Ablation at last!

[Slidingdoors99]

Hi All!

After two years of waiting my ablation will (hopefully) happen on August 22nd.

I have fast AFib and also cardiomyopathy and this is why Bristol said no to me (with my underlying heart condition his success rate was only 16 per cent) so my Taunton hospital said they’d try St Barts in London and after a meeting and a discussion they said yes!

I am praying that it will work because I really can’t function properly when I’m in AFib and my AFib can only be corrected by cardioversions.

I have read so much about ablations on here and elsewhere and I really want and need this procedure but now the day is booked in I find myself like many before me, worried and very anxious.😬😬

Sorry Bob, but can you send me that information sheet! It must be hundreds of times that you’ve been asked for that! 😳

Some kind and encouraging words please tonight would really be appreciated!

PS Why am I having to sign in each time I want to access this site these days?

Much love to all of you on this really unpleasant 💗 journey. Xx

[BobD Volunteer]

Try these. It may be a few minutes before I get them loaded,

healthunlocked.com/redirect...

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[Slidingdoors99 in reply to BobD]

Many thanks Bob. I knew you’d be there for me! 😊

[stoneyrosed]

I have had two ablations and the waiting is the worst part. You will be fine, look forward to it with excitement and not trepidation. It isn’t heart surgery it is just a wee procedure and hopefully your af burden will be much improved. All the best 😁

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to stoneyrosed]

Thank you so much!

[BorderMLH]

I had my ablation done last week and I can honestly say there was no pain at all, just slight brain freeze. I was well sedated and could see everything on a huge screen!

I had a little complication of fluid around the heart afterwards which only affects 1 in a 100 and I was that 100!

After being monitored over night I was allowed hime the next evening and now walking a little each day.

My cardiologist said he felt it had been a success, a Little pericarditis, which should settle down in a few weeks.

I am so glad I had it done.

Good luck!

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to BorderMLH]

Thank you very much! Was your groin ok?

[BorderMLH in reply to Slidingdoors99]

Yes, a little bit bruised but a small price to pay xx keep me posted & good luck 🤞

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to BorderMLH]

I will! 😊

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to BorderMLH]

Dear Border,

Well I was trying to stay really positive but because I have my pre-assessment call tomorrow, St Barts emailed me to say that I should watch their video first and now I’m anxious and confused.

I’ll ask them about it tomorrow, but the video says that before the procedure I have to swallow a small camera that will be fed into my lungs to check for blood clots!

Oh my goodness me! This sounds like a nightmare for me.

I’m feeling like gagging just at the thought of it.

It also came with a warning that sometimes this procedure can be fatal!

Heck!

[BorderMLH in reply to Slidingdoors99]

Aww, please try not to worry, I had this procedure done a few months before , I promise you, you will be sedated. You are in the best hands and I felt reassured when I saw all the professionals in the room with me. Please pm me if you have an other concerns. You will be fine , 😘😘

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to BorderMLH]

Thanks again.😊

[Lenlec]

good luck

[wilsond]

Fantastic news Slidingdoors! It's only natural for us to feel both anxious and happy at the same time to be given hope for better QOL.I'm sure the team would not take you on if they didn't feel it could be successful.

All the best!

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to wilsond]

Many thanks! 😊

[Kendalghost]

Good luck hope it all goes well. The waiting is a pain in the behind, I'm still waiting too see the cardiologist to get on the list for my second ablation. All the best in sure it will be fine.

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to Kendalghost]

Yes! I think that part of it is that so many people have to have it done a few times! Thank you for posting.😊

[Snowgirl65]

Best of luck to you. Worrying is worst than the procedure itself!

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to Snowgirl65]

😊 Thank you!

[Buffafly]

Hi, I was referred from Taunton to Harefield (part of Royal Brompton group). Who do you see in Taunton? Best wishes 💖

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to Buffafly]

Thank you for replying to my post. I see a registrar here Dr Brown. He’s really nice and broke the news to me that I had also inherited a faulty gene and had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a really kind way. 😊🌸

[Christmaspie]

Hi, Don’t worry about the ablation. I had one 4 weeks ago and was very nervous. However due to sedation I felt nothing except when they did the cauterising .. and then only for a couple seconds before they increased my sedation. Wound on groin has healed well with no issues. Go in there with a positive frame of mind. Good luck! Let us know how you get on!

