Ablation done

[rosie321]

Hi, Firstly i want to say a HUGE thank you for this forum and for everybody who have replied to my posts, been reassuring, and given me such useful information. After months of deliberation and fear, I had my ablation yesterday at Barts. It took 3 hours and afterwards i kept still for 4 hours afterwards to protect my groin. Amazingly, my groin wound is very clean with no bruising, although feels a bit sore. I didnt sleep last night and my heart was doing somersaults most of it. It was from this forum that i knew that this was normal and my heart is still doing the same today....it is very fluttery and out of rythmm. My blood pressure was very low this morning, so had 3 hours of saline drips before i was able to go home. Although i feel very delicate and weak, i feel better than expected. I am very aware that i need to rest (again info from this site) and i am in bed writing this. The one thing that i had not accounted for and would like some info about is the reflux that is constant. I feel like i constantly have wind stuck in my throat whether or not i'm eating or drinking and it is getting worse as the day progresses. I have never suffered with reflux and it is obviously due to the ablation, but has anyone suffered with this, anything to stop it and will it go? As ever, many thanks in advance. X

[rosyG]

glad to hear all went well- I haven't had an ablation so mot sure re your question but sure you'll get answers soon form others

[azriverrat]

My second and third ablations had overnight stays. The regular nurses didn't do anything for me. No house doc available to say release groin to walk. Keep cathater in. Just ugh.

This recent forth was overnight also. But by time ablation was done no rooms left. Small specialty hospital.

So kept me same day recovery overnight. Smaller room but way better staff. Checked groin when ready. Took catheter out. Helped me walk when ready. Had a sandwich at three in morning. Realeased by ten AM instead of sometime later in the day.

A total different experience.

[Barry24]

Hi Rosie,

Nice to hear from you. I had my Ablation at St Barts 2 weeks ago. They had difficulty with getting the TOE down my throat which cause a bit of bruising, l had difficulty swallowing for a few days, maybe that is the reason for your reflux, just a thought?

Hope your symptoms improve very shortly. By the way l did not get any sleep there neither, there was a gentleman in my ward who was snoring for England kept three of us awake all night😡.

Take care and take it nice and easy for 2 weeks as BobD always says.

Best Wishes

Barry

[rosie321 in reply to Barry24]

Thank you Barry, I didnt have a TOE as my EP decided i dint need it. I hope your ablation was a success.

[Hidden]

Well done Rosie....Do you know if you had a TOE (camera thing shoved down your throat) as this can cause irritation and reflux. I had to take lansoprazole for a few weeks after my ablation and it did not cause any major problems.....take it easy, the difficult bit is done!!

[rosie321]

Thank you, I cant believe i did it!! No I didnt have a TOE as my EP decided i didnt need it. Hopefully the erratic beats and reflux will subside....

[Buffafly]

I had difficulty swallowing for a while after my ablation, prescribed Lansaprazole for reflux as routine.

[rosie321 in reply to Buffafly]

Thank you i am going to call my Gp now.

[barbara2 in reply to Buffafly]

I also took this drug for one month after ablation. Reflux can be a problem for some, so the drug is routinly given.

[rosie321 in reply to barbara2]

Thank you, no one mentioned this at Barts and it was not offered. I have spoken to my GP and my mum will collect the script for me tomorrow.

[Rellim296]

Good to hear from you. I was sent home with lansoprazole to take like some of the others but your GP can surely sort something for you.

[rosie321 in reply to Rellim296]

Thank you, I is good to be back here. I am going to call my GP and ask for a prescription.

[Mazza23]

My EP gave me a pill to take for a month to stop reflux think it was panto prazole it worked great

[rosie321 in reply to Mazza23]

Thank you, i am going to call my GP and ask for a script as its very uncomfortable.

[jeanjeannie50]

Good to hear all went well Rosie. Each time after my three ablations I've always been prescribed a pill to help with what you describe, usually Lansoprazole. I'm sure if you rang your GP he would prescribe something like this for you. I'm very anti taking pills, but really needed this one and it soon clears the problem.

