Ablation imminent- will I really need paper knickers?

[Londonant]

Excited and terrified to have confirmation that my ablation will take place at St Thomas' on 16th May. Any tips for preparing would be much appreciated. I have seen previous discussions on here regarding paper knickers?! Any questions you wished you had asked beforehand? Many thanks to you all.

[jennydog]

They will give you paper knickers Make sure that they are big enough. During the ablation the paper will be cut from mid right leg to waist but the left side and under carriage will remain in place.

Take anything you might need to occupy yourself during the 4hr lie-in eg phone, book, newspaper, cereal bar, paper hankies, banana, hand mirror.

Definitely take a sports bottle filled with water and some lip salve ( dry lips are a big problem )

Stay calm. If it were that bad nobody would have a second or third ablation.

I promise you that it's definitely worth having an ablation. Bob said root canal treatment at the dentist is worse. He's right. And don't forget to rest, rest, rest afterwards to give your heart a chance to recover.

Let us know how you get on.

[Londonant in reply to jennydog]

Thank you so much. Feel much more prepared now.

[Buffafly in reply to jennydog]

Forget anything but the water bottle! I was given a hefty dose of antisickness drug and had a mouth full of cotton wool all night. I was completely zombified and didn't care about any of the other stuff!

[jennydog in reply to Buffafly]

Buffafly I think there must have been something in the anaesthetic for the GA but I suffered dreadfully from dried out lips. They didn't have Vaseline or anything helpful on the ward at night so I ended up using wet paper towels. My water bottle came in handy then.

[Rellim296]

Dare I mention waxing? The puncture site will be tender and should you have any whiskers in the area, they will be removed either before or during the procedure or both. You get about three weeks of recovery time before waxed hairs start to be noticeable - but you have to get them done well in advance - like a week - before the procedure. You can always use tweezers to do just the vital area if you have the patience.

Be prepared to spring a slight or significant leak from the puncture site so pairs of paper knickers for after are better than staining real ones. You will be given a unisex pair but they could be in tatters as Jennydog says. A dark dressing gown is useful too. The first hospital I had an ablation at put a dressing over the punctures but the second one didn't.

Take a suitcase that has room for your shoes and outdoor clothes as well as what you have in it as you might move ward. Take a book that will make you laugh while you wait.

If they invite you to take your glasses with you and they are varifocals, don't bother because when you are lying flat you have the reading bit in your line of sight and the screens are out of focus.

Before the procedure, put all useful things for after in a plastic box that can be passed to you.

[Londonant in reply to Rellim296]

Thank you so much. You sound really well organised and have thought of everything.

[Rellim296 in reply to Londonant]

I've had three ablations and learnt something new each time.

[Hidden]

Just to add my ' tuppence' worth.....not all hospitals give you paper knickers. You are expected to go au naturel.....quite unnecessary and undignified in my view even though they are partially cut away. This was my experience at Brighton hospital but were given knicks in London.

You can buy packs of these from Boots or big supermarkets. Usually found in maternity section!

I was so relieved to be alive after my ablations (!) that I was content to just lie quietly and doze in the aftermath. Good to have a fully charged mobile phone with you though.

Best of Luck! It won't be anywhere near as bad as you anticipate. Great relief and euphoria when it is all over. I recall telling my EP shortly after my first ablation that I felt like I had just given birth. He gave me a funny look......

Sandra

[Londonant in reply to Hidden]

Ha, thank you Sandra. Looking forward to getting it over with.

[Sarah57 in reply to Hidden]

Ha I was "done" in Brighton too Sandra by our friend Jack Macready..great guy! No paper knickers on offer but I kept mine on till I had to climb on " the table" ..kept the humour up! I was off course wearing by best lacey pair to help me to feel good and stay a little more empowered! Like Sandra too, I could only doze afterwards as had Morphine and no GA so was really really sleepy all day. Phone really nice to have near by and you could take head phones to listen to something maybe? Good luck and yes, I too, felt very pleased with my self after I realised it was all over!

Best wishes

Sarah

[Sarah57 in reply to Sarah57]

Oh and a water bottle really useful as you can just sip from it if too sleepy to hold one of those lovely plastic beakers you get left on a table out of reach!! Thinking of you.

Sarah

[Londonant in reply to Sarah57]

Thank you Sandra

[jeanjeannie50]

Best wishes for the 16th.

You're usually kept in the hospital overnight after an ablation. The following morning I got up and had a shower. Later as I went to leave for home, I was handed a piece of paper with aftercare advice. One of the instructions on it was no bending for a period of, I think it was 24hrs, too late I'd bent in the shower to wash my feet! Well I didn't know at that time and I had asked if it was ok to shower!

