I've not posted very much but am an avid reader and am very grateful for all the thoughts, comments & advice found on this forum. It is a brilliant resource!!
I am due to have cryoablation on Monday and am thinking about what to take with me and what to wear (female) on the day. I like my snuggly soft leggings but am wondering if they are not such a good idea bearing in mind the groin area may be sore/tender.
Undies too .... a nice loose pair of boxer shorts make sense in my head right now, might have to raid hubbies underwear draw and give him a surprise! 😁
Any tips or advice would be most welcome.
Kaz
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KazDD
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In additon to our recovering from ablation fact sheet there is also one on preparing for an ablation which contains much of what you want to know.
For the ladies. suggestions may be paper knickers. (obviously you will not be wearing these for the cath lab anyway.) Make sure you have your sports drinking bottle with you so you can sip water whilst laying flat which you will have to do for maybe four hours or more. Also small bag to hold all your personal items to keep near you during those long hours laying flat. Phone, lip salve (dry lips during procedure) etc book to read.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom BobD, much appreciated.
I have already printed off both the fact sheets and have found them very useful.
To be honest I was assuming I'd be wearing one of their open backed hospital gowns immediately after the procedure and during the lying flat period so was planning on going commando for that bit 😉
The hospital has suggested bringing a dressing gown and slippers for warmth but no mention of paper knickers.
Book, music & earphones, lip balm & tissues all ready to go along with sports top water bottle, grapes & cheese to nibble on.
I was thinking more about comfortable clothes for going home in, I'm not much of a skirt person at this time of year but wonder if the pulling up of snugger leggings may be uncomfortable or ill advised over the groin area.
Paper knickers as recommended by some of our ladies. I wear trousers funnily enough and never had a problem but anything tight may not be a great idea. Taclum powder for when hair start to re grow! Always the joker I gave myself a Brazilian before my last ablation. Looked like a sundial.
At my first ablation last year I came around from the anaesthetic with an enormous plaster on my groin. They hadn’t shaved me and the nurses seemed to take a grotesque delight in changing the dressing. When preparing for my second ablation I decided to take matters into my own hands - but not a complete sundial 😉
This time I came round from the anaesthetic with something not much bigger than a corn plaster 😳. Wasted effort!
All my ablations I was given a razor, pionted to the shower and told to get on with it. When I had my angiogram a few years ago they actually went in through my wrist but still poured iodine all over my groin in case they had to change their minds. What they did do is damage the radial artery in my wrist so I no longer have a pulse that side. (happens in about 5% of cases I'm told) Right hand much paler than left and gets very cold in winter) I keep thinking I should get a tattoo on that wrist warning in case somebody thinks I'm dead.
You might find eye shades are helpful to guard against the lights on the ward and I used Ear Plugs to great effect to combat the noise (snoring etc) Best wishes hope it all goes well.
Thanks Mo. I don't have any eye shades but am not planning on staying the night (hopefully!) I am in at 07:30 so expect to be home the same day🤞. Ear phones & music will drown out any snoring .
As far as I can remember I've always worn a casual dress and did so for weeks after. Once home I didn't wear pants for days, just couldn't bear the thought of them rubbing against my sore groin. I've never needed, or thought about needing paper knickers for any of my three ablations.
I loved having my mobile phone with me so that I could talk or text people to pass the time. Without fail I've always been the youngest person in the ward, even emergency admittance's through A&E and I'm 68 now, last ablation was almost three years ago.
It's a bit chilly this time of year for going commando for a couple of weeks! I will be off to make a quick purchase of some over sized, loose Bridget Jones' a bit later today.
Interesting, I've never really noticed the mean age of the others around me in past visits, I will be more observant this time. At a mere 54 years young I might also be the youngest there.
Yes, all three of my ablations were around June time when it was warm, with two to three years in between each one. Bear in mind it's where the pants rub against the groin wound that you don't want the pants to be tight or elastic to rub, so I guess it's the size of the leg hole that's most important. As you said earlier some large size, shorts style types may be best.
Reading posts down below others have said leggings were fine to wear, if you wore them then you'd have the choice of whether to wear pants or not.
