Had my ablation 10 days ago. About 3 days after in the middle of the night I got up for the toilet and then got a really intense pain in my right shoulder, kinda felt like a cross between a spasm and a pulled muscle. Really intense but very localised and only lasted about 2 minutes. As it went away and wasn’t in a ‘heart warning’ area I wasn’t too concerned.
Then 2-3 days later whilst sat on the sofa I got the same pain but this time in my left arm. Very intense gripping like pain that felt like it was starting to cut off the circulation to my arm below the elbow as was getting pins and needles. Again it only lasted 2-3 minutes.
Then last night in bed I woke up with an ‘attack’ in both arms in the same place as before just above the elbow. Intense grilling pain again ONLY in the arm. Took my pulse and noticed it was fast but think it was in NSR, then started to loose sensation in my arms and hands felt cold and clammy. Again it lasted about 3 minutes. As soon as the pain started to ease I grabbbed my Kardia 6L and took a reading. It showed NSR and a very slightly elevated pulse around 78bpm. At this point decided to go to A&E. They did an ECG and took bloods and said that the ECG was completely normal as were the blood results. No sign of any heart attack or stroke but they had no idea what it could have been other than they could see nothing to relate it to the heart.
Obviously very relieved that it doesn’t look to be a heart attack but equally concerned that it will happen again and keep happening. It’s not agony but it’s a good 7/10 on the pain scale. They just said to go to the GP if it happens again.
Has anyone experienced anything like this?
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Did you have a CV during the procedure? I have a fused spine and a slightly deformed neck as a result, not great for a CV. For a few days afterwards I woke with an agonising pain in my left arm which I put down to my neck being jerked. I would suspect a neck injury. You could try doing neck stretches (don’t think they could do any harm) by tucking your chin in and pulling your head straight back (not tipping it). But definitely see your GP.
Yes. Not specific to cardioversion -- anything involving lying flat on one's back for several hours. Worse if someone already has a bad back or chronic pain.
Hope it doesn’t happen again. I love the way they say “Go to your GP”. That’s easier said than done. You just can’t go to the GP when something needs looking at there and then, you have to make an appointment for God knows when; when it’s worse or it’s gone!! All the best.
My first thought was spinal or bracheal plexus issue brought on by positioning during the ablation procedure. I have had odd sensations in arms and shoulders that I associate with stiff neck or even a head/neck massage. My GP knew nothing about it and shrugged the problem off. You might want to try a physiotherapist if the problem persists.
It's natural to connect events with recent medical history, but it needn't be relevant.
So as not to worry you unduly, and from the location of your pains, I think it's unlikely to be this, but... an aortic dissection (AD) can cause severe and strange pains in different areas, and can come and go. It's typical that ECG and bloods are normal. The only proper diagnostic is a CT scan. I you have a blood pressure monitor, take your BP several times in both arms and if there's more than a 20 mm Hg difference between arms, straight to A&E and tell them. If the arms are the same, that unfortunately doesn't exclude AD. Full info at thinkaorta.net
At the very least, A&E should do a CT to exclude AD
A few days after an ablation I got out of bed in the night because my electric under blanket wires were digging into me (princess and the pea). I took it off and then had a really horrible sharp pain in my chest, which like yours only lasted a short while. I rang my GP the next day and told him about it and his answer was to put it down to an experience, but let him know if it happened again. It never did.
Being a sufferer as a result of spinal injury my first thought was spine, maybe consider visiting an Osteopath they generally give a thorough investigation of the spine through gentle manipulation of neck, shoulders arms and back and depending on their findings may recommend an MRI but will certainly write a letter to your GP to advise of their findings and discuss further investigation. Good luck.
In 5-7 minutes he manipulated neck and between shoulder blades. I had had a left shoulder repair that was manipulated at operation as it was frozen and the orthopaedic didn't get ful rotation.
Oh the release and relief. I'd been 6 sessions to physio even trying acupuncture. Did nothing.
I didn't have AF then by the way. I go having had some pain meds. Paracetamol now.
could it be Angina? I have that and the pain isn’t nice. Mine just comes on without any reason. But not something I worry about as I have my medication I can take to relieve it.
Having an Ablation will make you extra sensitive mentally to all new pain even if it has no connection.
I was recently in hospital with afib three weeks after my fourth ablation. When my heart got up to 140+ (not particularly high for me, been nearly 200 before) I got intense pain across from fingertip to fingertip including back and chest. It was later diagnosed as Afib with RVR (Rapid Ventricular Response) which means the heart was unable to deliver enough oxygen to body, hence why it mimics a heart attack. I wonder if it was short episodes like that? Hopefully it's just the infamous blanking period and the ablation has worked for you 🤞🤞🤞🙏🙏🙏
I pulled a muscle in my back (really nasty one that gave me a lot of pain) couple days after one if my ablations despite being on full on resting duties.I saw my chiropractor who said its quite common after procedures where people have to lie still for hours and also under anaesthetic you can be pulled about without you knowing it.
