I am having my ablation next Saturday at Nottingham hospital have to have bloods done tomorrow so a bit of a trip out to have them done my question is what are you allowed do after an ablation ?
Do I need my husband to stay off work to look after me ?,I have trouble sitting down all day I just get bored and do you think holding my 5 month granddaughter will be too much ? .
My husband works long hours so I do every thing in the house even putting the bins out so it will be strange not being able to do stuff and how long after you have had it done can you drive ? .
Have any of you had to stay in over night ? I am booked in to stay the night which I am not looking forward to in fact now it’s getting closer I keep asking my husband if I am doing the right thing.
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Bell50
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Hi Bell and welcome. It’s natural to be anxious before a procedure and question whether or not you are doing the right thing and only you can decide that, remember that you can pull out right up to the last moment - you may not be popular if you do though.
There is a leaflet - Recovering from Ablation which you will find helpful. Holding your 5months old grandchild for a short time shouldn’t be a problem. Things you should avoid is standing for too long, be very careful going up and down stairs as you will have a wound in your groin and may also have bruising and swelling and or a lump in that area so for the first few days I would be very, very careful. Carrying and using anything heavier than a TV remote is a not advisable but it’s always good to move so you if you prepare well you shouldn’t need your husband to take time off work.
Prepare meals for the first week in advance so you don’t need to cook - no hoovering, brushing up or that type of activity but a little light housework, after the first few days should be ok as long as you feel up to it. Husband needs to step up and do the rest for a few weeks, especially taking out the garbage! (Have to say that has always been man territory as far as I am concerned).
It is really important that you take it easy for the first few weeks, a lot of time, effort, expertise and money has gone into providing this procedure which can be easily be undone very quickly because you ‘can’t sit still’. Plenty you can do whilst resting. Catch up with old friends, write cards, write a book, sew, knit, study etc, etc. but do it resting!
I can’t find the link for the leaflet - will post later.
I had an ablation on Wednesday. First couple of days I was pleased I had someone to do most things for me. Apart from anything else I didn’t have a lot of energy to do much. Feeling slightly better but as it’s only day 4 and I want this to work, I am still taking it very easy. Have found some good series on Netflix, reading a little bit and most of all resting/sleeping as my body dictates. I live on my own and have regular visitors and also talk to friends on the phone.
I would advise go with it and take the chance to rest. When you know the rest is part of the healing process then it’s not too difficult to do.
I always stayed in hospital the night after my ablations, stayed the pre procedure night twice too.
It depends how helpful you think your husband will be Bell. Some are just wonderful, caring, take over the cooking and are willing to do anything that pleases you. Others think just their being there, reading a book or watching t.v. is enough, wouldn't dream of getting out the vacuum cleaner and can be snappy too. You know your husband; think how he is at weekends - helpful or not? I don't think I'd want to be on my own for the first few days.
You will be fine getting up and moving around the house but shouldn't lift anything heavy. You will probably be ok apart from feeling a little more tired than usual. Take care if you go for a short walk, it may be easy to walk somewhere, but then surprisingly you may find yourself too tired to walk back.
I believe you can drive 48 hours after an ablation for atrial fibrillation.
It's normal to feel slightly anxious in the weeks leading up to an ablation and that question 'should or shouldn't I' goes round and around in your head. We all generally go for the procedure though as we long to be back to our normal AF free selves again
I have started feeling exactly the same apprehension - I am booked to have an ablation in December. Though so far, the medication just hasn’t seemed to work well for me at all.
I need to read through the guidance properly again, and do plan to take it easy. Though my husband does the hard work anyway, partly due to me getting back pain - but he actually enjoys cooking. He had an op earlier this year, and I did manage with the bins and cooking (after a fashion…). Loading and unloading the dishwasher really got to my back.
(That was improving recently with trips to the chiropractor and starting Nordic walking, though Ive been lazier as A Fib hit in mid October, and seems to have settled in.) My Apple Watch hasn’t recognised it for a week, but the Kardia still says A Fib, though sometimes Sinus Rhythm with arrhythmia bingo - different thing all the time! I do think I need that ablation!
