cryo-ablation update

[Tilly1957]

hi everyone,

Thought I would give an update.

I had the cryo-ablation on the 13th of May.

i felt fairly uncomfortable over the first few weeks, but thanks to all the support and info on here, I have got through it without panic.

the main thing is pacing myself and not overdoing it. Get enough rest & hydrate.

It has been about 5 weeks now, and I am starting to feel more like my old self - more energy, apart from anything else. I still get very tired if I overdo it, so am taking my time.

My son, who last saw me at Christmas, said I look healthier and younger now.

I still have my other health issues, but I am glad I had the ablation.

I stopped flecainide about a week ago, nebivolol is next.

my HR & BP is higher than normal due to the ablation, and is expected. But all is well.

no AF at all!

[AsparagusLover]

Very well done you Tilly. And great encouragement for those about to follow in your cryotherapy footsteps. Thanks for sharing!

[Tilly1957 in reply to AsparagusLover]

Thank you x

[BobD Volunteer]

Well done but keep pacing yourself. Still a long way to go in your recovery.

[Tilly1957 in reply to BobD]

Yes, definitly!

[SamAdmin]

Good afternoon Tilly1957

Thank you for your post on Atrial Fibrillation support forum, it is so lovely to read a positive post thanks so much for your update about your condition.

If you would like to keep in touch with the charity, please follow the link below.

heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...

Kind regards

SamAdmin

[Tilly1957 in reply to SamAdmin]

Thank you x

[Desanthony]

Good to hear. Hope this carries on for a good while for you. take good care of yourself and don't over do things. Give yourself plenty of time to get over this and get the best from it.

[Tilly1957 in reply to Desanthony]

I will! Thank you x

[Tilly1957 in reply to Desanthony]

i will, thank you x

[Buzby62]

Great news, continue to pace yourself for another couple of months even if you feel great, I felt similar at 5 weeks but got caught out at 10 weeks doing too much one day, keep hydrating little and often, it’s easy to forget when you get busy again.

Best wishes

[Tilly1957 in reply to Buzby62]

I will be careful, thank you x

[mjames1]

my HR & BP is higher than normal due to the ablation,

Thanks for the update and so happy you're doing well. Newer studies suggest that a higher heart rate following ablation is actually a GOOD thing and predictive of ablation success.

Jim

[Tilly1957 in reply to mjames1]

that is good to know, thanknyou x

[Karendeena in reply to Tilly1957]

My heart rate used to be around 64bpm it's now around 74bpm and I had my ablation on March the 26th this year, so far I haven't had any afib that I know of ❤️ Good luck, keep us posted

[Karendeena in reply to mjames1]

My heart rate is still about 10bpm higher than it was before the ablation which I had on the 26th March

[Cat04]

Good news, onwards and upwards carefully now 😊

[Tilly1957 in reply to Cat04]

I will be careful, thank you x

[Morzine]

hi Tilly

I’m the same five weeks too. First two weeks were tricky but since same as you all trundling along fine. Saw cardio last week and had echocardiogram all good and I’m staying on tablets till three months is up thrn a holster monitor and if hood diminish slowly the tablets. I’m in France and it seems we don’t stop we diminish over a few months thrn stop. Happened the sane last ablation.

Energy I have ups and downs

Best wishes

Sue

[Tilly1957 in reply to Morzine]

I have my post op review on 17th July, I was told I could stop the meds after a month. Yes, energy comes and goes. But this week it feels more stable, although I am flagging by mid afternoon, even if I pace myself. I check with my Kardia every so often, but all seems good! X

[Morzine in reply to Tilly1957]

Yes Tilly me too I seem to drain in afternoon too.

But we’re both getting there eh!

Actually my first ablation I spent most of my rest time planning a three month road trip in Australia it was like I knew the places inside out before I went but it gave me good resting time. It was a Mammoth trip trip 5000 miles but I was at seven months past ablation and felt back yo normal but , journey via Singapore was exhausting and my family dud Singapore while I slept , but I did well on the trip but even so walking in the rain forests when we did those walks I was knackered and I realized that our bodies rule us, not the other way around.

Onwards and upwards eh!!

Sue

[Tilly1957 in reply to Morzine]

Wow, sounds an amazing road trip! Yes, our body will certainly let us know.

[Nan1]

Hi Tilly, so good to read your post and see that things have worked out well so far. Keep well

[Tues]

hi Tilly. That’s so encouraging to read. Glad you are feeling better.

Cryo ablation is an option for me but I’m trying meds first. The feelings during recovery are what put me off as I’m sure I’d overthink them and anxiety would rear it’s ugly head.

I’m in the U.K. too, north west.

Wishing you best wishes on your road road to recovery.

