Two weeks post ablation and have higher than normal heart rate even in bed at night. Not sure if this is waking me up or my anxiety is! Having to read at 4am most mornings to try and get back to sleep. Beginning to think I have made a mistake having the ablation. So want to fly to the sun for a week in June but afraid to book anything. Also supposed to be dog sitting in Yorkshire in May but again feeling apprehensive about being on my own with a dog! Feel such a wimp 🥺 The leaflet says to expect a higher than average heart rate but I expect I just want my friends on here to reassure me.
High heart rate: Two weeks post... - Atrial Fibrillati...
High heart rate
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Karendeena
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Same for us all, mine jumped up after ablation and has jumped up again since stopping the Bisoprolol. I think I feel better for the higher HR but I’m a few months ahead of you. We have to be patient and the true assessment may be in a year’s time.
Best wishes
PS, I’ve stopped looking at HR in real time as it can wind you up. I just look historically now.
Thanks a lot ❤️ Medics have told me to go on how I feel not numbers but it's hard not to be 'hung up' on what's going on when you know someone has been 'dancing around in your heart' 🥺
Doesn't help with a brother who suffers for health anxiety since his stroke and Parkinson's diagnosis and, of course, a 96 year old mum. I have very little in the way of support, so stress takes over even though I try to stay calm
It's not the first paragraph you replied to Buzby62 with above that's the problem. It's the second. Your anxiety is probably nearly all caused by the brother leaning too heavily on you with his problems and your very old mum. Mine's 89 and quite a strain. I dread to think what another 7 years on top of where she is now would be like for me.
So stop looking at your HR and start looking for ways to get more support with the family. You may need to arrange carers to help both of them. You can't be expected to do everything for everyone. See if there is one of those centres around for the elderly that either or both could go to where they are picked up in the morning, are given lunch and can do crafts or just sit and chat with others. Mum's cousin loves those and goes a couple of times a week and there's nothing really wrong with her. She still does her husband's book keeping.
Go to Yorkshire and take the doggo out on some nice walks in the fresh air. Then perhaps book your week in the sun for September rather than June. September is lovely, you feel like you have stolen an extra week of summer.
You don't say what your high rate is, but I have permanent AF and mines rarely below 85 and mostly in the higher 90's all day and perhaps as low as 77 overnight. I'm OK. You will be too.
Hi there, sorry it's taken me a while to get back to you. Thank you for your message.My heart rate at rest used to be around 62 now it's nearer 78.
The problems with mum and brother are adding to my stress but there isn't much I can do about it right now. Mum is very difficult and calls me names, she used to be my best friend and for years we went on holidays together, it's so sad 😢
I have tried to get help but she won't have any of it and following assessments from social services they say she is if sound mind and therefore they have to accept her decision. Sad part about it is that she only coped because I am running around in the background like a headless chicken!!
I am almost 4 weeks post ablation now but heart rate remains higher than it used to be. I noticed it more after I have eaten and in the night which I suppose stresses me and then I can't sleep 😴
BobDVolunteer
As we explain in the fact sheet , raised HR post ablation if normal. Typically around 85-90 bpm and may take a year or so to settle back to pre AF levels.
Thanks Bob for reassuring me again!! Always appreciated. As you said they would the aura migraines have almost stopped 🙂
Bob, It's actually better than "normal".
Higher heart rate post ablation is actually a positive indicator of ablation success according to studies. So next revision, you may want to include that point in the helpful fact sheet.
Again from John Hopkins, and other sources --
The Johns Hopkins Hospital AF group studied the rate of AF recurrence in patients after AF ablation, comparing patients based on their change in heart rate after ablation. They found an inverse relationship- meaning the higher the heart rate, the lower the chance of AF recurrence. In patients that had an increase of 15beats (i.e. from 50bpm to 65bpm or 75bpm to 90bpm) after ablation, their risk of AF recurrence was less than half that of patients who had a heart rate decrease.
Jim
Thank you Jim, Though having produced the first fact sheet it is now out of my perview though no doubt if significant new information was forthcoming it may be re- written. I do remember that it took many months to pass all the government bodies before it was published.
Of course my ablation has been different, mine has gone very low! I was expecting it to raise. Bisoprolol has been halved from 5mg to 2.5mg, resting heart rate is 46-48, dropping as low as 41-42 when I'm asleep. Even in hospital with major complications and further surger 2 weeks ago it only went up to low 60's. I try not to worry, I feel ok, my heart is beating and my O2 sats are good so I guess that I must be doing just fine. I see my EP again late April, I'm guessing that he'll halve my Bisoprolol again. Latest research shows that a raised heart rate post ablation is good news and ultimately means that your ablation is less likely to fail.
