Post ablation question

[underinformed35]

I had an ablation eight days ago and I am still feeling awful from it. Yesterday and the day before I had a horrible headache. Nothing would make it go away but sleeping it off. It feels like it is coming back again today. Is this a common thing after ablation? I have not read anything about anyone getting headaches after ablation. I am still getting lightheaded and I am not able to do much yet. I hope this will get better. From what I have read on here most people start feeling better by now!

[tom_h]

I too was in that small minority where the electrophysiologist was able to move the catheter thru overlap of unsealed tissue and avoid the puncture.

[bercox]

I am 8 days post ablation and having migraine type headaches daily. I went to the emergency room by ambulance on day 4 no AF since procedure, but blood pressure has been up at times. Saw the surgeon today and he sent me to hospital for a CT scan of the head to rule out stroke. It was normal.

[AKDozer]

Care to give an update? Have the migraines subsided?

[missouri505]

I am 7 days post ablation and have headaches and light headedness daily. What is up?

[CMTNDF]

thank you for the comment. Will keep this posted after sometimes ( 90 days or so) .

[researcher09]

RE - AF ablation

The migraines could be a result of the transseptal puncture creating a shunt between the left and right atria.  It should heal fairly quickly.  For the migraine sufferers who get it while the heart has irregular rhythm, the headaches may not go away unless the condition is cured by ablation and it will take a while for the heart to settle down.  Blanking period of 90 days post ablation before you can tell whether the ablation was successful.

[AKDozer]

Apparently, I one of the 20% that didn't need a transeptal puncture due to it not closing fully. Unfortunately, I am experiencing post ablation migraines. I am relieved to see that it looks like a common side effect. I'm looking for information on how long I can expect them. Any follow ups?

[CMTNDF]

I don't have any advice, me too, just had my catheter ablation 7 Oct 2015 .
I started to have migraine each time my heart races . It lasted from 2 hour to entire night. Sadly to say my Cardiac doctor view this with dismissal when asked if this is common. The surgeon is a season veteran but he said this is rare.

I have read postings and some sites like this even ask for volunteers for clinical trial on Effect of Catheter Ablation on Clinical Course of Migraine in AF Patients With or Without Previous History of Migraine https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01391091

Obviously there are enough cases to allow such potential empirical study.

Lets hope our God given body will heal naturally over time.

Regards
Luke

[Guanci]

I also have bad headaches before and after I had the left-sided ablation.  After the ablation, the headaches became worse.  Also I am still having the irregular heartbeat showing up on the monitor.  It seems like every time I get the headache, the monitor shows an  irregular heartbeat.  Does anyone have some advice?

[AKDozer]

How are you doing now?

[Vent_Ab]

This was my first ablation and the areas ablated were in my left ventrical.  I was experiencing bigeminy and trigeminy prior to the ablation.  Right after the ablation my heart was beating normally.  Then I went back to trigeminey I am not sure exactly when it started but showed up on an ekg.  

I ask my doc more questions to understand this issue more.   Thanks.

[mattpp]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I guess I'll have to wait for the bruising to go down!

That's a shame about your arrhythmia coming back. What was your first ablation for? Mine was AVNRT and apparently the chances of it coming back are very small. I was also told that extra beats are a normal part of the heart's healing process. Has your arrhythmia come back fully how it was pre-ablation?

[Vent_Ab]

I had ablation on April 8.  The bruising just went down the leg where the puncture was.  My leg was unconfortable but the "bruise" which seemed to keep growing freaked me out.  It finally just faded away but took a couple of weeks.  

I started having extra heartbeats again, I am not sure exactly when they started and my doc says I may have to go through ablation again soon. Its not so uncommon but I am not looking forward to it.

Has anyone had to have a second ablation?

[mattpp]

Hi, I had an ablation a week ago and it's been a complete success. My question is, did anyone else have really bad bruising that was still painful a week later? Mine currently goes half way down each of my legs and is all sorts of colours!! Is this normal?

[underinformed35]

Thank you. I am just trying to live with the breathing difficulties. It is just part of my life for now I guess. Sometimes it is so much worse than other times. Like today I have had so much trouble breathing! I try to ignore it but I can't today. I feel like I am suffocating! So today has not been a good day. I hope that it heals soon also!
I think the main thing for people to remember that if you feel like something is not right chances are you are correct. I just knew that I should not be feeling that bad from an ablation. You just have to trust your instincts!

