Upcoming Cardiac Ablation (NERVOUS)

[mariadjmartinez]

Good morning everyone... I am 27 years old... I was diagnosed to have a not so normal beat in June of this year right after I passed out twice the same day... Ever since my pulse has been in the low 40's...I started metropolol 25mg x2 day about a month ago... cardiologist did a holter monitor and went back to discuss results he stated my problem was far more sever than what he thouth... the monitor recorded over 61,000 episodes of PVC I believe or pauses in just 24 hours period...he is now referred me to ephysiologist to get a cardiac ablation done ...and I am scared of not knowing what to expect...and if I will be awake during process ..MOST OF ALL THE PAIN...I dont like pain at all

[BobD Volunteer]

Just to correct a couple of things it is an electrophysiologist you will be seeing. Difficult word!

Next don't worry about pain. You will most likely be either under general anaesthetic or deep sedation so you should not have much pain although some discomfort in the days of recovery may happen. I always tell people dental root canal treatment is worse than ablation and most agree afterwards.

I will look at other answers after dinner and add if needed.

Bob

[Hidden]

Ive had an ablation under sedation only and general, both were no problem at all. No pain. I felt discomfort when they started ablating and I was under sedation and immediately heard the word morphine, next thing woke up in bed. I would have a third if offered without any worry.

[CDreamer]

I have had 2 ablations, both under sedation and although it is natural to be nervous of a procedure you may never have heard off and know nothing about, Bob is saying how it is. The technology is absolutely amazing and the cath lab, where the procedure takes place, looks more like a film set for Star Trek than anything else.

They will introduce a tiny tube, the catheter, into a vein, normally in the groin and guide it up into the heart so that they can perform the procedure, no cuts, no scars, barely any discomfort although you may be a little stiff for a few days from lying still and on your back (the drugs do that for you, no effort required!).

Although you need to take time to recover , so I wouldn't plan on running a marathon within the first few months, normal life resumes within a couple of days,

If you go to the AFA website there is a lot of info regarding a ablations and how they are performed and how they work. Certainly did for me - 2 years and counting.

I do hope it works for you as you are very young and without his type of procedure you will find it will affect your quality of life.

I did not have any pain during the procedure but I did have a little the next day around my middle back which was easily relieved with paracetamol. No more severe than stiffness after exercise.

Let us know how you go and ask any questions.

Best wishes CD.