Hi I had an ablasion ? 6 weeks ago successfully for atrial fibrillation, unfortunately 4 days after I got a inflammation around the heart, called pericarditis, im on meds twice aday for was a month but now extended to 3 months , im feeling better but quite breathless on doing anything, and yes fatigued 😩 ❤ ,
Has anyone else had this , and how did you cope with it ,many thanks JG 😊
It is very frightening and upsetting at the time but I am sure it will settle down given time. After my laser ablation, which took a very long time I was 1stone heavier than when I went in which was due to all the cooling fluid they used. It was oozing out of various puncture holes in my groin and had settled round the heart etc. which became inflamed. I was taken back into hospital for a further week. It took a good 4-6months for everything to finally settle down and then I did have a couple of years A/Fib free and my heart is still not having those dreadful thumps prior to the ablation. Just give it time and try not to worry about it. Your poor body has had quite a shock. Some people come out of hospital and they are just fine but some of us take a while longer. Try not to worry about it. Just be grateful that the ablation worked. Such good news. Good luck and be patient.
Addendum. It is quite normal for you to become breathless on exertion and to feel tired when your heart is not behaving as it should. It is not pumping sufficient oxygen and nutrients round to the cells for them to be replenished quickly enough. Just a thought. Have you had a blood test for iron? You just have to pace yourself. Don’t try and push through it. Little and often on the exertion front. You have obviously spoken to your doctor about this haven’t you?
Thankyou for kind caring answer xx
Hiya
I have recurrent pericarditis, mine caused by a case of a virus (mine wasStage2 Dengue in the mid-1990s so I've been coping for decades) but the condition and its unpleasant cousins (one-off, relapsing, myo, myo-peri...) can also be caused by trauma to the area (heart, pericardium) - surgery, impact injury), or for no discernable cause ('idiopathic').
It sounds as though you have developed at least 'relapsing' but that must be considered and confirmed by a qualified medic.
The standard treatment for the condition whatever the cause is rest and a medication called Colchicine but not every case responds to the medication and not everyone can tolerate it. I can't so my flares are treated with rest and aspirin for pain. I'm also monitored with chest listens (for the characteristic friction sound) and x-ray, annual echo scans, keeping a log of symptoms and vitals (BP, ox-sats, body temp, etc). You may find keeping a similar log helpful.
Meanwhile, the following might be of help to you - my tips for coping and recovering from an acute flare. I should mention I am in a long acute spell so have cut back my participation considerably whilst focussing on regaining health.
Anyway, feel free to copy and paste this to a printable document - you will hopefully find it helpful. I hang mine on the f-f
General tips for coping:
**Sleep with your upper body elevated - either several pillows stacked, bound, and laid lengthwise down the bed, or a wedge pillow, or an adjustable back rest
**Avoid sleeping on your left side as the pain is worse if you put weight on the inflamed pericardium sleeping on your left side
**Avoid heat, humidity, and mould - no hot tubbing, sauna, steam bath, long hot showers even though directing hot shower spray at your left side is nice for temporary pain relief, the humidity WILL cause the pain to increase soon after leaving the shower
**A hot water bottle laid along the left side of your rib cage can go a long way towards easing pain for a longer lasting bit of pain relief
**Avoid strenuous activity - DO NOT think a good day means you can catch-up things you have had to 'let go', overdoing on a good day only leads to several bad ones
**Try to get at least 7 hours sleep per night. Eight is better but 7 is good
**Keep to a nutritious well balanced diet with lots of green leafy veg, fruit, and high quality protein like meat and cheese (but try to keep to a lower salt content if you have effusion - don't go overboard on lowering salt intake but try to keep it under 5g per day)
**Be alert to symptoms your condition is worsening:
• 'swinging fever' where it's high, then lower, then higher again in a matter of hours over a day
• shortness of breath on slightest exertion and/or waking you in the middle of the night
• night cough or cough when lying down
• 'fat fingers' and other signs of fluid retention including ‘shiny skin’ - these are signs of building pericardial effusion that could lead to a condition called 'cardiac tamponade' - when excess fluid build-up in your pericardium reaches a level that is beginning to affect heart function (like, beating). It is a life-threatening condition.
Hello Sunnie nice to see you .
Thank-you.
Thankyou so much SUNNIETODAY, MOST WELCOME INFO , AND MUCH APPRECIATED HuGS T.J,x
Sunnie2day is an absolute star, a forum treasure !
Thankyou so much for sharing much welcomed information sunnie ,very interesting read xx
Pericarditis symptoms
Pericarditis 
Acute Pericarditis
Recurrent Pericarditis 
Pericarditis 
