Ablation “Invitation”

[aFibber55]

Greetings my fellow travelers.

Thank you once again for your replies to my last post asking about private EP appointments.

I was just poised to find a local EP, when I received a phone call from Hammersmith Cardiology regarding my ablation date. I have been on a waiting list for couple of years. Despite being very much undecided, I was recommended by my lovely Cariology nurse to go on the list anyway as the waiting lists are so long.

My Afib was diagnosed 2020 and after initial shock and the usual play with meds, it settled down and I was getting 2-4 short episodes per year on 5mg Bisoprolol and anticoagulated of course.

I had more or less decided to continue on meds alone, but this year I started having more frequent episodes (6 so far). So …. I think I will go for it looks like I might be heading for escalation.

I am terrified and extra anxious as I am booked to have the procedure in London and have to be there by 8 am😱. My husband is not used to driving in London and that would certainly make my anxiety worse too. We live about 1.5 hrs away and all our friends are of the same vintage so don’t want to ask.

How have you managed in similar circumstances? I think it adds to difficulty with taxis not to know if you have to stay overnight and I am not sure if a poor taxi driver qualifies as a friend or relative on the pickup.

I am also wondering if the private EP idea is redundant now. I have so many questions, but my preop phone call is only 2 weeks before the procedure date 30.10.24.

In your experience, how much before hand did you know if it was Cryo, radio frequency or pulse field, sedation or GA, day care or overnight. The literature states that although done under day surger, most patient stay overnight, but that’s not what I remember from comment on this forum.

Apologies for the panic, I was not prepared for this phone call after such a long wait.

[jeanjeannie50]

I always stayed overnight after my 3 RF ablations. In fact after my third I stayed for two nights as my heart took off racing before I could leave, but settled the next day.

Jean

[aFibber55 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you Jeanjeannie for your reply. I am fluctuating between yes definitely I will take up the opportunity and no I am fine as I am thank you. I have a terrible habit of over thinking and reading every possible advice booklet and write up on the procedure. So far I have managed to limit myself to NHS and Arrythmia Alliance info and whatever I have managed to to find on Hammersmith Hospital website.

I think I will book a hotel for couple of nights. The thought of having to worry about my husband having to drive to London is something I can do without. To be honest I am more worried about getting there than getting back.

It’s this little silly things that get you, like worrying about how much and exactly where to shave or wax, what happens when I cough as I do a lot of that due to allergies and acid reflux, how much worse is my bloating and indigestion going to get and not looking forward to more migraine auras which I get anyway.

I keep telling myself that that there is a good chance I will eventually feel much better if I can reduce my Bisoprolol and migh be lucky to get rid of this horrible infliction and I am sure the nurses have seen it all.

I liked the comment from one of the replies about the cost of having this done privately and a couple of nights in a hotel and a long taxi drive is not going to break the bank in comparison.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to aFibber55]

Your hesitation re whether to go for this ablation or not is totally normal. You'll dither right up to the morning of the procedure, but go ahead with it. You will be unaware of what's going on whatever type of procedure you have and probably won't be able to move, let alone cough. No point in me telling you not to worry because it can't be helped and we've all tortured ourselves on whether it's the right thing to do just like you.

Sending you a big hug.

Jean

[Hidden]

Excellent hospital Hammersmith choose this option. Ablation ca. £25000 privately. Forget about possible types of ablation. What you think is irrelevant to the EP. Take the Tube. Buy a bottle of gin. Play several ends of bowls. The time will pass quickly and before you know it you will be back home feet up and necessarily ordering your husband around.

[50568789]

I wasn't given any options by my EP, he said my ablation would be cryo and a day case, end of, that's how he works (or maybe that's what he thought best for me). Anyway, all went smoothly on the day, recovery over next few days regarding groin incision and bruising was really all in the mind, nothing to worry about, then it's just a case of minimal exertion for a few weeks.Getting into London is a complication, depends on where you are coming from. If it was me I would be looking at travelling in and staying in a budget hotel the night before somewhere near.

[Nantoone]

Hi. I too had my ablation in London. My husband and I took the train the day before and stayed at a Travellodge and got a taxi the following morning to the hospital. My son was on call to collect us from the hospital post procedure. We booked a few hours at Buckingham Palace the day before to take my mind off things which really helped. I had to be at the hospital at 7am. London is so beautiful in the sun at that time of the morning. I had a good nights sleep and was ready for my procedure. Good luck with everything.

