Just want to thank everybody who has replied to my post yesterday ...it gives me hope which is everyrhing .
I will be going to see my EP Thursday next week with a very long list of questions ...and will be asking for an ablation ...
Can you guys tell me ...are you awake for the ablation or can you be put out ?
I had an angiogram under sedation and found it very painful. ..so to repeat that process for a longer period of time isn't something I relish ....
It rather depends on EP and hospital. All my ablations have been done at Royal Brompton Hospital and have been under GA . They were all RF ablations but many centres using cryo (freeze) use sedation.
Sorry you had an unpleasant experience with angiogram. None of mine have been in any way painful after the initial local injection and I was not aware of any sedation either. I have had both groin and wrist access at different times. I was aware of the catheter being pushed through but since there are no nerves in blood vessels there was of course no pain.
My angiogram was unbearably painful. I did not feel sedated at all. Where I am likely to have an ablation they do it under general anaesthetic.
I had sedation and definitely noticed pain at early stages. If you know you're sensitive - and I think you said a low BMI too - then request a full anaesthetic. I MAY have to have mine done again because apparently I wriggled in pain response! They had me up to my full amount of analgesic. Glad you're going for this - lots of life ahead of you yet to be enjoyed.
I am on a list for it,only sedation is offered sadly at my hospital
I’ve had three ablations all under general anaesthetic. Mine were quite long 5 hrs, 6 hr and a short one at two hours. That was at Barts and I wasn’t given a choice, I’ve just seen your post and although now in permanent AF and waiting for Pace and Ablate very soon I don’t regret any of my ablations. The second gave me two years of much better health and all helped improve my Quality of life.
I was under anesthesia for both my ablations. Didn't feel or see a thing. I woke up in the hospital bed with a nurse attending to me; was in no pain whatsoever. You have to lay still for about 5 hours after the procedure, but I was groggy from the anesthesia anyway, so I slept until a nurse helped me up to use the bathroom -- which wasn't a problem at all in that regard. As we say here in the States, the procedure was a "piece of cake."
76 years old with A F
apixaban and hematuria 
shortness of breath
3% Afib burden and proposed medication
