Hi all, thanks for all your thoughts and best wishes.
I had the Ablation done yesterday morning. I’m home now, just.
Blood pressure gradually going up, it was very low.
I’m NSR and was before and during the procedure. I didn’t have TOE because anaesthetist said not to because of my ‘complicated upper GI surgeries’. Dr Li told me he knew where to go by instinct and experience.
Both legs hurt- he went in both! Throat very painful and heart just a little twinge now and then.
The catheter lab was chock full of equipment and staff.... I was so shocked so many people were involved! I was very nervous but Dr Li says it went well.
I’ve also had a migraine aura. Just the flashing, no headache.
Just have to wait and see now eh? ❤️❤️
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LordGabriel
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Thanks for sharing. I’ve just received a call to say my ablation is next Thursday in Glasgow jubilee hospital. I’m anxious as I expect most people are. I’m so pleased it’s all over for you and wish you a speedy recovery. Can you tell me that a TOE is please.
Google: What is a TOE? A trans-oesophageal echocardiogram (TOE - also called an echo) is a procedure to look at your heart chambers and valves using a flexible telescope placed down your oesophagus (gullet). The telescope has an ultrasound scanner attached to it so your heart specialist can get close-up views of your heart.
I think people have this done first? I have read that on here. I think it’s to get a better look first?
I did not have a TOE for my ablation. I was put on dabigatran (PRADAXA) anti coagulant 25 days before the ablation. I believe this was to ensure no blood clots. My Cha2vasc2 was zero also.
A TOE like a miniature camera as described which takes an echocardiogram of your heart to check that there are or no blood clots lurking in your heart rather than anything else. It’s done when you are asleep - well mine were - and I had 2 ablations. It can leave you with a sore throat, dry irritating cough and sometimes acid reflux but all heal within a few weeks.
Sometimes an MRI will be done instead of a TOE but cost of MRI and availability is the main reason a TOE is done, from what I understand.
Scanning or ‘mapping’ of the heart is done by GPS imaging - which is what most of the equipment is about. A Cath lab is rather like the Command Deck of a Starship and quite a few people all attending and controlling different machines - commanded by the EP of course! Fascinating experience, least I thought so.
I have had two TOEs, each time I was offered the option of GA, with several hours on the ward, needing to be collected and no driving for a day or two. Or the second option of a local anaesthetic, in and out of the hospital in 30 minutes and no disruption to my life.
The first time, I took the local option; it was awful, I hated every second of it and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
The second time was the day before the easter holidays, at a different hospital further from my home. I weighed up the choices and decided to try the local again. It was still awful, but at least they had anewly available anaesthetic that was more effective and tasted relatively pleasant.
You are correct about the starship command center look of the operating room. I had nine screens (big) on the left side of the table and 4 screens (big) on the right side just for the anesthesiologist. After noting all of that I was out for the count. Woke up more than 4 hours later. They wanted me up and walking around as soon as I was able. Their main concern was internal bleeding which I did not experience. When they finally released me my wife and I went around the corner from the Hospital and went into a bar as I was very hungry. We were going to walk to our hotel (just for insurance in case I needed to return to the hospital for any reason). This surgery was in the first week of February in Maryland and when I walked outside I inhaled a huge wad of extra cold air. I thought I was going to die. We dove back into the bar so I could recover and called a cab. I probably inhaled through my mouth which is why it affected me so badly. Inhaling through the nose warms, filters and moisturizes the air before it enters the lungs. A scarf over my nose and mouth would have done wonders too.
Well done and thanks for sharing, it really helps others 🙂....Ive ‘almost’ decided to have an ablation after yet another symptomatic 50 hr run of fast AF and ending up in hospital again this weekend. You are very brave (I’m a coward ex nurses are always the worst😀) I wish you a very good and peaceful recovery. Best wishes!
Well I chose to do it even though I was in an 8 month run of normal rhythm. People here showed me it would come back and I wasn’t the miracle 1 cardioversion cure person!
I knew myself this Feb just before lockdown .... back it was. I was sorted at the hospital but Cardiologist said now you should go for an Ablation.... so I did!
I had doubts for sure .... right to the second of being put out!
However Bob said a thing that stuck in my mind: AF begets AF.
I certainly will, thank you... I hope you’re getting plenty of rest now to aid your recovery. This site is so reassuring, I never feel too alone with this condition when on here, as everyone has experience and understands 🙂
Yep, I had catheters in both legs too. Can make for an interesting look when trying to walk. Suffered from migraine with aura for two weeks, but was with the head pain. Take it easy. You will be on the mend soon.
Please take it easy! It is so easy to overdue trying to be useful around the house. Forget about that. You need to give your heart time to heal from the trauma it has just been through. You will be absolutely useless for at least 3 more months. Stock up on reading material and movies. Walking will be about the only exercise you will want to be doing. If you get in the habit of walking it will make your heart heal faster. I am not talking about hiking. No backpack, nothing other than your clothes. No steps if you can avoid them. If your bedroom is upstairs, maybe you can arrange to sleep downstairs for awhile.
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Suffered from migraine with aura for two weeks, but was with the head pain. 
Take it easy. You will be on the mend soon.
76 years old with A F
My recovery from my pulse field ablation April 15.
apixaban and hematuria 
shortness of breath