Hi, Think about why your having the ablation in the first place. It will give you a great chance of stopping all of those pesky palpitations you get with AF. Resting up after the ablation is the best part of it just relax and play the waiting game. As for the procedure it will be over before you know it, done and dusted. Go with the flow and hopefully a successful procedure will make you feel better but just rest up for a few weeks after. All the best 👍
Just had my ablation 5 days ago - for SVT so slightly easier recovery…. My surgeon told me to get moving as much possible! Just not lift heavy things until my groin is defo clotted and healed. I feel absolutely great 😊 just tired 🥱.. Palps are mild and not troublesome they are as my surgeon advised fading away … make sure you eat carefully across the day as I didn’t and ended feeling poorly (trip to A&E through blind panic ) but all is well … surprisingly feeling really good 👍 no longer on tablets too. I am just keeping my legs moving. Good luck and please don’t worry I had all sorts of health worries and I was fine xxx
I am now 4 weeks post ablation and agree with what everyone says. As mine was an afternoon procedure, I wasn't ready to go home until 11 pm. I opted to stay until the morning as I had my own room on CCU. Got a reasonable night's sleep and then home to my own bed straight after breakfast. Hope it all goes well.
hello Bell , I had both of my ablations at Nottingham . Who is your cardiologist ? Mine is Tim Robinson . Are you having cryoablation or radio frequency under GA ?
I had cryo first under sedation and RF next under GA . I wasn’t given the opportunity to stay in either time , which is interesting as you are staying overnight . Do you live quite far from Nottingham ? I live relatively close .
Nothing to add on the post ablation care as others have been very thorough with their advice . Just good luck and best wishes .
( we are a similar age too as I will be 58 in March )
most of advice covered, but nobody mentioned driving. I've always been told by medics not to drive for a week as any hard breaking could open up groin wound.
hi Bell, I think night stay is a good move, they have this wedge on your ground many hours so they would keep you in certainly. It can feel a tad uncomfortable but not painful, and heaven when they remove it.
Certainly don’t lift the garbage out!
Rest up, it’s no big deal really, and trust me if you push yourself too soon it’s not worth it, give your body and the dear ol heart time to gather itself.
I’d say ask hubby to be home the first couple of days , just reassurance.
Potter indoors gently . the The afib sheet and what’s been said already is all sound advice.
The ablation I think we all fret a bit befire, I did but now I know I’d certainly have it again and nit fret befire…..it offers you so much, and nothing to loose.
all I can say, is look forward to a few weeks time, all done and dusted and don’t fret, wishing you much success with proceedure
I had my ablation in Nottingham at the end of August and was very impressed with the set up and the patient care.
Although I didn't have my procedure until the afternoon, I was able to go home about 9pm as the puncture holes healed well and heart rate and blood pressure were good.
For the first couple of days afterwards I was hyperactive (from the anaesthetic I think) but then I felt quite tired for a week or so. I did try to rest as much as possible but after a couple of weeks I felt back to normal.
My heart rate has definitely been faster (you will see from the fact sheets that this is quite common) but so far it has retained sinus rhythm. I stopped taking bisoprolol four weeks after the ablation and feel SO much better without it.
Good luck with your procedure, you will be well looked after.
The issue is not just what you can or can’t do . That’s easy ASK THE SURGEON !! They know after a procedure what they wavy that heart to do . The issue for you is your adjustment mentally . Love your heart , 💕 stop resenting it . REST , enjoy reading Any home based gentle activity . Depends how heavy active your grandchild is , right? If you have wounds stitches , def not ! I hace had a stitched wound in my groin burst , I was going , getting up from sitting on the lawn. NOT PLEASANT, bloody , scary and cannot be restitched !! Assume heart will be bruised or affected?? Have a REST , if your husband can trust you to be sensible and take it easy , no need to stay home . Right?
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