RF Ablation tomorrow!

[I-a-n-]

I have my rf ablation booked for tomorrow morning to try to fix atrial flutter (AFL) after being on waiting list since December 2021. Apprehensive, to say the least, despite having watched numerous videos and researched thoroughly. Would appreciate hearing from anybody who has undergone this procedure for AFL or AF and how it went.

[Hidden]

Hello Ian, it sounds as if you have done everything you can to prepare yourself for tomorrow. Personally, I don’t think you will benefit by dwelling on it anymore but human nature being what it is, it’s kind of inevitable! Atrial Flutter ablations tend to be more successful and if you are having a RF ablation, the chances are it will be a general anaesthetic so you will be out with the fairies so try if you can to relax, maybe find something to do to take your mind off tomorrow which is so easy to say. I’m sure you have already read the two factsheets which can easily be found by looking at the second “Pinned Post” top right of this page. All the best and please let us know how you get on……..

[I-a-n- in reply to Hidden]

Thank you FlapJack, and good advice! they're actually giving a local anesthetic and sedative apparently. Will report back tomorrow for the benefit of any others having this done in future.

[sassy59]

Wishing you well for tomorrow Ian. X

[I-a-n- in reply to sassy59]

Thank you so much Sassy!

[Jalia]

I'm sure you will be fine and wonder why you worried so much, even though most of us do.I've had 4 RF ablations, the last one 8 months ago under local anaesthetic and sedation. In fact all but one if my ablations were performed under local. You will know very little about it.

Ablation for flutter is a far simpler procedure as it is usually performed in the right atrium thereby avoiding the need to pierce the septum to get through to the left side for PVI etc

My experience has always been that I felt very well looked after and had complete confidence in my EP and his team.

Personally I found A flutter more difficult to deal with than A fib as it was unrelenting. Ablation proved a great relief . You should find this as well.

Best wishes

J

[I-a-n-]

Thank you for your reply Jalia. Yes, with AFL my heart rhythm is permanently all over the place although I don't feel it as much as I did before I was put on Bisoprolol. However, now and then it gets really bad and I can feel it thumping around and sometimes get a heavy chest / breathlessness. Hopefully this will put a stop to it. How come you had 4 ablations and were they for AF or AFL? I've heard AFL ablations are not as complex as AF procedures which require general anesthetic. Best wishes.

[Jalia in reply to I-a-n-]

All of my ablations were for Afib + Aflutter(1 ).AF procedures do not have to be done under GA. The decision lies with the EP. Personally I much prefer local plus sedation as the recovery is much quicker. I felt truly awful when I woke up after my one and only GA !

My ablations were spread out over 12 years and I've had the same EP right from the beginning and have seen only him during my very many consultations in between. I've been a rather difficult case so consider myself very fortunate.

[I-a-n- in reply to Jalia]

And you're doing well now- no return of symptoms?

[Jalia in reply to I-a-n-]

Doing well so far ! I'm just 6 weeks post hip replacement so haven't given it a thought 😀...too much else to worry about!

[doubledeck]

I had my ablation last August and the staff were great. You get to keep your socks on however if I was having one again I'd take thin gloves as my hands were freezing and my op only last about 1 hour , mine was local anaesthetic and sedation which I preferred. I'm glad you have watched videos of the procedure as I hadn't and was shocked at the operating theatre when I walked in, it was like something off of casualty with lots of staff in attendance.

To me the worst bit was lying motionless on my back for 4 hours, that was painful and I was glad to get home that night even after my wound have reopened.

The recovery is long and slow and frustrating at times, and to be honest at time I felt like giving up. Don't rush things with the recovery however good you feel. I didn't tackle stairs for 10 days .

Before you know it you'll be walking into the theatre and your nerves will be gone and the procedure will be underway. I was actually excited to get my procedure as I viewed it as the step to getting my life back to some sort of normal.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[I-a-n- in reply to doubledeck]

Glad to hear yours went well, thanks for taking the time to reply. I know what it's like going into that room - I had a similar experience when they did my T.O.E. (down the throat echo scan!) walking into the room- a massive operating theatre complete with a study window for students to watch the procedure from! Not feeling too bad about it now, thanks to all you lovely people supporting me! Best wishes.

[Jalia in reply to doubledeck]

I had a heated mattress for my recent ablation and it was heavenly!😀

Ps.....stairs no problem for me . I had no alternative anyhow. I had to use them more recently on day 3 of my total hip replacement !

