Ablation procedure question

[Dogsaregood]

Probably a silly question, but: The procedure and bed rest lasts for several hours and they pump you with IV fluid. Do you have a tube placed to collect your urine or some other way to deal with it if you have to go?

[peachtreepiggy]

I just had an ablation last week. I'm female and did not want a catheter.. so they use this technology which was really weird and I've seen on TV it uses suction and like a sponge to collect urine. They put a bed pan under you and it worked really well while I was supposedly laying still for 4 hours after the ablation.

[Frances123]

Have had 2 ablations and lying flat afterwards for 6&3 hours respectively. Catheter wasn’t mentioned or used. Both times I didn’t want or need to go, despite having drunk water during that time (take a sports bottle in with you so you don’t give yourself a bed bath!). I’m guessing as I was so dehydrated from being nil by mouth for many hours beforehand I didn’t have a need to go. Being female I did wonder how I would manage but as they do many ablations I’m sure they have it covered.

Good luck with your ablation. Don’t forget to read the fact sheets on here as they will hopefully cover all your questions.

[Desanthony in reply to Frances123]

My wife had a procedure where she had to lay still for a long time afterwards they didn't use a catheter then but used what the nurse called a slipper pan which can be slipped under you and you go normally. Despite lying still for I think she said 8 hours she only used it once. Had been nil by mouth since 3am - when we had to leave the house to get to the hospital which was 3 hours away. An emergency pushed her time from 8am to 11am for the procedure and despite being injected into the abdomen with fluid - which she believes was the main part of the"urine" she passed and drinking plenty of fluid as directed after the procedure she didn't actually get up to use the lavatory until early the next morning about 5am.

[Karendeena in reply to Frances123]

Exactly the same for me

[pottypete1]

For me this was a very big issue. I have a real problem passing urine in hospital beds a bottle is no good as my brain creates a block.

I therefore asked for a catheter albeit that was not pleasant and on more than one occasion I had a urine infection. It was infinitely better than the stress of a full bladder.

Pete

[Jajarunner]

Bed pan for me. Very awkward 🙄

[pip_pip]

I had my ablation last October. After the procedure which was 6 hours on a GA I used the urine bottle at some point after I woke up. They won't let you go unless you p properly. Phil

[nikonBlue]

Lordy, I had my ablation last year and had none of this! I lay still for a few hours after the procedure (under GA) but thankfully there was never any mention of a catheter....that would have freaked me even more per se!!

I just wonder if you guys are all south of the border and things are just done differently here in Bonny Scotland!

Hope all are well after the procedure.

stay well all,

Blue

[Buzby62]

Bed pan or bottle if required, the nil by mouth for 12 hours makes it less likely to be needed.

[jeanjeannie50]

This question has taken me back to a worrying experience I had after my last ablation. I used a bedpan and was horrified at the amount of blood in my urine. I had visions of me being rushed to have an urgent investigation. The young nurse and I looked at each other as she took it away. When she came back I asked her what had been said about it. Her answer was she hadn't showed it to anyone, just disposed of it! I couldn't believe she had done that. I just had to tell myself the blood had probably congealed in that area after my ablation. I'm still here to tell the tale anyway.

Jean

[Cavalierrubie in reply to jeanjeannie50]

That would have freaked me out and l would have not coped very well at all. I can’t believe a nurse would do that, unless it sometimes happens….. nevertheless, it should have been mentioned at least. Just goes to show how vigilant you have to be when your life is in someone else’s hands. SCARY. 😫

[Sixtychick in reply to jeanjeannie50]

That was bad, Having worked in care homes, nursing homes and hospitals, as an agency nursing/ care assistant, for many years, I would have been in trouble for not reporting blood in the urine. It’s not normal and would need to be reported.

[Sixtychick]

I was told not to worry, they’d give you a bedpan, even in the catheter lab.I made sure I went to the loo, before they took me down for my ablation and I never needed a bedpan and afterwards I walked to the loo by myself, after I’d kept still, for the required time. I’d had nothing to drink since midnight and had my ablation at 9.30 am.

[Karendeena in reply to Sixtychick]

Same process for me

[Visitingcat]

Thank you for asking this, something I’d wondered about. I’m not likely to get an ablation but the long lie still afterwards always comes to mind if it’s ever mentioned 😳

[Cookie24]

Ablation #1 no catheter Ablation #2 catheter

Ablation #3 catheter that was in too long and resulted in UTI

The UTI led to other problems so if I have any .more procedures I will refuse a catheter

[marcyh]

Logical question. Get rid of all you can ahead of time. I needed a bedpan, after that was able to go walk over to the loo. Not worth worrying for me.

[CDreamer]

I had catheter, no problem and no worries as I have difficulty with bedpan.

[Madscientist16]

I am a female and woke from the ablation with a urinary catheter. I had to stay laying down for 4 hours after awaking from the procedure and as long as I was not bleeding from the ablation catheter they removed it. I was allowed to get up and use the toilet after that but carefully. Went home the next day.

[MaryCa]

Unfortunately I got the big pee afterwards. Absolutely needed to pee really regularly. Bed pan it was and because each time I was bursting, every time it went everywhere. At one event I was soaked from toes to where my bra strap would be. Four bed changes. They just couldn't believe I had to go again and again.Second ablation, yesterday, two bed pan uses, no mess, no big pee. Totally different experience.

I forgot to ask about a catheter but the nurse had said beforehand that they normally don't, to minimise infection.

Regardless of what happens with you, the staff have seen it all before.

I was back in my bed at 10.15am and not allowed out of it until 4.15pm. A full three hours lying flat and the next three slightly tilted. I thought my bum was gone numb. And literally allowed up to use loo and back to bed again until after 8pm

Long day. In nsr. All good.

[Karendeena]

I didn't get IV fluids and was worried like you, but it wasn't a problem. Because I couldn't eat or drink hours before the ablation I didn't need the toilet. Interestingly enough I didn't even need to go when I was lying flat for the 4 hours after the procedure. Don't worry you will be fine ❤️

[2learn]

Hi, I've had 3 ablations, no catheters used, you're pretty dry as a result of not drinking and 3 hrs isn't such a problem, nobody said don't go to the toilet.