[aFibber55 in reply to Nantoone]

Good advice thank you. I like being everywhere early so being in the vicinity on the day before is just up my steeet.

[AsparagusLover in reply to aFibber55]

Go for it. Stay in hotel certainly for night before.

Had my ablation 3 weeks ago. What I worried about was getting there on time. Am now single- just stopped driving. Don’t trust taxis at that early hour. Neighbour offered to drive me so I worried would they wake early enough!! I’m only 30 mins from hospital in Exeter. Abs ridiculous to worry about every tiny detail but at 85 still haven’t managed to control my worry cycle.

Ablation went well. The last 3 weeks no probs. Looking forward to coming off Amiodarone which gives me more probs than AFib but it WORKS!

Look forward to fresh start in life!

[aFibber55 in reply to AsparagusLover]

How wonderful to hear all went well with you. I am absolutely the same about worrying getting there and will book a hotel for the night before.

Amazingly my mind has been made up for me now. I have been getting more and more frequent episodes and just had one lasting 12 hrs which is not what I have become used to.

Good luck with your recovery.

[AsparagusLover in reply to aFibber55]

You wont regret yr decision. Shame they cant ablate the ‘worry centre’ at same time. 🤩

[Ossie7]

I too would stay in a hotel the night before and maybe even the day after to reduce stress . Wishing you all the luck for your procedure .

[Buzby62]

You should have a counselling session before the procedure, (possibly weeks before) everything is explained and contact details for the arrhythmia nurses shared for any further queries. Have a read of the preparing for and recovering from sheets on the following link

heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...

It’s normal to be apprehensive, I have no regrets going through with it.

Best wishes

[aFibber55 in reply to Buzby62]

Thank you Buzby I have read the info and there is a phone consultation two weeks before. I was just panicking not knowing if I actually want it and two week prior cancelling would not be fair. I also need to book possible hotel before that.

Glad to hear that yours went well and that you are happy. It’s so easy to concentrate on the possible problems rather than a good outcome. I doubt it was offered as an option is there wasn’t a good chance for better quality of life and of course less use or NHS resources afterwards🤣

[DoggieMum]

I was diagnosed in 2019 after suffering palpitations for a number of years before that.Since diagnosis my Bisoprolol dose has gradually increased from 1.25 to 7.5 and whilst controlling my symptoms pretty much I was always very tired.

I finally got to see a cardiology registrar on 31 July after having been on the waiting list for 15 months. She did suggest an ablation at St Thomas's but informed me it would take around 3 hours and involves an overnightstay, it could take as long as 12 weeks before any benefit was felt and the success rate was 50%. I was not at all keen so opted for another drug called Flecainide and so far so good. I've not gone into AF and I don't feel so tired and generally I feel much better.

Hope this helps with your decision.

[37Polly]

not sure I can help here,as i am in US , but two days post procedure. We live 4 hrs from Boston, lovely , but a driving nightmare. Waited 3 mo. And stayed the night, because I was 3rd, late afternoon. If i can answer anything..just chat. Good luck

[2learn]

Hi, re ablation, not guaranteed you will be allowed home same day so take account of that. Booking a hotel can be a good idea for you and your husband. Could be near hospital and go there night before. Thats what we do now and we are 4hrs drive away. We also now book a driver/taxi, expensive, but not that much more than rail fare and much less hassle, could deliver and pick up or just one way.

[aFibber55 in reply to 2learn]

Many thanks, that really does seem the way to go. No point adding any anxiety🤣

I am still in process of deciding if I am ready for it yet. It’s all a bit difficult when rather than being absolutely necessary it’s something you have you to weigh for pros and cons yourself.

[2learn in reply to aFibber55]

Hi again. Have you been offered a cardioversion. I had 3 before I had an ablation. they are done in a couple of hrs and you would expect to be home the same day. Each one worked and kept me in sinus rhythm for 12-16 months. First 2 ablations I had didn't last as long.

[aFibber55 in reply to 2learn]

Luckily I still have paroxysmal AF which flips back to sinus rhythm within a few hours, so no cardioversion yet.

That’s why it’s hard to decide to go for the ablation as I am still ok ish. I think I sort of know though that ablation is the way to go, but try to find reasons to chicken out.