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Eventful ablation in more ways than one!

G0dfather profile image
33 Replies

Well had my ablation under Dr Fox in Manchester.  Funny thing he insisted on playing pop music through the process.  I was wide awake through the lot and had to stop him a couple of times for more pain relief I could actually feel them burning my heart tissue.  He upped my sedative at this stage. Back in the hospital room I felt sick and went to throw up. Probably due to lack of food and sedative.  Big mistake my groin bled and I was terrified as i had taken rivoroxaban and it wss gushing out! Nurses kept much calmer than me and compression worked and I didn't move again all night I can tell you! !!

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G0dfather profile image
G0dfather
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33 Replies
checkmypulse profile image
checkmypulse

Wow, That much awake! Could you hear what music he was playing? It wasn't this was it?

youtube.com/watch?v=X2WplU1...

Seriously, take it very easy for two weeks and you will reap the benefit in the future. Probably big bruising soon, mine took nearly 3 weeks to go. Hope all goes well.

dedeottie profile image
dedeottie in reply tocheckmypulse

Urgh! I intend to be much more asleep during mine.

G0dfather profile image
G0dfather in reply tocheckmypulse

Haha well it was pop music. I said I would have expected classical music lol. Yeah I could feel the pain I was astonished myself he said most people are not aware but I dont sleep anytime. 

Mrspat profile image
Mrspat

And people want to have ablations?  One of the most powerful descriptions against this procedure that I've ever read.  

Rellim296 profile image
Rellim296 in reply toMrspat

People want to have ablations because of the massive improvements they can bring!  And not many of us say we don't want to have another compared with those who do go back for more.  andrewfitz doesn't sound too glum about it all.  I've had no bad experience, although I did have a femoral bleed which was efficiently dealt with, and no memories of anything untoward.  Hardly any memories at all, actually, and I'm life changingly better off.

Mrspat profile image
Mrspat in reply toRellim296

I was unlucky enough to have two disastrous angiograms, which I think I have described before.  I am also fortunate that my AF doesn't impact on my quality of life. 

This sadly brought back all the unpleasant memories.  People who haven't had bad experiences, including doctors, often think that the sufferers are exaggerating or making it up.

Rellim296 profile image
Rellim296 in reply toMrspat

Very true.   My sister thought that every midwife (and she was one) should have a baby as part of the training.

seasider18 profile image
seasider18 in reply toRellim296

My wife was a nurse in maternity but would not have hers in the hospital where she then worked as she knew that she would be a bad patient.

When my mother broke her hip when she was 92 and was crying out in pain the paramedic said 'Come on Mrs F its not that bad think back to when you had a baby'

Why do you think that I only had one she replied :-)

Rellim296 profile image
Rellim296 in reply toseasider18

I like that! 

I am very sorry and quite shocked that you had such an uncomfortable experience.Fingers crossed for a successful and speady recovery.

Carol.

G0dfather profile image
G0dfather in reply to

Thanks caromia I blame myself for getting out of bed...lets hope it was worth it x 

Perrylees profile image
Perrylees

Same here!! Dr Brown not only had the music playing but was singing along too... Weird!!  I too was awake throughout which was fine - and also had to ask for extra sedative a couple of times - not too bad though until they did the cardioversion at the end which wasn't so nice. He had promised me I'd be away with the fairies and wouldn't remember anything - ha!!  I also threw up (quite a lot) afterwards due to the massive amounts of sedative I'd had and then fainted due to low blood pressure... I then had liquid in my lung cavity (a pleural effusion) - because they gave me so much saline to raise my BP.  No groin  issues though!  Maybe it's something to do with the Alex??

Hope all calms down now and you feel better soon.  I had mine just over a fortnight ago and I'm feeling pretty good now ( honest). 

G0dfather profile image
G0dfather in reply toPerrylees

Wow...mine seems easy compared to yours lol

10gingercats profile image
10gingercats in reply toPerrylees

I had a dentist years ago who had opera playing while he fixed your teeth....and he sang along!

