Concerned

[MaryLL]

I had my ablation 3 months ago and it seemed to go well. My cardiologist told me after the 10 hour procedure that he hadn't been able to get all the electrical malfunctions. He had gotten 95% of the left atria and none of the right but he hoped the 95% would be enough. I felt great for the first 2 months, lots of energy, etc. But this past month, I find I'm getting tired easier again and I've had a couple of episodes of a-fib that were short but intense.

I see my cardiologist again next week. I guess I just needed to say I'm feeling disappointed. I don't want to go through another ablation, but I'm scared I'm going back to the place I felt before the ablation. I hadn't realized how horrible I felt before until after the ablation when I felt so good! Now I'm nervous I'll end up back in the place of exhaustion and barely getting through the days again.

No question really, just needed to share. Thanks for listening to my fears. Hoping this is just a temporary setback.

[MaryLL]

how neat of you to say that cindy!!!! thank you.
and yes, we can say whatever we want. you're one groovy chick, far out!!

[cindy707]

I love your posts on this site.....you can thru your words just walk anyone thru the day of the ablation...its pretty neat....(can we still say neat?) I guess not unless Ward and June Cleaver from Leave It To Beaver were our parents...LOL

[MaryLL]

Hi Patty,
You sound just like I did before the ablation! Fortunately cindy and some other great people on here were there to still my fears and give me a realistic, supportive hand through it.
I was asleep for 10 hours through it. They started to just anesthetize me so I was awake but dulled, but I was too wiggly, so they put me completely under. It wasn't painful at all, not at any point. I was uncomfortable from having to lie still so long (another 6 hours after the catheters were removed to lie still). I went home the next day and had planned to return to work on Monday (the procedure was on Wed).
I ended up returning to the hospital the next day as I had fluid on my lungs. This was quickly remedied by taking diuretics for several days and drinking lots of water. I was exhausted for a few days. I ended up returning to work the next Friday for half a day and then full time the Monday a week after I had planned. I am however, 63 years old and overweight, which didn't make for a quick recovery.
Yes, I would do it again. I'm not sure of my outcome and whether or not I will have to have another ablation. There were complications in that I had a malformation in my heart. My left atria was 95% done and nothing was done on my right atria. We have hoped the 95% done would be enough, but we aren't sure. I'm still on meds and having small episodes, longest 2 hours.
I have had enormous more amounts of energy. Sometimes you don't realize how bad you've felt until you feel better. I have felt better. I would do it again. yes...even when I realize I might have to do it again. I want to be healthy!
I know you're scared, and it is scary. Anything to do with the heart is frightening. Know that you are supported here and that we are here for you. I'm holding you in my thoughts and prayers as you go through this.
Bless you!

[patty1111]

hello, iam ablout to go get an ablation its for the 20 of this month! iam terrified the doc told me so many scary stories that he might accendently collapse my lung? i signed anway cause he said if i dnt do it ill have heart failure in 1 year and right now my bheart is fine except for the pvc arrthymoas i had more than 3000 xtra beats everyday so my hearts working 2 hard! i was put on diltiazem 180 mg and was fine for 2 months then i got rto weak to walk but i also did a 1 day fast how was the procedure?? were u awake was it painful? would u do it again

[MaryLL]

Thnk you diva!
I appreciate your words and love the image of you as the Doc Whisperer!
Thank you for the thoughts and I appreciate all your support on here. I hope your seas will also calm soon as you have your hands full and still, you reach out.
Bless you!

[skydivediva]

Hi MaryLL,

All of your other friends who responded are the real experts 'cause they've "been there, done that", Mary. All I can say is I'm sorry you had a couple of scary episodes and I hope you're feeling better today. Hopefully, like debbier and cindy, this is just a temporary bump in the road and peace of mind is coming your way as Cindy said.

And, to Cindy: 1) I've been a nurse for just under 3 decades, and I think teaching a doc to sit is a perfectly reasonable thing. I've done it quite a few times myself. ("I am the Doc Whisperer.") It can be done; it's just more difficult than teaching a dog to so; and, 2) Your "navigator" vs. "just along for the ride made me think of a couple of quotes:
***"I can not control the wind, but I can control the direction of my sail."***
                                               and
***"Smooth seas do not make a skilled mariner."***

Hang in MaryLL; you are becoming a skilled mariner and the sea will calm soon!