[I-a-n-]

I do feel very fortunate to be getting this procedure done and know it's a bit of a lottery in the UK in terms of EPs and waiting lists etc. Thankfully they got a cancellation and I got the last minute call. Just to say a big thanks to everybody who have taken the time to reply and offer support.

[KMRobbo]

I had a flutter ablation right atria no problem . Not had flutter since. Expected 90% success rate and I was told it seldom re-occurs if successful. 4years ago for me. Best wishes

[KMRobbo in reply to KMRobbo]

I had light sedation FOR RF.The pain is less than dentist. It wa actually felt in the right shoulder area.

[spinningjenny]

I had a flutter ablation in January 2021 and have been in NSR ever since. It’s been brilliant. Good luck.

[Singwell]

Guessing you're in the holding zone right now! I've had two. It'll be fine. The hard bit is looking after yourself afterwards. Read our literature and follow BobDs sage advice - week 1 TV remote and sofa - week 2 make a cuppa and sit on sofa

[Easternmost]

Hi Ian, I had an ablation at Bart’s in Oct ‘20 for atrial flutter. I was sedated and received excellent care throughout the procedure. I went home the same afternoon. I had some discomfort that night, but no pain.

Take your recovery gently and remember it will be 3 months in a blanking period. Any worries please ask - even if it’s a few months down the line. We have all been there and can hopefully reassure you. You will feel so much better - best wishes for your recovery.

[bassets]

Best of luck

[dave152248]

Hi I had ablation done on the 10th feb this year. It's nothing to worry about and to date I've had no AF just the very odd minor flutter, its changed my life for the better back in the gym working out like if im 25 again. Good luck.

[PrinzMongo]

Best of luck to you... I also had AFlutter at age 62 and being an engineer did a lot of research. I was so ready to have the procedure because I was passing out just climbing a half-flight of stairs when I had been regularly walking 30-35 miles/week.

I underwent three months of cardionurse supervised rehab afterwards and last week-end collected 40-thousand steps at 6,700 ft/2,040 m in the southern California Sierra Nevada. Now my plan is to hike Mt San Gorgonio (11,500 ft/3,500 m) in a couple of weeks.

Not that everyone is going to go hiking in the mountains after their cardioäblation, but it's amazing that this procedure has the potential to restore so much quality of life... I was dealing with significant depression before my procedure, even worse than after my heart attack a decade ago, and feel like I was given a new lease on life. I'm hopeful that you'll have a successful procedure.

[DKBX]

Four ablations (one cryo three rf). Still here and QOL improved incrementally each time but with slight digressions: two steps forward, one back.Each time, I worried so much that I prepped my family for the inevitable: updated will; made sure wife & kids knew all the accounts & legal issues; planned the funeral; wrote legacy letters; even wrote the obit. Then the procedure(s) and piece of cake - no worries after all. What helped the most? Asking the EP, “if I was your father, what would you advise?” Without hesitation, he replied, “Do it, Dad.”

Be very patient with the healing process and live a clean healthy life afterwards. All will be well.

[Tantaanna]

I have had four ablations and a fifth touch up before having a watchman implant on my left appendage of my heart. With the watchman I no longer take an anticoagulant cept for lose dose aspirin. My journey has taken eight years to be in normal sinus rhythm. I remind myself every day to be grateful. I was anxious like you on my first ablation- I used healing affirmations, deep breathing and usually prepared myself mentally one week or longer when on a walk or before sleep. This practice has helped me with other procedures as well.

Be well! Inhale. Exhale. Good luck

[Snowgirl65]

I had mine here in the States at Cleveland Clinic a year ago this month, and it went amazingly well. I had an overnight stay in the hospital and was back home next day early afternoon. There were no side effects except for a feeling of pressure in the chest for about a week -- no big deal at all. I wasn't allowed to drive for a few days, but was back to my normal routine almost immediately except for lifting heavy objects. Of course I overdid it in the garden too soon, so the pressure in my chest came back for a while. I had a few a-fib episodes during the 3-month blanking period which were to be expected. I wish you well!

[I-a-n-]

Thanks for all the well wishes. I'm propped up in the hospital bed well fed and watered and cared for by amazing staff. All went well.quite a quick turn around from entering the hospital, prepped, and into theatre in about 1h 30. Procedure lasted about the same. Lots of blasts of heat on the catheter and tbh these were quite painful for me. Doc just came back, all went v well and he ablated to stop the circular reentry signal. Now in sinus rythm. Going home soon.

[Ablation7]

Good luck! Had mine two weeks ago and feeling good. Hardest part is probably laying around for two weeks after!