Heart ablation

[cookiedough174]

Has anyone on her had or know someone who has had a heart ablation?
My mum has exhausted the medication options for AF condition and is having an emergency ablation.

I stupidly googled it and have seen risks of heart attacks and strokes etc.

Can anyone share any experience?

Both parents. Made the world of difference to their QoL

My best friend and my husband both had it. All very straightforward and no issues since (20+ years for both).
Of course, any responsible doctor must advise the small % of risk - nothing is risk free - but it's a very common procedure and generally very successful.

Thank you both for sharing! Was this treatment for AF or another issue?

Hi @cookiedough174 my DF also exhausted all of the other options for AF, nothing worked, until he had an ablation. I know how scary it can be, but it was successful for my DF and he has had many years now with no AF. The risks for everyone is of course different and I am sure you know your self that googling will never give you the reassurance that you are looking for. My DF is not the healthiest of men and he came through it fine. I hope that the procedure is successful for your DM, please keep us updated.

One was treatment for AF having exhausted everything else - though very recently diagnosed - Dad said "I thought being out of breath was just being unfit for all those years" (he's an ex Olympic rower and is fit as a fiddle). Mum's was picked up during something else, and has made less of an obvious difference outwardly but her data is transformed.

Yes. I had one at age 30.

I had suffered from palpitations, dizziness and exhaustion my whole life, fobbed off by GP’s as anxiety. During Labour, I complained about the palpitations and the lovely anaesthetist diagnosed me with AV node re-entrant tachycardia (basically an extra electrical pathway in my heart).

I went in to hospital for an ablation five months later. Was told before hand that if the issue was on the right hand side of my heart I would be sent home in a few hours. If it was on the left side, then they would have to pierce through the septum to ablate, so would have to keep me in for 2-3 days.

Luckily, mine was on the right, so done and dusted in about 40 minutes (for the procedure) and two hours-ish in recovery (they let my partner and baby in the recovery room with me straight away since I was breastfeeding exclusively).

I found the procedure slightly painful but I was only given tiny puffs of Valium up my nose, due to the breastfeeding, so there is probably better pain relief available generally.

Afterwards, the difference in the way my heart beat was instantly different. I could stand up and not get palpitations! I could get shocked and not get palpitations. It was great. My energy levels (after the first 4-5 days) we MASSIVELY improved and I literally couldn’t believe how easy life was compared to previously! I hadn’t realised the tiredness I had been feeling my whole life was abnormal.

Anyway, I would definitely recommend getting this procedure. It’s such a small thing yet so life changing!

Wow thank you all so much for sharing! What amazing results!
My mum has really been messed about in the hospital (we're in England).
She keeps being teased with an ablation or pace maker and then they decide to change her meds again... despite being told they'd done everything with the meds previously!
She's been in and out of hospital 3 times this week with huge AF flare ups.
She was told this morning it'd be an ablation and this afternoon she's been told they'll try changing her meds one more time.....

I had one age 28! It changed my life! The worst side effect I had was a massive bruise where the catheter went in. It's an amazing procedure in terms of what it can do.

Friend’s mum - life changing and all in a good way! Good luck 🥰

Both AF. It's very common.

my friend had it recently. not sure if it made any difference but he was under GA and went home same day feeling fine.

I have AF but can't have an ablation due to bleeding risk and inability to take anti coagulant meds. I had a different procedure done (Watchman) to prevent stroke since I wasn't able to take blood thinners. Similar entry site through the groin. It does nothing for the AF though! But Beta Blockers are working well for now.

Anyway, the point of my post before I ramble on anymore is that there is a great Facebook group called "Atrial Fibrillation Support Forum" which I found really great during my journey with AF. It is US based I think, judging by the names of the hospitals people use, but everyone is welcome. The procedures are the same as those done in UK. I think nearly everyone on the group has had an ablation at this stage! You might like to look it up and post a question.