just joined, need advice please…

[Kalbim65]

Hello, new here, have had Afib for 6 years now about to have ablation and would like to know:

Any regrets in having it done?

How long to recover and back to work?

How long before I can fly off on holiday? 😁

Thank you so much, 😍

[Knavesmire27]

I would recommend ablation if it is being offered. It isn't the most pleasant experience at the time but they will give you some sedation. And your recovery doesn't take too long. You may even be able to go back to work in about a week. I know it is scary so don't be afraid to ask all the questions you need. Good luck

[Kalbim65 in reply to Knavesmire27]

Thank you so much. I am scared hence all the questions. Apart from the risks of the ablation itself, I’m dreading that awful feeling as if I’m about to pass out when heart rate goes up and bp down..

[Knavesmire27 in reply to Kalbim65]

I promise, I know exactly how you are feeling. I am not going to tell you not to worry but I am going to say put your trust in your consultant and their team. When I had mine there were 11 members of staff in the room with me, all with their own part to play. And please don't be afraid to ask questions. I have never met a consultant who wasn't patient and understanding with my barrage of questions 😊. Good luck

[racer373]

I had a Ablation last Tuesday and know exactly how you feel. My procedure was in London so the wife and I stayed in a Premier Inn the night before. We walked along the South Bank in the evening through all the Christmas markets with people smiling and laughing. It was a horrible experience knowing what we were facing the next morning.

I had to be at hospital for 0700 in the morning I remember being so nervous. It's was my fist hospital operation since I was born. Te consultant rearranged their list so I went last. Waiting around didn't help with nerves.

The procedure itself was a carried out by a team of professionals that took good care of me. Once back in my room the nurses were amazing.

I stayed overnight for observations but felt fine had a number of irregular heart rhythms but these were expected(Possibly for up to 3 months during what they call the blanking period)

I went home the next day by taxi and train. Once at home I rested in bed for 3 days to let my groin heal. Days 4, 5 and 6 I walked about the house, made dinner for the kids one afternoon but nothing too strenuous.

Day 7 I went for my first 1 mile walk to the local supermarket, Day 8 a slow Swim.

In answer to your questions

Any regrets in having it done?

Absolutely none, I potentially may need another in the future and would be more than happy to have the procedure again.

How long to recover and back to work?

Check with your consultant by I think you could resume normal duties after a week. Obviously give yourself as much time as you can

How long before I can fly off on holiday? 😁

Again check with consultant but it really depends on how you feel. I cancelled a holiday in January to give myself at least 6 weeks recovery.

Good luck wit your procedure and let us know how it goes?

[Canary49]

I had an ablation in September and very glad I did. I’m so much less breathless than before. Mine only lasted 30 minutes, but was in hospital for the best part of the day: resting for four hours afterwards. I’ll be honest, it was briefly quite uncomfortable when my chest became very hot but that soon passed and the staff were brilliant in reassuring me. I recovered very quickly but was told not to drive for a week. I had a short haul flight a month later, without any issues at all. Good luck!

[Kalbim65 in reply to Canary49]

thank you this is reassuring 😍

[Fullofheart]

I've had 3. The hospital will say a week to recover but it took much longer for me to be well enough to get back to work. I think about a month. Depends on other health conditions, type of work, how well you recover etc. I was unwell before having mine (hence keeping going with 3 in one year, after 20 years of AF) so that would have impacted recovery time.Try and get hold of the AFA patient leaflet. It will be on this site somewhere or ask bhf. Excellent leaflet. More realistic than the one the hospital gives and gives helpful tips.

Not the nicest of experiences but I've definitely no regrets. I've been in NSR (Normal rhythm) for 18 months now after 20 years of AF.

I'd definitely have another one if (and when, realistically) I need one.

But the AF had significantly affected my health and QOL and I was in mild heart failure....which I'm not any more! So I had little choice really.

It really depends how much AF is impacting you in terms of whether to go down the ablation route, or not.

Hope that helps.

[Kalbim65 in reply to Fullofheart]

Thank you so much will try to get this leaflet somehow. Thank you also for your insight, I can be better prepared🙏😍

[Fullofheart in reply to Kalbim65]

healthunlocked.com/redirect...

Found it in another post today

[Kalbim65 in reply to Fullofheart]

Brilliant! Thank you 🙏

[JezzaJezza]

hi my neighbour has AF and was being treated with Dronedarone Multaq and a blood thinner. Since the ablation she has not had any recurrence and has been taken off the Multaq but kept on the blood thinner. She checked with her consultant and several weeks later was cleared to go on a flight from Ireland to Canada but her GP insisted she wear light compression socks.

Hope that helps.

Best wishes

Jezza

[Kalbim65 in reply to JezzaJezza]

This is great news thank you. Just the thought of an upcoming holiday will keep me going😁🙏

[AmandaLouise77]

Give yourself at least twice as much time to recover as you think you'll need. I hadn't realised quite how unwell I was before ablation (persistent AF) until about 3 months afterwards when I really started to feel good and get my energy back. I had some complications but it all got sorted out and I'd do it all again to help my heart.

[Kalbim65 in reply to AmandaLouise77]

This is really good to know thank you. 😍

[Driver11]

I've had 2 and both under general anesthetic 4 and 4.5 hrsNo regrets but having an op is scary but trust your professional team they'll be great

Always ask

Good luck

[Kalbim65 in reply to Driver11]

Thank you means a lot 😍

[Kalbim65]

thank you all for your insights. My afib is getting worse and with age not being on my side, new medical conditions popping up like mushrooms, having afib also controls what other medication I can take. So before I go beyond the point of no return when I won’t be able to have it done, will try and fight the fears and get it done now. Fingers crossed mine goes the way all yours did. Thanks again 🙏

[racer373]

Here's the AF Association's recovering from Ablation fact sheet:

api.heartrhythmalliance.org...

