My local hospital don’t do ablations only cardioversions. My Arryhmia nurse said she would refer me and when I called and asked the secretary I got a letter back saying I don’t know if you are aware that the other hospital has really long waiting lists even just for a consultation and then another waiting list for the ablation procedure which for the consultation could take 12 months!
This has alarmed me. I was just wondering how long others were waiting? I am fine with the waiting but to think it could take up to 2 years or even longer.
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AFnotworked1981234
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Fairly standard these days. You can of course short circuit things by making a private appointment to see the EP (electrophysiologist- the specialist in arrhythmias) which at least gets your first step out of the way. NHS waiting lists are very long these days for any procedure and with AF cases rising all the time it won't get any better.
There are standard waiting lists and there are urgent waiting lists. You always get told the standard one but if you are highly symptomatic you should be seen sooner. Some people are on the list because they want an ablation and others because they need one. Only you know which one you are, but to be clear, you need one if your symptoms can’t be controlled by medication or you have gone into persistent AF which returns soon after cardioversion.
I really don't think this is unusual these days. It may be a good idea if you tried to get a private consultation with the relevant consultant at the hospital - this could take a few weeks and cost between £150 to £300 but it would mean you are a step closer to the ablation. You can also call the consultat EP's secretary and tell them you will willingly take a cancellation at short notice which would also help.
Yes I have had 2 cardioversions, the first one I was in sinus rhythm for 3 months and the second just 2 days after. My nurse is really helpful and she advised me medication only works for so long and ablation is the option for trying to get off medication. I feel jittery after I take them and she has said ablation doesn’t work all the time
Yes they have but I found the whole thing a nightmare the second time because they hadn’t anaesthetised me properly and just as they paddled me I went under
Same happened to me with my first one 7 years ago and my last one 2 months ago. Feels like being kicked in the chest but still wouldn't put me off having another, if I needed to......... which hopefully, I won't.
That’s good to hear , I’ve been told also that medication stops working eventually! That worries me as I’m only 56 and am hoping I’ve got another 30 years ahead of me .
I was referred by Chesterfield to NGH EP in about Feb 2023 (for my persistent lone AF) having had 2 previous failed CVs and every medication making me feel dreadful and ended up on Diltiazem.
I saw the EP in June 23, he wouldn’t contemplate an ablation before I lost weight, BMI of 33 and said come back in six months, but that waiting list was circa 12 months (Ie June 24) I lost 2 stone and when I saw him in Jan 24 he said he would put me on ablation waiting list, but still said success rate was only 50%, he didn’t even bother to turn up to the appt and sent someone else. He confirmed this in a letter stating he would do ONE crypto ablation attempt only, emphasising this like he was doing me a favour. He also advised that a mini maze at my first consult with him in June, was not available at NGH, despite one of the few surgeons in the UK who does it, being at NGH.
Long story short I got an appt for April 24, but by then I had been in contact with Alison (mummyluv) here in the forum re her mini maze surgery. I paid for a private consultation with Mr Hunter (cost me £400 but was worth every penny) surgeon at NGH saying I was concerned I was being out forward for an ablation with little chance of success. I might want to get rid of my AF but not so much I want to have surgery for the heck of it.
Mr H told me no point having it and cancelled it, and confirmed my case would be better chance of success dealt with via a surgical ablation (aka a mini maze). He out me on his NHS waiting list and I saw him the following week in his NGH surgery for a pre op. I have my surgery scheduled this week.
So, this was a long winded reply, you don’t give too much detail about your age, medical or history, but I have no other underlying medical conditions but persistent AF.
Ultimately though, in short, from being referred to Sheffield NGH, in Feb 23, I got my appt for a cryo ablation at Sheffield NGH in April 24.
I hope this helps and that your manage your AF in the meantime to get a better quality of life.
I went the route of seeing a cardiologist privately (£250), think it was September last year, because the nhs referral to the cardiology clinic was over a year away, Best think I ever did. He tweaked my meds, referred me through nhs for an ablation. I had a cryo ablation 13th of May this year. I didn’t realise how much weekly af episodes we’re making me feel so bad … until now. I know it is still early days, but I am feeling good - and 10 years younger!
