CAN AN ABLATION AFFECT YOUR O2 SATURATION??

My O2 saturation normally would run 96-100 before my ablation. But now it often hits below 95. They did stop my beta blocker I was on and my pulse rate & BP has gone up some as you might expect. But damn I’m tired. I’m waking up with some SOB in the morning now too. Im concerned about what’s going on with my SPO2. I’m not having any arrhythmias that I can feel or palpate.
Pokey.

When you say below 95, what is the running average so far? Below 95% includes 70% which is rather catastrophic. Other than that, I don't know that it's anything to sweat about. If it shows a steady decline or reduction, sure, but if it hovers around 92-95% much of the time, it's not so bad. I routinely get down to about 85% at times during the night, even though my CPAP reports each morning say I have 0.5 events each hour on average over the seven years I have been on CPAP therapy. That's dream territory, a low score that some would kill for.

Having said that, I don't mean to diminish the change, or your concern. You know you best. Maybe this is something to run past your favourite RT (respirator therapist)?

The fatigue and especially the morning SOB are concerning. Get in to see your PCP.

I’m waking up hurting all over, but I am 75. But I also feel slightly SOB But I’ve noted that when I wake up like that and deep breathe a few times the pain goes away and I can go back to sleep only to have it happen again. I don’t know if I’m getting some hypopneas or apneas. I was borderline for sleep apnea before the ablation but am wondering if I’m not actually having sleep apnea. What else would cause the SOB?? I can exercise at the health club for example doing 2 miles on the treadmill at 3mph at a grade and not even huffing or puff

Sleep can indeed suffer, and not just the 'loss' of it, after a significant event. I found my own sleep quite adversely affected after my angiogram on workups before my first ablation, and then after each of the two ablations that followed over the next 11 months. But, all of them got better by themselves, albeit with half a Zopiclone now and then just to get me a decent night's rest.

I found I was apneic in the central way after my angiogram. I don't know why because I opted to be alert and to forego sedation (piece of cake, honestly). I found myself startling awake after just a few seconds and gasping. My events recording in OSCAR showed nothing untoward, but my brain sure didn't like it, whatever it was. But again, it went away inside of maybe four days.

I do think you should be evaluated formally.

The list of things that can cause SOB is long, but what you just described sounds like sleep apnea. Really, go see your doc instead of trying to guess.

I saw a sleep doc in July. Had an in lab sleep study. My 4th. I hardly slept so no definitive conclusions were made. I Can’t sleep in a damn sleep lab unless I’m drugged. But the only drugs that really work for that on me are benzodiazepines. I was on one for a very long time and it took forever to get off it. I can’t ever have a benzo again. Sleep labs are To unnatural and my sleep anxiety does not help with that either. I asked the sleep doc here to do a home sleep study but she refused saying they weren’t good enough. So I took it upon myself to do one anyway. Ordered one from an online outfit that supposedly is FDA approved. I’m waiting to hear the results. I had a home sleep study while still living in Oregon May 2023. Said I had mild apnea which recommended an oral device which I already had from a study done in 2017 that said I was borderline. It doesn’t seem to help much. So yes I think I have at least mild apnea but proving it definitively has been/is a challenge. I do think given my sxs now post ablation I think that has had an affect as well on my sleeping SPO2. All I know is that things are different since the ablation. I also have tried an Oximeter that records my SPO2 all night. It indicates I’m having some mild desaturations but getting an MD to accept that and prescribe a solution seems it’s going to be a challenge as well. I can’t seem to fit into their nice neat diagnostic protocols like the other 99% which leaves me somewhat flopping in the breeze.

But you're missing the point that it might NOT be sleep apnea.

what’s some of the other possibilities? I do have mitral valve prolapse with moderate regurgitation. Per a TEE in July my EF was still 65% with normal LV wall motion and size. It did show mildly dilated left & right atrium. The other 3 valves were fine. Could the ablation affected my MVP/MVR?? I have no COPD to my knowledge. My resting day time SPO2 is lower than it was before the ablation. My cardiologists have expressed no concerns about my heart thus far who I saw only10 days ago. I’m not sure what I should do at this point.