Jean

[rosie321]

Many thanks Jean, I am glad to be out the "other side!". I will call my GP and ask for Lansoprazole as i need something to stop the reflux.

[Ashburton51]

Thank you for posting this. Like you I have found everyone on this forum so very helpful. I am waiting to hear when I am going in for my cyroablation and am finding the information regarding what happens afterwards invaluable - I have started making a list so that I can ask the questions and get the medication that I may need.

Again thank you everyone!

Gloria

[rosie321 in reply to Ashburton51]

I could not have gone through with an ablation without the help and support of this forum. I really think there should be more information available particularly on recovery and what to expect when you leave hospital, but there is none. This site is invaluable.

[Ashburton51 in reply to rosie321]

You are so right. When I saw my consultant he said the procedure would take an hour, reading the feedback here I believe that to be very optimistic! Why can't they just be honest and then we know what we have to do.

I do hope you get well very soon Rosie

[rosie321 in reply to Ashburton51]

Thank you, i just feel a bit delicate and fragile but im optimistic. I doubt very much that an ablation can be completed in an hour. I had a team of approx 10 people and it took 3 hours!!! I feel it would be extremely helpful if there was a standard leaflet given prior and post ablation about what to expect, recovery time and possible side effects (like reflux). If i hadnt found this forum i would be lost .

[Plantwords]

Hi Rosie,

Way to go! All the best and take it easy - be good to yourself.

Steven

[rosie321 in reply to Plantwords]

Thank you Steven for your good wishes, yes i cant believe i actually did it. I spent months being scared and the day of my ablation very calm and just got on with it. I have listened to everyone here and i am doing some serious resting.

[checkmypulse in reply to rosie321]

Glad it all went well. One can't help but feel apprehensive, normal. On the day the system swings into action and you are part of it , worries somehow disappear and the professionalism of the team comes through. That's how it was for me both times. Fortunately I had no re flux issues. Take it easy for a while.

[rosie321 in reply to checkmypulse]

Thank you, yes i am taking it very easy.

[RiderontheStorm]

Hi Rosie, everything that hurts - get better with time.. You'll be glad it done and over now.

My ablation worked great - *Except I developed a Lung Embolism from the surgery. Doing battle with that just now. Best wishes !

[rosie321]

Thank you, I am resting and doing very little. I am very glad its over and done after months of fear. A lung embolism sounds painful and serious stuff, how it that treated....did that happen immediately after your ablation or days later?

[RiderontheStorm in reply to rosie321]

I started right after but I attributed the pain to the Ablation since that had just occurred. PE is very painful and often deadly for many as they don't even survive the initial event. It mimics the symptoms of Pneumonia. It is treated with exacting amount of blood thinners.

[rosie321]

That sounds really awful and scary, is it something that is controlled or will go in time? If this was from your ablation it is not a risk that i was even aware of. Are you still seeing the EP to be treated for this?

[RiderontheStorm in reply to rosie321]

The blood thinner will stop more clots from forming and since It was promulgated from the surgery we don't expect any more. Blood thinners are given prior to surgery to preclude this from happening but nothing is 100% guaranteed now is it? Recovery time differs greatly but I am otherwise in great shape. luckily I am already retired so I expect to be mostly back in 3 - 6 months of lying low - stress wise.. I hate falling out of shape that I worked so hard to attain with 30 years of exercising.

[rosie321]

No, nothing is 100% guaranteed, that is why it is a risk having an ablation and a risk not having one. It is a big decision to weigh up and i know i found it hard to make. I am glad to hear that you are in great shape otherwise, it sounds like if you lay low and take it easy, you can gradually get back to "normal" ready for the Summer.

I wish you a speedy recovery to fitness.

[RiderontheStorm in reply to rosie321]

Thanks Rosie.... Yes Ablation is a RISK no matter which way you decide as you are betting odds against risk management. It was a hard decision that I hope to be on the other side of laughing about in 3 months.

I would love to be in shape to take another visit to Europe as I did last year around the end of winter. That is not happening this year. Maybe near the end of the year or summer if I am lucky!