I went private although I'm against this after being referred by A and E , I was told by hospital they did not know when appointment would be , so paid 250 for consultation was a week later , diagnosed Atrial flutter, Ablation appointment NHS was June but blood was a bit thick so carried out in July , all ok , could not afford the follow up so put the 180 on credit card, good luck
I cannot afford to go private unfortunately so I will have to wait my turn. Mine was an incidental finding by some tests my GP was performing and then he said we will do an ECG next and I was sent straight to hospital and the lovely Consultant at Rotherham diagnosed me with it, he was my father’s doctor as well and I knew I was in safe hands
In my case I didn't see the EP consultant at the hospital I was referred to (Oxford) prior to my ablation apart from on the day of the procedure. I'd had a long phone appointment with the referring arrhythmia nurse specialist (in Swindon) when I was reviewed after my cardioversion and considered suitable for an ablation. She talked through all the issues to consider before I made a decision ( I said yes at the end and went on the list). I waited 8 months for the procedure and just had an appointment with a nurse specialist in Oxford in the weeks before. Different hospitals will have their own procedures and waiting times. A private EP consultation may be the best way to shed light on your own situation. I think I was lucky as the relationship between GWH in Swindon and the JR in Oxford, although different trusts, was seamless.
The waiting time is not acceptable! I saw my EP on 5-30 and got in for a cardioversion on 6-12. Had been in aflutter and a fib since 3-22 but had a mess with one Dr and hospital so had to switch to another. They are booked out for my ablation until October 16th!! I have never had to wait that long before but my Dr said it is because they are short on anesthesiologists and that is why the ablation is so far out. This week I have went into afib for a short time every evening. His nurse said she wished they could get my ablation moved up. I have an ekg, an Echo, and a nuclear stress test on July 31st. I'm hoping after those somehow they can work my ablation in sooner. One Hospital that was going to do my Echo that I left had only one tech and it took 4-5 months to get an Echo! I was a nurse for 30 years and I never saw wait times like this. The longest I had been in aflutter before cardioversion before was 48 hours. 12 weeks was awful!!! I think the medical field has went downhill since covid. I don't know if people quit or what. My grandson wants to be a nurse anesthetist.... he has one year of high school left before he starts college. Seems like they are much needed!
It doesn't seem you would waiting long after your consultation.
And it will give you time to sure of your decision.
It scars your heart and there is no going back on that procedure. But the good thing is that they map and can physically see what's up with your heart.
I can't have it so meds it is to control my rapid, persistent AF Heart.
I had a private consultation (£250) to confirm I was a suitable candidate and was then placed on a lengthy NHS waiting list. To my surprise after a few weeks I got a call asking from the hospital at 4pm asking me to attend the next morning.It is ,if you are in a position to do so, to emphasise that you are willing to accept a short notice cancellation appointment.
I was on blood thinners and I wasn't told to stop them. It may be down to the type of thinner or the type of ablation. I did have a spectacular bruise though.
I waited a year to have my first consultation at the Papworth, was supposed to go back 6 months later but it was actually 2 years because of all the strikes. I was put on the waiting list for an ablation and told it would be about 6 months, but actually it was done after 4 months, and I’d had to turn down two ‘cancellations’ because I couldn’t get friends and family to help me with only a day or two’s notice.
recommend you get a private consultation with a Cardiologist (EP) - mine only cost £250 - diagnosed and put straight in a waiting list for Ablation - still took 9 months - best thing I ever did.
Find out if your consultant does private consultations. I found mine did private consults at Bupa and when I saw him he said I didn't realise you were that bad , and promptly put me up the list. That was money well spent .
I waited 18 months for my last ablation 7 weeks ago , here in Nottingham . This was my 3rd . I was listed after a cardioversion 18 months previously . It was a very long wait but dronedarone held me in sinus rhythm all this time so I was very pleased . Waiting times are rediculous . At the start of my AF Journey when I was wet behind the ears regarding the condition , I waited 6 months to see NHS cardiologist who was less than useless and said I could ‘live ‘ with it . I was 52 , in persistent unstable highly symptomatic AF and could barely walk up the stairs . I had no choice but to go private and I then had my first cardioversion a few months later . I’m sure the long wait for my first cardioversion has led to my AF being very hard to control .
OMG , where do you live. I got my appointment with Mayo Clinic the week I referred there and my ablation was done the following . it will be 4 years in august No meds anymore. I was in afib almost 24/7
I waited 18 months for my appointment, when I was seen I had an ablation very quickly. Sadly it failed and I get a pacemaker this week. I should have gone private to save waiting so long.
I am sorry to hear yours didn’t work. If I could afford it I would too. I have been on the waiting list for a consultation since October last year I will ask to be put on the cancellation list as I can come in at short notice and my kids will be looked after and my 2 cats and dog!
I reached out to an EP at Johns Hopkins Hospital in November 2021 and had an ablation done in January of 2022. This was during Covid, otherwise it would have been done sooner, according to the people at Hopkins.
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