My Big Day: Job done. No qualms in... - Atrial Fibrillati...

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My Big Day

Mejulie69 profile image
40 Replies

Job done.

No qualms in saying how terrified I felt as I first lay on the operating table. So much so I even started querying why I was getting it done. I briefly considered bailing.

Once the sedative kicked it, the procedure was a piece of cake. I think they administered me Fentanyl which is a super strength morphine. I drifted in and out of sleep for 2 hours, not really aware of what was going on. And then it was all done.

As I lie here in recovery watching my HR, I have never seen my heart beat so linearly. I appreciate that it’s early days, but it’s a good start.

Today I owe the NHS my biggest gratitude.

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Mejulie69 profile image
Mejulie69
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40 Replies
jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

It sounding good for you Mejulie69.

I think we all experience that last minute fear as we are lying on the trolley. Is this the right thing to do we ask ourselves. I've had 3 ablations and was fearful every time. I think I was worse for my 3rd one as my daughter kept saying she didn't think I should have it done a third time. I felt sure she was having a premonition and was right. Well, I've never been so well since my third ablation and it was the only one that I felt better immediately after having. It took weeks to recover after the first two.

Let us know how you get on.

Jean

rosyG profile image
rosyG

Well done- make sure you don't rush things now...

doodle68 profile image
doodle68

Hi Mejulie69 :-) best wishes for a speedy recovery .

.....and there was me thinking you are a female!!!!

Well done, clearly you are pleased it's all over, take it nice and easy and keep us posted......John

UScore profile image
UScore

Amazing. Well done. Glad it's gone so well!

I can totally empathise with that last minute feeling of wanting to bail!

UScore profile image
UScore

Questions questions questions. How are you feeling right now? What time was the operation? Are you going home today?

Don't feel you need to reply quickly - rest up if you need to.

Mejulie69 profile image
Mejulie69 in reply toUScore

Arrived 0730, was on the table for 0900, finished 1100. I was lucky to be the first of the day. Currently feeling absolutely fine, initially had chest pain but that went quickly. The only issue is that every time they sit me / stand me up I go faint, so I’m not sure if I’ll get home tonight. Isn’t it your turn tomorrow?

UScore profile image
UScore in reply toMejulie69

Mine was scheduled for 11am tomorrow. At 11.05am today I got a phone call saying that they have had to postpone it til next Wednesday (21st)!

It's a bit frustrating to have just started feeling the nerves and then have it moved. It's going to be a long week of waiting, I think.

Keep us updated with your progress, hope it continues to go well.

Mejulie69 profile image
Mejulie69 in reply toUScore

Oh dear that’s frustrating.

UScore profile image
UScore in reply toMejulie69

I think the very worst thing is I was due to be discharged on the 14th Feb. So I had loads of Valentines Day / broken heart jokes that I now cannot use.

UScore profile image
UScore in reply toUScore

I was really curious about whether people working in Cardiology hate Valentines Day because they have to hear the same heart jokes every year.

UScore profile image
UScore in reply toMejulie69

How's the feeling-faint-when-standing going? Did you go home last night?

Mejulie69 profile image
Mejulie69 in reply toUScore

Yeah all sorted. I think the fainting was just the sedative still in my body. I went home at 7pm last night. Slept well last night, although woke up regularly. Quite sore in my groin today, but otherwise feeling good.

UScore profile image
UScore in reply toMejulie69

have they given you decent painkillers?

dedeottie profile image
dedeottie

Great news

Congratulations, I wish you well on your road to recovery. Take it easy!!

I know exactly what you mean about the emotions that hit you when you're on that table. Due to a mix up in communication I was taken down as my wife had gone to put some more money in the pay and display, so I didn't get chance to say my goodbyes. That was really difficult. I was literally shaking on the table from nerves and very nearly walked out. I'm so glad I didn't though

Mejulie69 profile image
Mejulie69 in reply to

Yeah, probably the most emotional I have ever felt. I think the team is used to people in that state, certainly on the first ablations.

afafaf profile image
afafaf in reply to

Wow, I'd have been in bits.

in reply toafafaf

I sure was

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer

Well done NOW REST!!! Don't even think about exercise for a while yet.

