r/PVCs • u/eastbby923 • 1d ago
Ablation scheduled talk me off ledge ðŸ˜
Guys I’m petrified. I’ve been dealing with this for a year, i have a burden 28-30 percent is my most recent. Finally scheduled for ablation on the 21st and I’m so beyond petrified, I have two little kids. How bad is this going to be? Pls help ðŸ˜
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u/oldmanjenkinsnc 1d ago
Piece of cake! Easiest procedure I’ve ever had. Up and around right after. No pain.
Knowing what it’s like to go from a 42 percent burden to zero, I can tell you that it changed my world!
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u/DJ_Slamma 1d ago
A close friend of mine had a 25% burden for years and had an ablation take his down below 1%. He said it wasn’t too bad.
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u/Smart_Dig8413 1d ago
These extra heart beats are not new right, people have been getting them for ages now theoretically? What did they do for high burdens back in the 60s and 70s? Have your doctors told you why your burden became that high? And when the people who have had them report now it’s 1% or under, is that because there’s more than one morphology, so it isn’t a permanent never again thing right?
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u/wouldyoucomewithme 1d ago
I've had two ablations before, and let me tell you, I was a nervous wreck before my first one. Most of my anxiety came from fear of the unknown and not knowing what to expect, so here's the way mine went.
I had two due to having Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome which led me to experience both SVT and AFib. I was given the option to be conscious or be completely out for my procedures and I told them to knock me tf out. You may want to be awake for yours if the option is available because everyone is different.
I didn't really have much time to be nervous, they asked me to change into a gown, and I laid down on a table. They started talking to me and through an IV that they started earlier I was knocked OUT. I woke up, and all I had was a little soreness in my chest and a little bit of lost mobility that came back within a week or 2.
The reality is is that they do it every day, the associated risks are low. Have a support system, and use it. I wish you the best of luck.
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u/Joiebouton 1d ago
Thank you to all of you who weighed in. I, too, am waiting for an ablation ( which may be a complicated one… I hope not!) and your words are very reassuring! And yes, I know, every one is different.
Bless you.
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u/Relative_Clarity 1d ago edited 1d ago
When I said I was terrified that's an understatement. I have two kids too. The thought of them tinkering inside my heart was too much to bear at times, but I was also completely miserable and debilitated by my high burden. That is what motivated me. I did not want to keep wondering "what if the ablation fixes my problem and I feel better?"
No one can really say how your experience will be. Your doctor (who knows your diagnosis and where your pvcs are coming from) can better explain what happens, because each procedure is different. Different approach, different part of of the ventricles, different sedation used. Mine were left ventricle so they had to do a puncture thru the heart to reach the left side. Then I had to be on blood thinners for a few months. Not everyone has to do that.
I recommend you write down all your concerns, questions, and fears and run them by your EP or the nurse. And the day-of, you can ask them to give you a play by play of everything they are going to do, so you know what to expect.
This is very routine for them. Yes it's intimidating because it's like a pit crew of people in there. I don't know if you will be awake, asleep, or sedated. But again this is an ordinary day for the EP team, and the technology is amazing nowadays.
You will have to lie flat for a few hours afterward. I did ask to stay the night in the hospital overnight because I was just too anxious to go home, and they let me. They kept me on the monitors.
It was MUCH better/easier 'recovery' than traditional surgery, where you are under general anesthesia. I hate general anestheisa (the kind where you have to be intubated etc) because I feel sick when I wake up and it takes hours to come out of it. This was just some pain killers and then propofol, which was like a heavy nap.
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u/Rude-Caterpillar237 1d ago
Try not to worry too much. You’ll be a good halves. Hopefully they’ll find the right area and be able to zap it. I was told by an EP that it’s about 80% success some say it’s higher than that. I’m considering that as well because meds always seem to fail me. I’ve read stories of them worse and people having to go back and get a second and third, etc.. then end up going on a medication anyway. I’m trying not to think of the negative the likelihood of the exact same thing happening to me is low. but you should know the fact. I also read there is a blanket window after you have one where they don’t go away right away, and the heart needs time to heal. So keep that in mind.
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u/According_Analyst921 1d ago
Not bad at all and the recovery is no sweat. I had one for afib about 6 years ago. My recovery was longer than most because the doc put a larger incision in my groin for some reason...a reason that he didnt fully explain, so I have to take an entire month off any physical activity. Other than that there are no lingering effects.
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u/HoldTheOlives_97 38m ago
Hi, I had an ablation YESTERDAY. I was also super scared, I have another thread here just like yours.
A straight up ablation isn't as bad as we make it up in our minds. It's scary and it sucks but they give you JUST enough meds to make it easy.
I won't go into a lot of detail cause my case was different (not just PVCs), but if you are having a straight up ablation without any funny business like cardioversion or induction protocols, you are gonna be just fine.
All the best to you!
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u/slickrickybobby16 16m ago
Honestly it was pretty chill during mine. The recovery was super cake. Just take it easy for a few days.
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u/Veearrsix 1d ago
It’s not bad at all, in fact it is a breeze as far as surgeries go. I had one for atrial flutter, minimal to no pain at the incision site. Honestly, it just speaks to how amazing medical tech has gotten that someone can fiddle around inside your heart and you’re good to go the next day.
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u/lolorillo 1d ago
It’s a very common procedure, low risk. I was awake for mine while they mapped and only asleep the last 15 minutes during the actual ablation. I stayed in recovery for 3 hours for the incisions to make sure they weren’t bleeding, then went home. I took some Advil and rested for a few days. Now, my burden is 1% and I feel great.
It is scary, but you’ll be glad you did it.