Reassurance post-ablation sought!

[doopy]

Hi, new to the forum & posting, am seeking reassurance from all you experienced people!

I had a cardiac ablation for paroxysmal AF 3 days ago - the procedure lasted over 4 hours, & I am wiped out. I’m sleeping loads, a bit sob as it’s a bit sore to take a deep breath, and my stomach hurts when I eat (it feels over-full after just a couple of mouthfuls), though it passes within a few minutes.

I’m a complete wimp about all of this - I can’t deal with my AF episodes as I’m v symptomatic & I seem to get that “feeling of impending doom” thing when it kicks in (conversely, I love the soaring euphoria I get the second I go back into NSR!). I feel very alone, and scared of just about everything that’s happening to me - I know it’s early days, but anyone out there feel like doing a bit of virtual hand-holding & telling me how they got through it? I can’t seem to calculate how big a deal this procedure is - given that I was discharged 18 hours post-op, it!s maybe not such a dangerous deal. I have no probs (so far!) with the groin entry point (except when the cat jumped on it), and I know the sore throat & hoarseness will soon go. My heart feels v fluttery & like it’s on the verge of AF, esp after eating. How bad is it to have AF during this healing period?

Any advice very welcome, brave comrades!

[doopy]

Thank you Jo, I guess it just helps to hear from others, no matter how much you read around the subject.

8 days post-ablation, getting 1-3 hr long episodes of mild AF every day now. I didn’t expect this to be so bad, even though I know it’s v early days and the blanking period is only just beginning. Guess I’ll just have to sit it out and wait to see my EP in Dec.

Thanks, Deborah