How long does it take for tiredness to wear off after an ablation?

Question

I had an ablation six days a go, two hours on the table, I'm not going to lie, it did hurt, mainly because the doctor hit a nerve where one of the catheters was and every time he touched it, it hurt like a sensitive tooth.  Sedatives didn't touch that pain.  My heart went up to 277bpm.  It wasn't pleasant.

But as soon as I came out, my heart sort of felt "better".  I'd come off beta blockers and was breathless and my heart was pounding all the time.

It was day surgery, my leg's sore and I'm wary of moving too fast, but I'm so tired.  I do things for a couple of hours then need to sleep.  All I've done is relatively short walks plus housework.  I want to start cycling but figure that's the worse thing for the wound in my groin.  When will the tiredness go?  I'm off to bed!

ginx750 · Answer

About ten days later, I suddenly felt better.  I started brisk walking, and am now cycling.  My heart goes faster (as it should, nothing more) because I am very unfit; I was unfit before so I'm not surprised.
So after all my moaning (tiredness really), after about ten days I suddenly woke up feeling fine!
I hope I never have to return to betablockers because I feel less sluggish without them, and no longer have dreams every night - and sleep better.
I recommend an ablation, pain or not, strongly.
Thanks for all the support on here.

ginx750 · Answer

I'm new to this forum and only just found the replies (having posted another message).  I thought that like you, horseluver4, things would be back to normal in a couple of days.  My op was probably straightforward.  It's great not to be on beta blockers and of course, that my heart feels absolutely fine.  I'm just so tired, and it's unusual because I am usually on the go all the time.  I'm getting up early as usual, three hours later I am struggling to stay awake, yet I'm going to bed early.  My groin area is painful, I just drove, a week after the op, and it's pulling and painful.  I felt shattered after driving 5 miles to the supermarket and back to bed.  I hate being like this, I'm wondering if I'm just imagining the tiredness and pain.  Or thanks, ka128 and JoKelly, for reassuring me that it isn't just me.  I'm just struggling to stay on the go all the time.

horseluver4 · Answer

I just had my 3rd ablation on June 13th 2013 so Just 12 days ago. And honestly I'm just like tom_h I felt no tiredness afterwards except trying to wake up from the sedatives the day of. Next day I Just layed in the hospital bed resting and eating. Then on day 3 went to my daughter's horse show and walked around. Then assumed my regular house duties but I didn't lift more than a gallon of milk for 10 days, then yesterday on day 11 I'm back on the treadmill. I have felt normal this whole recovery time like nothing has ever happened well with the exception of both bruised groins and a little sore. My procedure was 6 hours long. 4 hours mapping and 2 hours ablating and then re trying to flare things up again. HOWEVER my ablation back in 2004 was a whole different story. It also was 6 hours BUT here is the thing I have noticed my 2004 ablation was all atrial stuff, upper chamber stuff which required him to mess with hours and hours of getting my heart rate up to in the 200's. Which is the same as me running for hours and hours. And remind you I was totally out of shape at the time. So my recovery period was hell, left me feeling VERY exhausted, tired, and a feeling like I had the flu. I would sleep for hours for up to a month after. Also my heart was wayyyyy irritated on that one too I had pacs and pvcs afterwards that were crippling and debilitating in certain days. SO.... what I noticed makes a difference in ablation recoveries is this, the physical health someone Is in before the procedure, the kind of ablation that's being performed and how sensitive ones heart is to begin with. This last procedure was a total shocker, I expected a recovery like the last which took about 2 months this one was 2 days! I was amazed and would do it once I week if I had to hahaha ok well not literally but you get the idea. Also my ablation 13 days ago was a pvc ablation which is bottom heart stuff which doesn't require high heart rates for LONG periods of time. GINX750 give it another few weeks to months. :( I know that seems like a long time but compared to a lifetime it's easy, hang in there and ill beer thinking of a positive outcome and success on your permanent fix. ;)

ka1218 · Answer

I've read a lot of posts where people have said they were tired for a long, long time. I just had an ablation on 5/29 and the two days following the procedure I spent most of my time sleeping. It was weird being off of the beta blockers because I didn't feel constantly fatigued but I was feeling like I ran a marathon and needed to sleep. Anyway, I still have days where I feel tired. Just try to take it easy and listen to your body. Do whatever exercise feels right but don't push it. Good luck!

tom_h · Answer

I can't say I had the same after effects.  I was out grocery shopping on Day 2, returned to work on Day 5, drove 250 miles on Day 7, and was doing low impact exercising (skating) by Day 9.  So I was not feeling fatigued at all.  During that time, I did have some limping, and occasional "heartache", but it was not inhibiting.  I hope you feel better soon!

JoKelly · Answer

Ablation takes a lot out of you and you can expect the fatigue to last up to at least a couple of weeks afterwards.  I spent many days more sleeping than awake.  Just take it easy, try not to worry or monitor yourself too much as this makes recovery slower.  I hope and pray your ablation will be successful - yes it does hurt on that table!  I had sedation only and had to make a noise quite often for more morphine.  I was tired to the point of collapse shortly afterwards but am fine now.   I would undergo the procedure as often as they would be willing to try it to find a cure.

Rest often when you can and each day will be better.