I'm on the waiting list for an Ablation now

[SteveA]

I have PAF that has become more frequent in the last several months, so after the advise of some fellow members I have decided to take the plunge and put my name down on the waiting list for an Ablation. I've just been to see Dr Brown at Wythenshawe today and he has carefully explained the procedure and put my mind at rest.

I've got to say Wythenshawe Cardiology Deptartment is a shining example of how good the NHS can be be. I feel lucky to be under the care of Dr Brown, he very personable and is a Consultant Cardiologist and expert Electrophysiologist who specialises in heart rhythm problems. Nice to know your in good hands!

I'm going to be put on Warfarin very soon and I believe the waiting time for the Ablation procedure is around 20 weeks. Hopefully it will come around quickly and will work as planned, I'm feeling much more optimistic about everything now

[Rellim296]

Hi SteveA - Light at the end of the tunnel!

I had my first ablation at Wythenshawe and was very impressed by the standard of care. The catchment area was changed and I've been treated in Blackpool recently. No complaints there either.

If you have trouble gaining stability with Warfarin - although most people get on OK with it - do enquire if it would be possible to change to a NOAC. It's very annoying to have an ablation postponed time and time again because you drop out of range.

[PeterWh in reply to Rellim296]

Don't worry about whether you get stabilised in range or not. The vast majority of people do. If you are like me and one of the 1% who don't then some hospitals / EPs do NOT cancel and go ahead anyway by using an injection on the day to adjust and also do a TOE examination. On the day of my ablation my INR was low but they still went ahead.

My INR fluctuated all over the place in the 12 weeks before the ablation and got SWING of 2.5 from one week to the next!!! Certainly if they had insisted on an INR in range for for consecutive weeks it could have taken a year!!!

[Rellim296 in reply to PeterWh]

It took me three months to get four consecutive good INRs. It kept dropping out of range at the second or third week and I was back to square one. So frustrating. I resorted to eating a very narrow diet. Even so, on the day INR had shot up but that didn't seem to matter.

[PeterWh in reply to Rellim296]

I was also on a narrow diet and no green veg or green salads.

[Rellim296 in reply to PeterWh]

So dull! But what else can you do if INR just won't behave?

[PeterWh in reply to Rellim296]

Very little unfortunately.

Wednesday the previous week (10 days ago) my INR was 3.4 but even though no change in warfarin dose (been the same dose for weeks) my INR last Wednesday had dropped to 2.6 !!!

Overall my INR has been more stable since my ablation, even though I went back into AF in less than 72 hours.

[Rellim296 in reply to PeterWh]

Those who get on well with Warfarin are very lucky 'cos for some of us, it can be so tedious!

[BobD Volunteer]

Well done-- good call sir. I very much doubt you will regret it.

[Barry24]

Hi SteveA,

Well done - good decision.

Best Wishes

Barry

[suzytoshoes]

Hi Steve,

I am on the waiting list too, they told me could take 3 to 4 month's been on since Nov what Ablation are you having? i am getting a bit nervous now i have been on the Warfarin a while.

Suzy

[SteveA]

Hi Suzy

I think its pulmonary vein isolation.

Is there an issue with staying on warfarin for a while?

[PeterWh in reply to SteveA]

Some people have been on it for years (even 20!!).