Ablation

I'm very thankful that through technology that my doctors are able to get to my heart without performing more invasive means such as open heart surgery, but I am sick and tired of people I know down playing ablations as if it's no big deal and the equivalent of getting your teeth cleaned.

I think people think that since it's just called a procedure and not surgery, they consider it less of a deal.

I'm just venting, mostly, and speaking for everyone here that has been through these "procedures". Please know that I speak up for ya'll......
We know what it's all about don't we?

3 Comments

Definitely

by ChicagoKim - 2009-07-16 10:07:33

I totally agree.

My husband and I said the same thing about it being "just a procedure"!

The "procedure" and the week after it are times I'd rather forget.

I passed out right before they took out the 5 catheter thingies. I think it was just the stress of the whole day along with the anticipation of them taking them out. That part ended up not being quite as bad as I thought it might (not that I'd like to do it again!).

So I definitely empathize.

Unfortunately my inappropriate sinus tachycardia came back 6 days later. Because they hit my phrenic nerve during the ablation of my sinus node (my right lung is paralyzed temporarily), my next ablation will be a combination endocardial/epicardial approach where they will inflate a balloon in between my phrenic nerve and my heart so they can safely ablate the sinus node fully. Not exactly looking forward to it. Nice to know there are others here who understand :)

Kim

I was asllep the whole time

by johnb10000 - 2009-07-17 11:07:38

The put me under general anesthesia for the ablation I had done yesterday.

The only bad part is a nurse put in the IV lines, pads for EKG leads and a catheter on my penis. With the catheter on the penis it constantly felt like I had to pee really bad. Then I laid there a half an hour or longer until they could roll me into the operating room.

In the operating room I was talking the the anesthesiologist and woke up a few hours later after they were done. Then they rolled me to my room.

They would take the catheter out of my penis when the effects of the drugs wore off and I could pee on my own. I had to ask a few nurses to take the catheter out and they seem to try to pass it off on another nurse.

Ablation

by scadnama - 2009-07-18 03:07:55

Thanks Angelie!

Ablations are anything but easy. I have had 5 now, and it has been an ordeal each time. These "procedures" are not as simple as they sound, and are often much more complicated than "surgery".

Thanks for speaking up!

Amanda

You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker receives radio frequencies.

Member Quotes

As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.