one.
I am now at week ten after the ablation so not sure what that means in terms of the healing process. Speaking to specialist today so hopefully will get some answers.
Really fed up with dragging myself around!
You must be fed up. A couple of weeks after my successful ablation for atrial flutter on 2019, I was told to stop my 5mg daily bisoprolol but a week later AF arrived with a vengeance. Restarting the bisoprolol did bring it to a stop with a couple of hours, thankfully, and the planned cardioversion was put on hold. Since then I still get occasional relapses of AF with lots of ectopic beats and occasional mild tachycardia. Overall, though, I count it a success!
Steve
What device are you using to check you are in AF and Heart Rate I wonder, if it doesn’t have ECG function you can’t be sure it’s AF and may be another similar arrhythmia. This is why you need timely medical assessment. Hope you get seen asap today.
I am now 11 months post ablation and went through all sorts of hiccups but not AFib.Have you had results of GP ECG.Is it definitely AFib?Is your HR high when completely resting? How are you measuring it?
There is an app free for 3 days called Fibricheck.The free 3 days includes reports .It is recognised medically.
Looks nothing like ECG but you learn to read it.
I believe my free trial came from AFA .
Expensive for full service with reports but standard does me.
Thank you I will check that out. The GP ran the ECG and showed it to me. I have previously been at 250 and had a successful cardioversion and then had no afib for five years. It returned in 2022 and then my cardiologist decided an ablation was the answer to get me off the meds. I am waiting for him to decide what to do next :). My heart monitor shows my heart rate is dropping slowly and am feeling better today so hopefully the increase in Bisoprolol is working.
Hi. When i had my ablation they gave me specific advice re AF episodes- if they self terminated or went quickly then OK to stay at home. Anything with high HR (yours is high), and sustained, they told me to go straight to A and E. The goal is to stop the AF is what they said.
Please don't delay. Get in the car if you can or call 111 and get paramedic assistance. Personally I'd be too jittery to drive. Take your discharge paperwork with you including contact numbers for your EP and Arrythmia Nurse because they can call them direct once you're in.
With all due respect to your GP they're not equipped to handle this and giving you Bisoprolol is their only option.
Good Morning Deb86290,No, I am a Pharmacist ( retired), that is not a high dose of Bisoprolol, indeed a mid range dose. Hope you feel better soon.
Regards.Roger
I had a rocky time in the blanking period after my ablation with Afib but the worst was the development of Tachycardia which was 160 bpm and the usual meds ( Bisoprolol) didn't work . I agree with the comments above - you need to try and get a conversion ASAP . Mine was done with Amiodarone which is a bit of a last resort drug but it worked. As you are still in the blanking period it doesn't mean the ablation hasn't worked.Hope you can get it sorted 🤞
Take care.
PLEASE dial 999. The paramedics will come out and probably take you to hospital
I have been told with a rate like that (although mine did occasionally go to 240) you should not drive yourself or even get someone to drive you to A&E because if anything happened they could not drive and help you at the same time
I do hope all is well soon. As you hadn’t had an attack since January 2022 I’m thinking you probably wish you hadn’t had the ablation!!!
Flecainide keeps my heart in order - 100mg twice daily - as I’ve posted here before- only one breakthrough episode around the time I must have been infected with covid - we are all different though and do hope you get something that works for you - I’ve never had an ablation.
Hi, when I first got AF and my rate was over 160 called 111 who advised me to go straight to A&E who said I would have to stay in if they couldn't get it down, fortunately they did. I think ringing and waiting for replies may be risky given the state of the NHS, at least A&E, may involve a wait, but should help sort you out. Good luck
Hi Debs 🙂 after waiting 8 months for an ablation during which I went from paroxysmal to persistent AF with just a few hours occasional hours off , a HR of 145+ and the usual horrible symptoms of breathless /sweating and weakness (which didn't concern the medics only me) I had an ablation on 26th October.
I had 4 days of NSR which was a joy, then I went back into AF 150+ HR with all the symptoms for 3 weeks. I then got in touch with the hospital who performed the ablation some miles away, they told me to contact my local hospital and I said they were useless . It worked , the hospital who did my ablation contacted my local hospital and I was called in for cardioversion. It didn't have any effect , I was told the ablation might still work after the blanking period . I was so disappointed.
Sick of waiting and concerned the previous 8 months wait and progression to persistent AF might have ruined my chances of a successful ablation, no more waiting I got in touch with the local hospital again and arrhythmia nurse who has been useless in the past .
I got an appointment at the nurse led clinic within the week and was prescribed Digoxin .
Still in AF most of the time I then got an appointment on December 22nd with the Consultant EP who did my ablation, he stopped the Digoxin and prescribed Flecainide 50mg twice a day and as a PIP when needed . I had tried Flecainide before my ablation with no help to my AF and had side effects but it is now controlling my AF most of the time and if I go into AF it stops in a couple of hours with he use of a PIP .
