HELP

Question

I had a cardiac ablation on Monday the 21st. It seems now as if I am having more problems than before I went. There may be a repeat, but I am reading where some people had ablation therapy and were out for the cathedar insertion, and the burn. WHERE are you guys getting this done? I had NO anesthesia, and was awake the entire proceedure.. If I have to do this again, I want to go some where they know what they are doing, and I don't have to have these problems. I keep having what feels like pvc's. It seems as if the re-entry circuit they burned was incomplete. The start up point is still attempting to fire up, and is going no further, but it's still trying to fire up. And now, I am experiencing the rythm gettin caught there, and not making a solid circuit. I am experiencing headaches and shortness of breath. I think something is seriously wrong. I hesitate to return to the same surgeon, I am scared, but know for sure that if I have to go through that again, I want one of the doctors that put me out when they give me cathedars and when they burn. Thanks to all who respond. ~Mary

This discussion is related to Typical Recovery from Ablation.

cindy707 · Accepted Answer

First off there are a couple of issues i think....what is not i think run of the mill is the shortness of breath and headaches and for that i think that you need to be seen by A doctor as soon as you can get in to see him/her.  To me those are red flags and need to be addressed.  I totally understand your feeling about not wanting to go back to the doc that performed the ablation however you may have another option.  You can always make an appt. with a diagnostic heart doc not the EP doc who will have access to your records and what was done.  The red flag for me here was the word that you used "burned".  Many many docs stay away from burning now due to issues w. scar tissue building up and the electrical re routing itself up and around the tissue and alot of docs prefer to use either freezing or RF waves to correct the electrical because there aren't those issues with it.  I definately would make an appt. tho just to ensure that nothing else is going on with you that could be residuals on how the ablation was done.  The good news is what you are experiencing as far as the random almost episodes is pretty common and makes alot of sense if you think about it.  I had my ablation over four years ago and many of us on this site went thru what you are w. our hearts up until the four to six month mark and as each day rolls by the issues for many become less and less.  My understanding from my own heart doc is that for a long time your heart was used to firing off w. the electrical in the "bad' way and then an ablation is performed and now your heart is trying to follow the correct pattern however due to habit it is trying to instead of obeying basically is trying to go back to the bad way instead of the good.  I used to liken it to training a new dog....you have to tell that new dog repeatedly to sit before it gets it and does it...so it makes sense that until your heart heeds to the new direction it is going to attempt to go back into its bad habit and return to the bad way because that is what its known for so long.  Your heart was poked , prodded, penetrated, zapped and burned and you can bet your heart is irritable right now and swollen and just having the procedure there is no way i would think that you have the ablation and simply just walk away and start bungee jumping or jogging.  I had the same random incidents and it took until the four month mark until i felt i was pretty free of the episodes and no random....well its gonna come back again and feels like it...starts up and wham it fades away...makes alot of sense.  But like i said the headaches and shortness of breath i think may be red flags and need to be addressed sooner rather than later. You can always tell the new diagnostic doc what is happening and that you prefer not to go back to that same EP and they can request your records and they transfer now via computer so that when you get there they have all of the info and the final outcome of the procedure.  You have this right.  I don't understand for the life of me why anyone would choose or allow themselves to be awake during the procedure...from what i am aware there is no benefit to it...i know i was given Versed a twighlight med during mine..don't remember a thing really and didn't go thru all that angst.  Do not think for a minute Meri that your procedure is a fail and you need to go back in...the docs as i understand it don't even know until after the ninety day mark if your procedure is a fail or not and if someone wants to take you back in to "burn" you again i would literally run in the opposite direction because that is just not right.  You need to call A doc after reading this and make an appt. to rule out any possible issues with clotting with headaches and shortness of breath and if it were me until i got there if i could tolerate it and you aren't on any other blood thinners i would take and aspirin just as a safety net to try to ward off the potential of something that may be happening if possible.  I wouldn't worry around the "almost" episodes tho...pretty common i think but those other two things sound a little suspicious to me...good luck and please let us know....

tom_h · Answer

Glad to hear you're feeling better!  A couple of comments:

Heparin is (often) given when they're working in the left side of the heart to prevent clotting. It's administered late in the procedure.  I received it too.  It often contributes to the hematoma which often occurs at the puncture site on your thigh.  Mine was very large.