Mejulie69 profile image
Mejulie69 in reply toBobD

Certainly won’t Bob!

Very pleased for you . Doesn't it feel good!?

Mejulie69 profile image
Mejulie69 in reply to

Relief more than anything else!

paulh1 profile image
paulh1

Glad you made it through ok. I had a bad experience with fentanyl. It hurt like hell when they administered it to me. Don't ever want to go through that again

Finvola profile image
Finvola

I’m sure you’re glad it’s over! Very best wishes for a lovely steady heart.

afafaf profile image
afafaf

Glad you made it and are here posting replies, etc. I understand the nerves, but you did it, man. Bless you.

Pikaia profile image
Pikaia

Glad to hear it all went well. I guess now you have to make sure to rest as much as you can. The rest of your life starts here....

Becksagogo profile image
Becksagogo

Well done Mejulie. I'm too much of a coward to contemplate an ablation and yet I used to abseil! Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Glad everything went so smoothly for you. Take care. irina1975

WendyWu20 profile image
WendyWu20

Great to hear your positive experience, thanks for posting, and wishing you a speedy recovery and successful ablation :o)

KazDD profile image
KazDD

Wishing you a great recovery. Could I please ask were you on a waiting list for the op? If so how long for & where abouts are you in the UK?

I have my 1st appointment with an EP in April and suspect this is a journey I shall be taking.

Take it easy!

Mejulie69 profile image
Mejulie69 in reply toKazDD

I live in Newcastle upon Tyne and we have a maximum wait of 3 months from the point of first seeing your EP. Unfortunately it took 4 months to get to see the EP in the first place, so a total of 7 months from first diagnosis. With hindsight, it would be easy for me to say that I should have had an ablation immediately, but I wouldn’t have been ready to commit so soon. It was only after months of seeing my AF get no better, despite adjusting my lifestyle, that I truly knew that ablation was necessary.

KazDD profile image
KazDD in reply toMejulie69

That seems pretty quick to me. I was referred to Cardiology back in May 17 following a trip to A&E a several hours in resus, didn't get to see the cardiologist until the Nov which resulted in a week long heart monitor and ultrasound, letter end of Jan 18 to say I now have an appointment with EP at the end of April, so that will be a journey of 11 months!

I am down on the South coast.

Mejulie69 profile image
Mejulie69 in reply toKazDD

It’s one of the few occasions where it pays to be north in the north/south divide!

princesscaroline profile image
princesscaroline

Congratulations. Hope everything stays good for you

wilsond profile image
wilsond

Thank you!waiting to see EP again April 6 the to decide to ablate or not,thanks for sharing this,reassuring!take care now,rest is important it seems from other posts xx

valg59 profile image
valg59

Pleased for you. Was it a pacemaker ? Wasn't sure . I'm due for a dual lead one tomorrow at Barts hoping not to be cancelled for a second time .

jondeanp profile image
jondeanp

All the best for your recovery. I had a flutter ablation on February 2nd (a week ago). All went well.

My major concern in the days afterwards was that i had a persistent cough (there is a bug going around in my area). Not ablation related, to clarify.

In any case there was no way to avoid coughing. I did worry a little initially that my groin wound would open up or internally bleed. I was coughing so hard on some days that i was making myself sick!

Eleven days on, the cough has subsided, and i feel fine. Too fine in fact, that i'm having to keep reminding myself to continue to take things easy for a little longer. However i am back at work (desk job) and the bruising in my groin has already started to subside

checkmypulse profile image
checkmypulse

Onwards and upwards! Rest, rest and more rest for 2-3 weeks before gently walking round the block

Sam72- profile image
Sam72-

So pleased to hear your ok and it is definitely a very emotional experience, on the day it took 2 very nice nurses to peel me from the corridor and edge me in gently just to a family room before mine last August, I got to the car park and went into a total meltdown and couldn’t put one foot in front of the other one . Had my little family not been with me I don’t think I would have gone through with it . Glad to hear your feeling good already 👍🏼 but please don’t rush into anything to quickly like exercise, the procedure has a tendency to make some people think they are instantly cured and it takes months to heal your heart. Best advice I got on here was rest and more rest , I wish you a good recovery and outcome of your ablation procedure. Well done 👍🏼

Best wishes

Sam 💖

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