[cindy707]

Just a thought...i had to learn the hard way that i am not the navigator i am just along for the ride Mary....i know how disappointing this may seem to you but don't let it get to you until as we say all of the cows are in the pen.  I've had a couple of rough episodes over the last couple of months too....but overall it is still a 99.9 % improvement from where i was 3 years ago.....over the last 6 weeks i have had 2 pretty hairy episodes of atrial fib to find out last week from the heart doc and dentist that they were caused from an infected molar....i guess its true what they say that the teeth have a direct impact on the heart.  Had that puppy pulled out and since then nada, zip nothing.  Hold in there Mary..you are going thru what we all did...your body is just fine tuning itself....two hours i know seems like a lifetime but i had a run after mine that lasted 4 hours at an average of 280 beats per minute and it was random....once i got converted i went two years with nothing...October 5th is my anniversary date after the ablation and will be 4 years and out of those 4 years i have had a total of 5 incidents so i think i can learn to live with one a year rather than 1 a day....hang in there girlfriend....peace of mind is coming your way.....

[MaryLL]

thanks cindy!
You are good at giving a kick in the bum when we need it. And there I was whining about a few seconds a-fib episode and last night had a 2-hr one. Just like the old days. I took a little extra med (on dr's advice) and it calmed down to normal by 2am. I'm really hoping this is just peripheral stuff because I don't want to start this thing again. Besides, I owe the hospital a fortune!
So, my lesson is don't complain it can be worse and it may be? lol
Thanks kiddo, I'm hanging in an hoping for the best.

[cindy707]

Ooopppps sorry for the typos Mary...i seem to have grown a couple of extra fingers ...i definately didn't mean to say to teach a doc to sit...a dog......haha

[cindy707]

Okay Mary heres your smack too.....don't even go there thinking that the procedure is a fail at 90 days...the doc has to confirm that thru testing.  Debbier and i had almost exact same symtoms and treatment...i too had a rough run of it up until the 4 month mark for myself...kept running back and forth the the surgeons office...i thought for awhile they would start watering me because they thought i was a plant i was there so much...i got quite the education for them believe me...it is normal that you have random erratic runs Mary...the heart is trying to learn how to go with the good firing of the electrical pattern when habit wants it to go back to the bad way.  All normal.....its like i always say like a doc learning to sit...repetition is how is learns....i too was put on antenolol to get me thru the rough spots and finally went off of them shortly after the 6 month mark and then really started thinking about it and doing research.  My heart surgeon one of the best in the world i am told ..told me that eventually meds like low dose beta blockers will be a maintenance med for healthy humans...my regular doc and he both take a low dose daily.  His question is why would someone not take them when it helps your heart to relax, not work as hard and not adversely react to adrenaline runs as we all get them.  With no side effects i have chosen 3 years later to stay on them and feel really good about it like i always have a safety net around me.  Mary don't scare yourself here....its still too soon for you...for myself every time it happened after my doc told me to stay away from him  (LOL obviously kidding) when i would get the short bursts if it were possible i would make myself lay down for a nap and would make every deal you could think of with God....if i could just wake up with them gone and it always happened.  I guess i thought if i went to sleep that i would forget them for at least an hour and could power thru them.  For me it worked..everyone is different for diversional tactics tho....Don't be afraid Mary..unless the doc confirms it no worries....as far as those deals go that i was making...if you don't see me on this site for awhile its because in am in the convent!!! We all deal w. it differently Mary....just tell yourself that in 15 minutes it will be gone, or turn on the radio, or call a friend and don't talk about your heart, or take a nap, or clean out your closet..any diversion works...you take care Mary and i am rooting for you and am sure you will be fine....

[MaryLL]

Thank you Debbier!
Yes, I'm still on my meds. We were hoping I could go off soon, but maybe not. That's exactly what happened to me, it was scary this week. Glad to hear things got better and hope your experience is mine.
Thank you again for the encouragement! Have a great weekend!

[debbier]

Dont give up Mary!   It could take up to 6 months to see the full effects of the ablation.  I was around the 3 month point when I had the worst SVT day of my life.  I came home crying in frustration.  Cindy of course gave me a smack and snapped me out of it.  I am now 7 months and for the most part things are good.   I still get little things but I cant tell if its a run of pvc's or svt because its so quick.   Are you on meds?  If not maybe a small dose of beta blocker to help you get through the next few months might help.  At the 6 month point i reduced my beta blocker to 12.5 and so far so good.