I had my first ablation for persistent Afib just 4 weeks ago. All was good for a week and then it returned. I saw my cardiologist who said this can happen and doesn't necessarily mean it has failed. To help improve the success he has given me some medication and provisionally booked a CV for three weeks time if required.
He said it was too soon for me to be talking about a second ablation. Has anyone else experienced this and later found some success? Am I being too impatient?
You're still in the blanking/healing period, so too early to tell. Sounds like he may have given you a strong anti-arrythmic Amiodarone to help with the cardioversion? While discouraging of course, try and stay positive. Many have had early episodes like this and their ablations eventually succeeded.
Jim
Hi Jim. Yes you’re spot on. He has put me on that medication for a short period as he said it will help in trying to make the ablation a success. Thanks for taking time out to reply
Yes. It takes a minumiun of three months for tehe heart to heal and many people are still improvng at nine months or a year. I will link to our fact sheet on Recovery below.
healthunlocked.com/redirect...
Thanks BobD. The fact sheet was helpful.
I think you are worrying needlessly at this early stage - but entirely understandably. I also had a bad episode of AF two weeks after my ablation for AFl (flutter) in 2019, but it settled eventually with bisoprolol and the ablation has stayed a success. That said, I do get occasional AF now, but that is a separate thing, I have been told.
I have read that the first couple of months after an ablation are a period where recurrence of arrhythmias are ignored by the cardiologist / EP. This is called the "blanking period" as doctors "blank" their concern for that peiord since such recurrence does not indicate failure of the ablation. Recurrence after this can, I gather, point to a later return of AF but, again, I read one very long term study that showed the majority of patients who had these early episodes were still free after 24 months.
Steve
Please read BobD's Facts Sheet. I had the same experience after my three ablations -- fine for a week after the ablation, then episodes returned for a while. Your heart is healing and likely to have blips in the process. I know it's concerning but is perfectly normal during the blanking period.
Thank you Snowgirl65 and to others with their reassuring posts. My wife has also said I’m too impatient and need to think of it as a process rather than a quick fix. The fact sheet was helpful to read too. Thanks all for taking time to reply.
Congrats on the 1st ablation and trying to gain back some of the freedoms you had...it is such a mysterious ride, this conveyor belt of Afib. Definitely not uncommon to have symptoms again during your blanking period. I think most good EPs would not think about a second procedure for minimum 6 months to a year, as the healing cycles are too subjective. I am post 2nd procedure (done 9 to 10 mos after my first) myself and went off the meds a couple months back. Hope springs eternal. Hang in there!
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