First my entire groin area is still swollen, and I have a bruise the size of a melon on the inside of my leg.
All temporary things I can deal with.
Ok I was not expecting the 2 foot long rod or cable or whatever it was going in one side and the other smaller one going in one the left, that was a pleasant surprise (not!).
But I spent the night, the nurses were very good looking and I feel great (except for the groin area), walked on the treadmill for 40 mins today, tomorrow may do the eliptical on a low level, and hopefully within a few days, can begin running again.
Thanks for all your posts and well wishes.
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PaulBenevente
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Please take things easy Paul. Whatever they say it does knock you about and your heart needs time to recover. I made that mistake the first time round and paid for it. Thought great that me cured. It take at least three months for the heart top heal. By the sound of it you were awake for it .Another mistake in my view. Much better not to know about it even if you do need to get rid of the GA afterwards. Use the bruising as a guide and when that fades to grey you have begun to heal inside as well.
Thanks Bob, I was out for the procedure, but awake when they removed the rods, I "vogeled" (vomited and had the sweats) for about 10 minutes, than it was just a matter of lying prone for 6hrs.
I am going to "ease" back, I recalled you saying this to me previously, so I am heeding your advice.
paul , May I suggest you make a measured return to physical work. I had an ablation 3 weeks ago and initially felt great , at week two I started to resume exercise and jobs around the house , whilst I am ok with a 20 min work out and on the exercise bike, I find that any mildly strenuous physical work such as digging , turf laying for more than a couple of hours , will change my pulse rate and give me ectopic beats. I seem to have set my recovery back by doing too much too soon and I will now look to a more gradual return doing strenuous jobs.
Hi Paul - I'm glad to hear that all went well with your ablation.
Just to echo what Bob said, please do not do too much for a few weeks and certainly nothing too strenuous. I've had two ablations and can say that you will probably find you'll get periods of feeling extremely tired for a few weeks or more. I know you're keen to get back to normal again, but please give your body time to recover.
Any bruise bigger than a hand could mean a bleed so a trip to doctor or A&E to get pressure on the leak. I had to on my second ablation. Do not push yourself for at least 2 weeks.
Please take it easy. I had my ablation 3 months ago and within 48 hours of getting home was carrying on as normal by walking the dog twice a day , washing the car etc. I just couldn't do it and I am a healthy 54 year old. As my wife said it may not be classed as surgery but you've had somebody prodding around inside your heart for 3 hours. I'm not saying you should sit in your chair all day doing nothing but you simply cannot expect to carry on as before straight away.
I had my ablation 40 days ago and still not feeling normal
I went next week for shopping but it was wrong step , please even doctors said it is ok to go back to normal activity take it slowly , I had to go to work after two weeks but also it was too early but I didn't have any other choice
Thanks everyone...todays update, I got on the eliptical trainer for 45 mins at lvl 15 (it goes up to 25) and except for a little irritation (more like what we call runners crotch) felt really good. Now please keep in mind I am 43, and in relatively good shape (do a lot of crossfit, running, weightlifting), I don't know how much a difference that makes. I am going to take it slow again tomorrow, maybe do another 45...and work it up from there..so far so good.
Thank you truly for all the advice and help, just know that "taking it slow" can have different meanings to different people.
I was advised to take 'Arnica' a week or so before my ablation as it is supposed to reduce bruising, now whether its coincidence but I hardly had any bruising at all!
Regarding the exercise, I was advised nothing for four weeks then only light exercise may be a bit of swimming!
Little update, been a week now...only thing still bothering me is swelling on my pelvis, I have to wear loose fitting (well really loose fitting) pants or shorts. I also occassionally get bad headaches, but all things considered I suppose that is not bad.
Outside of that i feel really good, thanks again for all your replies and advice!
Iam awaiting a date for my first ablation , in Oxford can you tell me if you are asleep and how long did it take , did you stay in hospital overnight , feeling really scared about having it done .
Here is what you can expect...I got to the hospital the day of at around 8am, they prepped me for it in a recovery room,several people came in to explain the procedure (It was at MCV here in Virginia). I was wheeled in around 10, put under in the Operating rm, mine took 4 hrs roughly. I came out of sedation, and the Dr told me I had to lay prone for about 6 hrs, they removed the cavatars once my blood was thick enough, not to freak you out, they were like 2 feet long and when they removed I "vogeled" (vomiting and sweat) but that lasted for only a few minutes...once the 6hrs passed, I could get up and walk around, then spent the night in the hospital, and was released the next morning. Depending on your age and physical shape, you likely want to just relax for the 2 days or so once you get home, then ease yourself back into your normal routine. My groin area was bruised and sore, but outside of that I was good...heart feels great!
Hi Duckpopper, things may well be different here in UK and in Oxford. I was out for the whole time, came to in recovery and only had to lay flat for 4 hours. (That applies to all three of mine) In addition you will probably have to go in the day before the procedure and some hospitals do a CT scan of the heart to superimpose on the screen in the Catheter Laboratory (not an operating theatre). Generally it takes between four and five hours but since you should be asleep that doesn't matter.
Regarding recovery I always advise people how I was told i e do nothing for the first week and not much more for the second and then slowly easy back into normal life. Just because you don't have a big zip up the front does not mean that your heart hasn't had a good kicking and it does take time to heal. As I have said many times here it takes three months for the scar tissue which blocks the rogue impulses to form so you will get some funnies during that time.
It really is a walk in the park compared to other things I have had done. I'd almost say I would rather have an ablation than a tooth extraction.LOL
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