[Kalbim65 in reply to racer373]

Brilliant thank you 🙏

[Summerlily]

Hi KalbimI am having my ablation next week and feel just like you

I have decided to do no more reading or research , just makes me more stressed , just going to put my trust in the ablation team ...I think !

Very good luck

[Kalbim65 in reply to Summerlily]

Good plan Summerlily. I’m glad I read the AF leaflet though, will help me be bit more prepared. Mines in 2 weeks. Good luck to you too. Hopefully we’ll both be able to say how well it went on here not long after 🙏🙏

[Asteroids]

I had an ablation because of Atrial Flutter after mitral valve repair. Prior to the ablation I had constant flutter, after it I’ve had no AF since - it’s been nearly 6 years now.

Different people have difference experiences with an ablation. Some find it painful apparently and I recall some have to stop. I found it a little uncomfortable and was able to let the electrophysiologist get on and do his stuff. I don’t know whether this allowed him to do such a complete job, but I like to think so. It’s a good question to ask, whether how you feel affects how thoroughly they can do the ablation.

I don’t recall the recovery period. I don’t think it slowed down my recovery from the valve repair.

[Kalbim65 in reply to Asteroids]

Thank you for your insight🙏 So you weren’t given a general anaesthetic? I’d assumed I’d have general…

[Zorby]

Hi,

I had ablation in 1998 when my ectopics had started interfering to the point of regular dizziness.

The first attempt failed, then they tried , what was then a new technique, using two sets of xray equipment to triangulate the catheter position. I can imagine how much technological advance has been made in the last 26 years 🙂.

It took me a couple of weeks rest to settle down, but then the result was transformative. Dizziness gone, and so nice to listen to a regular beat 🙂🙂.

I flew three months later , long haul. No problems, and it probably could have been sooner.

I was very concerned a couple of years later when I had a spate of ectopics back and saw the cardiologist again. He said it had been induced by a recent case of flu I had just had and was normal. This prove to be true, it passed, and has occurred couple of times over the years when I have picked up a respiratory infection. I know it’s normal now.

Absolutely not one single regret. Made a huge difference to me in not just health, but confidence.

All the best. 👍

[Kalbim65 in reply to Zorby]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[Sixtychick]

I had my ablation in September last year. I felt just like you. I’d had a phone call from the hospital the morning before, to say it was cancelled, due to the Consultants strike, then in the afternoon, they rang me back and said it was going ahead after all, as my Consultant EP, was going to carry on working. When I was being taken to the Catheter Lab, I felt like jumping off the trolley and running away.. 🤣. but they were very good and reassuring and I had sedation and local anaesthetic. The sedation made me feel dizzy and that was probably the worst part of the procedure actually. You could feel it a little bit, on occasions, but the EP told me when it would be a bit uncomfortable and it was bearable. The worst part was lying still for all that time and afterwards for several hours. My ablation took about three and a half hours. I was well looked after, because there wasn’t many patients in the wards, due to the Drs strike. I was kept in hospital overnight and felt ok when I went home.

I’m retired, but after about a week, I resumed my normal life again, having taken it easy for a while.I couldn’t drive for a week or so. I don’t like flying, so can’t advise on that . We have a touring caravan, so go away quite a lot in that and we went away in that about 10 days after my ablation.

The worst side effect was the enormous bruise I had in my groin. I’d had to stay on the anticoagulants and stop the Sotalol heart tablets, which surprised me, I thought it would have been the other way round. I had quite a lot of ectopic beats, but they’ve got a lot less than they were. The success rate for ablation is higher if you only get AFib occasionally, which I did, so 🤞🤞🤞. I keep trying to put the thought of whether the awful AFib will return, to the back of my mind, but it’s not easy.

Anyway, hope your ablation goes ok and try not to worry too much, easier said than done, I know. I’m sure you’ll be fine and have a good Xmas.

[Kalbim65 in reply to Sixtychick]

Bless you thank you so much. 🙏

[MWIC]

Zero regrets- has mine Dec 23 - not exactly pleasant but would have again with no hesitation - literally have a life again!! “Blanking period” so don’t expect plain sailing but once heals and any inflammation subsides then life begins - took about 8 weeks until I knew I was over the blips and since then all good - you can’t help worry about the thought if it but think of what it can mean to your life and that’s what got me through- very best of luck

[Jetcat]

hi Kal, Iv had 3 ablations but I still get episodes of AFIB unfortunately. But I don’t regret having my ablations because although I still get some episodes I do believe I’m still better than what I would’ve been iff not having the ablations. I’m still working full time, go on holidays at every chance thrown at me and still run around after my grandkids.👍

[Kalbim65]

thank you so much everyone I’m so glad I asked. I now feel better equipped to deal with whats to come and more determined to get my life back. Bless you all. ❤️

[Corty72]

No regrets from me having the ablation. Mine was completely painless. I had a bit of bruising after but I don’t recall any issues . I was embarrassed when my paper pants were cut off in theatre!

The only thing I didn’t like was the ‘blank’ where I have no recollection of what happened after I went out. Small price to pay, imho.

[Kalbim65 in reply to Corty72]

OMG of course! I forgot about the pants! Thanks for the warning, much appreciated. 😍