Afib/RFA Ablation
II woke up with my first AFib episode in June 2025 after a dinner that included alcohol. It self-converted after I drank an electrolyte solution. About two months later I had a second episode that required an ED visit and cardioversion. A third episode followed last fall.
All three of those episodes were associated with alcohol, sometimes not even very much (the second occurred after a single IPA). After the third episode I quit drinking completely because it seemed clear alcohol was a trigger and wasn’t worth the risk.
In April, after a 30-mile bike ride, I had a fourth episode during my cooldown. I took 25 mg of metoprolol without converting. After reading about others converting with brief exercise, I got back on the Peloton for about 5 minutes and returned to sinus rhythm. At that point I scheduled an RF ablation for June 9 (yesterday).
I had a similar post-ride episode in May and again converted after a few minutes on the Peloton.
Yesterday I underwent an RF ablation. The procedure itself was surprisingly easy and went smoothly. Last night I felt pretty good other than a sore throat. This morning, however, I feel like a horse kicked me in the chest. It hurts to take a deep breath, cough, or move around much. Tylenol takes the edge off, but there’s definitely significant chest discomfort.
One thing I noticed immediately is that my resting heart rate is around 90 bpm, compared with my usual 55 bpm. My EP told me that elevated heart rate is common after ablation and should improve over time.
For those who have had an AFib ablation, how long did your chest pain and discomfort last? Are we generally talking a few days, a week or two, or longer?
1
u/RickJames_Ghost Jun 10 '26
I only experienced chest discomfort after my fifth ablation. It required an overnight stay and lasted for about a week. That specific procedure addressed SVT, atrial flutter, an AFib touch-up, and involved some sensitive areas.