I'm on the waiting list for my 2nd ablation, which in itself is making me nervous, but this time I'm not having it done under a general anaesthetic as there's too long a waiting list for an anaesthetist and time is of the essence as there's only a 60% chance of it succeeding and we don't have the luxury of waiting.
My previous ablation took 5hrs and it was a spasmodic afib, whereas now I'm permanently in afib and get very breathless with blue lips.
Im a very fidgety person and am concerned that I won't be able to stay still whilst the procedure is being done.
Can someone who has has the ablation done without a general please let me know what to expect.
thank you, Denise.
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Nannadee
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I believe there will be a little sedation given which will put you in la la land. Many people even drop off during the procedure. You should get a pre procedure appointment when you can talk all this through. all the best. I am sure you will be fine.
I had my pvi ablation under sedation and it was fine. They will ask you if you if you need more so don’t be afraid to say yes. I would have said that I was aware of what was going on but the reality of it was that it seemed to be over quite quickly so I think I was more likely to be more “out of it” than I thought!! I can honestly say that it was fine and I was home by 6pm.
As is usually the case, the thought is far worse than the actual.
I was glad to have my ablation with sedation and have little recollection of the procedure. I remember saying that I could feel the catheter enter the groin area and they adjusted the sedative so I slept through the rest. Make sure there is an anaesthetist on the team. They should come and speak with you before the procedure and offer reassurance.
"Make sure there's an anaesthetist on the team"? That made me smile. In the UK, as the NHS is going, the chance of making sure of anything is receding into history!
Nannadee mentioned that she's having the procedure done under sedation only because the waiting list for an anaesthetist is too long. They don't require an anaesthetist for purely sedation.
Hi nannadee I recently had a cryoablation with just sedation and it was fine . I felt very little just a bit of pushing in the groin . I was introduced to the catheter lab team at the start and they looked after me very well checking every now and then to see that I was not experiencing any discomfort . The procedure seemed to be over quite quickly I missed the last bit because required I cardio version . I would be very reluctant to have a general anaesthetic preferring to have a level of control .
I had 2 under sedation and one GA. One cryo and one RF under sedation. I was awake and there were bits that were a little uncomfortable, feeling the cold or the heat, but no pain. You can ask for more sedation if required and if you are jumpy or fidgety they'll give you more anyway as they don't want your body moving while they do what they need to do. It's staying still afterwards that I was more worried about but it was okay
I had to stay in overnight on all 3 so be ready for that.
Ask any questions you have on your mind in the pre op.
hello nannandee I was last in contact with you 8 years ago I had my first ablation done January at Leeds general infirmary without sedation and no problem at all however it was av node ablation which only took about an hour . I presume you will be having it done in Leeds Cardio centre again and I can assure you they will look after you well.
It is quite natural to feel anxious about an upcoming procedure, you will have the opportunity to put forward all your questions in advance at your pre-op appointment. I am positive that many of the members here will offer their advice based upon their own experiences.
You may find the 'Preparing for an ablation' information sheet helpful?
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