The 90 day blanking period can be difficult to handle. Your heart is irritated and might do a lot of really strange things. It's hard to ignore, but you will get used to it. Take it easy for two weeks at least, then slowly start increasing your activity/excise level.

What you are experiencing is not uncommon. Many of us have had similar experiences. Give it time.

Paul is correct. You are just stressing. I just did a short post on blanking period. petey

Thank you Paul60 and Petey. This does make me feel better. I would like to start back to the gym but maybe I should wait a little longer.

As the guys have stated it takes time for things to settle down, at least 90 days or more, your heart was beaten up pretty good during the ablation, take it easy for at least two weeks or even more if you feel you need it, we are all different and respond differently, you will now what works for you and what your limits are after a bit of time has passed.
Keep us posted and take care!

After all of my surgeries, illnesses and Misc. assaults to my body, (I have Not had an Ablation) I have been anxious to feel better, to heal and to get on with my life.

I now realize this is my Brain Thinking. My Body deserves Kindness, Patience and Respect. There is no reason to rush your body to do things too soon. Healing takes time.
Take your time, and enjoy the freedom to relax and smell the roses. Maybe even read a good book~

Hi PeDee,
Your heart is definitely still inflamed after one week. The scarring the EP did should act like a fence to keep the erratic electrical impulses out of your atrium (electrical impulses dont pass through scar tissues). But your heart has to heal and form scar tissue before it can start acting like a fence.

If it gets unbearable or doesnt terminate itself it might be time to call your doctor and let him know what is happening but I would try and chill and wait out the month. Like yogacat said, no need to rush your body to do things too soon.

Hope this helps,
atp (across the pond)

Hello PeDee,

I want to let you know that, just like you, after my ablation, I used to get a lot of flutters (NOT afib). I know they were flutters because I have a small portable ECG, with which I could see what my heart was doing.. They would happen often during the 3 weeks after my ablation, but they became less frequent as time went by.

If my flutter would not stop within 5 minutes, I would take a very small dose of a beta blocker (like 25 mg of Atenolol). Taking the BB appeared to be very effective and would stop the flutter within 30 minutes or so. If your flutters are lasting long, you might want to ask your EP for some low dose BB too. Try them, they might work for you too.

For time being, please just relax and don't rush to do exercises. I am not sure how the pain is in your groin. Mine was very bad for at least 3 weeks or so. Walking was even a challenge :-)

Kick back, hang in there, and give your body a chance to recover.

Good luck,
Scott

Thank you to everyone that replied to my post. I love the fact that I can talk to people who understand and don't judge. God Bless you all.

Hi PeDee,

What a great act of courage! Hopefully the flutters abate more and more with each passing day.

So I am curious about what your EP said to have you claim, 'he got all the triggers causing my afib.' With endocardial catheter-based ablation, it is my understanding that EPs cannot actually test that the trigger is contained, hence the on average 60% success rate. They do their best to 'draw a ring' around your 4 pulmonary veins, but a successful block cannot be tested. Flutter is always to be expected, and this is why anti-arrhythmics are often prescribed post-ablation. Are you on an anti-arrhythmic? Do beta-blockers reduce symptoms of flutter, or also stop the flutter?

With epicardial ablation (from outside of heart), propagation of the trigger can be tested, hence the 95% success rate. The surgeon can also ablate a few more areas other than the left atrium, that also contribute to a-fib. It'll be interesting to see how catheter-based ablation evolves to hopefully capture some of these alternative triggering parts of the heart, such as the superior vena cava and left atrial appendage. Of course, your endocardial approach was the safest route, rather than surgery, and with much less recovery.

Best,
Sean

Hello. New to this website and discussions but as the wife of an AFib patient, your comments are a Godsend. My husband (62) first experience an AFib episode last Oct (2013) and was cardioverted, put on Multaq for short term. He had a stent placed a year and a half prior, FYI. He began having monthly AFib issues starting January 2014 when off the multaq, which lasted only 2-6 hrs. He had no events this past Oct or November, but mid December ended up in the hospital as his AFib wouldn't convert after 30 plus hours. We tried to have the ablation then, but he had a clot so was discharged and put on eliquis and multaq for one month. He had the ablation one week ago today. He has now experienced daily AFib episodes since last Wednesday. We were hopeful yesterday it would stop, but after a late afternoon walk, it returned and lasted 4 hours. We both are struggling emotionally with this, yet are trying to believe this should pass. Any words of encouragement are appreciated. At this point, if needed, I'm not sure he would want another procedure down the road;however, options then are limited.

Tell hubby to take it easy, keep the exercise down for about two weeks, read a book! Then start up a little at a time. The heart will take a long time to heal. That's why the 90 days after the ablation is called the blanking period. During the first 30 days after my ablation, my heart monitor alarmed about 600 times, boy that can make you nervous.

Many EP's have a nurse that can provide some counseling and support if are feeling super anxious or concerned. Things will calm down.

Thanks for the encouragement. We think we have made it through today without an episode....first day since ablation one week ago. It's such a hopeful sign and we pray it continues. Time will tell.

Update...happy to report hubby is say 3 with no AFib. He hasn't exercised but doing just normal things daily. We figured will give it the full two weeks then get back to walking. Hoping this is the start of stability!!!

Great News! I hope it continues!