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Arrhythmia Alliance
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Recovery after Catheter Ablation

I had an ablation treatment last Thursday 27th Dec, it went well, so I gather, but I understand that it was more complicated than anticipated. It took some time to complete the investigative part of the treatment and then five locations were identified and I then received 5 "burns". The whole treatment was quite uncomfortable by the end. I am now recovering . I was told that on average patients can drive in a couple of days and back to work in week to ten days. Today I feel totally rough and battered, I have pains in my groin and discomfort in my chest,I generally feel unwell. I feel as if I've just done 15 rounds with Tyson Fury!! Anyone able to share some views or experiences on recovery. Today I feel I have a very long way to go.

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Hi

Have a look on the HU forum for the AF Association for a realistic view on recovery they also have fact sheets to explain common issues.

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Thanks for your response, I will look at the AF web site.

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Hi if you join the AF Association forum on Health Unlimited they have some fact sheets produced by patients that tell you the real recovery experiences. It is very early days for you and you need to rest totally for at least a couple of weeks. There are lots of people who have had ablations to reassure you. Good luck 🤞

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Thanks for your reply, I realise it's early days, I'm not very good at siting still, this is a tough learning curve. Still in some pain today, so I think all I can do is sit quietly and watch the football. I will go on the AF site.

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Hi! I had my ablation on 12/26. Feeling pretty good but my blood pressure is much higher than normal 124/100 (usually 118/80) Hopefully all these little hickups are a normal part of healing.

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Hi Bonesie , I just wondered if your heart rate was high too , I had ablation 3/12 and Im just not able to get my heart rate under 100 I’m now on beta blockers to get it down .

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Weirdly, according to a bp cuff I borrowed, my bp is now back down to normal. However my heart rate is now, and was before the surgery, between 80-100. I'm a pretty active person (44 years old) whose job is non-stop moving but my resting bpm has always been high, especially if I overeat or eat sweets. Last night it was racing a lil while I tried to sleep. Had to take a xanax and lay on my side. I was hoping it'd slow down after the ablation. Maybe in a few months. Hope this helps.

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Hi Dylan r , can I ask how old you are?

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I am 54

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Hi DylanRJ i had ablation to correct my svt in January last year aged 61 , it was unsuccessful due to scar tissue conducting the signals from the sinus node , i received many long and painful burns to multiple areas of my heart before they decided to stop.Like you i felt extremely rough post op . As a complication from the procedure i developed pneumonia possibly due to my lungs overheating during ablation. My resting pulse dropped considerably , sometimes as low as 43 the svt continued and on a bad day my heart rate could range 43-205 sometimes in the same hour. It was at least a month before i fully recovered from the procedure.

Although all of this sounds extremely negative the story gets better , in April i was i was fitted with a dual chamber pace maker followed by AV node ablation in May , this has been a complete success giving me a range of 60-130 no longer breathless and feeling better than i have in a long time . I hope your recovery continues , take it easy

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Yes, you do. Full recovery for me from ablation was far longer than I thought; given guidance post-surgery from cardiology folks. Guess that direction is merely for return to activity. Doesn't consider energy level and stamina. True, pretty soon after procedure I could be about daily life & responsibilities. However, in terms of being strong and sustaining physical efforts, was nowhere near. Have posted couple times previously the rule which I learned from a retired physician 2 months after ablation...when I was beginning to be frustrated with pace of recovery. Identify whatever period of time before your ablation you had to be inactive or far less active due to afib and/or flutter. Multiply that number by 3. Result will be how long to expect before you get most or full energy back. Sidebar: this presumes you are intent with building up your exertion rather than passively waiting. Good luck.

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Hi DylanRJ,

I am on day 4 after ablation and I feel very fatigued. I will do one or two things (like take a shower) and then I have to lie down and rest for an hour...

I am wondering how long the fatigue will last. My BP is also very low (85-90 over 55) and I get headaches/nausea. Some palpitations, but not too bad for now.

Are you starting to feel better? How long did it take?

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