I was asked to email the consultant again in a few weeks with a progress report . I am seeing the consultant again in a few months and may need a second ablation
Debs don't be afraid to contact the hospital who did the ablation, I have found it clearly pays to be proactive and to try different things .
Good luck and keep us updated .
Thanks for your reply. Sounds like you have had a very difficult time of it. I can't take Flecainide as it makes my eyesight blurry and gives me nausea . I have spoken to the surgeon who performed the ablation this morning and they are working on a new plan!!! We shall see. In the meantime I am taking it easy and beginning to feel a bit better, heart rate dropping so assuming the increased Bisoprolol is kicking in. Sweats, dizziness and headaches still there but they should subside.
Hi Debs I did not tolerate Flecainide when I took it previously with blurred vision, nausea and feeling faint. I actually passed out in the field when walking the dog . My lovely EP asked me to give it a try again now I am ablated and I am glad I did , I felt faint a couple of times the first day and think my vision is slightly affected but it is worth it to have control of my awful symptomatic AF .
sorry to hear about the relapse and you feeling badly, I’m just curious, did you change anything in your diet recently, drink excessively, or work out more extremely to cause the going back into AFib? It varies for everyone but I’m trying to learn more about why people go back into it post ablation.
Hello Gator50. No real changes to diet other than eliminating simple carbs. I gave up alcohol back in October. I do Pilates once a week but other than that no excessive exercise. It is a mystery1
I can only add that for me, going back into AFib eight days after my ablation was a bit of a shock and it happened during my sleep and so I would say that there really wasn’t anything I did at all…
Hi l also had an ablation last Nov 23, l had a complication, a pericardium effusion and had to have a chest drain, spent 5 days in hospital. I had a short AF whilst still in hospital and a longer one (20hrs)a week after discharge.
I was just about starting to feel human when l started with a AF 10days ago. I’m on Flecanide 50mg twice a day and was given Bisoprolol 2.5mg as a pill in the pocket when l was discharged. Needless to say nothing has worked, l did contact the cardiologist who carried out the ablation and increased the Flecanide to 150mg twice a day. With that dose the Af did stop after four days but l still had a high heart rate which usually returned to normal when the AF stopped. However, the AF keeps rearing its head and is coming and going through out the day, very intermittent, but only lasting a short while, having a rest and then off it goes again. the Bisoprolol is helping to lower the heart rate to around 90-100 on resting and around 130 when ‘active’ e.g. washing the dishes or pottering around.
The worst part for me is not knowing when it’s going to stop, l eat a balanced mainly plant based diet, don’t smoke, don’t drink alcohol and always decaffeinated coffee/tea. Feel like shit most of the time it’s the only word for it really. So l can empathise with you lm hoping that my heart is just in a temper tantrum from being meddled with - l don’t blame it really.
I did invest in an Apple Watch which does take ECG readings which l have emailed to the Consultant who has mentioned l may need a Cardioversion.
Good luck in getting hold of someone soon and l hope everything settles down and goes well for you.
I didnt realise an Apple watch did that. I might invest in one for peace of mind. Thanks for your good wishes and I hope it all calms down for you soon too. I have to say I never wanted the ablation but got bullied into it by the cardiologist with the lure of no more meds. Wish I had stuck to my guns.
Heart Rate Monitoring: support.apple.com/en-us/HT2...
ECG: support.apple.com/en-gb/HT2...
A couple of Apple Support links for you.
You must have an iPhone for Apple Watch
Cheers, me too, but too late was the cry, it is what is unfortunately, l keep thinking of the times ahead when my AFs are either a thing of the past or l hardly notice them.
I love my Apple Watch as it can do so much more than health stuff - you can use it to answer calls on your iphone - as long as yr phone is nearby- no more ferreting around in yr handbag,- my partner finds it hilarious. But then l’ve always loved a gadget. My cardiologist suggested l got a BP machine unsure which one to get any ideas?
Yes my husband has one where we can see his pulse and ecg
I would love to go private but they probably won't want to know me with having Heart failure and LBBB.Some parts of the NHS are really great. We don't want to lose it.
my husband is on 5mg a day since his stroke in July . He had an ablation in 2017 thst had obviously stopped working at some point . The bisoprolo seems to have levelled his pulse to 90s and ecg 120 approx, on his Apple Watch
Hi! All I would like to add is to not despair! I had my first ablation on October 24th of last year and went into AFib eight days later (pulse 150 and felt dizzy and sweaty) I had a cardioversion in my local hospital and despite 3 episodes of a new worry ie atrial tachycardia, I have felt ok since then. 😁
I’m keeping the faith that my ablation had worked and 🙏 yours has too!
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