I have been referred to Harefield hospital to see doctor / consultant Innez ? by my cardio/ EP ? Dr Norman , I have no idea exactly who these people are ! That was back in May . I have not heard anything from Harefield and was told there was a waiting list of 6 months . I thought time was of the essence when one is in persistent A Fib . How long have other people waited ? And do your doctors / consultants introduce themselves ? Has any one gone private for this procedure and if so how much ? I feel I'm in no mans land at the moment and the stress of waiting is bringing on depression / panic / angexiety attacks . Mind you , that could be my age and all these drugs !
Lisa
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01maxdog
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There are 14 of them, which I think is the largest team in the country, certainly they are up amongst the top 3 for the number of ablations they carry out and the other staff there are excellent.
Re persistent AF as always it depends, how long you've been in it, what other conditions, what symptoms etc etcn I am sure they will explain all this to you.
Waiting times vary. I was referred by my GP (March 2013) to cardiologist (April) to EP in Blackpool (July) and his waiting list for ablation was 8 months long and last time I saw him (November 2014) it was a year. I do wish I'd seen my GP earlier.
Ablation via the private route is about £25,000 and many people need more than one. Since I don't have insurance, I decided to continue down the NHS route.
So an ablation costs around the same as an aortic valve replacement. I wonder why?
Are any drugs working on you or are you actually in persistent AF all the time? I ask that because I had persistent AF (i.e. 24/7). After diagnosis, it was first controlled by drugs, so it became an underlying condition with no or little AF symptoms. Then, after a few years, I had a successful ablation to get off the drugs.
Koll
PS. That wasn't some master plan of action by the way, it was just the order in which things happened.
As you have wated 3 months and heard nothing I would suggest that you enquire to ensure that your referal has not been lost and that you are definitely in the system.
I was recently refered to our regional hospital and several weeks later I received a letter stating that there was an 11 month wait.
When I had my pacemaker fitted three weeks ago the consultant said that he would discuss ablation with me in six months time. So I guess when I see him then that I will go on a long waiting list. The waiting time at the hospital for cardioversion is 10/14 weeks.
As I said to my GP last week when one is over 80 one does not have time for waiting lists One way and another I have spent since February 2011 when diagnosed with aortic stenosis waiting .........
Thank you for your replies . I'm on ramipril rivaroxaban bisoprolol atorvastatin and digoxin. In persistent A fib 24/7 so at least I don't get any funny episodes that others prescribe as my heart just chugs along on its own irregular beat which is normal for me . !ive only had this for 18 months so it's all still new . I'll give the hospital another month as its summer hols but I did notice that I got a letter out of time order as it arrived 6 weeks after the consultation and the latest one arrived before it !
That is ER we Brits go to A&E and don't get such service. I have twice gone to A&E as soon as going into AF when if it was done within three days meant that I would not have needed to be on Warfarin before having it but no way. One time I then phoned the consultant I had been seeing and was seen by him the next day but still no dice.
Yes I realise after reading some of the comments on here I am very lucky my cardiologist also came to see me in hosp and arranged for an EP to see me to talk me through an Ablation then he made me an appointment to see him to tell him if I wanted the Ablation he arranged forme to have a CT scan of my heart next wed I am not a private patient count my blessings
I saw my cardiologist at Hillingdon in April and was referred for ablation. I received my EP appointment with Dr Hussain from Harefield at the beginning of June and was booked in for ablation. I was told at the time there was a nine month waiting list but a couple of weeks later received a date for ablation on the 24th September, so just 3 months wait. Underestimation to say I am bricking it but in permanent AF with extreme breathlessness so I have to give it a shot. Good luck to you and hope your wait is not too long.
Can't believe it . Had a phone call yesterday , ablation set for sept 16 . Day after I come back from holiday . Go in at 4pm the day before to Oak ward . I assume it's a 2 night stay being such a long procedure . I just have to call my consultants secretary to find out how many hours before the op I have to stop taking my rivaroxaban . So that's that for the time being . Sooner than I thought so no time for panic !
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One way and another I have spent since February 2011 when diagnosed with aortic stenosis waiting ......... 
Refused travel insurance while waiting for ablation
Still waiting for ablation
Waiting for ablation 
Variations on Ablation Theme
Radio frequency ablation for atrial fibrillation/complex atrial tachycardia
