Hi jaqueela………..I have just entered the 3rd month of my "blanking" period from my first and only ablation, so I'm sure I'm not the most experienced person to be answering your questions. I CAN tell what it has been like for me and can reassure you that I have (and still am) experiencing many of the things you are. I had palpitations for years before I was diagnosed with AFIB. My cardiologist said they were actually PVC's.....essentially the same thing. If you had PVC's before your ablation, you know they can feel like skipped beats or a flip-floppy sensation....and I'm sure other people would describe them differently, but that is what they felt like to me. When I developed AFIB, there was no mistaking the difference in how AFIB felt compared to PVC's. Since my ablation, I still have some very minor episodes of AFIB, but they are SO much less intense than what I experienced pre-ablation. I also have a very occasional PVC and I can tell the difference immediately. You asked how can you tell the difference. PVC's (at least for me) where over quickly. Sometimes I would have several in a row before they stopped. When I had an episode of AFIB, my heart would race and pound and be so obviously out of rhythm and these episodes would last anywhere from 1/2 hour to 6 hours....non-stop. There were times my PVC's would last much longer, but, again, for me, they were nothing like the AFIB! The AFIB was terrifying to me. The PVC's were annoying. I think that was the case because I knew what the PVC's were and I had been reassured many times by my cardiologist that they were benign.....it took a year or so for me to accept that and just learn to live with them, but I'm going to go ahead and say that you will definitely know the difference between PVC's and AFIB. I think it is quite common after an ablation to feel a few PVC's while your heart is healing and your EP is correct telling you they are not dangerous. If your EP was concerned these PVC's, he would have ordered tests or had you wear a monitor......so I think you should relax and accept his reassurance. I think most of us who have just had our first ablation are overly vigilant about ANYTHING we feel with our hearts. Ablations are considered very safe and not "highly invasive," but that still doesn't mean our hearts (and us) haven't been put through the ringer! Before my ablation, I read on several support groups that many people said it was no big deal and they were back to running 10K's after a week or they were back at work full time feeling great or leaving on a 6 week cruise. While I was happy for these people, it made me terrified because at the end of my first week post-ablation, I still felt exhausted, the groin incision hurt like hell and the size of the bruise was shocking...….my chest felt like I'd been kicked by a donkey, my throat was SO sore I could barely swallow chicken soup and the day or two of feeling short of breath HAS improved, but I still have difficult getting a really good deep breath. I have spoken with my EP and he says all these things are normal. He says some people just require more time to heal. I then read some posts from people on the support sites that said it took them over 6 MONTHS to begin feeling normal again, which I found very reassuring. But let me add here that if there is ANYTHING you are concerned about, CALL YOUR EP'S OFFICE AND LET THEM KNOW! I held off calling about the prolonged shortness of breath until I was SO anxious, when the nurse got on the line, I just started crying! She didn't get angry at me, of course, but she did let me know that I had put myself through a couple weeks of terrible anxiety for nothing when a quick call to the office would have reassured me. So......don't be like me! If you're worried about something, have questions or concerns, CALL THEM!!!! Day or night! There is always a cardiologist on call you can talk to. You should have been told that your BP would be elevated by several points after the ablation and was also perfectly normal. Mine has increased. I keep forgetting to ask if this rate is now my new "normal" or will it go down when my heart has fully recovered. I have finally remembered to add it to my "question" list at my 3 month follow-up in 2 weeks. When you say your BP has increased "significantly," that is something you should definitely discuss with your doctor. What YOU define as "significant," could be well within the limits of a post-ablation increase, but instead of worrying about it, CALL. It's most likely related to your stress about it than the slight, normal increase. Chest pain is also very common post-ablation. I had some, but it was very minor and the pains came and went very quickly. Those have virtually stopped now that I'm this far along in the blanking period, but I still get the odd pain. As long as it doesn't last or present with other symptoms, it's simply your heart healing. But again, if you are concerned, call your doctor's office and let them know. Chest pains can also be caused by stress and anxiety, and for your peace of mind during this recovery period, it's important that you deal with the anxiety before it gets out of hand. And the best place you're going to get the reassurance you need is from your doctor. Please don't hesitate to call them. I can guarantee you'll feel better if you do. Here's wishing the very best for both of us!

@jaqueela I find sometimes the medical profession does not do a great job of telling patients what to expect after a big procedure. A little reassurance sometimes goes a long way. I am a big fan of Dr. John who is an EP who has first hand experience with afib. He does a great job on his website and I hope you find the following helpful...