The term "burn" can apply to both RF and cryo albations.  Both literally burn the tissue.  The RF energy heats the tissue while cryo freezes it, but both result in scar tissue formation, but that's good becasue that's what severs the accessory path.

MeriDeAnna · Answer

Yes Ma'am!

Mom2four85 · Answer

that's a relief it's not surgery related =)

MeriDeAnna · Answer

hey thanks y'all.  Every bit of information I got here was helpful.  they wanted me to pick a best answer.  They were all really good!  so I just picked the longest one b/c it had a little bit extra info in it.  I am feeling much better now.  Went to the cardiologist who put my mind at ease.  Talked about the shortness of breath and the headaches.  By then I had started coughing, due to a little cold I had contracted a couple days post surgery.  I was told to take meds for that, and the headaches were due to the fact that after the surgery, I had a hard time sleeping b/c of the weirdness of my rythym.  So I'm back on atenolol for a while, until healing is a bit more complete.  It seems to be helping considerably, I'm able to sleep, and headache free! :)  Should I need further ablation therapy, I am seriously finding some one else to do it.  b/c I am NOT doing it with out anesthesia again!  As to the clot scare, I was on a heparin drip during surgery and as soon as I was allowed to move around, I got up and walked to further prevent clotting.  I walked in small doses quite a bit the first few days, did not cross my legs/ankles and took all the anti-clotting precautions.  I did not take aspirin though.  I wasn't told to.  thanks again for all y'alls help!  Have a wonderful week!

JACK37 · Answer

I just found out I have AFib.  I don't know what I will do about it. I live in Florida.  But if I do anything about this, I will go to Clevenland Clinic in Ohio.

debbier · Answer

I had my ablation done with no meds also.  Some drs choose that way they feel your heart responds better when not drugged up.  Your dr should have made you aware of that during your consultation.  I knew in adavance no meds and I accepted it because I wanted the best outcome.  I agree with all the advice above. Your heart will be reacting for a few months under it heals.  If you feel something is not right I suggest you call your dr to discuss it may help you relax.   Good Luck with your recovery

tom_h · Answer

I'm sorry to hear of your discomfort.  Blips in rhythm, or short runs of tachycardia are to be expected after ablation therapy, but you have to be the final judge on how bad they actually are.  Did your physician keep you on medication upon your release?

I was under general anesthesia for my AVRT ablation procedure.  I first got hit with a syringe of Vallium in the short stay cube.  By the time I hit the cath lab, all I wanted to do was go to sleep.  I remember nothing about the procedure.  I had mine done at UMass hospital in Worcester, MA which is located in the central part of the state.  My electrophysiologist is Dr. Lawrence Rosenthal, and I highly recommend him; friendly, confident, but all business.

ireneo · Answer

I agree with Cindy that because your ablation was so recent, there could be some serious concerns with the headaches and SOB. But it could also be some stress because you're so upset about your heart acting up. Still, it won't hurt to ask. Did they tell you to take aspirin for awhile after the ablation? Some doctors do, some don't.

Radiofrequency ablation does essentially burn tiny spots in the heart to short circuit the errant pathway. I looked it up once and we're talking a few millimeters in size. Very small. But it still irritates the heart muscle and will take a few months to settle down. I love Cindy's description of training the dog to behave in a new way. 

I've never understood the doctors that prefer to do ablations minus medications either. Maybe the mapping portion if the arrhythmia is hard to trigger but once they find the spot, then they should give the Versed. The ablation part can't feel good.

I hope you can get your questions answered and that in time, your heart will settle down to a peaceful rhythm.

Mom2four85 · Answer

You just had it done on March 21st? 

If so, it will take awhile for your body & heart to heal, sometimes 4-6 months depending on what all was done.  Right now, everything is irritated and swelled inside and will need time to recover fully.  Keep track of symptoms, times dates etc so you can see later if it's getting any better.

At my 3 month mark, I wasn't healed fully and my pvc's came back full force so my doctor recommended I have another ablation for my VT but I wasn't going to do that after complications during my ablation.