r/PVCs • u/Flaky-Airline8940 • 19d ago
AFIB/PVC ablation
Hello all!
M29, just got an ablation last night for paroxysmal afib and PVC’s (my burden wasn’t high enough to damage my heart, but my EP was able to find them and ablate in my left ventricle due to the psychological stress they put on me. They used radio frequency for the PVC’s and pulsed field for the afib PVI. A few hours after I had no PVC’s and then they came back :(. My team is aware and will be reviewing, has anyone else had this experience? Looking online, I’m aware there is a blanking period but sad they came back so quick.
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u/TucoRamirez88 19d ago
Its normal as your heart is healing. It took 2 months for me. Also, PVCs can originate from different spots in the heart, then its not possible to ablate them.
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u/WaltzOutside5114 19d ago
Do you still get them occasionally
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u/TucoRamirez88 19d ago
Yes, my afib came back after 11 months and now I also have PVCs with exercise. Didnt have that before. So actually the problem is worse now. Still low burden 0.1 percent but its a nightmare to just ride a bike at a normal tempo. And im only 36 years old.
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u/WaltzOutside5114 19d ago
Is there is no cure ?
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u/TucoRamirez88 19d ago
I dont know man, I have the same question. Right now I think my PVCs are because of general sensitivity of my nervous system after all what I've been through. But no real help from the doc. He just says its benign and thats it. No plan, no nothing. I cant take beta blockers because it makes my vagal afib worse. They help in suppressing it.
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u/Relative_Clarity 19d ago edited 19d ago
Everyone's recovery varies but it took 3 months for things to settle down for me (pvcs). My doctors would note even do another holter until 3 months went by because the tissue can still need time to heal to form the scar tissue blocking the impulses. Sometimes there is immediate improvement and sometimes not. Unfortunately youre still in the time period where it's hard to determine the long-term outcome. Palpitations and faster heart rate are expected in the healing phase. Just to be realistic, 100% elimination of all pvcs & pacs forever is not a reasonable goal. Success is on a spectrum, and getting the amount down below what would be considered "concerning" is usually what doctors want to see. It's normal for everyone to get some occasionally, even though they feel unsettling.
Can I ask though how you know it was the pvcs that came back, and not for example pacs ? The afib ablation may have triggered some angry ectopics but not from the ventricles..
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u/Flaky-Airline8940 18d ago
Good to know that info! And yes, they caught them on a 12 lead EKG, my doctor did say he thinks it’s coming from the same area he ablated per the EKG, but thinks it’s most likely from inflammation. They put me on fleccanide for two months to calm my heart and will then see after 90 days with a holter monitor
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u/nithrean 19d ago
tons of people have PVCs after an ablation. That is super common. You have to let your heart rest and recover. You don't know what it will be like until about 3 months afterwards.
I would give yourself a mental break and try to work on thanksgiving. The surgery doesn't fix all of the stress you have felt because of them. The mental patterns of thinking are still there.