Going into AF two weeks post ablation

[Nantoone]

hi. I had my ablation two weeks ago. Yesterday my Apple Watch alerted me I was in AF. Heart rate went to 111 and I took a flecanide. Went to hospital where they monitored me and went back to 74 sinus rhythm. Tonight the same thing has happened again but five minutes later I am back in sinus rhythm. Question is do I need to take a flecanide tablet if I am going in and out of a fib? I really don’t know what to do for the best

[Jalia]

Having also had a recent ablation, we are told to expect this sort of thing in the blanking period which is anytime between 3-6 months ( depending on who you listen to...)

I'm not a medic and we can't tell you what tablets to take. However I can't help feeling that you are over reacting by wanting to take Flecainide when you hsve only just had an ablation. You must give it time.

Speak to your arrhythmia nurses if you are worried. You will have been given their number and they are there to give you reassurance. They are the ones to advise you on medication.

[Nantoone in reply to Jalia]

Thank you Jalia. Your response was just what I needed to hear. I was unsure whether to take the pill in pocket but now back in sinus rhythm so I just need to keep an eye on it and hopefully over the next few days it will stop doing this. I am definitely overthinking this. How has your recovery been?

[Jalia in reply to Nantoone]

Mine has gone pretty well really. It's 10 weeks now. The first couple of weeks or so I had quite alot of funnies going on .....ectopics, tachycardia, AF but they were short lived.

This was my 5th ablation so I'm somewhat of an old hand at this game !

Just go with the flow now. If your symptoms are really prolonged and causing you concern then you know what to do.

Best wishes

J

[Nantoone in reply to Jalia]

Your recovery sounds just like mine. Hoping in a few weeks this will be a distant memory. Thank you for your support

[BobD Volunteer]

This sort of thing is normal as we explain in our fact sheet on recovery. What instructions do you have from the team who did the ablation?

EPs have different ideas. Mine always wanted his patients to stay on anti-arrhythmic drugs for the first three months to help the heart heal peacefully. I think he was right.

[Nantoone in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob. Yes I spoke to Tracy and read the leaflet again today. I spoke to the hospital who advised if it isn’t sustained for a long period then pill in the pocket is fine. If it continues then might need daily meds until my review.

[Karendeena in reply to BobD]

Bob, it's been 5 months since my ablation with no known episodes. My EP won't take me off Sotalol at the moment as he says he likes 'belt and braces'. Not due to see him again until the first week in December. I really wanted off this drug do you think I should approach the subject again when I see him?

[wischo in reply to Karendeena]

Yes I do otherwise how can you guage how successful the ablation really was. Am sure its fine anyway.

[Bob_AF]

hi I also had ablation just over two weeks ago, I took everything easy for the first week.

A few days ago I had a couple of heavy beats which would normally be the sign of an episode but they didn’t amount to anything.

Had one small episode two days ago lasted about 15 minutes and then back into sinus rhythm, yesterday again but this one lasted about three hours then settled, woke in the night by it last night and still in Af now, 7 and a half hours and counting. I haven’t felt as bad as before the ablation, not yet but there’s no signs of stopping and it is becoming increasingly stronger. I also wonder if taking amiodarone again would help settle it, I was taken off it after my procedure. I haven’t got a smart watch or any way of taking my pulse, I do it manually, I think I would get obsessed by a constant reading!

Hopefully it subsides at some point today or I’ll also be back to the hospital seeking advice! ☹️

[Snowgirl65]

It's common, especially in your early stages of the blanking period -- happened to me too. Regarding your response to Jalia, you're not overthinking it one bit as it's certainly concerning after the fears of an ablation in the first place, but pretty much normal. I hope your heart settles soon.

[Jetcat]

Hi nan, I’m not going to repeat what everyone else has already said. But I experienced short runs of Afib within the blanking period and was pretty disappointed, but the runs did eventually disappear. Its very early days yet and you’re heart is trying to recover from been assaulted and still feeling a little grumpy.?👍

[Nantoone in reply to Jetcat]

Thank you jetcat. It’s good to hear I’m just experiencing what others have which helps me to relax. It’s going to be a long few weeks I feel.

[Jetcat in reply to Nantoone]

I’m sure you’ll be good.👍

[Nantoone in reply to Jetcat]

😀

[Ppiman]

I have read in a recent study that the time when these "breakthrough" episodes can be ignored is around a month after the ablation. Episodes that occur after that time might be a predictor of reduced success, but not of failure.

That said, another older study I recall showed that the scar tissue formation can take a lot longer than that and cause episodes of AF up to a some months after the ablation.

I would ask the arrhythmia nurse or your GP for guidance but, if this were me, I wouldn't be concerned at this early stage considering your heart has, in essence, been "burned" and is only slowly healing.

Steve

[Nantoone in reply to Ppiman]

Thank you Steve. I love all the positives that are given. It gives me so much hope. Three weeks tomorrow so early days.

[Ppiman in reply to Nantoone]

Yes - too early to worry! But... I would be the same. It's my nature. You will be fine, I bet. The odds are stacked in your favour as newer techniques and a better idea of what to do after the ablation is, I gather, making the rates of success of even the recent past out of date.

Steve

[Redactrice]

Really useful thread -- my ablation is two weeks tomorrow. Thanks, everyone.

[Txlonestar]

After my cryo ablation in April 2023, I had a couple of episodes the first month. They lasted anywhere from 15 min to two or 3 hours. But after my heart settled down, no more AFIB episodes. I take Metropolol, Multaq, Eliquis, and ranozaline.

[Nantoone in reply to Txlonestar]

So lovely to compare recovery with others and find that I am not unusual and this hasn’t failed. Fills me with optimism 😀