How was your recovery after Ablation Operation?
Posted , 5 users are following.
I'm interested to hear if anyone has had ablation and post operative have continued with AF but then it has settled possibly after 2 months or more maybe. Two weeks ago I had a 2nd ablation having had a previous one in 2012 which didn't help at all, had terrible time after and never been the same since but had got to the point where a 2nd ablation was the only offfer on the table and I thought lets try it. The procedure was a success as far as EP concerned he corrected all he hoped. AF and SVT etc. I've had hints of body wanted to flip but today it went for the first time. Was out of sync for 4-6 hours but corrected whilst asleep in end. Did ring the hosp helpline and was told that this will happen especially in the first 2 months but we will know better after a year! Sounds odd but I wondered if others had experienced problems for some months and then it did settle? Maybe there are less of those on the forum than one's where it didn't settle but would be interesting to hear from anyone if that did happen to them?
1 like, 12 replies
andrew28896 kate07761
Posted
I've not been ablated yet Kate but picking up on you're post earlier, I quite often wake up with A-FIB and or racing heart but instead of letting it freak me out and sitting up all night chain smoking looking at the wall waiting for a miracle then falling asleep all day at work. I have now learnt to just nip to the loo then get back to bed and fall asleep again. Usually by the time I wake its improved or stopped
BTW do they give you any aftercare after the ablation op such as advice or fact or help leaflets so you know what to expect during recovery,?.
kate07761 andrew28896
Posted
Andrew The one good thing is I don't freak out when it happens and before today it tended to happen in night or in day when I went to eat an evening meal. I found it best to pop a extra pill (felcanide) and it would settle in 2 hours. I was advised if didn't settle to go to A&E. Yes they did give me a leaflet after this ablation general advise re driving and puncture site (!) and also to expect to have an awareness of extra beats or misfied beats for 1-2 weeks after procedure but if you have heart racing like before ablation to go to A&E. They also give you a number to ring for advise up to 30 days after procedure. When I rang that I was told different to leafllet. Told to expect AF for 1-2 months after procedure due to scarring etc and that they will know better after a year. I was told there was no need to go to A&E unless I felt ill (!) and it was not life threatening and only if I had it for 8 weeks would they be worrried! There will be no heroics from me about going to A&E if I felt necessary but although the pattern was different today it did stop and I will be patient and remain hopeful.
mary_jane64145 kate07761
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kate07761 mary_jane64145
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Thanks MJ - that does tie in with a post operative healing process so promising. Well done you getting off Amiodarone - I used to take that but it's quite potent within your body. The plan is to stop my Apixaban and Flecanide after 2 months even before I see consultant again. I hope it works as that is what this painful process (ablation) is all about! I live in hope. Good Luck
popeye62 kate07761
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Hello Kate I was due to have a cardioversion.the day before it my ticker went crazy ha and cardiac arrests was shocked back into life all I can say is anything that controls the afternoon is worth ago.I now have a icd which monitors my after every second if it goes into after it paces it out.if it won't listen it will shock me back into rhythm. The best of luck with what ever you have as I said anything better than after.
kate07761 popeye62
Posted
Thanks for reply. Let's hope it settles in time. Sounds like you had a crazy time.
simon56380 kate07761
Posted
Theirs a three month 'blanking period' after ablation surgery, where doctors don't get concerned about all the flip-flops and other weird stuff that the heart may do whilst recovering from this procedure.
i was ablated last April and had a couple of short episodes of AF (a few hours) that self corrected and so far have been fine.
The successfulness(if there is such a word!) of ablation produre can vary quite a bit, and some EPs are much better at it than others. I firmly believe that finding a really talented EP to do your ablation has a significant bearing on the overall success rate of this procedure.
Having said all that you can also improve your chances of succes by not being overweight, hardly drinking and getting regular excersize.
My EP told that if I did all this, I would have an 80% chance of being in rhythm at the five year mark.
In addition to this, he said that excessive alcohol consumption scars the atria and that if I went above three standard drinks a week, the data shows that I would have less than a 20% chance of being in rhythm at the five year mark.
So I figure that a skilled EP and some clean living can make ablation procedures quite worthwhile.
kate07761 simon56380
Posted
Thanks Simon. When you had your short episdoes did you take any extra meds like pop a pill? Or just sit it out.
I'm puzzled that they don't tell you about the 3 months settling period until it happens but at least now I know better.
I don't drink so I am ok with that one. Exercise is tricky because I am so weak anyway possibly different problem but I still do as much as I can manage walking which is limited. Eating will improve because that triggers it so a good appetiate suppressant!
How soon did you come off meds and did to come off slowly?
simon56380 kate07761
Posted
To be honest Kate, I didn't even know that I'd them until I had my three month follow up!
The EP that I chose to be referred to is heavily into AF research and is internationally recognised. Because of this I have ended up agreeing to be a part of one of his research studies. As part of the study they inserted a cardiac monitoring device called a 'loop recorder' into my chest at the time of my ablation. This device sits just under the skin and will record any irregular/abnormal heart rhythms. The loop recorder then transmits data to a base station next to my bed, which in turn transmits the data to my EP's computer via the mobile phone network (amazing technology!!)
So apparently I went into AF a couple of times at around two to three weeks post ablation, but have been fine since.
At the three month follow up I was given the 'pill in the pocket' meds in case I required them.
Over the months that followed I was gradually weaned of most of my meds and was only taking 2mg of perindopril until a few ago.(was off Apixaban and Sotolol last Nov.- at the six month mark.)
However, I lacked a bit of self control over the Xmas holiday period got out of my usual routine. I over ate, over drank(around 2-3 drinks a day for a bout a week-instead of 2-3drinks per week),and stopped my regular 5km brisk walk(which would include a little bit of jogging- just to get the heart rate up into the cardio fitness zone), and started to notice that I was getting a lot more PVCs than normal.
About a month ago I wore a 4 day holster monitor(which I do every three months). It revealed that I was having around 20,000 PVCs a day, which is not good and can cause other complications.
So have been told to take 25mg of Metoprolol/day until I can get things sorted again.
So overdoing it a bit over Xmas and gaining a few kilograms, and skipping my regular walks had a noticeable impact.
The small amount of Metoprolol has really settled everything down and I'm hoping to be med-free by the end of the year(fingers crossed).
kate07761 simon56380
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Thanks for reply - understand all you have said. I know a lot of people don't know they are in AF and clearly you are one. Baffling to me as when I go into AF I feel very unwell and when it corrects again ahhh but them I am whacked for a couple of days and have chest pain etc. The loop recorder sound like a good idea. Sounds like you are working with someone ahead in the field. Good Luck with your progress
Afibpain kate07761
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kate07761 Afibpain
Posted