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Booking Error

Slidingdoors99 profile image
28 Replies

Thank you for all the kind words of support from many of you recently, about my ablation which should have taken place on Tuesday at St Barts in London.

It has been postponed because of a booking error!😬

Basically someone in admin didn’t pass on the information that I had requested a general anaesthetic.

I’ve been told it may happen in September but no date has been given.

By the way, the animation they sent me to watch shows something that I haven’t heard of before and it feels me with terror…

It says that before the procedure you have to swallow a camera which is then fed into both lungs to check for clots?!!

Oh my goodness me. No?!

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Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99
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28 Replies
Jalia profile image
Jalia

Ha! The camera business is called a Trans Oesophagael Echo...TOE for short. I agree it sounds terrifying and indeed I worried more about that than the actual ablation.

If you are having a general this would normally be given when you are 'under' so you will know nothing about it. At least that is what happened to me when I had my one and only GA. My other 3 ablations were sedation so obviously I was aware. My throat was sprayed with a numbing liquid and really its all done so swiftly and over before you know it. I just told myself how vital it was to detect any lurking clots. Oddly enough for my most recent ablation 2 years ago I wasn't given a TOE even though I had the same EP for all of my procedures.

Good luck with your new appt. Don't worry....or at least try not to!

Best wishes

J

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply toJalia

Thanks so much J. Yes, I’m really wishing and hoping that they do that when I’m out of it!! 😬😀

Ducky2003 profile image
Ducky2003 in reply toSlidingdoors99

I'd insist on it, if possible. I didn't have one during my ablation but did when they were checking my mitral valve function.

wilsond profile image
wilsond

I never had that for my ablation,however I have had that done for gastric problems. It is a tiny soft tube with a micro camera on the end ,not even a cm diameter. They sprayed my throat immediately beforehand with a anesthetic and before I knew it, was all done. I feared gagging on it, as I am terrible with even a hair in my mouth but all was well.How annoying about the booking error! What is going on? I had a booking error recently too,sent letter saying phone appointment but were expecting me at hospital. Wasted their time!

Hope you get in ASAP. Xx

2learn profile image
2learn in reply towilsond

My impression as I've had both is endoscopy for gastric and a TOE are different. TOE felt more rigid,lasted longer I think but didn't go into my stomach which endoscopy did.

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply to2learn

Yes. It’s to see that there aren’t any blood clots in my lungs and so won’t go anywhere near my stomach! 😀

Mabel79 profile image
Mabel79

I think I know the animation you mean - the cartoon of an oesophageal fistula? It scared the beejeesus out of me! Its an incredibly rare side effect so why they feel the need to animate it is beyond me.

If its any reassurance I was prepared to have a TOE before my ablation but they decided not to on the day. They didnt tell me that until I asked why it hadnt happened.

Barts are technically excellent - you're in safe hands. But I didnt find them particularly psychologically intelligent.

The nurse led follow up is excellent

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99

Thank you!

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

You will not feel or remember it, although you may have a dry cough for a week or two afterwards. It

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply toCDreamer

So comforting. Thank you very much. 😊

Frances123 profile image
Frances123

I had one when I had my last ablation but it was done when I was under the GA. Sore throat for a couple of days afterwards but that was it. You’ll be fine.

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply toFrances123

Many thanks Frances.😊

Jajarunner profile image
Jajarunner

I've had that done. They use a sedative which kicks in early on so just as it starts getting a bit yukky (when they put the mouth guard in, in my case) . This means you don't remember any of it until you 'come round' (though in reality you are awake, just have amnesia). It takes just a few minutes so don't be scared ❤️

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply toJajarunner

Thank you so much!😊

OldJane profile image
OldJane

not heard of that, no camera for me! Good luck

Ppiman profile image
Ppiman

It's fed into the top of the airways, not the lungs and it's a really good thing to have! It can give you a temporary sore throat, I have been told, but nothing more.

Steve the

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply toPpiman

Thanks so much Steve.😊

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply toPpiman

Thank you very much Steve.😊

Dudtbin profile image
Dudtbin

i had a TOE and watched it all on camera, no after effects at all. The dr did say he’d done thousands and it showed!!

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply toDudtbin

Well, you are brave indeed! I watched on the screen when I had a colonoscopy, that was fine, I just have a thing about my throat and I just know that I would gag and fight!! 😬 Thank you so much for replying.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply toSlidingdoors99

I have a very strong gag reflex - no problems with the TOE and don’t remember anything.

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply toCDreamer

Thank you! That would be really blissful Dreamer! 🫠

Paige70 profile image
Paige70

I had an ablation at Barts 6 years ago and was very anxious about having a toe but was told I didn’t need it as long as I had been on anticoagulants for a month, so I didn’t have it. I think it can depend on which consultant you have.

Best wishes for your ablation when you have it done.

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply toPaige70

Thank you very much. That’s really interesting! 😊

JOY2THEWORLD49 profile image
JOY2THEWORLD49

Hi

Swallow a camera!

It sounds really that whilst you are under they will put down a camera.

I had one put in through the nose down to my voice box to see if it was normal before my thyroidectomy to remove cancer.

No sedation.

Over in minutes.

I'd ask. I had no idea how they would look before arriving there.

All was good.

cheers JOY. 74 (NZ)

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply toJOY2THEWORLD49

Thank you Joy. Yes, I have had the one up the nose and into my voice box three times when I had a paralysed vocal chord…

With me, I just have a very strong gagging reflex and so I’m scared by the thought of it!

Kind people here though have said that because I’m having a GA they will probably be able to slip it down when I’m under!! 😀

JOY2THEWORLD49 profile image
JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply toSlidingdoors99

Hi

I had a thyroidectomy and I reckon I had a lot of tubes down my throat.

Smoothies after. And it was on the day of discharge my friends taking me home and me recognised my surgeon in the cafe. He came over and said the smoothie was the best fod for a sore throat.

Take care. Apparently they GA before putting it down so no gagging.

cheers JOY

Slidingdoors99 profile image
Slidingdoors99 in reply toJOY2THEWORLD49

Thanks Joy! 😃

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