Thanks Amanda and best wishes for your recovery too ❤️
I’m six months post ablation for PAF and my resting HR can be anywhere between 85-105bpm (before my op it was somewhere around 70-75). Sometimes I have runs of inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST) where my resting HR can be 110-140bpm if I’m anxious or stressed about something (this is new following the ablation). Had my post-op check up this morning and cardiologist has reassured me that the resting rate is safe and not doing me any harm, and for the IST there is medication available if I want it. With more time, he is optimistic that the IST will go away and the resting HR will continue to work its way down. I hope this helps! Don’t lose faith in your decision to have the ablation. Recovery is a long road and is not linear.
Thanks Bridgette, this is all new to me ❤️
Please see my post to Kareendena regarding increased resting heart rate. Hopefully the IST will resolve in time. I assume they captured one of these events on an EKG and ruled out atrial flutter?
Jim
Hi Jim, they noticed flutter during the procedure and have ablated that too. I had 'Buy one get one free' 🤣
Good news. Studies show that a higher than normal resting heart rate following an ablation is associated with better ablation outcomes. And the situation probably will resolve within a year.
From Johns Hopkins:
The Johns Hopkins Hospital AF group studied the rate of AF recurrence in patients after AF ablation, comparing patients based on their change in heart rate after ablation. They found an inverse relationship- meaning the higher the heart rate, the lower the chance of AF recurrence. In patients that had an increase of 15beats (i.e. from 50bpm to 65bpm or 75bpm to 90bpm) after ablation, their risk of AF recurrence was less than half that of patients who had a heart rate decrease.
Jim
Wow, thanks Jim 🙂
That’s very interesting indeed!
Yes, a bit counter intuitive, but it is welcome news for many of us. I also had IST after my ablation that seemed ablation related although I did have various tachycardia's prior, so hard to tell. The type of IST's I had right after the ablation, did seem to go away. I did an edit on my last post, so not sure if you caught it, but I asked if you captured some of these high heart rate IST's (110-140) on an ekg, especially those close to 140? If not, that would be an important thing to do, in order to rule out atrial flutter which can hover around 140-150 and can sometimes emerge after an afib ablation.
Jim
Hopefully it will fade with time! Yes I captured them and nothing to suggest flutter.
That’s interesting to read Jim. Hope mine is a success then. My heart rate is now in the 80’s, was in the low 70’s before my ablation.
According to the study that's perfect! And probably will come back to the previous norm within the year.
Jim
That’s good to know.Thanks.
Karendeena - it must be so difficult having very little support right after an ablation and I think you’re doing really well. It’s very easy to take for granted the meals that a partner cooks, having words of support and comfort on tap, and the distractions we so badly need to take our mind off the worry. Never be afraid to bring your worries here, it’s unfortunately the nature of our minds to turn things over and upside down! I’m no expert but I’m a listening ear and just want you to know that we’re all here for you. Hugs 🤗🤗🤗
Rainfern, those words are lovely and a great comfort to me. Thank you so much from the bottom of my bruised heart ❤️😘
Hang on in there. It can take quite a few months to settle. Your lovely heart, and you, have been through a rough ordeal and you need to rest and heal. 🌸
Thank you ❤️
hi Karendeena, try not to worry too much about it. It’s happened to me after each of my ablations. I called the arrhythmia nurse once because my rate was nearly 100 when laid down relaxing.!! Everything eventually settled down after a while.
Take it easy, you’ll be ok.👍
Thank you ❤️ Still having rough nights too! Nightmares and feeling like I have a full stomach, don't think esomoprazole suits me either. Lansoprazole used to upset me
it takes a while for the heart to settle I found. Iv read of folk saying they felt ok after a couple of weeks etc, I didn’t feel quite normal for a good while to be honest.!! Blips with heart rates etc and feeling tired etc but things did get back to normal in the end and so will you.👍
Thanks, did you get any reflux etc? Got issued esomoprazole for 6 weeks which is standard practice. Been having terrible nightmares as well
Yes i do remember taking some sort of antacid medication after ablation but Iv forgotten what it was. lanzoprolol comes to mind but I couldn’t swear by it.!!!
Hi - My HR was higher after also - normal for me mid 50’s and was mid 70’s for first few weeks - this didn’t last and went back to normal after a while so don’t worry about this and definitely all about how you’re feeling - aside of anxiousness how do you feel?
I feel pretty good to be honest and have done for the last week. No breathlessness, no tiredness, on fact I am struggling with sleep! Terrible nightmares that wake me up and some 'wind' but just seems to roll around, Burpees occasionally. Taking esomaprazole for 6 weeks only as standard practice.
