Post ablation recovery

I had cryo ablation March2 and pacemaker inserted on the 3rd this year.
I remained in intermittant afib until I did a two week stint on Amiodarone mid May.
Have been in NSR since, but seem to tire easily.
I'm playing pickleball 3 times a week for 1 1/2 hours, but my endurance isn't improving.
Ive been slack in my weight/aerobics and plan to get my act together.
Is there a time frame when most people return to normal strength? I've hear up to a year.
Thanks for any suggestions.

Barring major complications, returning to normal strength from an ablation should be measured in days, a week or two at most. Do I understand correctly that you were only on the amiodarone for a couple of weeks back in May? Are you taking anything else?

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Carey
Barring major complications, returning to normal strength from an ablation should be measured in days, a week or two at most. Do I understand correctly that you were only on the amiodarone for a couple of weeks back in May? Are you taking anything else?

Anyone else who had an ablation recovered so quickly or longer-what is your story? (Poll to determine if being knocked out 2 months is the norm for some). Now at 85 days post ablation I am back to normal activities such as digging ditches, gardening etc without effort.

I was at full strength the day after my two ablations, but the first one 13 years ago, I was told to lay off the exercise for one month. My last ablation in Jan, I was told to lay off the exercise for one week, both with the same Dr. I believe the issue is the healing of the insertion point(s) for the catheters, not the heart.

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susan.d
Anyone else who had an ablation recovered so quickly or longer-what is your story? (Poll to determine if being knocked out 2 months is the norm for some).

I don't know how many answers your "poll" will get, and experiences vary, but I've heard from/spoken with dozens and dozens of people who've had ablations and the vast majority feel perfectly fine a day or two after the procedure. I've known others who felt knocked out for a week or three, but those are by far the minority. Personally, I've been through the rodeo six times and every time was the same: I felt perfectly fine the next day except for some tenderness at the insertion sites. I once went on a 50-mile bike ride in challenging terrain 3 days after an ablation, and I did it with a green light from the EP. My only restriction was I had to have someone else lift my bike on and off my bike rack because the bike weighs more than 10 pounds.

That said, I've also known people who experienced complications and were laid low for a month or two. Those are rare exceptions, but one has to go into any invasive procedure knowing things can go wrong. That's why you choose the top EP you can find. They're the one who knows how to avoid complications in the first place and how to manage them if they do happen.

In the end, just go by how you feel. There is no mandatory period of time you need to "take it easy." If you feel like walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, gardening, whatever -- then go do it. Just no lifting over 10 pounds for one week.

Well Carey unfortunately I don’t recover quickly.
1st ablation was 9-19 and with post ablation PVCs my PULS score calculated my age to be 67. Post index ablation I lugged buckets of rocks (4000 pounds over 6 months) and it was not difficult. I had the test repeated after my AF returned in May and now have the max score of >80....and that second lab was done prior to my second ablation. Now I can’t lug more than a bucket and find it difficult to drag my trash cans out for trash pickup. It must be my >80 yo heart trapped in a younger body. It doesn’t stop me for trying but it’s a waiting game until I feel better.

As I said, everyone's experiences can vary. My point was simply that the majority of ablation patients feel perfectly fine within a day or two. Some mild symptoms such as a dull ache in the chest, sore throat, and tender insertion sites are common, but they tend to vanish quickly and most people wouldn't consider them something that requires them to stay out of work or avoid exercise. A few people such as yourself have more troublesome recoveries, but that's true of every medical procedure there is.

I did not feel great for at least a week. I think the intubation was to blame more than anything as it made it tough to take a deep breath. That said, my heart was VERY jumpy for several months following the procedure. Lots of ectopics. I still get them a year later but not as bad. And when I get them alot it makes me more out of breath.

As far as endurance, I didn't do any weight or cardio training for three months, and then I eased into it. I didn't want to tax my body and risk an arrhythmia since exercise sometimes would lead to ectopic beats. It was hard to lay off. I'm in excellent shape (just to cal it like it is), but it wasn't worth the risk. Rest won't hurt you. Listen to your body.

Well, I went back in afib three days after ablation and pacemaker insertion.
Guess I was just lucky, or a lousy ablation by a very experienced EP.
Knocking on wood since I've been in NSR since June.

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gadawgfan
Well, I went back in afib three days after ablation and pacemaker insertion.
Guess I was just lucky, or a lousy ablation by a very experienced EP.
Knocking on wood since I've been in NSR since June.

Not uncommon I hear in the first week or so.

Following my first ablation in 2009 I went into afib while still in the hospital. About 3 days later. I was still there trying to get my INR levels right. They placed me on flecainide for 6 months. Came off the flecainide and stayed in rhythm for the better part of 9 years.

So far as recovery from ablation I have always taken it easy for a couple months afterwards. However, this time around I have gotten back to hiking and some light weight lifting within the first month.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/2020 09:24PM by rocketritch.

Going into afib or flutter in the first few weeks following an ablation is very common and can almost be considered expected. That's because the burns have been made but they haven't turned into scar tissue yet, and that's what makes them effective. This is why many EPs routinely place ablation patients on an antiarrhythmic during the blanking period. So experiencing afib, flutter, or lots of ectopics during the blanking period should be considered normal and no reason to question the skills of the operator or the success of the procedure.

I had two ablations in Bordeaux and did not experience any ectopic beats, flutter, or PVC . My groin was not sore and I did not have any bruising. My heart rate was not elevated at all after ablation. I just took it easy for few months to build up physical exercise, just being cautious. After one month I was taken off blood thinners. I was in hospital for one week. Now I am having ablation and was told that some people are discharged after one day , some after 3 days. After one week there is follow up consultation.
I could not believe how well I felt after my ablations in Bordeaux, I had two. After the first one needed touch up after 9 months, which apparently happens to less than 1% of patients. I had to have ablation as I was totally refractory to any and ALL antiarrhythmic medications. I TRIED ALL OF MEDS AVAILABLE in 10 years I had AF and none could help. AF was very symptomatic to the point of being bed ridden for whole episode that could last up to 24 hours. In my case I did n9t have a choice really, to gain back quality of life it needed intervention by having ablations.
12 years after last ablation AF is back and its exactly this same as it was , I don't have a choice but have ablation again.

A big part of recovery from just about any surgery is one's physical state when going in. Which means, if you have no other health issues and are in excellent physical condition when going in, recovery most often is a piece of cake. My last ablation was day surgery and I felt perfectly fine when I walked out of the hospital. Did a two mile walk the next day.

Things happen to all of us that can't be predicted or controlled, but when they do surface, being prepared (healthy and fit) can make a world of difference with recovery. Of course, that's not possible for some because of multiple health issues stacked on one another, but that doesn't mean that you give up on the things that can make you stronger.