[ptadvoc8]

I'm so sorry to hear about all the problems you have been having, but delighted to read they are resolving as you recover. From what I understand, it is unusual (but not unheard of) to damage the phrenic nerve and that this is more common in AFib ablations and more common during right-sided ablations. There are certain points around the heart where the phrenic nerves come closer to the heart than at other location points and, as your EP specialist pointed out, everyone has their own individual anatomy. The damage to the diaphragmatic nerve is usually only temporary and heals within as little as a few months, although it may take up to a year or more, so here's hoping you are one of the "fast" healers now that you are well on the road to recovery!

I wanted also to respond to your comment about headaches because while you have now discovered and fixed the reason you were experiencing them, in case someone else is looking for similar information, there is some anecdotal evidence that those patients who have had a transeptal puncture (through the septal wall in the heart) for left-sided ablation may have an increased incidence of headaches and sometimes migraine after ablation procedures, but from what I have read, this complication is supposedly very uncommon.

[nicolette1972]

most important thing is to get your strength back so dont push yourself and listen to your body and yea im a 70s child!!!XX

[underinformed35]

Were you born in 72? I was..
Yes, you are right. It has been about six weeks since the sinus nose ablation and it seems like my heart is starting to calm down some. I am staying in the 80's at rest for the most part (sometimes it goes low and pacemaker kicks in)and the 100-120 range when up and moving around. That is much better than 120s at rest like before the ablation. I really need to start exercising but I am scared. I will ask next week at the check-up if I can and what kind I can do. I am getting lazy with all this sitting around!

[nicolette1972]

it takes time to recover fully from ablation,i remember i felt very tired and achy for a good 2 weeks and even after that i got the palps now and then,your heart will take a few months to properly settle down so be kind to yourselfX

[underinformed35]

I am doing much better and I feel a little better everyday. I have not been back to the doctor. I go next Thursday so hopefully they will fix the rate issues I am having. Other than that I feel pretty good. Thank you so much for the support!

[debbier]

I wanted to see hiw you were doing, I hope everything has calmed down for you,

[underinformed35]

Thank you! It has helped so much to know that I am not alone. I am just trying to stay positive.

[debbier]

I hope everything gets sorted out quickly for you.    I am glad your slowly getting back to your life.        Thanks for posting I was hoping things were getting back on track for you

[underinformed35]

Well it has been six days since my pacemaker and I am still very sore. I know because he  put it under the muscle it will take more time to heal. I have had some times where my heart is still beating from the AV node but too fast for the pacemaker to kick in. I wonder if there is anything I can do about that? I also feel like the rate responsive is too sensitive because the least movement and my heart rate goes up. We went to the movies last night and I think just the vibrations from the speakers caused my pacemaker to raise my heart rate. I know it will take some getting used to and hopefully they will help with these problems when I go for a follow-up in three weeks. I am just terrified that I will pull a lead out and have to go back through everything all over again! I am so ready to get back to life, you know? I am much better( thank goodness) just not quite there yet.

[SooZeeATL]

Welcome home! Thanks for the update and I'm so happy to hear the worst is behind you. Thank goodness for that nurse that comforted you and tried to distract you. So many in the medical profession are a rare breed. I'm very thankful for them. I can't imagine how you made it through, but you did. You are a real trooper. I kept saying to my husband that I didn't realize how very lucky I was until I read some of your posts.

So take good care of yourself and get busy healing already :-) Seriously, take it easy and keep us posted on your progress.

[underinformed35]

Well I am home with my arm in a sling so I am typing with one hand, but I feel SO much better. Except for some irregular fast rates now and then everything is wonderful. I am very sore and since he put the pacemaker under my muscle I keep having muscle spasms but nothing unbearable like before. The procedure was tough though because I was awake and had NO meds except a local where they cut. The worst part was they put this tent like thing over my head and I am very clausterphobic!! Then he told me when he cut through the muscle it would hurt and it did. It felt like he was hitting bone!! Thank goodness that didn't last long and there was a wonderful male nurse that stayed under the tent like thing and fanned me and talked to me the whole time. The whole thing only took about forty minutes but felt much longer! Then when we were through the doctor said that I had a rare case and explained that when he did the sinus node modification, he damaged my diaprahm. He said that very few people's nerve for their diaprahm sits on the heart and mine was one of them so when he did the burning it went through and damaged the nerve. Only one side of my diaprahm is working now. That explains my SOB all the time. He said that it could take up to a year to heal! YUK!
Besides that everything is much better. I know it will take a while to get the settings just right on the PM but I am hopeful now at least that I will feel normal again soon! Thank you for your support. IT means a lot!!

[debbier]

I am hoping all went well with your procedure.    I was thinking about you and hope you can update us when you can!