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to Christmaspie]

Thank you and I will! I have been reading some things about the groin and it seems that that’s a real problem for some people! 😊😳

[KootenayTrails]

All the best to you … Aug 22nd ablation is very soon! I also have HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) and had an ablation May 31st. I was also nervous (as is everyone I’m sure!), but no issues at all with the procedure other than sore groin and some chest pressure the first week. Sept 1st for me is when they give the “ablation is a success” nod or not. So far, so good though as no arrythmias at all. EP also told me my chance of success is less than most due to my HCM (40-60%). All the best to you!

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to KootenayTrails]

Hi! I can’t thank you enough for writing to me. I was really hoping that someone with both AFib and HCM would reply!

I’m encouraged by your experience.

My pre-assessment by phone is in an hour and I was already feeling queasy, not least because they sent an animations for me to watch and I saw and heard a couple of unexpected things.🙃

I wasn’t expecting to have to swallow a camera that is then fed down to my lungs to check for clots. I haven’t read that or heard that?!

Also, it ended with all the possible complications (I know this is necessary) but the last bit said ‘…. paralysis of the nerve that controls breathing and death’ then the video ended!

Ummmm! Anyway I wondered how you coped with the camera thing. I have a real issue with things like that!! 😫😂

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to KootenayTrails]

PS I’m so pleased that everything went so well for you and I hope that they will say that your ablation was a total success!

PPS I’m awaiting the results of the genetic test re the HCM. Do you have children that have to be screened too?

[KootenayTrails]

My ablation was done in Kelowna, BC Canada. They did a CT lung scans to check for clots a few days before my ablation. My HCM is apical, no -obstructive … Could it be because you have obstructive HCM? (I have no idea, just guessing). No, am still waiting for my genetic HCM testing. Sounds like it takes about 8 months to get in to St Paul’s Cardiomyopathy Clinic in Vancouver, BC. Yes Our two sons (30 and 31 yrs old) are getting ECG and ECHO done, and my Cardiologist (6 hrs drive from us) is going to review for us and refer to genetic testing as well. Both have bradycardia like I do (HR high 40’), but so does my wife as we are all athletes/very active. So far one son has a similar ECG to mine ie large inverted Twaves, common in HCM but haven’t heard back from Cardiologist yet. My first fainting spell/HR 30 happened when I was 41 yrs old, and I was symptom-free until this bout of AF/fainting/fatigue etc at 64 yrs old. There are many mild cases of HCM!

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to KootenayTrails]

Hi and thank you so much for taking the time to explain all that you did. It’s very interesting. I’m sorry to hear about your son and the inverted Twaves. That was my alert. I’ll always remember the look on the consultants face when he saw that graph…

I’m sorry about how you’re feeling and when you said about the fainting, well that’s worrying too.

It’s a question that I haven’t been asked twice this week by two different hospitals.

Please let me know what happens next in your heart journey and I wish you and your family all the best.

PS I don’t think I have a blockage just because it’s never been mentioned to me.

[KootenayTrails in reply to Slidingdoors99]

All the best to you as well! To clarify, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is either obstructive (HOCM) or non-obstructive (HCM, what I have ie the heart thickening does not impede my blood flow). Also, the fainting and dangerous bradycardia I had, was only during AF prior to being put on amiodarone and since my ablation May 31st, I haven’t had any AF or fainting/lightheadedness at all. Hope the same will happen for you!

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to KootenayTrails]

Many thanks again. I didn’t know that! The hospital just told me that the walls of my heart are thickening (16mm in the MRI the last time)

I’m so glad you can tolerate amiodarone (I couldn’t) and that yout fainting has stopped.

When I’m in AFib my resting pulse goes up to 160-170 and then I do feel dizzy and queasy as well! 😳