Fast heart rate after ablation for atrial tachycardia

[Auntiebulgaria]

Hi there,

I had a catheter ablation for atrial tachycardia on Friday last week. The tachycardia I was experiencing had been exclusively brought on by exercise, particularly running.

I haven’t yet gone back out for a run but today I had an incident where I bent down to pick something up and suddenly my heart rate jumped up to 180, i recorded it with my Kardia mobile and it stayed up at 150 odd for about 5 minutes. My normal resting heart rate is around 50bpm.

I’ve never had tachycardia from a ‘standing start’ before, it’s always been exercise related. Is it normal after an ablation to have some settling down symptoms? Should I phone the ablation nurse at the hospital?

Thank you

Jo

[Tabbyjune]

I would ring just to be on the safe side and they will give you the best advice

[TroublewithAF]

I had no problems for the fortnight after ablation - felt great and although heart rate was a bit higher than after a cardioversion didn't seem to vary at all. Didn't do any aerobic exercise or lifting for that fortnight- just a lot of bending in the garden. Suddenly heart went into flutter 11pm and running at 130-150 for days. ECG at GP confirmed this . Never had flutter before.But unless you have chest pain (call 999 at that point) advice seems to be up the level of beta blocker or just takes things easy. My heart rate seems stable first thing but any exercise, even going up and down stairs will cause a lift and usually running at 130 by end of the evening. Now 8 weeks out ECG still showing flutter and looking forward to outcome of the cardioversion which fortunately the hospital could schedule for mid-August. Other items on the web suggest about 3 months might be the time for the heart to finish scarring and repairing

Just try to chill

[Easternmost]

Hi, How are you doing now? I am 4 weeks out of ablation for flutter and same thing. - yesterday bent down and heart in palpitations until I laid down. Really worried that the ablation is failing. I was interested in your post because of this. Thank you.

[Auntiebulgaria in reply to Easternmost]

Hi there - it’s been pretty much fine since then. I had a routine call with the ablation nurse after the first incident and she said it was within the realms of normal and I was signed off from the consultant.

I’ve had one more palpitations episode since then and occasionally I get some odd heartrate readings from my running app - particularly at the start of a run but my heart rate hasn’t been anywhere near the 208bpm that was happening previously. Like the previous poster, I was told that it can take a number of months for everything to settle down completely.

Do you have someone at the hospital that you can call for reassurance?

[Easternmost in reply to Auntiebulgaria]

Thank you so much for the follow up. It is so helpful to hear of other experiences. I knew ectopics were to be expected, but I was frightened by the unexpected fast heartrate, which gave flashbacks to my pre- ablation state! I did leave a message with the arythmia nurses at Barts, but haven’t heard back yet as it is the weekend. It is great to hear that you are running again and that things have settled. I think I am a bit impatient! Best wishes.

[Jeffsy]

I had catheter ablation at Barr’s on Friday for flutter - I’ve been in the ambulance 4 times since may when it started with 160 pulse which just stays there - on Sunday I showered and went into flutter had 2 cardioversions to get back into rhythm I’ve been in sinus since and sofa bound.

My worry is that when I go up to the loo my rate goes up quickly and I get random readings highest being 191 thankfully it settles once I rest more or less immediately

Wondering if and when it might all settle down