Don't know if this helps. But it's a possibility....
I agree with Buffafly. Having been a chiropractor for almost 40 years, I took care of many post-op patients who required treatment for their cervical and/or upper thoracic spine especially after a general anesthetic. Your problem could well be musculoskeletal in origin rather than a cardiac problem.
After this experience I wouldn't be waiting to see if it happens again and them going to see your GP. I'd be asking for an appointment to express your concerns. The loss of sensation plus coldness and claminess shouldn't be ignored. Go get some support and ask if there's anything you should look out for.
After my 2nd ablation I started having terrible shooting pains in my right groin. There was no swelling or bruising, the telltale signs of a hematoma related to the catheter incision. I called the ablation clinic and they advised to see my GP. After examination it was very clear that it was a muscular-skeletal problem, that something was pulled during the ablation while I was under anesthesia. This troubled me for weeks but at least I knew what it was! I think it makes so much sense that our bodies can be put out of place while we are being manipulated for the procedure, laying on a hard table, and moved from a table to a stretcher - but the only way to know for sure is to be examined. I definitely agree with others, make an appointment and see your GP who should be able to help you. Good luck with your recovery!
Thanks to everyone for your replies. I phoned the Cadiac Catheter Lab today where I had the ablation done and they hadn't come across this before but said that it didn't sound heart related and to just go to the GP if it happens again and ask them to do an ECG, essentially repeating the advice of A&E.
Clearly I'm not a doctor and so rely on their opinions. What I would say is that I wasn't worried about the first attack as that was in my shoulder. The 2nd attack in my left arm was more worrying because that's one the 'scary areas'. However, immediately after I was able to do anything without any problems. The 3rd attack was scary but at the same time it wasn't. It was scary because it bloody hurt and it felt like my forearms were going cold and clammy. It wasn't scary because I also knew that the chances of getting a blood clot in exactly the same place at exactly the same time was extremely low to impossible. Indeed this is what the doctor said at the hospital.
I should also mention that I didn't have a GA for the ablation and it was all done under light sedation. I was completely aware of what was going on right up until they did the cardioversion when they knocked me out. I'm not sure exactly how long I was on the table for as I was obviously asleep when they brought me back to the ward but I think it was about 1-1.5hrs judging by the time when I woke up.
I'm starting to wonder if it is a bit 'psychosomatic'. For years I've had back problems where the muscles would go into spasm. For a long time osteopaths thought I had a slipped disc but a couple of years ago a new osteopath did wonder if it was stress/anxiety (which I suffer a lot with). Through working with her and a counsellor my back has improved massively.
I know I'm still more stressed than I'm probably consciously aware of about my AF and in particular the ablation and if it will work as I'm also in the process of buying a house and relocating down to Devon. This is a huge change in our lives and we are so excited about it and the thought of anything getting in the way and delaying or cancelling it is almost to much to bare. It has crossed my mind whether this is my body's way of expressing that stress. I am aware that my shoulders are more tense then they should be. I've had mild tension headaches almost every day since the ablation, but these are starting to go away.
The only other thing I've noticed is that since the ablation I've felt thirstier than I did before. All my life I've always been notorious for not drinking enough and could never understand how anyone could drink the recommended amount of water a day. Since the ablation I've felt I've needed to drink more. Not lots, probably just the amount I should always have been drinking. This might because i've been eating less as I've been so sedentary that I'm not burning any calories. My blood sugar levels are all normal so its not diabetes. I've noticed that on two out of the three 'attacks' I was in bed asleep and when I woke up I was hot and felt dehydrated. Whether this was enough to trigger a cramp I can't say. I can't say I've ever had a cramp in my arms before and I'm not sure it felt like cramp but who knows.
When I went to A&E 50% of me was expecting them to say "you've had a heart attack" and the other 50% of me was expecting them to say "you've got unstable angina" (even though I don't have angina). I wasn't expecting them to say "there's nothing wrong". The fact that both A&E and the cath lab are both saying the same thing is obviously a relief and I have to admit that other than this (and the tension in my shoulders), I feel really good. I can go up and down stairs, go for a walk etc without any discomfort at all. I'm still doing far less than I would normally but slowly building up, indeed the more I do the better I seem to feel, certainly mentally anyway.
I'm trying to not think about it. Drink lots and keep a positive mind. If it happens again I'll go to the GP and back to A&E if need be. Fingers crossed!
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In A&E
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