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Pokey
what’s some of the other possibilities?

Carey's right. Maybe it's apnea, maybe it isn't, but you need to be evaluated.

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Carey
The list of things that can cause SOB is long, but what you just described sounds like sleep apnea. Really, go see your doc instead of trying to guess.

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Pokey
It did show mildly dilated left & right atrium.

Which says to me that the pressures are elevated in both your left and right ventricle. The MR could be a sign of that as well.

If your heart was already stiff, and particularly if an ablation -- by design (ie, scarring) -- made it stiffer, then you might see an elevated heart rate while your body works to maintain the usual level of cardiac output. Which speaks to all of the comments I've made about your current situation, and why a strain echo might be wise.

There are also rare complications from catheter ablation that could cause SOB.

You should reach out to both your primary care physician and your EP with this new symptom.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/2025 08:24PM by NBeener.

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Pokey
what’s some of the other possibilities?

It's a long list.

I’ll contact my EP. I have a new PCP that’s I’ve seen exactly once. I suspect he’d just refer me back to my cardiologist or EP for this matter.

My EP and regular cardiologist have been messaged. I found some information that indicates SOB after ablation can occur for several reasons due to the "trauma/irritation" of the procedure to the tissue in the heart, but usually/hopefully is temporary. Fingers crossed. Thanks

How long ago was the ablation?

I’m 8 weeks out now. No sob this morning when I woke up 🤔 which is a good thing of course. Maybe I’m just to paranoid??

I had low oxygen when laying down up to about a week ago (ablation on Oct 30th). I have no idea what was going on. I got checked out completely by Cardiologist. I think there are many things that they just don't even understand.

I shared my sxs best I could with my EP. He had me get a chest X-ray. I have no idea what that’s going to tell him other than to rule out pneumonia, congestion and the like. I’m not a smoker. I guess it will show the size of my heart but as far as I know that’s not an issue, I don’t CHF. Also I know is i am having a weird set of sxs when I wake up anywhere between 4-6 am and they are new sxs & have developed since my ablation. I didn’t have them before. I just got results back from a home sleep study that I’m at the higher end of mild sleep apnea but I don’t think that’s an after affect of the ablation. Ive been borderline for sleep apnea before and not had the sxs I’m complaining about now. I do have mitral valve prolapse with moderate regurgitation. This has been known for 10 years which has caused no problems. I’m wondering if the ablation has made the MR worse and that’s causing the sxs I’m having. Whatever is going on I don’t think it’s a good thing.

A chest x-ray would be the place to start and it can tell him more than just ruling out pneumonia. Has it been done yet and you've heard the results?

I just realized something today I forgot to share with my EP. I may be grasping at thin straws though. I play a French horn in an orchestra. I started blowing it again about 3-4 weeks after the ablation. Blowing through 16ft of tubing on a French horn creates a modified valsalva maneuver which increases intra thoracic pressure and one study indicated it raised diastolic pressure. Wondering if that messed with the healing of the cather puncture sites of the atrial septum causing an intra atrial shunt ?? I think that’s probably a long shot but wondering if I should share with my EP. My regular cardiologist stopped my Nebivilol and I’m noting my BP is creeping up. Probably need to go back on it or an ACE inhibitor.

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Pokey
I think that’s probably a long shot but wondering if I should share with my EP.

IMHO, couldn't hurt, might help (to let the EP know).

It's unique enough, and ... whether or not it sounds whacky (it does) ... you did do your homework, so it isn't beyond the realm of possibility.

I'd let the EP be the judge of whether or not it's applicable in your case.

ETA: May want to keep your optometrist in the loop, too ;-)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2025 09:07PM by NBeener.