I was sick after two of my ablations too, but they can give you a tablet or injection which almost immediately makes you feel better.

I wasn't dreadfully worried about having any of my ablations and I soon discovered there was no reason to be nervous anyway, but I guess we are all different in how we feel.

Jean

[Londonant in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you Jean. You are such a constant source of good advice and positivity 😀

[Nickr282]

Had one done 12 days ago.

Don't be terrified it's a breeze. The mask will come down, you will be asleep within seconds and the next moment you wake it's will all be over.

Paper knickers will be provided! Might need a shave around groin area as they go in that way! Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to Nickr282]

Shave before you go taking care not to cut

[Londonant in reply to Hidden]

Thanks

[Londonant in reply to Nickr282]

Thanks. I really hope your ablation proves successful and that your AF abates soon.

[meadfoot]

I have not had an ablation but I have had an EP study at St Thomas. Similar in that they went into my heart via my groin with a view to ablating anything they found or could stimulate arrhythmia wise. My heart would not oblige, typical !

The staff on the ward (I had spent the previous night there) were lovely. The cath lab people were so comforting and supportive. I was under sedation not GA.. I was allowed to wear my own pants but probably different for a GA.. They commented on my clean groin which I had been asked to prepare in advance.

I had been booked into their on site accommodation along with my husband for that evening which was helpful and comforting to be not in hospital as such but in a safe environment on the hospital site just in case.

You are going to one of the best hospitals in the UK so be comforted in that.

Beware, Big Ben chimes every quarter of an hour so expect some disturbance but I found it somehow reassuring lol.

Best wishes.

[Londonant in reply to meadfoot]

Thank you Meadfoot. Really encouraging to hear how nice the staff were and looking forward to hearing the chimes of Big Ben.

[Mazza23]

I was given nicks but when I came round they had gone I had a catheter In place so maybe they had to remove them to put that in don't worry you are soon asleep then you wake up all done

[Barb1]

I don't bother with the knickers. Just put a dressing gown on when you walk to theatre. Never shaved either. They have always done it when I am under.

[Dodie117]

Just to say, I had my ablation at st Thomas' in November 2013. I was very nervous- considered doing a runner from waiting room!! Anyway all went well. It took 5 months for my various bumps and jumps to disappear but I am af free since then.

Take plenty of rest afterwards and be patient as it can take 6 months to feel better

Good luck 🍀 You are in good hands.

[Londonant in reply to Dodie117]

Thank you. Fantastic to hear that your ablation was so successful.

[Nanabrodie]

Had my ablation 9 days ago. Wasn't given much time to think about it, had a phone call 3pm on the 26th asking if I could be on the ward at St Thomas's at 8am the next day as they had had a cancellation. I therefore had very little information definitely nothing about paper knickers. I was in theatre at 9.30am and back on ward at 1.30pm and then after waiting a year for this op it was suddenly all over.

Felt very sick all the way home on the train which takes almost 2 hours and felt unwell for best part of the week but by day seven really did start to feel much better and today I am going to try a short walk round the block. Should be at an anniversary party today but really felt that was pushing it a bit far. I am getting little stabbing pains around my chest and in my upper back but they come and go in a flash. The most uncomfortable part for me at the moment is my groin, it is very lumpy and still very tender.

If I should need to have a second ablation it would not worry me at all the staff at St Thomas's were excellent I couldn't fault any of it. The only thing that would have been nice was to have been given some info on what I was to expect after I had returned home such as how I would feel, more info on the groin etc.

Hope everything goes as smoothly for you.

Good luck.

Sheila

[Londonant in reply to Nanabrodie]

Thanks Sheila. How reassuring. Hope your walk around the block goes well and you continue to feel better.

[ultramarine]

Mine was a breeze. Just a bit tired after plane home on 3rd day. Took it easy though just basic things for around a couple of weeks.

[Deeferdi]

My cryoablation (Arctic Front or something like that!) is tomorrow in Sheffield, they've told me they will give me paper knickers and that they will go in through my thigh.

[Londonant in reply to Deeferdi]

Good luck. Wishing you all the very best for tomorrow and do let us know how you get on.

[Deeferdi in reply to Londonant]

Thank you, I will

[MtLSteven]

There is evidence suggesting shaving immediatly before a procedure reduces the risk of infection.

If you want to wear your own underwear do so. Be prepared for it to be cut off. Make sure it is clean, comfortable. If nursing/theatre staff object ask them why they insist you wear paper underwear and tell them what you are happy with your own.

Bring in your own meds just in case there is no prescription written up. Do not travel home alone. Take advantage of family and friends, that is what I tell patients (I have a big smile on my face).