Hope all goes well tomorrow, please let us know how it went when you can.
Just recently had my second ablation and I took soft leggings for after the procedure which were very comfortable against my wound, so no problems. For the procedure once the gown was on, I had no bra or knickers on for the procedure and before going into hospital I had all my waxing done so the consultant didn’t need to take a razor to me!! In the hospital I attended they walk you to the cath lab so I had on slippers, just light ones but very cosy. When I had my last ablation I remember distinctly having really cold feet during the procedure so I asked if I could keep my slippers on this time and the consultant said no problem! So my feet were snuggly...... funny how it’s wee things you remember. Going homer I wore super soft knickers along with my leggings and had no problems, I took my phone in and watched a good movie on Netflix and as Bob said lip salve as lips were very dry. Hope it all goes well 😊
I am too chicken for a wax on my lady bits so with a slightly disturbing image of Bob and his Brazilian (sorry Bob) in the back of my mind I have tackled the job myself. Unfortunately in my pursuit of straight lines and symmetry I have ended up with more of a landing strip and most likely razor burn/shaving rash 😳 Talc also now added to my shopping list!
I took lovely soft thick socks and I’m glad I did, the catch lab was really cold. I don’t know if it’s the same for everyone but I was laid on a hot air blanket, when they switched it on it sort of inflates and wraps around you and was so warm and cosy but my feet would have been cold without my socks. I was given paper pants to wear during the ablation and a hospital gown that ties at the back.
I took leggings, normal pants and a long baggy top to wear home with some slip on shoes. Bending down hurt my groin area so I was glad I wasn’t messing about with laces etc.
I downloaded a few podcasts etc to listen to on my phone while I was lying flat afterwards but I never listened to them because I was too busy telling my family it was all over and I was fine.Make sure your phone is fully charged.
Wishing you all the best for Monday, take really good care. 😊
I hope your recovery is going well and thank you for your well wishes and tips. That hot air blanket sounds lovely, I really hope I get that too.
Loose snuggly leggings and long baggy top is what I am going for too. Good tip about slip on shoes, must remember that in the morning. Cozy socks already packed.
Hi I asked everyone this when I had mine too....as we ate the alps and coming out to snow I plumped for a lightweight pair of leggings and my normal cotton type nicks.....it all seemed fine as you aren’t walking in them you get in car and come home,
I would say, everything lose on the bottom side, pants, underwear, skirt or dress, everything to prevent the pressure on the groin.
Also a 🧼 washing gown, soap and towel for afterwards when you have to pipi on the bed pan, feels so much better than only the toilet paper they give you.
I couldn’t have bed socks 🧦 because of the sterile environment, but if you may surely try.
I wish you a very easy, short and successful procedure 🤞🤞!
I bought a pair of leggings one size too big to travel home in, just so they wouldn’t be too tight on my groin area. I also took fluffy bed socks in which I kept on in the cath lab. I was really cold and shivery after the procedure, they had to keep piling blankets on, so I wish I had taken my dressing gown, especially as I ended up staying the night. Magazines, a good book and a fully charged mobile to keep in touch with family were my essentials. Wishing you good luck for your procedure 😊
Over size leggings are ready to go. The hospital have said to bring dressing gown & slippers for warmth. I wonder why the cath lab is kept cool. Thank you for the tips and well wishes
For coming home I wore soft leggings. They were really comfy, mind you I live on leggings and long tops. My bruise was from the groin area down to my knee but my leggings did not cause any trouble. Good luck. X
I love leggings too, there just so comfortable! I've got myself 2 pairs in a bigger size so I'm sorted now. Just packing my go bag and a little overnight stuff to leave with hubbie just in case. The bruising sounds interesting. Thank you for the well wishes.
Bruise was enormous but not troublesome. Had a bit of bleeding from the groin area after the op so ended up having to lie on my back for 10 hours, that was the most painful but the kind nurses rolled a towel up and placed in the arch of my back. True what everyone says, charge your phone up and have a bag of snacks. I stayed over night and rested for a few weeks when I got home and the started to do things gently. Feel fine three months on now. Had my op in Leeds.
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