[Karendeena in reply to Tues]

Go for it! I felt the same overrun with anxiety and right up to the last minute almost jumped off the trolley. I had a few ups and downs during the first couple of weeks but the feeling with no episodes 🤞is indescribable! As my EP said when I kept trying to talk myself out of the ablation "Just think you have stepped on a plane for a long haul flight and your heart rate escalates and you go into AF", that was enough.

I am 12 weeks post ablation now and pleased I had it done. I see the EP on the 8th of July and hopefully can get off the antiarrhythmic drugs and beta blockers

[Xoyn in reply to Tues]

I had ablation late March and, apart from some indigestion, I felt fine. My energy was good and I haven't had any palpitations since. I'm annoyed with myself for wasting so much time worrying about the procedure.

[Karendeena in reply to Xoyn]

Me too!! I was the same as you, strange indigestion feeling especially when I went to bed at night. It felt like trapped wind and a lump in my throat. In the beginning I got it during the day but it gradually got better. I also had aura migraines for 10 days and was told by the arrythmia nurses (and BobD) it was caused by the transeptal puncture and it would stop when the puncture healed - and it did!

[Rainfern]

Great news Tilly 😀

[kalgs]

I had a cryoablation September 2021. Similar Experience to yours. I don’t take any medication. Heart related . It was a life changer.

[Shopgal67]

that’s brilliant news , nice to read a positive post , gives us all hope !

Good luck with your journey.

[DoggieMum]

Excellent news

[Ppiman]

How is the fibromyalgia these days, Tilly?

Steve

[Tilly1957 in reply to Ppiman]

ah, that is a different kettle of fish! The anaesthetic fir my knee arthroscopy in April was amazing, I had no fibro pain! But then the consultant did say he gave me an extra dose of morphine just before I came round. With the ablation, I had a stinking headache and chest area pain afterwards, and I had two doses of 5ml of morphine - again, amazing affect on the fibro! However, I don’t think anyone will prescribe a bottle if morphine in the long run 🤣🤣🤣

The flecainide helped with the fibro, it made everything less intense in a way. Now I am off it, and it is playing up again 😪 but heyho, rather that than the AF! Thank you for asking

[Ppiman in reply to Tilly1957]

If morphine works so well, then codeine might also since that is metabolised into morphine to give it its action.

Not that you’d want much of that either!

Steve

[Tilly1957 in reply to Ppiman]

Thank you. I can’t take codeine, it gives me chest pains that mimic a heart attack! I was given tramadol to take home, when I had my knee done, but didn’t take any …. Too scared to take it in case I reacted to that too…,, hadn’t realised that about morphine. I only want something occasionally, to break the cycle. I usually just cope with it . Thank you ,

Penny

[Ppiman in reply to Tilly1957]

Hi Penny.

Yes, codeine is, in essence, morphine. Some people can’t metabolise it into morphine for genetic reasons, however, and, for those, it has no analgesic effect whatsoever.

What you say is interesting, though. It might be oral codeine’s effect on the gastric system as it slows everything the down. So does morphine, of course - but you were likely given that IV?

Steve

[Tilly1957 in reply to Ppiman]

yes, with the knee op, the morphine was IV, but with the ablation, it was liquid afterwards, when I told them I hurt a lot. I have only ever taken codeine as tablets, used them on and off for years for headaches & muscle pains. Haven’t tried it since I got the fake ha symptoms - chest pain into my jaw, down my arm, etc I could barely breath for the pain. Blue lighted to a&e… found nothing wrong. Now I dare not try it again just in case 🙄 and paracetamol does almost nothing. Oh well.

[MWIC]

Brilliant and great to hear!!

[Vonnegut]

That’s great and all the best for your full recovery.

[Aprilla12345]

Great sounds good

[Fullofheart]

Great news. Well done!!Keep taking it easy 🌸

[Speed]

Good news Tilly. I had my cryo-ablation on 23 May but was told my EP consultant to keep taking the Flecainide for 3 months. Opinions / advice differ. Almost scared to stop the Flecainide in case I get an episode!

[Tilly1957 in reply to Speed]

I felt like that . I was surprised it was only a month., I stopped the am dose first, then after 4 days I dropped the evening one. I was on 50mg am & pm. No issues. I also asked if I I did go into AF, should i take the pip meds, and got a very emphatic no.

[NYCgal22]

I had a cyroablation 2 and a half years again and it was the best thing for me. It was my only medical issue and am now medication free. I was also very afraid of the procedure but had read it only generally gets worse and the sooner you do it the better the results. I was just tired for a few days after, so my recovery was easy. I did not exercise for a while and started back slowly. I'm able to travel overseas again without worrying about getting Afib.

[cbc0510]

Tilly, likewise I'm 3 weeks post ablation tomorrow, so far so good!

[Tilly1957 in reply to cbc0510]

It will be 6 weeks on Monday. Still get tired of overdo it, but improving day by day ….. I feel so much better.