Tomorrow will be seven weeks since my PFA ablation. I have hardly been able to focus on it because I have had such rough time with pneumonia and pulmonary edema. It appears I am almost that awful example of “the operation was fully successful, but the Patient died.😂🤣” I know my sense of humor is weird.
However..the ablation appears to have been successful. Zero chest discomfort from day one, no afib or flutter or tachy during what have pretty awful times in hospital, etc. Thank god, I think the ablation worked. After years of tikosyn now just taking a small dose of beta blocker daily and of course, anticoagulant. But I have this gassy stomach….never had. And of course I have lost weight…not too much, but zero appetite. Anyone know why? I hate to complain.
Oh and yes, I have zero energy yet, but the combination of post ablation and pneumonia, lingering pulmonary edema tells me to be patient. Would like thoughts on gastric distress, if anyone has any.
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37Polly
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What medication are you taking? If you have been on antibiotics etc for pneumonia they are very unkind to the digestive system. It probably just needs gentle treatment for a bit.
I have finished with antibiotics, but am taking a strong water pill to reduce fluid in lungs. It makes me nauseous and so I have a pill for that. I don’t eat much besides a bit of protein and veg. Haven’t eaten sugar or heavy carbs for years. Seems t help. So glad the high heart rate, and flutter and afib haven’t returned I hate to complain, but I knew if anyone knew it would be in this group. Such a great community.🙏 thank you
Not uncommon and no reason to suffer further. Antacids, PPI's or a mucossl protectorant like Carafate may help. Just make sure of the timing so that they do not affect the absorption of your other medication's. PPI's would be the easiest in this regard.
So happy to hear that the afib is gone. And a speedy recovery with everything else.
You've had a lot going on and have probably got more run down because of it.If you had a number of courses if antibiotics etc. for your pneumonia this can definitely upset your stomach acid balance.
You are also changing your medications which can often cause an unsettled digestion too.
As mjames1 has said it would probably be a good idea to speak to the GP and get a short course of something like Omeprazole or an appropriate antacid whilst your body finishes it's recovery. You won't necessarily need them forever , possibly a month or so whilst you get stronger and get your eating habits back to a normal level.
You can help the gastro issues by drinking the recommended amount of fluids each day and drinking water before a meal or snack.
Eating probiotic live natural yoghurt can help settle the stomach too.
You can have a few tablespoons of spoons at breakfast and sweeten it with a little honey before your meds. It can line your stomach and improve the gut balance.
You can have a few dessert spoons of yoghurt ( even make them into a dip with herbs or tomato with some veg or rice crackers or bread sticks) before your meal to help reduce the acid reflux.
Eating five smaller portions of food each day rather than three big meals helps.
Eating smaller portions will also help you to have more energy and increase your appetite.
You might also want to cut out processed sugar and fruit juices for a while whilst your stomach gets back to normal if you did have antibiotics.
Increasing foods containing B vitamins and non acidic Vitamin C may also help with your energy.
Sometimes taking a one dose OTC antifungal can also help the stomach issues if you were on antibiotics of different sorts for some time.
Keep a food and exercise diary and see if there is a pattern of it getting worse after you eat certain things or do certain things and alter what you eat or do to get rid of those triggers for a while.
Sleep on your left hand side or back with your head and shoulders comfortably elevated on graduated pillows. Often stomach acid can rise during the night and weaken the stomach or cause extra reflux and indigestion in the mornings.
It would also be worth asking your GP to double check your nutrient levels with some blood tests to make sure it's not a vitamin deficiency or anaemia adding to your problem. Request full blood count, Ferritin/ Iron , Vitamin B12 , Folate, Vitamin D, Liver Function and Kidney Function.
If you take any supplements or vitamins stop taking those for a minimum of 4 days , preferably a week before the tests and have them as fasting tests ( drink a few glasses of water) in the morning for the most accurate results,
Request or look up a copy of the results because if they are low but still in the " normal" range they can still be adding to your symptoms and you can choose to make changes in your food choices to increase it or take an appropriate supplement.
That was good to read! Your house and your family all well! The storms seems to have been less damaging than they could have been but for the many families who clearly have suffered terribly, that won't be any consolation. One news account where a young lad was saved from drowning was difficult to watch and very poignant.
