Pericarditis following ablation

[Suanna]

Hi everyone, I had a first ablation mid November during which a cardioversion was carried out. The next day I had quite a bit of pain and was sent back to hospital where it was discovered that I have pericarditis. I also started a very bad chest infection which was treated with antibiotics. Initially I was given Ibuprofen for the pericarditis, but this was changed after a week to Colchicine which I have to take for 42 days in total. Aside from this I regularly take the usual anti-coagulant and statin. I am still in pain from the pericarditis as well as having various symptoms from the medication, and I haven't felt well since I first went into hospital.

Has anyone else had a similar experience, apart from the chest infection of course which has now completely gone, and if so, when can I expect to start feeling reasonably normal again?

Thank you.

[David21]

Hi Suanna - I had a 1st ablation in January 2020 and the following day woke up with terrible chest pain. After a day in A&E pericarditis was diagnosed. Colchicine was the answer but after 2 days I really did not get on with that so, after leaving off the apixaban it was ibruprofen. I think then it pain left me fairly quickly but id did linger on. Sorry that doesn't help you much but I suppose the message is that you should keep on the meds longer rather than shorter period. All the best anyway

[Suanna in reply to David21]

I have since read posts on this site which suggest that this could go on a lot longer than 3 months, and may very well come back again, if I don't take care not to overdo things. I've been trying to do normal things, although gently, but that doesn't seem to be working, so I think I'm going to have to cut down considerably on what I do until I'm sure it's gone. I suppose being in my mid 70s might have something to do with it, but hey-ho, one day at a time.

Thank you for your response, David.

[Tapanac]

Colchicine made me feel dreadful. I had to stop it after about 4-5 days

[Teresa156 in reply to Tapanac]

Hi Tapanac,

Please can I ask what you did instead to alleviate the pain from the inflammation? I too can’t take Colcichine as it made me very sick, after two days. I couldn’t even keep water down. I was told to stop it. I’ve had pericardial irritation following peffusion for two weeks, following an ablation and the pain is quite severe and not improving. It’s debilitating, I can’t take ibuprofen either as it interacts with warfarin and of course, not recommended if you have AF.

Any help would be greatly appreciated ❤️

[Tapanac in reply to Teresa156]

If I’m honest I can’t remember why I was given colcochine. It was either for my painful knee or when I fell. All I know it made me really ill and I stopped straight away. I’m not being much help but for any pain I take paracetamol.

[Teresa156]

Thankyou for coming back Tapanac. It’s certainly horrible stuff if it can affect people like it does, I think it’s a common side effect. Thankyou