Hi everyone, and sorry about the delay in posting but needed to wait until feeling better so it wasn't a negative post.
Well, it's day 3 post ablation. The team at Hammersmith were lovely, and reassured me that I'd be well looked after throughout the procedure and understood that it can be a scary experience. It was scary (for me) being told the risks and then going into the lab, but also reassuring that there were so many relaxed people prepping me and so many monitors and much equipment. I was anaesthetised for 4 hours, had two trans-oesophageal scan things to check for clots at start & finish, successful ablation via both groin entries.
When I was told I was back in sinus rhythm as I woke up, I was delighted as had not expected this so quickly. I had soreness in my throat, right groin and some perfectly tolerable chest pain which went quite quickly. I felt fab and by early evening was tucking into soup and a ham salad, although confined to bed until my catheter was removed. But, by night time, I developed a horrid restless agitation which I guessed was due to the anaesthetic coming out of my system (this is just an individual thing due to previous medications). I then had two different types of chest pain: on breathing in, and an underlying mid-chest pain even when not breathing. My monitors had been showing a very low blood pressure e.g. 84/40, (I'm normally on 3 anti-hypertensive drugs as have high BP. due to a kidney disease), and low pulse - between 30-44! I thought I was developing a chest infection but the doc in early hours of Saturday had ideas of investigating a pulmonary embolism (my mum died age 47 of this). Anyway, this was eliminated thank goodness and another doctor prior to my discharge told me that because my chest pain felt easier sitting upright/leaning forward, this suggests inflammation of the heart which is no bad thing following ablation.
So, I went home feeling increasingly unwell, struggling with bad pain on breathing which I was finding made me breathe more and more shallow. My temperature went up, but later on Saturday night I discovered that Nurofen Plus helped me to feel loads better. Having had NO sleep the night before my ablation and the night of it, I slept for 10 hours on Saturday night - what relief! However, difficulties going to the toilet after catheter removal would seem to be indicating a urinary tract infection, so I've been awake all night again and hoping to see a GP this morning. Despite this I'm feeling so much better and the chest pain is fine with the pain meds. I was given a report of my procedure which is rather full of jargon & acronyms, so is quite incomprehensible! It confirms I'm in sinus rhythm though. It also indicates on my ECG prior to discharge that I have bradycardia and abnormal ECG. Something about ischaemia too.
Sorry about the long post. Also, to those having theirs coming up, remember that this is just my experience and much of it probably only individual - don't want you to be fearful. I am just so chuffed it's done and appears to have been a success. That remains to be seen when I return to normal activities such as will I get breathless and fatigued all the time, or feel faint after going for a swim etc. I'm optimistic though! Watch this space...
Bev 
FLUTTER ABLATION EXPERIENCE
Ablation of the nerve endings of the heart ,(ganglionated plexi)
Back in normal sinus rhythm
Breathlessness in Sinus Rhythm
Sinus rhythm with supraventricular ectopy.