It is heartbreaking to see , we've had floods in Europe.Last night I was watching the Northern Lights from a chair in the back garden, dark red but beautiful. For once on my island at the top of Wales the wind was strangely silent . The weather over the Summer was awful. Climate warming finally proving it's ugly truth, not that hot and very wet.
Yes - I’m forever a sceptic but feel the truth is staring us rather in the face too often. What a shame that our love affair with consumerism has led us into this.
Hi PollyGastric problems highlighted ( contributed to my AF. ).I had palpitations for a long-time but put down to multiple stresses and largely ignored.
When I had a really bad bout of norovirus ( never a good look of course) AF was diagnosed. Very close link.
Now you have had a proceedure which has possibly interfered/ irritated your oesophagus (gullet/food pipe) as very close to the heart.
Your system has had a shock and may need time to settle.
My AF was diagnosed after a serious bout of vomiting due to an antibiotic that did not agree with me. I am glad that it was because it is not symptomatic and it is familial - my father and my four sisters all affected - now I take my daily anti coagulant and a low dose of Biso when needed. I had one cardiversion which I did not know I needed, it's just that I went for a check-up with the Cardiologist and he said I was in AF , would I like a cardioversion. I agreed, and he did it that afternoon after he had finished his consultations. That was 5 years ago, and I am seldom bothered. I believe in the involvement of the vegus nerve in the heart/gastric problem. I had a compression fracture of the T8 which reduced the size of the body cavity that holds vital organs, the orthopedic surgeon offered to fill the space with some cement stuff, but I declined. I think the reduced space has pushed the nerve nearer to my heart and I cannot eat what would be considered normal amounts without feeling discomfort.So I just eat litttle and often.
I had bloating and loss of appetite after my RF ablation in 2022. I lost nearly a stone in 5 weeks as not only a lack of appetite - which doesn't usually stop me eating if something tempting is on offer 😊- but an aversion. It settled after a couple of months. One morning the bloating suddenly disappeared and my appetite returned. I was told this might have been because the vagus nerve had been irritated during the procedure.Obviously you need to get it checked out as I am not a Dr and was just relating my own experience and the possible reasons.
But stomach issues are not unknown.
I wish you well and so pleased your ablation has worked!
Thanks Lily, I suspect vegus nerve, and will question my gp. I am making sure I eat a bit at each meal, healthy protein like egg or fish and small amt of veg but have zero appetite and this gassy response to everything. Have lost about 6lb ( don’t understand stones😁) but doctors believe that’s fluid from my lungs.
I also think the pills I take for fluid kill my taste. And of course no salt isn’t tasty either. I appreciate the comment. It’s the information no doctor is focused on, and yet so helpful. 🥰
Did you have the standard prescription for a PPI? Not sure where you are but in the UK it's prescribed post ablation for 6 weeks.I struggled with indigestion for a while keeping me awake at night. I understand that ablation can damage the oesophagus so this is why we take a PPI. I must say it took several months for mine to disappear. I couldn't lie down at night or it would start.
I am now 7 months post ablation and no episodes that I am aware of 🤞
You have had a transoesophageal echocardiogram down your throat to check for blood clots in your heart which is very hard on the hiatus and generally causes some symptoms. My cardiologist put me on 40mg of esomeprazole for 6 weeks to assure that this did not cause problems. Quite common to be put on meds as this is a very common problem post ablation. My brother had an ablation and had really foul burping for 8 weeks until they put him on a PPI to sort it out.
You might try grated ginger steeped in hot water with a little bit of honey or maple syrup to help settle your stomach. It's very effective. Probiotics such as live keffir or kombucha will also help. Keep your fluids up as has been suggested buy don't drink water less than 20 minutes before a meal or 20 minutes afterwards. You don't want to dilute the digestive juices with too much water. We think it helps the process, but it doesn't. That is my understanding. If you continue to suffer I found this book really helpful on the chemistry of digestion - what causes bloating and acid reflux etc.
If you still want to go down the natural route try some activated charcoal tablets, used to work for me years ago, they soak up any acid in the tummy and intestines, just be careful when you take them, not to near other meds because they would soak them up as well.
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