post ablation palpatations

[dhoffa1]

I just had an ablation surgery 5 days ago in early may of 09. im 27 and have had SVT for about 20 years. i decided to have the surgery and thought i would be fine after but wow i could swear the palps are more frequent and worse now then before. I came online and checked some sites about recovery time for this surgery. i was not aware until today that palps after the surgery are actually a normal thing....being so aware of irregular heart beats it was actually freakin me out, but now to read that recovery time could last up to 3 months before you can be sure the procedure was a success and the palps really start to fade away, i am very very relieved. i delt with this problem for so long it seems crazy that i cant deal with the feeling after the fact. today im feeling a lot better and am actually up doing things, i feel like a new man! i can only hope the palps go away or reduce back to pre surgery frequency which i would be happy with as long as the svt itself doesnt come back. i guess time is the only answer and i need to remember to stay relaxed. for anyone feeling the same way about the surgery, just remember u are not alone a little research can help you get through the tuff times post surgery, and mentally make you feel better about the decision to make your life a healthier one


This discussion is related to ablation recovery time.

[mrwilhale]

I had a catheter ablation procedure performed on the right side (my right) Feb 2011.  Things were great until about 4 weeks ago.  It is now June 2011 and my heart rhythm is very sporadic, esp. at night. Sporadic being..Beat...beat beat beat..5 or 6 rapid bats..or or two beats then a VERY strong thump.

This is typically lasting about an Hour but does go more. If I get my heart rate up (swimming or exercise ) it beats normally for that type of excertion.  I was treated for afib/flutter.  My heart rate was 140 for years but my bp was very low.  Now on the monitor I have at home, during the abnormal rhythm, it will cluctuate between 110 and 75 (in the time span of about a minute).

I am on Pradaxa and Amiodarone.  The only coinciding factor I can think of is that, shortly efore this started, my doc cut my Amiodarone in half.  I was taking it twice a day, now I only take it in the morning.  As much as I cannot stand the Amiodarone, I am thinking that it was doing its job.

We lead a pretty healthy lifestyle.  Walk 2.5 miles ever other day, swim and do yard work.  We are not couch potatoes.  I do like my evening cocktails and have cut those out to see if it helps...so far not.  We eat healthy and I am not overweight by any means.

I guess my question is...is what I am experiencing normal?  Is there anything I can do to help keep me in rhythm?

[Bruce643]

I'm 69 years old and have long-standing MVP with mild regurg and normal blood pressure (115 / 75). I'm nearly four weeks post radiofrequency (RF) ablation (single foci) for tachycardia-mediated lone Afib, and am having annoying palpitations that awaken me at night; sitting up in bed helps. Metoprolol 25 mg before retiring has little effect (it's the drug I was taking prior to ablation...along with the maximum dose of Rhythmol SR, which I have, of course,  discontinued).  Alcohol appears to aggravate the palpitations (dang!), so I'm eliminating my evening cocktail to see if that helps. Also, no coffee after 12 noon. Surely, anyone with recurrent atrial fibrillation should discuss the RF ablation option with an electrophysiologist. Your cardiologist or internist can refer you. The less-invasive catheter method of ablation is no longer "experimental," having been performed on thousands of patients worldwide. I was "on the table" for almost five hours, but remember nothing after someone asked me what kind of music I liked. The hardest part is lying motionless for 6 hours post-procedure while the catheter insertion sites seal themselves.  I experienced no pain or itching, and my bruises disappeared in about two weeks. Good luck.

[rrobbi]

Like to know how your are doing?  I went in last week for a flutterblation and came out of surgery with Afib (went into surgery with sinus rythym so they had to induce the arrythmia).  By end of stay in recovery room was fully in sinus (back and forth for 3 hrs).  Two days ago started getting PAC's about avg of 1 per minute over an hour span or so between 3 hours of normal rythym.  I am reading that it may take up to 3 mos for irritations to settle out. The PAC's seem to occur between meals but that could change. They do not occur when exercising (med speed walk). Love this chat room. One thing most all of us aryth types experience is anxiety.  I keep hearing that PAC's are benign but it is hard to convince one's psyche of that.

[ireneo]

So what's the plan for your SVT? My experience was similar: the first time they thought they got my tachy under control. Eventually it came back. The second time they poked around for 7 hours and finally stopped. They knew they weren't able to zap it under control. I was heavily sedated and didn't hear the disappointing news till the next morning when my hubby had to tell me. Eventually I went in for a 3rd ablation but I draw the line there. No more catheters and zaps for me. I still have tachy and ectopics but they're improved. I can live with that.

Did your EP give you any options? I guess it depends on how severe the SVT in your case. I hope yours calms down enough over the next couple months that it's not too much of a bother. Good luck.

[Lynn747]

I've had two catheter ablations for SVT.  It is wonderfully reassuring to hear that others have palpitations after the procedure.  It does freak you out but eventually they do settle down.  After my first ablation, my doctor thought I was cured.  So, it was relatively easy to ignore the palpitations and put them down to heart irritation that would go away after my heart healed.  But, 2 1/2 months after my first ablation, my SVT came back.  Now, I am 8 days post my second ablation and had palpitations this morning.  This time, I know the SVT isn't fixed (my bad pathways are like spider legs and too close to my good pathway to ablate safely), so the palpitations are really freaking me out.  Thanks for posting your experiences here.  It is comforting to remind myself that these palpitations aren't really SVT but just my heart healing once again.

[ireneo]

It's too bad the doctors rarely explain that part of the ablation. So many people write in with the same concern - had the ablation and still having problems. But yes, it make take up to 3 months for the heart to heal. It's not like putting a bandaid on a cut and it's better in a week. Wish it was.

Your heart is going to protest for awhile but don't let it keep you from living your life. As long as you have the energy, just keep moving. You will feel better. One day you'll suddenly realize, "Hey, my heart's been quiet all week!" And then you'll know.