Bigplantpot profile image
Bigplantpot

I too had Dr Fox and thoroughly enjoyed listening to Oasis as he did my ablation. 

seasider18 profile image
seasider18 in reply toBigplantpot

Crikey, I'd ask for Sinatra, Sassy or Ella.

Annaelizabeth profile image
Annaelizabeth

I have just had my third ablation, and never knew a thing about it!  I fail to understand why andrewfitz was put through an ablation sedated.  If you are told you are going to be sedated but will remember nothing, what is the difference for you the patient, between that and being properly  anaesthetised where you will very definitely remember nothing.  No wonder ablations put the fear of god into people who would otherwise benefit from the procedure.  Is it cost?

G0dfather profile image
G0dfather in reply toAnnaelizabeth

To be honest Annae given choice ...and I wasnt I wouldn't have wanted GA ive had them before and dont do well when my whole body shuts down ...it was a painful experience though. Lets hope it was worth it x 

Annaelizabeth profile image
Annaelizabeth in reply toG0dfather

Fingers crossed!

Dee1989 profile image
Dee1989

Honestly this sounds exactly like my experience!! Apart from the pop music everything else was identical to mine! I thought I was the only one who could feel so much. And both times (I've had two ablations) my groin re-opened whilst on riveroxaban 

G0dfather profile image
G0dfather in reply toDee1989

Yes it was very painful ..im no softie im a 6 ft 14 stone man lol...maybe theres something about feeling your heart burned that is painful...lol like when we have broken hearts ....x 

Dee1989 profile image
Dee1989 in reply toG0dfather

No one believed me that I could feel everything lol. I remember the feeling in my throat whilst burning too, and I can Remeber the feeling when they began burning and stopped each time 

G0dfather profile image
G0dfather in reply toDee1989

Wow I could feel the burning makes me wonder at the skill involved as they know how far they can go without creating a hole.

dedeottie profile image
dedeottie

I will be reminding my E.P. that i donot wish to feel a thing. Last time,, i didnt, after an initial twinge and me shouting a loud " Ow" or words to that effect! I guess i was given a heftydose of something and remember very little after that. That will do for me again. X

Rellim296 profile image
Rellim296 in reply todedeottie

Still no date, dedeottie?

dedeottie profile image
dedeottie in reply toRellim296

They are goi g to ring me on Monday with a date hopefully. I am now into the time when they are obliged to do me ie Ive been on the waiting list for 6 months. Fingers crossed. X

Rellim296 profile image
Rellim296 in reply todedeottie

Sounds good!  Hope it will be very soon. 

Hope my EP plays some 90s Indy music. Maybe I'll take a couple of CDs 😁

RichMert profile image
RichMert

When I first read this I considered not responding in fear of putting people off of having an ablation. The negative response has prompted this reply.

I was heavily sedated during my first ablation but still came round a few times during the procedure. I was aware of a burning sensation that travelled up my throat and told them I could feel it. The cardiologist said hit him each time and I do not remember much more :-). Had I been made aware beforehand that this may happen and I would not feel too much pain, I probably would have opted to remain on a light sedation.

My second ablation was done under GA and obviously, I did not feel a thing and was totally out of it.

Please do not let this put you off of having an ablation, the pain I felt momentarily during my first ablation was nothing in comparison to a root canal at the dentist. I would take the ablation over the dentist any day.

paulh1 profile image
paulh1

I was under GA during mine. The only issues I had were from trying to remove the sheaths from my arteries and the resulting complications. Other than that not a problem. Don't know if I'd want to be partially awake during the procedure. I was during the insertion of my stents and I could see why. They ask you questions.

MarkS profile image
MarkS

I was under sedation for my ablation. I woke a couple of times and felt the burning in my heart. But it was uncomfortable rather than really painful. I'd go for sedation every time, GA can cause long term problems.

G0dfather profile image
G0dfather in reply toMarkS

That was my feeling and glad I didnt get full GA 

in reply toG0dfather

Having had two under sedation and one GA I would be inclined to agree with you . I ' came round ' after sedation for my first to the sound of REM  .....one of my favourite bands so suited me fine !

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