Ablation update week one!

Well the sites are healing well. I had six catheter sheaths, so bruising is huge! Pain has subsided. Including chest pain.
Out of hospital had a couple days of intermittent PAC
Day three went into afib that lasted two days
Day four constant PAC
Day five was a great day a few PAC
Day six afib again lasted on/off until dinner then just a few PAC
Day seven afib in morning in and out stopped in the PM

Who knows what today might bring during this healing period. I am getting out and about even with the snow here in KY, just trying to ignore the stuff inside me.

One set back, got up to pee the other night and inside my ear was itching. I put a Qtip in and walked back to bed. By the time I got there I forgot about the qtip!
Yep I plopped down my head on the pillow and rammed that qtip right thru the ole eardrum! Went to the ear specialist yesterday and I'll live. Moral of the story....
I'm a ding bat!
We are all human, right?

I hope everyone is doing ok
Tim

Hi Tim,

You are not a ding bat! With all the stress you are going through after your surgery and the continued PACs and afib, you are entitled to what I like to call a "miscue". I taught reading at the high school level to nonreaders, and when they made a mistake and wanted to beat themselves up over it, I just reminded them that it was a "miscue", not a mistake. But sorry to hear you are still suffering from the afib, etc. You are in our prayers daily!!

I have continued to have some PACs off and on, but no afib so far. I'm on 37.5mg of metoprolol tartrate and doing okay on it so far--not as tired as I thought I'd be from it. My big concern is my weight gain from the surgery. I went from 102 lbs when I checked in to the hospital Thursday morning to 115lbs on Saturday night, and all the water is in my abdomin. It is bloated and feels stiff like a football. I phoned CPMC that night, and Dr. Hao prescribed 20mg of Lasix, but the pharmacy was already closed, so I took it the next afternoon. I've been taking it ever since, and still weigh 107 lbs in the morning and 109lbs in the evening! Dr. Hao says two things from the surgery cause this water retention: (1) the chemical they use (crystal something), and a pituatary hormone gets altered (maybe aldosterone??). Anyway, it can take time for the hormone to go back to normal. I don't know how long to keep taking the Lasix. Dr. Hao thought I'd only need it 2 days, but I've been on it 4 days now and am not back to normal. Guess I'll use it a couple more days, and if my weight doesn't return to normal, I'll phone Dr. Hongo's nurse at CPMC.

Blessings to you, Tim.

Nancy M

Hey Nancy thanks. Yes I think of you also hope you are doing better. I know for two days my gut was very bloated. I think it was from the stuff they make you swallow to coat the esophagus. I just finished my last dose (7 day). In the hospital it was a pink pepto bismo tasting stuff and the pill at home. But anyway hope yours gets back to normal.
Im doing better including the ear!! Back to work trying to be positive!

Mostly the bloating post ablation is from
The irrigated catheter water dumped inside your heart and body, it can take a while to get rid of it, plus some minor to modest ANP reduction from the burning on the
tissue of the left and right atrial endothelial lining where special cells that produce ANP get knocked out of action temporarily until new one grow back. That can mess with your sodium/potassium balance for a short while, both Lasix and potassium chloride extended release tablets can help reduce that extra fluid and bloating, but it should go away on its own anyway.

Was intersting Nancy to hear you say Dr Hao discussed Aldosterone as a hormone that can get thrown out of whack temporarily due to an impact on the pituitary gland from an ablation? The pituitary had an indirect impact in aldosterone through its cortisol signaling upstream hormone ACTH, but I wasn't aware an ablation impacts that system. I'd be curious to know more about how that works so will ask in Orlando next week.

Shannon

Shannon,

I'm not positive that he said aldosterone, so please don't quote me on that. Perhaps it was the hormone you mentioned and I got it confused. It was late at night and I was really wiped out. Now that you explain the ANP, that makes much more sense.

Nancy M