Septal Ablation: Starting my journey at Mayo Clinic

I am an 83 year old retired nurse who has been experiencing all the symptoms of hypertrophic obstructive myopathy (HOCM) for several years. Following a heart attack in early February my tests and history of symptoms were finally responded to and after an echocardiogram and an angiogram I recently underwent an ablation of the septum with an injection of ethyl alcohol - Feb 13, 2026. I was discharged from hospital 5 days later. I do have less shortness of breath but am still really struggling. I was told it could take 4 - 6 weeks to see substantial improvement - it's so hard to be patient. I fall asleep at the drop of a hat, get chest pain on any kind of exertion, nausea, as well as more shortness of breath, am so constipated with no 'push power'. I live in a n electric wheelchair so don't have the option of getting up and walking around although I'm hoping I will get to do that at some point. I need to hear from somebody that my patience will be worth it and that each week will feel better because right now I feel like I'm going backwards. One other complication - I don't seem to be able to tolerate statin meds to lower the cholesterol - nausea, wretching, severe brain fog. I'm actually going to go off them altogether.

@junick9 I just wanted to give you some encouragement! Im 73 and I recently had open heart surgery for HCM. I think you should definitely message your care team about your concerns and your meds. Sometimes women of our generation don’t speak up for ourselves as we should but that being said, healing takes time. Give yourself grace for a couple more weeks as your body heals. You can do hard things and this is one of them. Best of luck and I hope each day is better and better. ♥️

@junick9 Welcome to Mayo Connect! I am sorry to read that you feel like you are going backwards, that is frustrating and the delay in resuming regular life is depressing. Each of us is different: age, health status including other conditions - you are a nurse, you know all of that. Your care team noted 4-6 weeks to see improvement, yes, it's understandable that patience wears thin, here it is March 1st, so you may be just at the lower limit of the feeling improved time. Your big heart underwent a huge traumatic event and is still healing which takes more time than we like, for sure! Has your team suggested cardio rehab? Have they suggested an alternative to the statin you cannot tolerate? We are all living chemical factories with different reactions to chemicals/drugs added to our bodies. I am sure you read the diary written by @johnwx; please keep in mind that every person's story is unique. Please let us know often about how you are feeling and what your care team suggest!

@junick9 I join @walkinggirl in welcoming you to Mayo Clinic Connect.
What a wild ride you have been on! And it took a heart attack to finally get your answers. That must have been a very stressful time for you.
February 13th is not all that long ago and your body is still healing from the trauma of the heart attack and now the alcohol septal ablation. It will take time, but you are a nurse and I probably don't need to tell you any of this!
The recovery from alcohol septal ablation and open heart surgery will obviously be different, and there are still many things to be aware of. I found this online from the Cleveland Clinic about what to look out for after the ablation. You have some of these symptoms, so I am wondering if you should contact your healthcare team?
When should I see my healthcare provider about alcohol septal ablation?
Read this:
After this procedure, call your provider right away if you have:

Abnormal pulse or heart rate or heart palpitations.
Chest pain.
Difficulty breathing, rapid breathing or shortness of breath (dyspnea).
Dizziness or lightheadedness.
Fatigue.
Fever, redness or bleeding at the incision site (these are signs of infection).
Nausea and vomiting.

When do you see your doctor next? Feeling like you are going backwards may be your body telling you something...

Thanks to you all for your support. I will contact my doctor this week and will keep you posted.