That sounds really promising to me - I haven’t had any AFib for nearly 3 months now and OMG the relief!! I am sure there’s a link with digestion, sleep and the heart. I have periods of bad sleep and normally when digestion problems, gurgling, wind and bloating and things also when I start getting ectopics - If I sleep well and the digestion issues go, so do the ectopics
My heart rate is slightly higher since my ablation. It was about 75 bpm, before the ablation and about 82 now, but it’s within the normal range. Adult heart rate is between 60 to 100 bpm. My BP is very slightly higher than it was before, but nothing to worry about. Maybe your anxiety makes it worse. The palpitations were the thing that bothered me after my ablation, although they have reduced by a lot now. I am reducing my Sotalol heart medication now and have got to 1/2 the dose I was on now. I expect that could cause a slight rise in BP and heart rate. I found hypnotherapy very helpful and my anxiety has really reduced now. I don’t worry so much about things now. I found a really good hypnotherapist, near me. You could also try relaxation. There are plenty of things you can find on the internet. Worth trying these things, you might find something that helps you.
Thank you very much, it helps when I know. I am not the only one who worries. I am on Sotalol too so hoping to reduce in due course. My sleeping is all over the place and I am getting some wind and burping etc. On omeprazole for 6 weeks.
I was given Lansoprazole. Perhaps that’s whats causing your wind. When you come off your Sotalol, best to reduce it slowly. I am reducing it 20 mg at a time. I did that first in the morning for 2 weeks, then 20 mg in the evening etc, till you get off them completely. I’m now down to 40 mg twice a day now. I was on 80 mg twice a day, so half way there now. Hopefully, will have no problems when off them completely.
Great!! I never liked taking the Sotalol so hopefully I can do the same. I was initially put on 40mg x 2 per day and then my EP increased it to 40mg x 3 per day but was still getting episodes that lasted 36 hours although not as frequent. He said he couldn't increase any more for me as it would make my BP too low. He was limited to what other meds I could could have without nasty side effects, hence the Ablation route
I was on 40mg to start with and they kept putting it up.At one time I was on 120mg at night and 80mg in morning. They dropped it to 80mg twice a day, a while before my ablation. The trouble with Sotalol is there are so many drugs that don’t mix with it and which can cause some bad reactions, that I keep a NICE list of the drugs reactions on my phone and check it when they give me anything new, or even over the counter medication. I have one for the Edoxaban and the Atorvastatin. I take too. Luckily didn’t make my BP too low, nor did I have problems with it, but would prefer not to take it. They won’t stop my Edoxaban though, which surprised me. I have to take that for life, but due to my weight, I only take 30mg.
Hi there, yes I have been told I will be on apixaban for life, apparently this was s because we could 'quietly' have AF without knowing it and the ablation isn't a cure and it could come back at anytime (something to look forward to!!!)
Well let’s hope it doesn’t come back. I thought it was because I scored 2 on the chart,I’m a women over 70. If you have a score of 2 or more, it is recommended to take an anticoagulant. When I went for my follow- up appointment, the Doctor said it went very well and he’s hopeful it’s worked. So🤞🤞🤞
I hope we both do well out of this! ❤️❤️❤️ I score 2 as well. Been on apixaban since I was 63 though when my score was only 1
Let’s hope so. The Drs we’ve had at Glenfield, are very experienced, so hopefully, they’ve done a good job on us both.
❤️❤️❤️
Why do you think it was a mistake? What were you expecting to happen after the procedure?
I am just a worrier that's all and I read far too much into things 🥺
Hi
Take charcoal tabs for wind.
I needed that after a long operation including 3 items on the list. Not heart before AF and Stroke and thyroid cancer.
cheri JOY. 75. (nZ)
Hi there Karendeena! I had a successful ablation over a year ago. For me too, I had a high pulse rate for several months but it finally did balance out. 
Very normal. I had a lower than avg HR before ablation and now am on the high side of normal resting HR. The good news..studies have shown a higher HR may be better as it doesn't give the sneaky AF as much time. Regardless...you are so close to ablation, give yourself a lot more time to settle in in so many regards. Im 7 mos after 2nd ablation and HR has never gone back to my previous low. But I am now off meds and getting used to all my new normals..including higher HR resting and at exercise. Give yourself a lot more time...a year minimum! Good luck, and enjoy life.
Cheers, thanks so much. I am dealing with some burping at the moment. Pharmacist thinks it could be the esomoprazole as it can cause stomach problems! Charming when it can cause what it's trying to treat!So pleased all is good for you.
Hi! This happened to me too!
It turned out that I now have a new arrhythmia called atrial tachycardia.
Hope it won’t be the same for you. 🤨
Oh no, does that mean another Ablation? There was a lady who same in to hospital when I was there who had an Ablation for afib in November but then developed atrial flutter and had a heart rate around 150bpm over the last few months. She was back to have the flutter ablated.
They noticed I had both so they ablated them at the same time. I to hope I don't have to go through it again 🥺
Hi! Yes! Back for more fun in the operating theatre in the summer!!🥱
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